April 2019 | Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen

President’s Message:

This is not an April Fools’ Joke. I repeat, not an April Fools’ Joke!!!!

Signs of Spring are actually coming into focus. The weather is getting a little warmer and the grass is getting greener, signs of new life are awakening. And, that my friends is exactly what is happening also at the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen. So come out to our next general meeting and see and hear what is happening. On Tuesday you will get to meet and chat with our newest recently juried members. These craftsmen are presenting a “Show and Tell” for our program. Let’s give them a great welcome into our Guild. Also of special interest to our members, Tuesday night is our drawing for our mini grants. Remember, if you have submitted your application, you must be present for the drawing in order to win.

Another sign of Spring is the Heritage Center’s “Easter on the Farm”. This event is in a beautiful country setting and occurs on April 13 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Kids and adults alike will have a great time but only the kids get to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt.

AND wait, there is something else “popping up”. Is Reading-Berks Guild becoming trendy? We are looking into doing some Pop-Ups ourselves. Let’s talk and hear what we are thinking of doing.

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

Your President, George Washington
(April Fools), Barry Bennecoff

Holiday Show:

We are taking applications for the Holiday Show. Four ways to get an application:
1) Pick one up at our general meeting on Tuesday,
2) Go to our website: rbcrafts.org and look for the application under Festivals/ Info for Exhibitors,
3) e-mail us at tjboyer@1860WoodCo.com, or
4) Click on the Apply Now button below!

Terry & Judy Boyer
Show Chairs
484-650-7500 home
610-401-5770 cell

Media:

Whether you watch on your TV (You need Comcast) or your computer (at BCTV.com) you will not want to miss our two shows that have recently been on “Your Berks Craftsmen” I was lucky enough to be able to tape a show with our talented John Fugelso of Creative Treenware. John brought his workbench into the studio and the wood chips were flying. Also in March our education chairperson Carol Haile took us on a whirlwind tour of the recent BCIU art show here at the Goggleworks. This is a great event for the art students from the schools of Berks County and we, your Reading-Berks Guild award their efforts with $1000.00 in student scholarships. Along with these awards the winning students also receive beautiful rosettes and a beautiful certificate done by our talented calligrapher, Carol Haile. These are two shows you do not want to miss. April’s guests on BCTV this month will be Michelle and Curt Pearson along with some craftsmen who will be participating in the Artists in the Park on Saturday May 4, 2019 at the Conrad Weiser Homestead. The show will air live on May 15, 2019 at 7:00 PM in the BCTV studio. Stay tuned!

Your BCTV host, Kay Bennecoff

Programs:

April will be the newly juried members presenting their crafts: Martha Ressler, Fiber Art; Jay Ressler, Photography; and Richard Snyder, Bird Carving. Let’s give them a real Reading-Berks welcome!
Programs Chair, Matt Vardjan

Education:

We will draw the Mini Grant winners on Tuesday, at the April 2nd meeting. You must be present to win!
Education Chair, Carol Haile

Standards:

Please come to Tuesday’s April meeting to congratulate our most recent juried members and admire their work.

Martha Ressler: Fiber Art
Jay Ressler: Photography
Richard Snyder: Bird Carving

Our next jury session will be September 10th.

Standards Chair, Louise Mehaffey

Events:

General Meetings:
April 2: 7 PM GoggleWorks
May 7: 7 PM GoggleWorks
June 4: Picnic at Matt V’s
July 2: No Meeting, but join your fellow craftsmen at the Kutztown Folk Festival this week!

In Memory:

We are sad to say that in the last few months we have lost 2 of our members:

Ken Moyer, former VP of our Chapter, survived by June Moyer, wife for 48 years, passed on October 30, 2018.
Nicholas (Nick) Zdinak, 64, passed away February 17, 2019. He was a very talented artist who created and sold Pysanky eggs at our festivals and other venues.