February 2019 | Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen

President’s Message:

Happiest of New Year’s to my fellow crafts persons. I along with the Board of Directors of The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen are looking forward to making 2019 a great year for crafts. It has been my experience that craftsmen are happy people. And they are happy because they are doing something that they are passionate about……creating! So I ask all of you to let’s help make the world a happier place and let’s share our passion with others. Let’s inspire other craftsmen to join our guild this year. Welcome and encourage that young person who is just starting out in the craft world to join us. The sharing of experiences among younger and older craftsmen can only make all of us stronger in our chosen craft and, that my friends, is key to our future success as The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen delve into 2019!

Coming out to our monthly chapter meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Goggleworks is a great way to support your Guild. Matt Vardjan does a great job with contacting and securing guests who do great programs for us each month. Also, new in 2019 by attending our monthly meetings all Reading-Berks members who are vendors at our Holiday Festival will have their name placed in a drawing for that meeting night. One name is drawn, and that name will be entered in the final drawing at the October general meeting and the name drawn that night will win a free standard booth for our 2019 Holiday Festival. (Not too shabby!)

And since we are talking about the 70^th Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival by your Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen, I have heard from my contact at Conference Services that there is no home football game at Kutztown University on the weekend of November 2 and November 3. The University meets in March and schedules all their events. It is after that meeting, that I will receive confirmation for our date for our Fine Art and Craft Festival. Since that is the open date, I am counting on that to be our weekend so I am asking you to “Save that Date”. We will let you know the minute we know through an E-blast, our website, etc. So, stay tuned.

“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason” Mark Twain

Your President, Barry L. Bennecoff

Holiday Show:

Hello to all,

Well we had another great Holiday Show. Now, we are back at work and reviewing all of the data collected for and at the show. We want to see what we need to improve, what to keep the same, and what works best for the show and the Guild.

The great thing is, we will be celebrating our 70th year ..
Our 70th Holiday Show will be one of 2 weekends: the last weekend in Oct. or the 1st Weekend of Nov. We will know the exact date after the KU board meeting in March.

Keep logging on to the Guilds Website and checking to see if we have a date from KU.

We will be sending news blasts of the date when it is official and also a link to the Holiday Show Application.

Thanks for a good season,

From the Show Committee and us your Show co-Chairs.

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

Media:

I hope you have been tuning into BCTV’s “Your Berks Craftsmen” during the month of January and are enjoying the Kutztown Folk Festival 2018. Curt Pearson helped me with the interviews this past summer and he did a fantastic job. Thanks, Curt. Join us in February and you will be treated to the creative treenware craftsman, John Fugelso. John is a member of our guild and he is going to demonstrate his beautiful craft right before your eyes. Treenware definition – useful household objects made of wood. You will be delighted with his beautiful spoons and bowls. Be sure to watch BCTV ‘s “Your Berks Craftsmen” the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM. If you don’t get Comcast, go to BCTV.org and catch us there. And while you are watching, you can call in “Live-on the air” with any questions.

Thanks for watching,

I am, Your BCTV host, Kay Bennecoff

Programs:

Next meeting: February 5th, 7 PM at the GoggleWorks

Programs Chair, Matt Vardjan

Education:

Four (4) Mini Grants, in the amount of $50 each will be randomly drawn at the Reading-Berks Chapter’s regularly scheduled meeting at the Goggleworks on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

Winners will be drawn from applications (completed in full) and submitted by the deadline of Monday, March 18, 2019. Entries must be received at our Reading-Berks Chapter PGC, ATTN. Carol Haile, Post Office Box 85, Mohnton, PA 19540by that date. Those received after that date will not be included in the drawing.
2019 BCIU Seconday Art & Craft Exhibit to be held at the GoggleWorks. The exhibit will be on display February 23 – March 10, 2019. The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen will again judge the entries as part of our Stanley G. Seltz Student Awards Program. The BCIU has made particular efforts this year to encourage the area high schools to include wood items for our consideration.

Programs Chair, Carol Haile

Download the Mini-Grant

Standards:

The next jury session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12 at the Goggleworks. Members who have belonged to our chapter for a minimum of 3 months are eligible to present their work for jurying. The room will be open at 6:30, and jurying will begin at 7:00. Check the board at the entrance of the Goggleworks for the room #. For more information or for an application, go to rbcrafts.org/resources or contact Louise at eglassplace@gmail.com.

Standards Chair, Louise Mehaffey

Get Juried

Events:

General Meetings:
February 5th: 7 PM GoggleWorks
March 5th: 7 PM GoggleWorks
April 2nd: 7 PM GoggleWorks
May 7th: 7 PM GoggleWorks

Mini-Grant drawing: April 2nd meeting (note application must be received by March 18, 2019)

Juried Session: March 12th: 7 PM GoggleWorks, set up 6:30 PM.