November 2021 Newsletter

As I am very much looking forward to seeing all of you at our next general meeting, it will not be on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.  This weekend, November 6 and 7,  is our 71st annual juried Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival at Kutztown University in the O’Pake Fieldhouse and our general meeting will occur on Sunday, November 7 at 9:00 AM before the opening of the Festival that day at 10:00 AM.

I am so anxious to see all of you at our Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival.  I love engaging with our craftsmen and makers, and our fine artists.  I am grateful for our volunteers whom we could not pull this event off without you.  Steve Hunter, Show chair and his committee have worked diligently to put this festival together this year and I thank them for this.   Our loyal followers and all our shoppers will not be disappointed.  It will truly be a unique shopping experience.  The university does require wearing a mask indoors.

In December, Reading-Berks Guild will be the featured chapter by our PA Guild of Craftsmen in the newsletter and in the PA Guild Store in Lancaster.  More information about this will be included in this newsletter.

How does an evening of great food, fun, and singing with friends sound?  That is what we have planned for our annual Christmas and Holiday party at Yellow House Hotel.  Don’t forget to sign up.  You will be glad you did.  On this night we also support our local food pantry by collecting donations and we support the Goggleworks by making donation to their summer program for kids.

I also at this time want to say to all of you to have a most “Happy Thanksgiving”.  As we gather with family and friends, we realize that our blessings are abundant.

“Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have , or do.”  Brian Tracy

Thank you to everyone who supported BCTV’s Octoberfest auction.  Thank you for your donations, thank you for bidding and thank you Reading-Berks Guild for being you and supporting our great friend, BCTV.  Your generous donations helped to make this once a year fund raiser for BCTV a great success.  Today, I was in the studio with a special spot  for “Your Berks Craftsmen” that BCTV said we could have and we had a great session with Steve Hunter, our program chairperson and a few artists and craftsmen who will be at our 71st annual juried  Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival next Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7.  It was totally awesome to be able to get this informative and interesting show out there one week before our big event.

For the November “Your Berks Craftsmen” I am hoping to have several Reading-Berks Guild members volunteer to do a Holiday Decorating program just in time for this very special time of year.  So think about one of your favorite tips and plan to share it with the world.  Remember you can see “Your Berks Craftsmen” on Comcast Channel 15 on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM.  You can also catch it on BCTV.org and if you miss it that night you can watch it on our website at rbcrafts.org usually by the next day and yes, we are on YouTube !  Also, I will be talking with you at the show.  We need to have more “Stars” for 2022 and yes, I will be looking for YOU!

The next jury session is scheduled for Tues, March 8, 2022 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. Members will be asked to leave before jurying begins, and can return in 1- 1 1/2 hours for the results. Check the board at the entrance of the Goggleworks for the room #. For more information or for an application, go to https://rbcrafts.org/resources or contact Louise at eglassplace@gmail.com.

Barry contacted Burd Kerchner who manages the PA Guild of Craftsmen Store and she sent us the following information.  We are the highlighted chapter for December and she said she would love to end this highlighted display with a few artists. A few of our members do have items in the PA Guild store. The following is what to do to get your crafts displayed there:

Burd Kerchner’s reply:

“This is a great way to highlight a new member artwork and that is sticking with the high standards of the guild store. They need to apply on our website 1st, before they bring their items into the store.

I need three different pictures of different items. Price Points of this area range between 15.00 – 200.00 .  It takes about a week for myself to study the photos and see if they are a good fit for the store …  then they will receive an email from me. If they have been selected then they can bring their items in, but Only if they receive an email from me. So I would say I need people to apply near the middle part  of November.   Christmas is our active time of the year.  So you have the best month to be in the display.

Thanks for supporting the Guild Store.
Burd Kerchner Guild Store Manager”
burd.pacrafts@gmail.com
Pa. Guild of Craftsmen Store
335 N. Queen Street
Lancaster, Pa. 17603
www.Pacrafts.org
717-431-8706
Wednesday – Saturdays 10-5

The JCC/M committee is offering a challenge to all Chapters to display their collaboration on “Water”.  Each chapter may submit up to three works of art for the competition.  Each work must have a minimum of 3 members collaborating on each piece.  The work of art size must be no smaller than 3” x 3” x 3” but no larger than 18” x 18” x18”.  No entries will be accepted after April 1, 2022.