November 2023 Newsletter

by | Oct 28, 2023 | Articles, Events, Newsletter Archive |

President’s Message:

Well, there is no turning back now…The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen’s 73rd annual Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival is happening on Saturday, November 4 and Sunday November 5.  Getting all those last minute details done are high priority this week, so I know everyone is very busy so my message is going to be short and sweet.

We will be having our general meeting prior to the opening of our Festival on Sunday, November 5 at 9:00 AM in the cafe’ at the O’Pake Fieldhouse.  (Don’t forget your badges!).

Our Holiday Social is coming up in December.  It is held at The Yellow House Hotel and always proves to be a most enjoyable evening of great food and great entertainment with great friends.

I am so looking forward to next weekend.  When Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen produce a show or festival, there is much excitement.  I, as your president, relish the commitment we share in making it happen.  We have some new artists and craftsmen this year.  We have our student gallery, the future of our guild.  It will be an event to remember and it is all thanks to YOU!

“Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach

Your President,
Barry L. Bennecoff
P.S. Information from our Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen for you:

The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen is delighted to announce they will be offering two new indoor Fine Crafts Fairs in 2024.  Summer Fine Craft Fair will be June 22-23, 2024 at Foundry48 in Lititz, PA.  Fall Fine Craft Fair will be September 28-29, 2024 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.  More details will be forthcoming.  The Zapp application process (Zapplication) will open soon.

A call for artists:

The Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival: May 18 with a deadline for applications is March 8, 2024. Email : info@artsheritage.com

Winter Artisan Series at Educator and Raptor Care Specialist Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: February through March.

Email Jessica Gary <gary@hawkmountain.org

 

Programs:

November:
This month the Guild’s program will be our Holiday Show. Our Sunday morning meeting at 9:00 AM is the best attended meeting year after year. I guess this meeting must be the program our members are looking for. All kidding aside. Our holiday show it without question the high point of our Guild organization. We have a great show committee and chairman who has raised a nice show to a great show! I look forward to seeing al of you Sunday November 5th. Also, remember to sign-up online for the holiday social at Yellow House Hotel. See details at https://rbcrafts.org/our-guild/holiday-social/.  Sign-up deadline is November 28th.

December:
The program this month will be the holiday social at Yellow House Hotel. They do a wonderful job with decorating the place! A classic Christmas environment. Keith Brinsenhoff will entertain us after the meal. Happy Holidays to all!  Please sign up at https://rbcrafts.org/our-guild/holiday-social/

Program Chair:
Matt Vardjan

Shows:

Our fall show is almost here:  November 4 &5!   Please look for our ad in the Berks First flyer that have arrived at your house by now. We have wonderful craftsmen and everything is falling into place nicely. Please plan on attending even if you are not selling your work.

We will have the whole show Pipe and Draped as we did last year. This was a big hit with most craftsmen and sets our show apart from others with a clean, top end look. Another change is that the show only runs til 3:00 on Sunday so you should be home by dark. Music and improved food choices will also be part of our show.

One other note that will also go out to the selling craftsmen, No one may setup until 2:00 PM on Friday. The only exception will be for the guild members who do the early morning set-up. These folks come in at 8:00 and do the layout and power cords. This is so that the pipe and drape folks can do their job without us under foot.

Thanks to the committee for all the work that was put in this past year.

If you have not signed up to volunteer during the show,  please contact  Carol Haile (inkpencjh@msn.com), she will find the perfect job for you!

Show Chair,
Steve Hunter

Social Media:

Our Social Media Team is in full gear to promote our Holiday Show. Please share our posts, comment on a post, and follow us on the following social media channels.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/rbcraftsguild
Help us to promote our Holiday Show by going to the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen Facebook page and sharing the Holiday Show Event to your page. If you’re planning on visiting or participating in the Event, you can select Going from the event page which will give you the option to invite your Facebook friends. This would really help us to get the word out.

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/readingberksguild/

Have you sent us any NEW images lately? We’re always looking to post your latest creation, please send your pictures to us at the following email address: images@rbcrafts.org

             

                                                                        Social Media Chair,
Lisa  Short

Show Press Release:

We sent out press releases to our local papers.   We hope they pick it up.  Please feel free to send our press release to your customers.   It gives them information on the show times, what they may see in addition to your craft/art and where to find us!

Wondering “Where and When” to start your Holiday Shopping?

The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen’s 73rd annual juried Holiday Fine Art and Craft
Festival on Saturday, November 4 from 9 AM to 5 PM and on Sunday, November 5 from 10 AM to 3 PM at the spacious Michael O’Pake Fieldhouse on the campus of Kutztown University, South Campus Drive (corner of Trexler Avenue and Baldy Street) in Kutztown, PA 19530 is “Where and When” you should start.    With plenty of parking and handicapped accessibility, your ultimate shopping experience will get you started and maybe even finished for the holiday gift-giving season.
There are over 75 juried craftsmen and artists from Pennsylvania and beyond who have come together for you with their best and newest handmade creations in both contemporary and traditional styles.  Talk with these artists who create the crafts: jewelry, wood working, fine art, fraktur, sawdust dolls, wheat weaving, feather trees, photography, pottery, hex signs, baskets, paper art, metal art, glass, handmade rugs, leather, gift books, fabric accessories, floor cloths and more.  Our popular student gallery with emerging artists is a great opportunity for both the students and you.  You could be talking to the next Van Gogh!

To enhance your shopping experience,  we have an eat-in cafe’,  live music and hourly door prizes.   The first 50 patrons through our doors each day will receive a special gift from our Guild.
Admission is $6.00 by donation.  Children 12 and under are FREE.

We look forward to seeing you here now that you know “Where and When”.
Please go to our website at rbcrafts.org for a coupon for $1.00 off and like us on FaceBook and Instagram.

Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen is a chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.   In partnership with the PA German Cultural Heritage Center and Kutztown University.  Proceeds benefit the educational programs of the Reading-Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

See you there!

Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen: a chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

BCTV:

“Star Search” for “Your Berks Craftsmen” for 2024 is happening now and yes it is looking for you our artists and craftsmen.  For the last two months, in September and October, we have highlighted 11 of you who will be participating in our Fine Art and Craft Festival on November 4 and November 5.  It is a great way to get the word out about our festival and about YOU, the artists and craftsmen who make up this guild.  If you have not seen these shows, please go to our website at rbcrafts.org and you can view them there.  All our shows are on YouTube also.  Thank you to everyone who has participated in a “Your Berks Craftsmen” episode; your participation is an integral part of educating and peeking interest in arts and crafts to our audience.

Don’t forget to tune in on November 15, 2023, at 7:00 PM, to our ever popular “Decorating for the Holidays” with Janice Sonnen and Nancy Vardjan. As always, they will have many ideas for you to use for the fast approaching holiday season.  Channel 15 on Comcast or go to BCTV.org and watch on your computer.  All episodes appear on our website at rbcrafts.org in a day or two after initial showing and also on “YouTube”.

Your BCTV Host,
Kay L. Bennecoff 

Standards:

The next jury session is scheduled for March 5, 2024 at the Goggleworks.  For more information or for an application, go to: https://rbcrafts.org/resources or contact Louise at eglassplace@gmail.com.
Standards Chair,
Louise Mehaffey 

Membership:

From the State web site this month, we are currently showing a total of 153 members for our Reading-Berks Guild chapter.

Know someone who would like to join the guild, they can join online. Have them go to this link and fill out the form: https://pacrafts.org/join/membership-application-form/
Be sure to tell them to pick Reading-Berks as their chapter, everyone gets one chapter free!

If you need to find out when your Guild membership is up for renewal, you can log into the PACrafts.org website using your ID and password here: https://pacrafts.org/member-login/

Then just scroll down to the heading called Office Use Only and look for Renewal Date (Date of Last Renewal) and you will see when you are up for renewal.

For the five people who have filled out their badge order, I have them now and will distribute them at the Kutztown show.  See me at my booth if you don’t get your badge.

Thanks Much!Membership Chair,
Gary Rosborough

Events:

General Meetings: (1st Tuesday of Month, expect for November meeting):

November meeting will be at our Holiday Show at 9 AM Sunday, November 5th.

December 5th, 5 PM is our Holiday Social at the Yellow House Hotel, you need to sign up for this event.

Shows:

Holiday Show:   November 4th & 5th
Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday:  10 AM to 3 PM

Opportunity for our Craftsmen

For Sale:

Pipe and drape setup. This is the same as is rented at the guild shows. 10’ by 10’ by 8’ high, black drapes. $175.00

Two sets of solid ash shelving units.  These units break down into individual components without tools.

Unit 1 is 5’ wide by 6’ high.  It has 5 shelves in it. $150.00

Unit 2 is a “table top” model. It is 3’ wide by 3’ high and has 3 shelves. $75.00

If interested in any or all, email dkutz@ptd.net or phone 610-216-1410 and leave a message.

 

Newsletter:

If you plan on changing your e-mail address, please make sure that I get the new address,  Send it to info@rbcrafts.org and have the subject line NEW E-mail address!

If you know a member who is not getting the newsletter, please have them e-mail me at info@rbcrafts.org.

If you would like to put something in the Newsletter, please contact me at info@rbcrafts.org
Newsletter Editor,
Sandra Jones