May 2022 Newsletter

by | Apr 30, 2022 | Articles, Newsletter Archive |

President’s Message:

With our second annual “First Saturday in May” Spring show right around the corner, I am happy to say we are ready and eager for everyone to come see us on Saturday, May 7 at Renninger’s Farmer’s Market from 9 AM to 3 PM, under the Pavilion.  With 37 juried craftsmen and fine artists participating in this outdoor show, our patrons will be delighted with what they can find for “Mom” and for themselves.  AND speaking of craftsmen and artists—your Reading-Berks Guild  awarded our Stanley Seltz Student awards at the recently held Berks County Intermediate Unit Art Show for Berks County High School students which was held at the GoggleWorks.  With so many talented young artists, well over 1000 entries, Carol and her team of judges had a lot of tough decisions to make but they did a fine job.  Thank you judges.  At our general meeting last month, everyone had a chance to go downstairs at the GoggleWorks and tour this fantastic art show.  Imagination, artistic ability, and passion was seen in all the works.  If you missed our April meeting, you can tune into “Your Berks Craftsmen” on May 18 and see the show we did on the Berks County Intermediate Unit Art Show.

Speaking of missing our meetings, you will not want to miss May’s meeting, especially if you are in need of a little get-a-way.  The Ballantyne’s are taking us to Key West, well at least for an hour anyway.  They are going to share with us the rebuilding of Key West.  In June, we will be whisked away to the beautiful Oley Valley and the home of Matt, Nancy and Elaine Vardjan for our annual Summer picnic.  Just thinking about that picnic makes me hungry.

With so much wonderful information to share with you, my message is getting a little lengthy but I don’t want to forget to say that our 72nd Annual Juried Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival is scheduled for October 29 and October 30, 2022, at the Kutztown University O’Pake Fieldhouse.  Get your application in early.  Santa needs all our beautiful fine art and crafts for his sleigh.

Don’t forget to renew your membership with State and Chapter.  If you let it lapse, you could lose your jury status.

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”  Aristotle

Your President,  Barry L. Bennecoff

Programs:

May’s program features the return of Bob Ballantyne and his son Scott with yet another program on the Florida Keys. Previously they presented one on the history of Key West (2015), and in 2017 the returned to a cheering crowd with the quite popular “The Bars of Key West.”

The upcoming program has a more somber note, as it features the recovery of the Keys from Hurricane Irma which struck the Keys in September of 2017. Bob and Scott made a visit in January of 2018 and observed both the destruction and the efforts of the local population in recovering from the storm.

The Keys are referred to as the “Conch Republic,” named for the large sea shell, and native born Keys citizens refer to themselves as Conchs. Thus this program is titled “#Keys Strong – Conch..ering Irma.”

Bob (a retired high school science teacher) is a Guild member along with his wife Nancy. Scott is on the faculty of Alvernia University in Reading where he teaches business subjects and serves as an interim department chair. Bob and Scott have made numerous fishing trips with a group of friends to the Keys since 2004. Bob, Nancy, Scott and his wife Marie, as well as another couple, last made a vacation trip to Key West in January of 2020. Such trips have been interrupted by the Covid pandemic, but some are planned for the future.


Bob Ballantyne and his son Scott prepare to have lunch on Geiger Key in the lower Florida Keys while on a Florida Keys trip in January 2018.

Program Chair,  Matt Vardjan

June’s Picnic:

Our annual picnic will be held at the Vardjan’s home on Tuesday, June 7th at 6:00 PM, an hour earlier than our usual meeting time.  Let’s hope for good weather!  The Guild will provide hot dog, hamburgers, rolls plates and utencils chips and soft drinks. This is a covered dish social, so please sign-up on line with your contribution. Bring alone your lawn chair, some chairs are avalible if you don’t have one. This is also a BYOB, so bring along your adult beverage of choice. There will be seating inside and out so if the weather changes we will be covered.

The address for this event is: 504 Covered Bridge Road, Oley, PA 194547. Plug that address into your “Map App” to get you here. I hope to see all at the picnic!

I will have a sign-up sheet at the May general meeting, or you can sign up on our Picnic page.

                         Program Chair,  Matt Vardjan

Shows:

Two items for this month. First is our spring show this weekend at Renninger’s, May 7th from 9-3. Please stop in and check this show out for next year. We are growing with 40 craftsmen this year.

              

The other item is that we have our dates from KU for our fall show, October 29 and 30th. With set up on Friday the 28th.  Applications are on our web site now. Please read this as we have made some changes to booth and set-ups. More info to follow.

      
Show Chair,  Steve Hunter

Media:

On Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 7:00 PM, please tune in to “Your Berks Craftsmen” to see Carol Haile as she takes you on a tour of the Berks County Intermediate Unit Art Show that took place at the GoggleWorks in April.   Meet some of these amazing young artists and craftsmen as they share their stories about their creations and themselves.

A special thank you to Steve Hunter, Mark Hoffman, Martha and Jay Ressler, and Cleon Garl for participating in April’s “Your Berks Craftsmen”.  These fine artists and craftsmen of your Reading-Berks Guild gave us a sneak preview of the wonderful crafts and fine art that will be available at our second annual Spring craft show at Renninger’s on May 7.  If you miss any of “Your Berks Craftsmen” shows, you can catch up by going to rbcrafts.org or bctv.org.  “Your Berks Craftsmen” is also on YouTube.

“Your Berks Craftsmen” Host,
Kay Bennecoff

Standards:

The next jury session will be held on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at the Goggleworks. You must have been a member of the chapter for a minimum of 3 months. The application and more information are on our website at https://rbcrafts.org/our-guild/standards/ For any questions, contact Louise Mehaffey, eglassplace@gmail.com
Standards Chair,  Louise Mehaffey

Membership:

As of the April State Guild Report, the Reading-Berks chapter has 139 paid Members which includes one person that was left off our roles since January.
Please remember that you can see where your membership status lies on the State Web site here: https://pacrafts.org/members/
I currently have information from four members for new badges.  I would like to get another one or two before I send it off for an order.  If anyone has not contacted me regarding obtaining a new badge, please let me know…. Thanks!
Since the State updated their web site, it allows you to post a picture of your fantastic craft as well as a logo picture.  Check it out at the above link.

Membership Chair,  Gary Rosborough 

Mini-Grants:

Congratulations to our four Mini-Grant winners whose names were drawn randomly at our April general meeting:

Adrienne Shuker, Louise Mehaffey, (Marty) Martha Riggleman and Denise Wilz.

Each has agreed to give a 15 minute presentation at one of our future general meetings about how the grant money has been used.

Again, Congratulations!

Education Chair,  Carol Haile

BCIU Awards:

Here are a few of our award winners, see the complete Awards Lists and photos on our Education Page.

Stanley G. Seltz Award for outstanding Achievement –
Aida Lara-Ruiz

Burkhart-Gerhart Family Award –
Mya Dubbs

Mya Dubbs

Crafts 1st prize –
Angela Opalko

Wib Lauter Award for Traditional work –
Avery Tworski,

Please go to the Education Page to see the entire winners list and photos, you will be amazed at what these students have accomplished!

Education Chair,  Carol Haile

Teaching Opportunity:

Hello!

I am the Art Instructor at Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf, PA.

I am casting about for regional artists & artisans who may be interested in participating in our visiting artist program.

Bethany youth come from 30+ Pennsylvania counties and, while they are in our care, we offer a variety of educational programming including art activities and enrichment.

Please contact me, if you are interested.

Thank you,
Michelle Kissinger, PhD
Art Instructor
Bethany Children’s Home
1863 Bethany Road
Womelsdorf, PA 19567
mkissinger@bethanyhome.org
Cell: 484-660-9565

Education Chair,  Carol Haile

PA Joint Chapter/Membership Committee:

Instructors/Educators
The Education Committee is looking for workshop leaders for the PGC’s Queen Street location as well as other locations suggested by you.  Please complete the application https://pacrafts.org/workshops/apply-to-be-a-workshop-teacher/  or contact Bob Antonishak at raa108@comcast.com if you have any questions or want to suggest a location.
FLAME SHOP at the Guild  –  Looking for instructors!!!
https://pacrafts.org/workshops/apply-to-be-a-workshop-teacher/
MENTORS! Fine Craft as a Business is looking for mentors!  You must be a Master Artisan to become a mentor.  Master Artisan Mentors and Artist Mentees will work together over the course of 12 months. Mentors will engage Artist mentees and, as professional role models offer positive and constructive feedback on a variety of subjects, focused on developing business skills rather than enhancing artistic growth. The Mentor-Mentee relationship will be reinforced through professional development workshops offered by the PGC.  Sign up https://pacrafts.org/members/fine-craft-as-a-business-program/
Questions – contact Toby Bouder at Toby@tbwoodturner.com
MENTEES!  As an Artist Mentee you will be:

  • New to the craft circuit with less than 2 years of selling craft/art, no maximum age limit
  • Seeking help with promoting and selling craft/art
  • Interested in making a profit selling craft/art
  • Seeking information on how and where to sell
  • Seeking feedback from Mentor and other craft artists to improve
  • Must be a PGC member (if not a member, must join before being paired with a mentor)
Questions – contact Toby Bouder at Toby@tbwoodturner.com
The Joint Chapters/Membership Committee is looking to fill a vacated position.  Help the PGC move forward, elevating our prestige, and make a difference by being a positive influence.   You do not need to be a PGC board member to be a committee member. The Joint Chapters/Membership (JCC/M) Committee is charged with:

  • Reviewing benefits and levels of membership
  • Considering statewide offerings for working artists
  • Supporting chapter formations
  • Supporting chapters in retaining members

Please contact Denise Wilz at Denise@wilzpottery.com if interested.

PGC Shows – openings remain for most mediums however jewelers will be waitlisted.
Emerging Artists, Consumables and Chapter Booths at Ludwig’s Corner (June 25 & 26) and Chase (July 30 & 31)

Emerging Artist – In recognition that every artisan who chooses to exhibit their work publicly needs an established and supportive network to assist their artistic and business development, we plan to reserve part of our exhibition space for Emerging Artists.  These are individuals who meet the following criteria:

·         Must be a legitimate business with appropriate state licenses
·         Must have at least one of the following: website/Etsy page/social media presence
·         Must be “NEW” to PGC FCFs (except for chapter booth participants)
·         Business must be 3 years or younger
·         Must be prepared with booth display and tent (or rent tent at regular cost) and follow regular PGC booth guidelines
Artisanal Consumables – We wish to provide well-defined space in our Summer Fine Craft Fairs for hand-crafted consumable artisanal products.  We are looking for the following:

·         Must be a “small” batch.  Not mass produced.
·         Prefer local artisanal products

Chapter Booth   Ludwig’s Corner (June 25 & 26)
10 x 10 Booth (regularly $375)  3-4 artists    $285
10 x 20 Booth (regularly $750)  5-7 artists    $570

Chapter Booth  Chase (July 30 & 31)

10 x 20 Booth (regularly $990 )    3-5 artists     $ 740
ADD Pipe and Drape 10×20                                  $ 200
10 x 30 Booth (regularly $1620)   5-7 artists     $1200
Add Pipe and Drape 10×30                                    $250

Joint Chapters, Denise Wilz

Events:

General Meetings: (1st Tuesday of Month):

May 3, 2022, 7 PM:  General Meeting at the GoggleWorks

June 1, 2022:   Is our Annual Picnic.   Look for details coming soon.

July, 2022:   No Meeting, visit the Kutztown Folk Festival this week.

Shows:

May 7, 2022, 9 AM to 3 PM:   Spring Show at Renninger’s in Kutztown, PA

October 29 & 30:   Holiday Show at Kutztown University Fieldhouse

If you would like something added to our next Newsletter,  please contact your editor:  Sandra Jones at info@rbcrafts.org