August 20222

President’s Message:

I had a new experience this Spring and Summer.  I was part of setting up and tearing down of the Kutztown Folk Festival.  Our team was made up of Heather Zimmerman, Steve Sharidin, and a group of energetic young men from Kutztown University.  It was great to be part of the successful return of the Festival after two years of being virtual.  Several of our Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen artists and craftsmen experienced the Festival as a craftsman for the first time this year and many of our craftsmen who are “regulars” were happy and pleased the Festival returned so successfully.

Our general meeting on Tuesday, August 2, at 7:00 PM is at Sly Fox in Wyomissing and it is just going to be “the social event of August”.  I am up for a great time but that can’t happen if “You” are not there.  I am looking forward to just being able to chat with our members and see how things are going before our busy season starts.  And START it will.  I received word from Patrick Donmoyer, Director of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center that Heemet Fescht is happening at the Center on September 24 from 11AM to 4 PM.  If you are interested in being there as a craftsman, please contact the Heritage Center.  Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen will present their 72nd  Annual Juried Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival on October 29 and October 30 at the Michael O’Pake Field House at Kutztown University.  From the looks of things, it could be a very busy weekend.  We had lots of people interested in this show at the Kutztown Folk Festival.  We gave out an enormous amount of rack cards.  This was true of all our craftsmen at the Festival.  So get your application in to be part of this great event.

Two lasts of all:  don’t forget to renew your membership and this is an election year for officers.
If you would like to be an officer in your guild, let us know.  Your nominating committee is Matt Vardjan and Bill Scheirer.

“What the world really needs is more love and less paper work.”  Pearl Bailey

See you Tuesday,

Your President,  Barry L. Bennecoff

Programs:

August:

Our program this month will be a gathering at the Sly Fox in Wyomissing (820 Knitting Mls Wy #100, Wyomissing, PA 19610). The Guild will be providing appetizers in the form of several of the Resturant’s in-house made pizzas. If weather permits, we will gather in the outside area, inside dining is also available. Log onto their website to view menus and a map of their location. Hope to see you there!

https://g.page/sly-fox-taphouse-wyomissing?share

Shows:

Our winter show is fast approaching, Oct. 29 and 30^th. If you have not applied now is the time. More than half of the folks that are doing the show have applied before July 4 and enjoyed the benefit of $25.00 off of the show fee. Until October 1 the basic booth fee is just $200.00. This includes pipe and drape for you booth. Almost all craftsperson who did last years show reported very strong sales.

      

Media:

“Your Berks Craftsmen” will be in the studio of Cleon Garl, wood turner, on Wednesday, August 17, at 7:00 PM on BCTV.  You can watch on Comcast, channel 15.  Don’t have Comcast, go to BCTV.org to watch on your device or view it on our website at rbcrafts.org the next day.  You will also find Cleon on YouTube.

Would you like to demonstrate your craft from your studio and be on BCTV?  Come on….don’t be shy.  Your TV debut can also be done in the beautiful studio at BCTV at 401 Penn Street in Reading.  It is a great way to share your knowledge and also a great way to have the viewing audience see your craft.

Hope you saw our July “Your Berks Craftsmen” where we did a “sit down and talk” about what is happening at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center in Kutztown, PA, with Director Patrick Donmoyer.  If you didn’t see it, please view it on  BCTV.org, rbcrafts.org or YouTube.  You will be glad you did.

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

Attention Fiber Artist:

We have two requests to inform our Fiber Artists where they may get supplies:

1)  A members friend who was a Fiber Artist passed, her husband is having an Estate Sale – Significant quantity of wool available for rug braiders and rug hookers. There are a range of colors, cut pieces, precut and rolled units, various width strips, linen lacing thread, denim and corduroy prepped pant panels. Contact Tom Rapchinski at  tadrap@dejazzd.com or call at 717-733-9026 or cell phone:  717-803-5622.

2) Erika Juran, our PA Executive Director was asked to share with the Fiber Artists the following information:

VILLAGE ARTISANS GALLERY
2012, 2013 & 2016 Best in the Valley Place to Shop
Hours: Wed – Sat 10 – 6, Sun 12 – 5
321 Walnut St., PO Box 303, Boiling Springs, PA 17007
717-258-3256
facebook.com/TheVillageArtisansGallervillageartisansgallery.com/
 

Dennis Wildnauer

We have lost a great member and vendor.  Dennis was young, just 67 and went unexpectedly. He was a good friend and a great artist.   Dennis was a hammered aluminum artist.   Dennis’ work can be seen on his website: www.cornerstoneforge.com.
 

Events:

General Meetings: (1st Tuesday of Month, November is an exception):

August, 2022:  August  2nd, 7 PM at the Sly Fox in Wyomissing (820 Knitting Mills Way #100, Wyomissing, PA 19610).

September, 2022:  September 6th, 7 PM at the GoggleWorks

October, 2022:  October 4th, 7 PM at the GoogleWorks

November, 2022:  Sunday, October 30, 9 AM  at the KU Fieldhouse, Kutztown (before the Holiday Show).  This will be the election of our officers.   Note:  This will be our official November meeting.

Shows:

October 29 & 30:   Holiday Show at Kutztown University Fieldhouse