April 2024 Newsletter

President’s Message:

Spring has sprung and the signs are popping up everywhere.  Birds are building nests, beautiful flowers bursting onto the scene and all the trees are renewing with beautiful buds of color AND we have more daylight!  Spring is a time of renewal.

I think we as craftsmen and artists feel the renewing feeling every time we get an idea and bring it to life.  Our craft and art is our “Spring”.  So I say to our members, keep Springing; we can’t wait to see what is new.

Our Spring Fine Art and Craft Festival at Renninger’s is filling up but there is still time to sign up.  We are outside, under the pavilion and it is happening on Saturday, May 4.  As they say, timing is everything and it is the week before Mother’s Day.  (Hint, Hint!)

The Kutztown Folk Festival 2024 starts on June 29 and runs through July 7, 2024.  It is our nation’s longest continually running folklife festival.  Many of our Reading-Berks Guild members participate in this festival.  They still might have openings for craftsmen.  Go to KutztownFestival.com.

The show committee has been vigorously working on our Juried Holiday Fine Art and Craft Festival for this Fall.   Application for this festival will be on our website in April.   We do rely on our members to volunteer during set up, throughout the show and tear down.  We are grateful for your participation.

I hope to see you on Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 PM at our general meeting for our Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen at the GoggleWorks.  We will be taking a tour of the Berks County Intermediate Unit Art Show that is currently on display.  This is open to all Berks County High School art students.  This is where Paula Conrow, our education chairperson, and her team judged and awarded our Stanley Seltz Student awards.  The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 7 from 1 to 3 pm.  I saw some of the work when I was recently at the GoggleWorks and I was really impressed.  You do not want to miss this!

“It’s hard to detect good luck-it looks so much like something you’ve earned.”  Fred A. Clark

                                                                                               Your President,
Barry L. Bennecoff

Education:

Hello guild members,
My name is Paula Conrow and I will be taking over the role as Education chair for the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen. I am an enamel artist and middle school art teacher. At this time I make mostly exclusively jewelry, focusing on cloisonné and champlevé enameling techniques. I am a new member to the guild, having just joined in 2022, but I am excited to begin my new role and hope to continue and strengthen the guild’s connection to local schools and universities.

On Saturday March 23rd, the guild selected winners for our Stanley Seltz awards at the 42nd annual BCIU art show. The showing by the students was tremendous and made the task of selecting winners quite difficult! I would like to say a special thank you to Matt Vardjan and Kay Bennecoft in helping me with judging this year’s show. At our next meeting we will be touring the BCIU student exhibit at the Goggleworks, so please come out and join us on April 2nd to get a chance to view this incredible student work!  See more information on the tour in Matt’s Program below.

                                                                                         Education Chair,
Paula Conrow

Programs:

Our April program will be a tour of the Student Awards Show on the first floor of the Goggle works. The Guild Judges awarded two Stanley Seltz 1st places this year. The award winners are equally skilled in a diversity of mediums and too close to call. Judging gets harder each year as the talent of the students increases. Hear from two of the judges why the awards were presented. Our general meeting will be held first on Tuesday evening followed by the tour of the exhibit.

Program Chair:
Matt Vardjan

Shows:

The Spring show is coming on fast. We still have room for you. Send your application in today.

Fall Show:  We are in need of a person to run the Pick-A Prize raffle, at the fall show. We use this to get info from all the show attendees and build out mailing lists. Most of this job will be the weekend of our show. It would be a great job for someone who is not into selling their craft at our show but wants to help the Guild grow. We have around 150 members and only about 75 are doing the show, how about you. Please contact me (Steve Hunter, Show chairmen. 215 264 8744) for a full job description.

Social Media:

Facebook and Instagram

We’re continuing to promote the artisan’s that will be attending our Spring Show. Please help us to spread the word by Liking and Sharing our Spring Show Event, and our Artisan Posts.

Facebook, Reading Berks Guild Spring Show Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/7084969871587569

Facebook, Reading-Berks Guild Artisan Posts: https://www.facebook.com/rbcraftsguild

Instagram, Reading Berks Guild: https://www.instagram.com/readingberksguild/

Artisan Spotlight 

If you are a juried member of the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen, we would like to promote you on our Facebook page with an Artisan Spotlight. The Artisan Spotlight is a post all about you, and can include links to your website or other sites, like Facebook, Etsy, or Instagram. You will also be able to share it on your page. It’s easy, just request a questionnaire or an interview via the following link, and we’ll reach out to you. spotlight@rbcrafts.org

WE NEED YOUR IMAGES – yes, I’m shouting, please send them to images@rbcrafts.org.

                                                                        Social Media Chair,
Lisa  Short

BCTV:

Don’t forget to watch you and your fellow craftsmen and artists on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:00 PM on BCTV’s “Your Berks Craftsmen”.  Host Kay Bennecoff and Steve Hunter, show chairperson of the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen, will be highlighting the 4th annual juried Spring Fine Art and Craft Festival at Renninger’s Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 9 AM to 3 PM.  Steve and Kay will be talking with some of the talented artists and craftsmen who will be at this event.  View this program on Comcast, Channel 15,; watch on your computer at BCTV.org.  You can also view “Your Berks Craftsmen” on Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen’s website at rbcrafts.org and on “YouTube” a day or two after the airing on April 17.  Kay Bennecoff, Host of “Your Berks Craftsmen”

Your BCTV Host,
Kay L. Bennecoff 

Standards:

Congratulations to our newly juried members!

Peter Leach    Lathework

Robert Manoogian  Metalsmith
Standards Chair,
Louise Mehaffey 

Mini-Grants:

The application deadline for the Mini-Grant has been extended to April 2nd, bring your application to the meeting.  Reminder for anyone who has sent their application in, you must be at the April 2nd meeting to win.

The  W. Eugene Burkhart, Jr. Memorial Mini Grant  Annual Award for 2024 is now open for application for Reading-Berks Chapter Members.

Four (4) Mini Grants, in the amount of $50 each will be awarded in April, 2024.  If more than 4 applications are received, a random drawing will be held to determine the recipients at either a general meeting.

Applications will be received from members of the Reading-Berks Chapter, PGC, having a current membership in both the chapter and state organizations, effective January 1, 2024.  You need not be juried, but must have current membership status.

Applications may be applied to further your education in your craft … you may use the grant to purchase books, tools, do research, take seminars or classes, attend workshop, etc. to further your knowledge in the art of your craft. You may also use your grant to explore a new craft.

If chosen as one of the four winners, you must use the grant within the calendar year 2024 (prior to December 31, 2024) or return the grant money.

As a Mini Grant recipient, you agree to give a 15 minute presentation at one of our general meetings.

Please inform Matt Vardjan (pa.germanstarcaft@gmail.com) when you have fulfilled your commitment for this Mini Grant and will be ready to present a program to the general membership.  If you do not fulfill the requirements, the Mini Grant funds must be returned.

Click here for the application!

Membership:

Membership Chair,
Gary Rosborough

Gridwall Booth for sale:

Pa Guild of Craftsman Shows:

Fine Craft Fairs – Apply now! The PGC is delighted to announce we will be offering two new indoor Fine Crafts Fairs in 2024.  Pipe and drape is included! 6×10 booths are also offered – perfect for those beginning their journey as our Fine Craft Fairs are recognized as being among the top such events in the Eastern United States.

Summer Fine Craft Fair will be June 22-23, 2024 at the beautiful, climate-controlled, easy-to-access Foundry 48 Event Center in Lititz, PA. Located in beautiful Lancaster County and situated just off PA Rt. 501 N, this event will draw customers from Lancaster, Lititz, Reading, Chester, and regional cities such as Philadelphia & Baltimore.

Fall Fine Craft Fair will be September 28-29, 2024 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.  Known locally as the “Oaks Expo,” this convention and exhibition center in Oaks, PA, is located in the center of suburban Philadelphia, attracting locals from Montgomery County and Chester County, PA, as well as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

PGC Joint Chapter/Membership Chair,
Denise Wilz

Artist Opportunity – Lancaster Fine Art & Craft Show – Oct. 12, 2024,  
                              9 am to 4 pm

The Lancaster County Art Association is hosting an indoor juried Fine Art & Craft Show at the Solanco Fairgrounds, 318 Park Avenue, Quarryville, PA. Solanco Fairgrounds is located in the beautiful rolling hills and fields of Sadsbury Township where you can see Amish horse and buggies and farmers working the fields during our colorful fall season.

We are looking for artists from all walks of life, from painters, to sculptors, glassblowers and onward. This is a juried event and there will be awards given at the show. This event is indoors and will take place rain or shine. The LCAA is a non-profit organization that is fully committed to community involvement and exists to provide a place to create and view art, to give encouragement to artists, and invite engagement from every individual. At 87 years, we are the oldest art association in Lancaster County.

The purpose of this show is to provide a venue for artists to display and sell their creations while generating vital income to support the needs of the association. The LCAA will not take a commission during the show. Through this annual juried art and craft show, we look to support our LCAA and be able to offer more creative opportunities to the surrounding Lancaster County community in the future.

Click to download the Artist Prospectus and Entry Form to submit your samples of work to be juried into the show.

If you have any questions, please email Dot Stepenaski, Event Chair, fineartcraftshow@lcaaonline.org.

Events:

General Meetings: (1st Tuesday of Month)
 
April 2nd, 7 PM at the Goggle Works, check the board for room #

Shows:

Spring Show:  First Saturday (4th) in May

Newsletter:

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.

Would like to put something in the Newsletter? Contact me at info@rbcrafts.org
Newsletter Editor,
Sandra Jones