May 2024 Newsletter

President’s Message:

I am thinking about our 4th annual juried Spring Fine Art and Craft Festival on Saturday, May 4, 2024 as a beautiful clear and warm day.  NOW, can I order that on line or who do I have to call to make that happen?   Our show committee has done a remarkable job getting the word out there about this festival and with 38 fine artists and craftsmen gathering under the Pavilion at Renninger’s Farmers’ Market that day, it will be an event that you won’t want to miss.  And speaking of festivals, our Holiday Show application is on line and we will have applications at our Spring show as well.  So sign up soon and get that task out of the way.

Our Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen has recently resigned.  If someone is interested in this open position please get in touch with Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

Also, the Director of the Kutztown Folk Festival is moving onto a new job and this opening has already been filled with two interims who have strong ties to the Festival with many years experience.  I am looking forward to my third year as Site Director at the Festival.  Working with the young men from the Kutztown University Football team is inspiring.  They learn things from me and I learn things from them.  Great experience for all of us.  Working together on a project and seeing it all come together and being part of that is craftsmanship….and we at Reading-Berks know a lot about that, craftsmanship.

Be sure to keep your membership up to date.

Our May program is on our history of The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen chapter.  Our Elaine Vardjan is presenting this program and BCTV will be there filming it for posterity.

“In doing what we ought we deserve no praise; it is our duty.”  St. Augustine

                                                                                               Your President,
Barry L. Bennecoff

Programs:

Please join us at the May meeting. Elaine Vardjan will be talking about the history of the guild from her perspective from 72 years of crafting and 60+ years of participation with the Reading Berks Guild. It is a story only she can tell!

June 4th:   June 4th is the Guild Picnic at my house.  The picnic starts at 6:00 and is a BYOB, please bring a covered dish. Please sign-up for the Picnic on the website:  https://rbcrafts.org/our-guild/picnic/

Shows:

Our Spring show is fast approaching and at this point the weather looks good, so we are all set to have a great show. Join us.

As you may have noticed we have sent out some Email blasts. These are from our Email list of over 4500, folks. Please continue to push this show on your social media accounts. Our research shows that 95% of our customers find us this way.

Thanks to our team for doing the work to make this show happen.

Applications for the fall show are up on our webpage. A few folks have all ready sent in their application. Please make sure that all the work you plan to sell at the show has been show juried.

Post cards for this show are also available. We will be giving each vendor a limited number of free admissions postcards. Please send them to your best customers.

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, please send them to images@rbcrafts.org.

                                                                        Social Media Chair,
Lisa  Short

BCTV:

Don’t forget to tune into “Your Berks Craftsmen” on Wednesday, May 15, at 7:00 PM.  “Your Berks Craftsmen” is on Comcast, Channel 15.  If you don’t have Comcast, your can watch on your computer by going to BCTV.org or you can watch it on our website the next day at rbcrafts.org.  On the next day you can also view it on YouTube.  The program will be on the BCIU art show.  This is the art show where our Reading-Berks Guild awards our Stanley Seltz Student Awards.  The schools participating are from Berks County and there were approximately 1700 entries.  The show was taped on one set up day and on the awards day.  Our own Paula Conrow, Education Chairperson of Reading-Berks Guild interviewed several of these fabulous students along with their outstanding entries.  All the entries were amazing.  Art abounds in Berks County.  Let’s continue to support these young artists and craftsmen.

Your BCTV Host,
Kay L. Bennecoff 

Membership:

Membership Chair,
Gary Rosborough

Events:

General Meetings: (1st Tuesday of Month)
 
May 7th, 7 PM at the Goggle Works, check the board for room #
June 4th, 6 PM  Picnic at the Vardjan’s, please sign up
July: No meeting

Shows:

Spring Show:  First Saturday (4th) in May
Holiday Show:  November 2nd and 3rd

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