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ACV News Room
Want to share some news, or simply read a few quick news flashes? Either way this is a good place to begin. Our web site is extensive and has lots of fine images and a wealth of details concerning our standing programs, but our News Room is the way to encounter the latest news effecting Virginia's fine craft artisans. Use the category filter button above to search for our latest news postings concerning your primary interest area. For example, use the "County" category to filter news about specific localities. We encourage you to send news to us concerning your city, village, or county. You need not be a member. Our job is to report the craft news concerning Virginia. So, let us know about news worthy efforts in your part of the Commonwealth such as new and important web sites, shows, exhibitions, grants, and outreach efforts. Between our News Room and our weekly electronic Light Table newsletters we think you'll quickly learn to value the work we're doing to reach a growing target audience. To make a News Room submission, or sign up for Light Table, please contact, news@artisanscenterofvirginia.org today--they're both free!
The two-year grant period for the Alleghany Craft Network closes August 31. With nearly 300 listings it is hoped that the new online directory will be a resource that collectors, educators, retailers, and show representatives will find useful. The final Media Release about the project has been distributed. A copy can be found at the Media Center. The main Welcome page has various links including the directory and images of the recent opening of the special network exhibition, and a final closing letter with tips for using the network. Postings in this News Room concerning many people in the project are below.
Many next generation artisans will be self-taught, while others will graduate from formal institutions. Like the maker's mark on crafted objects, educators leave their mark on students. Cyndi Gusler is both educator and mixed-media artisan. She sculpts, paints, expresses an interest in fashion and a concern for the challenges surrounding global change. At her web site Cyndi quotes French thinker/author Jean Baudrillard from the book The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures: "Is not the fact that the glass packaging can be thrown away the mark of the golden age?" In her work as an educator Cyndi and more than 20 university students refine such questions by asking a few of their own: "What impact does our purchasing have on our identity formation? Is it true that the clothes make the man? Is there a creative way to subvert fashion dictates? And most of all, what in the world are we to do with all this stuff?" Cyndi is Assistant Professor and Department Chair (Visual and Communication Arts) at Eastern Mennonite Unversity (EMU) and actively involved in projects such as the Trash Fashion Show, the Big Read, and the Glass Packaging exhibit. The Big Read program is a national program funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and addresses the national decline in literary reading. The 2007 "Big Read" was sponsored by Massanutten Regional Library (MRL) and NEA. Part of the program included an original mosaic wall commissioned by the library was designed and hand-crafted by Cyndi Gusler. It is now permanently placed outside the MRL Main Branch in downtown Harrisonburg. Her design is inspired by the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Work on the wall became a community process as EMU students, home-schoolers and local townspeople pitched in to help construct the mosaic. To find out more about Trash Fashion and Glass Packaging please click ...Read more
What does it take to revitalize an historic community? Is sharing information over the ether enough, or is a more visceral and physical approach needed? Does living in a place a long time mean you automatically have an innate sense of place, history and empathy for residents who may be skilled in both modern and lost ways? A conversation with Pat Ohleger might embrace such questions. Pat is a community leader, chairman of Mountain Day and writes, "Buena Vista, a small town with incredible views, has had its share of hard luck over the years. Closing factories and recurring floods have taken their toll on not only the townspeople, but the downtown as well. Once a thriving center of commerce, complete with a tannery, courthouse and opera house, downtown Buena Vista has suffered the plight of many small towns - citizen apathy and commercial reluctance. But times are changing... Optimistic entrepreneurs, including myself, see the potential in the area and are opening small businesses which we hope will act as an economic catalyst, encouraging others to join us and invest in the community by rejuvenating the downtown and surrounding area." "An art gallery, a glass blower, gift shops, a wine and gourmet food shop, and restaurants are all recent or planned additions to the area. Several of us have talked repeatedly about what a great place Buena Vista could be for a local arts scene. We're in a prime location to attract tourists off of US Routes 60 and 501 and Interstate 81 and could easily become a destination for those seeking quality crafts and art. Publication of the Alleghany Craft Network Directory is a great tool for helping that happen. We had no idea that our area had such a wealth of artisans and craftspeople living here." Please click to ...Read more
Joan Cordner is the owner of the Art Studio Pottery in three miles south of New Market. Her business is uniquely located near the entrance to Endless Caverns and her gallery represents not only her own pottery, but that of other talented American artisans. Of her background Joan says, "I have been most fortunate to be influenced by two successful artists: South Jersey landscape painter, Pat Witt of the Barn Studio of Art, and Pennsylvania potter Mitch Lyons. Both teach not only technique but also encourage the artist to allow the world around us to influence our work." Joan's vantage point as an artisan now spans four decades. Joan says, "The most meaningful influence of today's artisan may not be what they create, but the process of how they create. With the decline of art education in our schools the importance of nourishing the creative aspects of an individual is becoming abundantly clear. Many people may not realize that the solutions to some of societies problems may often be found with the creative thinker." "Having worked in the art world for over 40 years I recently retired to the Shenandoah Valley in what is a combined home, gallery and studio. I strive to show visitors that Art for me is not a 9 to 5 occupation, but a way of life. I am constantly aware of what is happening around me in the garden, the weather, found objects, social and political events. I store a memory of my passing observations to be used later in the creative process." The artisan has the ability to nurture relationships and influence people and trends. Joan touches on this responsibility when she says, "Here at the Art Studio Pottery I attempt to influence not only the art student seeking an apprenticeship or workshop but also the general public who visit. Artisans everywhere depend not only on our skill to create, but also on a growing base of knowledgeable customers. Once the public begins to understand what is involved in the creative process, such as 25-30 hours firing time for a pot, they are more appreciative and willing to purchase from the artisan." Joan's observations about influence appear point on. A portion of the process to inform a growing base of customers does fall to individual artisans like Joan. And, beyond the potters wheel, jeweler's vice, or workworkers bench is a vast sea of public opinion. Education is a large and amorphous process and is also the responsibility of large and small advocacy organizations, guilds and cooperatives. How to reach those not yet aware of craft will remain a target in motion, so it is fortunate that individuals like Joan are willing to carry the baton. You can learn more about Joan in the Alleghany Craft Network and at her web site www.artstudiopottery.com.
Engage in a conversation with Jack Chaffee and be prepared to be informed and entertained. Jack has roots in the field of metal craft that span 50 years. Over the years, Jack has been involved in Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America (ABANA), Appalachian Blacksmiths Association (ABA) and the American Craft Enterprises (ACE), sold through galleries, won grants, served as a show judge, and has sculpture as well as forge work in private and corporate collections in various states. Jack says, "I had a blacksmith shop in Woodstock, NY from 1978 to 1982, in the Catskills; Yeah the Woodstock. Just across the Hudson River is Rhinebeck and the Ulster County Fair Grounds. 'Twas there that the original ACE Rhinebeck Craft Fair was held each summer for many years. It lasted a whole week and attracted people from all over the United States. I was accepted for the 1979 and 1980 shows. In 1980 I was also in the ACE Winter Fair in Baltimore." Describing himself as a Depression kid, from West Virginia, Jack says, "I have lived all over our country, traveled from contract to contract when wearing the hat of an aerospace and automotive engineer. And wearing the hat of a sculptor and fine artisan I've enjoyed exploring many venues of metal work, modest functional creations, as well as large pubic sculptures." But it is about his emerging position as Blacksmith/ Curator at Lexington's Brown's Forge, that Jack elevates a casual conversation to one rich in texture and passion. That passion originates from giving a little something back to the community. Looking for a place to retire in the Shenandoah Valley about nine years ago Jack discovered Lexington and says, "I moved here after being offered the perfect niche for entering the community, restoring and re-activating Brown's Forge. Also known as "The Village Blacksmith", Brown's Forge has been a local institution, since 1856. Blacksmiths in the Brown family shod "Traveler," Robert E. Lee's horse, as well as "Little Sorrell" Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's horse." "The current smithy building was constructed in 1915 of hand-made cement block to replace the wooden original. My objective is to create a living memorial to Manly Brown, his father Frank Brown, and grandfather Andrew Jackson Brown ("A.J."); three generations of blacksmiths spanning the period of 1856 to 1999. This place is an historical resource for public education in the tradition of blacksmithing as practiced in the late 19th and early 20th century in Lexington. In the 50 years I've been a smith I've not heard of a single similar operation; that is, a smithy going pretty uninterruptedly since before the Civil War. The only extended break in operation was for a year when the founder, "A.J." was conscripted into the Confederate States of America army, to repair cannons at Staunton." ...Read more
A number of artisans you will find mentioned here in the News Room have a connection to academic pursuits. In addition to her work as an artisan Johlene Hess works at James Madison University (JMU). Johlene says, "As a Reference Library Assistant at Carrier Library, I am able to use the libraries' resources, the research databases, books and journals to provide inspiration for my creative endeavors." Johlene lives in a small rural village named Edom which is near Linville. During a recent exchange Johlene said, "I was fascinated when I noticed a lovely pair of white felt boots during a parade in Washington, D.C. around 30 years ago. My search was on to find and examine this intriguing art form. While at a craft fair in Monterey, about eight years ago the late Jim Underwood from the Mountain Institute brought a pair he had collected in Nepal for me to examine. I also took a workshop with Beth Beady, a Fulbright scholar who traveled thru Kazakastan, with a group of felters from Poland. She returned with photos of boots in process. Handfelted boots with leather bottoms are traditional wear in Tibet, Nepal and nomadic tribes in Kazakistan. These boots are felted together using only soap, water, and agitation. They have no seams, since the wool fibres shrink and mat together to form a solid fabric. Leather bottoms are attached for longevity." As with any fine artisan, the details matter and Johlene provides a window into her studio by telling us, "My handfelted boots start with carded merino wool roving and the fibres are laid out four times their final size. I add colored wool designs on the surface that incorporate into the final felt. As the fibres are agitated gently they shrink and compact. This is a long, time consuming process, involving many hours of hand work. The final phase of boot construction is to put the wet felt boot on, and then give a "foot massage". This forms the wool to the wearer's foot. The boots are then removed and left to dry. Leather bottoms are applied in the final phase. These boots are light, warm and have a delicious, cozy feeling since they are personally felted to your foot." Johlene's work can be seen in the Alleghany Craft Network directory. She also participates in the Annual Art & Craft Show at the Barn in Timberville which is hosted by John Robson. (See "Timberville, Barn Show Notes" posted below on Wednesday, 28th November 2007.)
Sylvan Spirit has two homes in Virginia ... Lexington and Richmond. Co-owners Maureen & Rebecca Worth are mother and daughter, skillful jewelers, and diverse in their approach to marketing. Rebecca writes, "My mother and I create our jewelry for those people who are looking for one-of-a-kind, art pieces. Custom design for individuals, or even creating a collection exclusively for a particular group or institution has been successful for us on many levels. Customers appreciate exclusivity and we enjoy making pieces that are not merely pretty, but have meaning behind the design. A few projects we have recently completed are our "Hannah" headpiece collection for Miss Virginia available at Saks Fifth Avenue, a Frida Kahlo jewelry collection for The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a Thomas Jefferson "Twinleaf" collection for Monticello and The Jefferson Hotel." With a background that includes travel abroad and a Hampshire College degree in Cultural Anthropology, Rebecca adds, "Its not just art that I enjoy bringing into my work. My thesis researched the role of pottery in the identity of the Native American Pueblo people and how their styles of pottery changed when artists such as Maria Martinez began making pieces for western tourists. I discussed the impact of these changes within the Pueblo culture and the implications of the terms authenticity and traditional. The changes in our society trend toward the "cookie cutter" method and are evident in the mass produced products in stores, and that weird stretch of fast food joints that pave the way to almost every city and small town, and even our approach to thinking and politics. I personally have come to embrace just about anything that is born from originality. An artisan can certainly use the help of an assistant or make a large quantity of items, but they are making sure each piece continues to have the essential elements that sparked the original design." ...Read more
The name John Calkin first name came up in a conversation about dulcimers with the owner of Stone Soup Books (see July 25th posting below) John writes, "I have been making stringed instruments since the early '70s, and fulltime since 1980. I have made hundreds of instruments of all sorts, but my current specialties include acoustic guitars, banjos, and Weissenborn-style acoustic lap steels. I am also being encouraged to return to the Appalachian dulcimer. Although I have made 50 or so hammered dulcimers I have discontinued working on them. I just can't cover all the bases anymore. At various times I have also taught mountain and hammered dulcimer, as well as guitar. Currently, clawhammering the banjo seems have taken over my playing time." Like a number of artisans, John has a background in education and says, "I was probably born to teach." When he first moved to Virginia he was a substitute teacher in the public school system. More recently he expresses a literary bent to his work by using his written words to share knowledge about his craft. John says. "I have also contributed to American Lutherie magazine---the world's foremost instrument making journal---since the early '90s, becoming a contributing editor in 1996. I have published numerous reviews of books, videos, and tools, as well as dozens of how-to articles aimed at experienced luthiers." Look for various links to John's reviews in the American Lutherie back issues. John's instrument work can be seen online in the Alleghany Craft Network directory and at his own web site www.jcalkinguitars.com.
Mary Katharine Froehlich, owner of Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro wrote to say, "Barbara Linzey and Pamela Nixon (AKA, Babs N Pam) are a couple of quilt artisans from Waynesboro. They are both active in several artistic venues in the Shenandoah Valley." Pam and Babs created an unusual way for you to write to friends and family. The two quilters told Mary Katharine, "One of our favorite venus is the Shenandoah Valley Quilt Guild, of which Pam is the current president. We have taught art appreciation to Elementary students at several area schools and at Rosenwald Department of Recreation. We have taken our love of nature, art, needlework and quilting to design one of a kind fabric post cards. Yes - They can be Mailed!!" Mary Katharine continues, "Stone Soup Books is a gathering place for the local community. Our gardens and cafe environment encourage browsing and discussion. Groups contact us to arrange meeting space. We have book club gatherings too. Our July schedule of events included West African Drumming and Mountain Dulcimer workshops. Dinah Ansley told me that she is using a local gentleman John Calkin from Augusta County to make dulcimers for her workshop students." Editor's Note: See the Alleghany Craft Network directory for more about a number of the names and places mentioned above. See the July 24th news brief below about the recent Shenandoah Valley Quilt Guild show. |
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