PUTNEY-Twenty-four of Vermont's makers will open their studio doors at the 47th Annual Putney Craft Tour this Thanksgiving weekend, beginning Friday, Nov. 28.
Glassblowers, potters, jewelers, painters, sculptors, stained glass artisans, woodworkers, photographers, and award-winning wine and cheesemakers welcome visitors to their studios to discover, ask questions, and snag that one-of-a-kind gift direct from the crafter who made it.
"The opportunity to experience the uniqueness of the number and the variety of craftspeople and artists in a small rural environment is the real draw of such tours," says glassblower Robert Burch, one of the founders of the tour.
Burch is an entertainer, glassblower, and teacher, and his studio is alive with demos all weekend long. For him, the tour is a family affair, with both his daughter and son on the tour. His daughter, Caitlin Burch, specializes in hand-blown glass and lampwork jewelry, and his son Ryan Burch, focuses on functional ceramics.
Another ceramic artist, Joshua Gold, concentrates on wood- and soda-fired pottery. He describes his work as "the search and discovery of the endless combination of dances that express elegance and grace."
Additional craft tour glass artisans include Julia Brandis, whose work features nature-inspired stained glass lamps and panels, while glassblower Joshua Letourneau specializes in freestyle hand-blown glass.
Several painters on the tour include Lindsay Saunders, who will showcase original oil paintings, prints, and greeting cards. Judy Hawkins, one of the original artisans on the tour, offers landscapes, especially interpreting the mood and feeling of weather, skies, and water. Hawkins's studio is in Westminster West, near fellow landscape painter Nancy Calicchio's studio.
Also in the same area is silver jewelry designer Jeanne Bennett who primarily works in silver. She teaches jewelry-making to students of all ages, both in her home and at local schools. Blake Johnson of Heartspark Arts joined the tour last year. He makes furniture and wall art, useful wooden objects and sculpture.
Another early tour member, Green Mountain Spinnery, is chiefly engaged in machine spinning and dyeing of yarn from New England fleece. Since its founding as a cooperative in 1981 - the Spinnery has marketed sweater patterns designed by Putney artists to go with their array of many-colored yarns.
Another stop is the internationally award-winning Parish Hill Creamery. Peter Dixon and Rachel Fritz Schaal make cheese while the cows are grazing the pastures of Elm Lea Farm. They say their cheese is natural and represents an expression of the land, the animals, the milk - and their hands.
Susan Jarvis's studio is on the first floor of historic Overhills. Jarvis says she "transforms the histories and stories of objects, people, and places" into paintings, sculptures, and custom mosaic tilework. She will have ceramic tiles, sculptures, holiday ornaments, and oil paintings for purchase.
Several artists will be together at Pierce's Hall, 121 Putney Falls Rd., East Putney, including Mucuy Bolles of Mestiza Pottery, Mayan inspired ceramics; Laurie Alberts's oil paintings, prints, and cards; Allison Korn's, handcrafted silver jewelry; and Creations by Kerrianne, featuring needle-felted and soft-sculptured wool dolls and animals.
The tour welcomes new artisans every year, and this year the tour welcomes Annie Quest, who specializes in assemblages, silver jewelry, and prints; Nick Ellison, who focuses on large format darkroom and alternative process photography and film; silversmith JaJa Laughlin, who makes rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, and earrings; assemblage artist Kathy Kemp, who transforms found objects and reclaimed materials into layered compositions that bridge past and present; and photographer Kate Dodge.
Tour-goers can start at Putney Winery & Spirits at 8 Bellows Falls Rd. (Rte. 5) in Putney, where info, an exhibit, and tour maps are available, or go to putneycrafttour.com for details and map.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.