Have you ever seen a handmade cane featuring dark koa and twisted maple woods? Are you familiar with Sailor’s Valentines? Tramp art and whirligigs? Searching for the perfect Santa ornament to add to your collection? How about a pair of hand-made shoes? Come and peruse a bounty of fine crafts at the American Artisan Show!
The Wilton Historical Society will host its annual American Artisan Show this Saturday, Nov. 7 and Sunday, Nov. 8. With more than 30 diverse artisans, this popular show highlights arts, crafts and designs that have been part of fine American handwork since the 18th and 19th centuries. Shaker-style furniture, pottery, kitchen wares, Nantucket-style baskets, pepper mills, hand-woven scarfs and shawls, quilts, rugs, floor cloths, art, tavern signs, soap, jewelry, beautifully crafted cutting boards – plus much more! The show is fittingly set in the Society’s charming 18th and 19th century buildings at 224 Danbury Rd./Rte. 7 in Wilton.
Admission to the show runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8. Admission is $10.00 per person.
The American Artisan Show will kick off with a festive Preview and Auction on Friday, Nov. 6 from 6-9 p.m., giving guests the first opportunity to browse and buy while enjoying fine hors d’oeuvres provided by Some Things Fishy Catering of Danbury. The Silent Auction will feature wonderful pieces contributed by the artisans and other generous friends. “All proceeds will directly benefit the Historical Society and its efforts to preserve Wilton’s history,” said E. Bulkeley Griswold, president of the Board of Trustees of the Wilton Historical Society. Tickets to the Gala are $100 apiece. The Preview Party Committee is chaired by Meaghan Donovan, Janet Foster, and Katy Williams, trustees of the Society.
Lynda Campbell, Moira Craw, and Catherine Romer, trustees, are co-chairs of the Exhibitor committee.
“We have a truly amazing range of artisans and the objects they create. We are thrilled to welcome Steve Hazlett/American Folkcraft, a phenomenal artist who crafts weathervanes and whirligigs which are whimsical and full of spirit,” says Campbell. “David Schump /The Art Tramp is another extraordinary example of the very high level of quality we present at the show. Using simple tools, he takes cigar boxes, wood and vintage object to create his own take on tramp art, a wide-spread form of American folk art.”
New this year is Daniel Bellow Porcelain, who says of his work, “I try to accentuate the hand made nature of them, throwing them so they show the influence of the wheel and hand and tools, denting them with my fingers. I mix my own glazes, using clays dug up out of the ancient bed of the Housatonic River. These are the pots I want to make, little works of art to sit on people’s breakfast table, something beautiful to see each morning.” Another artisan new to the show is painter Kolene Spicher. “I was just knocked out by the work of Kolene Spicher. She is a painter who works in what I can only describe as contemporary “primitive art” – phenomenal! We are thrilled to have her join us,” says Craw.
New “pop-up” exhibitors are Constance Old: Fiber Works and Diana Chamberlain Ceramics. Constance uses a traditional rug hooking process, but incorporates contemporary materials and printmaking into appealing and timeless wall pieces. Ceramic vases and sculptural objects, made by Diana Chamberlain, are based on timeless subjects such as houses – and even wedding dresses! A selection of unusual, beautifully crafted canes made by Rich and Judy Colvin of Uncommon Canes will be available as well, adding another dimension of interest for visitors. A complete list of artisans and complete show information can be found online.
Many community organizations and individuals are supporting the American Artisan Show; these important sponsors include: BMW of Ridgefield, Fairfield County Bank, Granite Group Advisors, Rob Sanders Architects, Servco, TD Bank, Town Vibe Wilton, Wilson Properties, Café Ruche and the Village Market.
Past Wilton Historical Society president Dr. Greg Chann is co-chairing the American Artisan Show, along with trustees Nancy Perez and Joan Starr.