The Folk Art Guild will present its annual Festival of Crafts November 25, 26, and 27 at the Harley School, 1981 Clover Street in Rochester. The festival will be open Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4pm. Admission is two dollars, or free with the invitation printed out from folkartguild.org. There is plenty of free parking.
The Folk Art Guild has publicly shown its crafts for 55 years. At Harley the artisans transform the Wilson Gallery and adjacent theater into a “handmade” environment. All of the natural materials, clay, wood, textiles, paper, leaves and flowers have been shaped and composed by hand into beautiful and useful objects for use and appreciation. The shelves will be full of unique hand made items including turned bowls, natural fibers and clothing, folk toys and artisanal pottery. Visitors will be entertained with live music and demonstrations by the artists themselves.
Guild artisans have been working diligently throughout the year to bring you the some of the best folk crafts. Revel in the beautiful patterns of our end grain cutting boards. Salad bowls of many local woods, walnut, chestnut, and osage orange, will also be available over the course of the weekend. The woodworking display is enhanced by an impressive display of oriental rugs from Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, India, and Pakistan.
Peruse the new wood fired ceramics from the Folk Art Guild potters. A true labor of love, these pots were fired for over 24 hours with constant attention and locally harvested wood. Toasty reds and oranges dance on the surface of these wares as evidence of flame and ash. Brilliant and colorful glazes liven the teapots and berry bowls, and as always you can find the traditional leaf ware with native plants from the Finger Lakes region.
The weavers are preparing a wardrobe to keep you warm this season, including colorful ponchos, shawls, scarves, throws and blankets. Weaving row by row on beautiful wooden looms, the artists work with merino wool, bamboo, alpaca, silk and cotton.
The Clothing Design Studio designers have been dipping into hand dyeing silk fabrics using a method called “eco-print”, a process that uses leaves to make their imprints of tannin on fabric. They have created luxurious and completely one of a kind scarves, tops and jackets using the eco-printed fabric.
Their popular, classic “Tee” is available in a longer length in 5 colors of hemp/organic cotton knit to machine wash and dry and wear forever. The asymmetrical knit tunic with longer sleeves is here too, in sophisticated combinations of prints and solids in a couple of different color stories. Wear it with leggings, jeans, or pants or layer a skirt into the mix.
If you have a little girl in your life, you’ll be happy to see our new collection of dresses for little girls. Each one is unique having been lovingly created using small pieces left from making our grown-up sized garments. Expect to see hand dyed and other natural fiber fabrics as well as the occasional special little button or bit of trim.
Another enchanting medium is the dried flower and leaf note cards, lovingly composed from plants gathered and dried from the Middlesex gardens and fields.
In addition to crafts, the Guild will once again present an array of books, including a variety of children’s titles, as well as myriad books on spirituality, art, and of course, cooking.
For more information about the Guild and a calendar of events, workshops, and classes, please visit www.folkartguild.org or call 585-554-3539.
About the Rochester Folk Art Guild
A not-for-profit arts community and educational institution, the Guild began its work in crafts more than 50 years ago. Located on a 350-acre farm in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, the Guild has grown to receive worldwide recognition for its handcrafts, which have found their place in museums, private collections, shops, and galleries through the United States and abroad. The Guild also offers workshops for adults and conducts educational outreach programs for children. Its Apprenticeship Program is designed for young people who are searching for a practical, hands-on approach to learning and living. Working alongside experienced master craftspeople, apprentices learn proficiency in a craft and how to live alongside others in a community setting. Over the past seven years, the Guild has offered an annual Craft Weekend for all ages. For more information, visit www.folkartguild.org or call 585-554-3539.
