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07/15/2020 07:00 AMEvery summer the Guilford Craft Expo creates a whole bustling community in and around the Guilford Town Green, with artisans and crafters traveling here from all over the country and shoppers, many of them returning from past years, visiting to add to their collections, buy gifts, and pick up a few fun items.
The expo also one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Guilford Art Center, which hosts it. And, for the artisans and crafters, this event, one of the largest of its kind in the country, is an essential part of the craft circuit micro-economy, helping them to make a living off of the work the do.
So when Maureen Belden, executive director of the Guilford Art Center, and the others at the center realized that they wouldn’t be able to hold the event safely in person this year, they were devastated.
And then they set about figuring how to make something happen anyway.
They’re offering a weekend of special promotions from more than 170 of the crafters and artisans this weekend Friday through Sunday, July 17 to 19. Shoppers can donate a “gate fee” to help support the center. So, even if it’s just by email or phone, we can enjoy a bit of the community that is one of the best parts of the events.
“It’s hard. We’ve never not had it,” says Belden. “But it’s part of our mission to support the ongoing practice of contemporary art. These artists who are part of the craft expo, many of them earn their living on the craft show circuit and that’s really closed down. We wanted to help them in any way we can. We wanted to use our resources to support them.”
‘We Can Keep Connecting and Sharing’
Those who also want to help them can visit guilfordartcenter.org/expo from July 17 to 19, and, after giving the optional gate fee donation (if they so choose), they can browse through the online offerings of the artists to see specific promotions being offered by each.
Belden says she hopes the online event will help sustain some of the community that is an essential part of the expo.
“It’s a world of sadness that we can’t see one another. But we can keep connecting and sharing,” she says. “I bet there will be online chit-chat because people miss each other, vendors and shoppers...We can still do some of what we used to do, just not face to face.”
She knows that for the community this is a beloved cultural event.
“For generations, this has been a big part of the identity of the community here in Guilford,” she says. “It’s such a wonderfully supportive community and so we wanted to do something to keep it alive. We didn’t want to go completely dark. We wanted to honor the artists, support our artists and our shoppers, the ones who like to add to their collections each year.”
In the meantime, the center is turning to the very important business of making sure it stays financially viable.
“We depend on this as a major fundraiser. And it’s not going to happen this year. That piece of it we are not going to have,” she says.
Re-thinking, Re-formating
Along with fundraising, the center, like so many other organizations, is re-thinking and re-formatting everything it’s doing, including the school, the shop, and the events.
This summer, the center is offering a virtual session, building on experimental, free online lessons offered in the spring. They learned a lot this past spring, Belden says.
“First, we learned that people are interested in participating in classes online. We were dubious, but people were definitely interested and a lot of our teachers learned really quickly,” she says. “The free offerings were a good laboratory for our teachers to learn how to do things properly.”
An unexpected bonus was realizing they could welcome students and instructors from all over the country. The center got students from as far away from Chicago and New York City, and also re-engaged with former instructors who had moved away.
Sharon Schmiedel, who is now living in Washington, D.C., is one such instructor teaching painting and drawing. Another, Philip Alexander, a sewing and fashion design teacher, moved to Miami.
“We were so sad to see him go, but now he’s teaching a sewing class,” Belden says. “It’s weird. There have been some silver linings. We’ve got to look for them. Who’d’ve thought? We learned a lot.”
Belden says she is particularly grateful to staff members who almost overnight became experts on Zoom and tirelessly supported the teachers. Teachers helped teach other teachers as well about how to work online.
“It was really a great collective effort,” she says.
Outstanding Staff Support, Donors
She’s thankful for “the Lisas.”
Lisa Wolkow, the education coordinator, and Lisa St. Marie, the marketing coordinator, worked very closely with the faculty to make sure they had what they needed to get up and running, Belden says.
“We didn’t even know what Zoom was when we started,” she says. “Lisa and Lisa did a lot of the heavy lifting.”
And, likewise, Dawn Tiscia, the craft expo coordinator, did much of the work when it came to coordinating the online expo, Belden says.
“And it’s twice as much work, too. So it’s been amazing to see the staff step up like this,” she says.
As for the center’s shop, the staff is working to feature items on social media and in the weekly email blast. Both curbside pickup and shipping is available.
While sales have been a bit slow, Belden says, “we appreciate people shopping with us and keeping us going.”
The center is planning a holiday sale this year and has high hopes for that.
“It might not happen, but we are planning on being open for the holidays—physically opening our doors. That’s the time of year that is much busier for us and for everyone,” Belden says. “People are still buying jewelry and gifts, and we appreciate the patronage.”
Belden says the center is lucky in that, while earned and contributed income is down, fundraising is still a bit of a bright spot.
“Donors have stepped up and have been incredibly generous,” she says. “I think if you talk with some other non-profits, you will find the same thing. We are humbled by how many people stepped up to give. Long time supporters...People who have never given or written checks. People giving small amounts. They are absolutely answering the call. People donated their spring semester tuition. It’s really been very heartening.
“Do we know how long that’s going to last? No,” she says. “But it’s been quite overwhelming. It’s really helpful in term of keeping us going.”
She says the center is working hard with a lean operation to provide the services it can in this difficult time.
“There is a lot of difficulty and challenge right now and the arts, we do believe, can be a positive force in people’s lives,” she says. “The arts can help people feel grounded. It’s good for mental health. It’s good socially to connect with creative individuals. It can make you happy. You can share it with others. We are working really hard to make sure we’re here for people. It’s great to connect with people through all of this. That hasn’t gone away. It’s just the in-person part that has, and we’ll get there on that.”
Tips for Shopping
Those who want to shop the sales and promotions this weekend can just dive in and explore the artists they are drawn to, just like they might have on the green.
And, for those who want some tips, of the kind you might glean from the staff and volunteers working at the event, here are some thoughts from Tiscia, the expo coordinator.
“There is something here for everyone,” she says.
• “I love collecting pieces of pottery for my family and myself! There is a decent selection at expo each year. This year we invited Brita Riley as an emerging artist. Her use of color and design caught my eye at a show and I was very excited to have her join us.” Riley’s work can be found at www.britariley.com.
• A returning artist, Dale Rogers, is a metal sculptor. His work includes large scale pieces for the home and garden. “Large sculpture is always a fun addition to expo for our patrons and buyers.” dalerogersstudio.com
• Richard Hilgendorff, a returning artist, is a photographer. “In the past, his display was one of my favorites at Craft Expo. Inspired by the world around him, he creates beautiful images on aluminum that make you feel as though you can walk right in.” His work can be found at www.richardgaylephotography.com.
• “I can’t choose a jeweler. Expo hosts an amazing selection of jewelry in every style and price range. We have jewelry crafted from gold, metal, silver, clay, fiber, basketry, leather, glass, paper, and wood! Outstanding workmanship.”