News

Allegany Artisans Board: President Stephen Walker (Andover metalsmith), Vice-President Elaine Hardman (Wellsville potter), Secretary and Treasurer Bob Chaffee (Wellsville woodcarver), H. M. Bateman (married to Wellsville jeweler!), Dick Lang (Alfred potter) not pictured: Betsy Orlando, Doll Artist.

Note: Members of the Board of Directors serve for three years: Bateman and Walker terms expire in 2011. Orlando filling the remainder of Kay Brooks' term which with Hardman expires in 2009. Chaffee and Lang terms expire in 2010. Board Officers elected for one year terms.

Contact Board Members - (for email address replace AT with @ - listed this way to reduce spam email)

Stephen Walker	s_walker AT yahoo.com	607-478-8567
Elaine Hardman	elaine AT stoneflowerpottery.com	585-593-6345
Bob Chaffee	bobchaffee AT msn.com	585-610-0630
H. M. Bateman	hmb AT infoblvd.net	585-593-2426
Dick Lang	rslang AT frontiernet.net	607-587-8157
Betsy Orlando	Betsy_Orlando@yahoo.com

Bob has been woodcarving for over 18 years and specializes in scenic relief carving, but also enjoys carving human figures, animals and chip carving. All of Bob's carvings are handcarved and his preferred wood is basswood. Stop by and see his gallery of work currently available for sale.

Paintings - landscapes and rural scenes in oil. Woodcraft such as lazy Susans jewel boxes, shelves, model cars, golf cart, decorated boxes and etc.

Mary Sterling, P O Box 83, Marietta Ave,Whitesville 607 356 3673 msterling(at)zoominternet.net

Each lampshade is unique, hand-sewn (using thousands of stitches), made with silk chiffon, lace, and fabrics I’ve found in antique shops, flea markets and garage sales. I have done custom design requests around color, stencil work, and beading preferences. Will show with Ken Reichman

POTTERY WITH A PERSONALITY! EITHER A CARVING, A FLOWER OR A MESSAGE TO CAPTURE YOUR CURIOSITY. IT IS WHAT IT IS…NO TWO ALIKE

Forged steel items for the home. Tin can art, functional and whimsical. Knitted hats, scarves, sweaters, felted knitted bags and hats with Betsy Orlando.

Hand quilted wall hangings, purses, pillows and small art quilts. Naturally dried botanical collages. Mixed media assemblages featuring antique photos and vintage found objects. Specializing in the juxtaposition of the old and the new in creating items using vintage buttons, trims, thread and fabrics with contemporary materials and natural elements.

All Allegany Artisans exhibit in the Studio Tour. Members may attend any board meetings and should attend general meetings. All members are listed on the Allegany Artisans Webpage, subject to content approval by the web committee. This listing will be at least what is in the Studio Tour Directory, but it may also contain several more photos and more text about the artisan and the work.

All work on the website, on forms and on publicity is done by volunteers. If you have a question or notice a mistake, please be kind enough to let us know. Contact info(at)alleganyartisans.com.

Please submit text in default fonts either in plain e-mail text or as Word attachments to E-mail. If an artisan does not have computer access it is fine to mail print photos and text to Ken Reichman.

Find the look of garlic without the smell in Artisan Alley at the 2008 Cuba Garlic Festival on September 13 & 14 at Empire State Farms, Route 305 South in Cuba, New York. There will be garlic roasters, garlic storage jars, garlic ornaments and dolls, silver garlic earrings and lots of other things made right here in Allegany County, things that share your interest in garlic and support your local community.

Sarah Phillips will bring work from her studio, Auntie’s Place, to demonstrate the technique of scratchboard. She’ll have bottles etched with garlic bulbs as well as several paintings and greeting cards. Sarah's work brings gardens and animals onto canvas. She's a great teacher too.

Russ Allen will be back with his RLA Miniatures. Russ makes dollhouse miniatures. He turns the little legs of chairs and tables on a tiny lathe. It’s a noisy, rattley thing but it’s small and lightweight so Russ will have it at Artisans’ Alley to show you how he does his work. Russ makes all kinds of dollhouse items but he also makes wooden garlic ornaments for your Christmas tree or just to hang in the kitchen.

Trina Allen developed her own method of pouring clay slip to make all kinds of jewelry including earrings, pins and barrettes. She can pour tomatoes, carrots or garlic so your ears can practically wear a salad. This year she will have silver garlic earrings and pins too. She plans to demonstrate her pouring technique. She’ll be between her Dad, Russ, and her sewing sister, Laurie Johnson.

Laurie has garlic people – Mr. & Mrs. Garlic Head – ready to hug. She’ll also have bears, zebras, snakes, mice and Santa toys as well as all kinds of animals known now as Wear Bears. Laurie will be stitching and telling how she created her patterns and how she gets new ideas for other things to make.

Sometimes it seems that half of the members of Allegany Artisans are potters but they all have different styles and they are all proud to be part of the history and tradition of pottery. Potters say that they “throw” on the wheel. A couple hundred years ago when potters kicked their wheels to make them spin, the word “throw” meant something closer to spin or turn. The phrase stayed with potters though the meaning of the word “throw” changed in general use.

Elaine Hardman is stuck in history with that terminology so she will bring her potter’s wheel to Artisans’ Alley to “throw” pots. The demonstration will involve throwing a closed form, a sphere that will then be changed into one of her animal banks. She’ll also have handmade garlic storage jars, garlic decorated mugs and tiles, garlic roasters and lots of standard pottery.

Look for a pile of wood shavings on the grass and you’ll find Bob Gotta-Go-Carve Chaffee standing in them. Bob carves all kinds of things but he specializes in characters, Native Americans, Wood Spirits, and plates. He has Garlic Guys, Garlic Plates, Garlic Boxes and Garlic wall plaques just for the garlic lovers in Cuba. Bob will be carving all weekend. It’s actually hard to make him stop.

Bill Banker will be on hand with his "mini forge which consists of a soup can and a common propane torch." He will demonstrate how he makes garlic details for his coat hooks and other things. Stand clear of the hammer but do come to watch him at work.

Watch these artisans work, talk about their crafts and maybe take home a treasure. These Allegany Artisans will be demonstrating throughout the weekend in Cuba but they’ll also have brochures on hand for the 21^st annual Allegany Artisans Studio Tour which will be held in each of 30 home studios on October 18 & 19, 2008. During the Studio Tour you’ll be able to visit lots of artisans in their home studios scattered throughout Allegany County.