Meet Self-Taught Leather Artisan Diane Louise Paul

Diane Louise Paul is a self-taught leather Artisan. A state-juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, she has met the League's high craft making standards. Her mastery of the craft, heritage techniques, and workmanship has earned her a spot 11 years in a row as one of the top craftsmen doing pre-Civil War heritage "museum quality" work, as judged by Early American Life Magazine's panel of experts.  Diane's interest in making leather crafts evolved from her love of horses and antiques. 

Diane Louise Paul is from North Hampton, New Hampshire and is listed in Early American Life Magazine’s Traditional American Crafts Directory Listing of artists.  She is a member of the Early American Folk Arts & Facebook group.

Rick and Denise Pratt Demonstrate Their Art of Making Willow Twig Mirrors on YouTube

Catch this YouTube video where Rick and Denise Pratt demonstrate how they create their beautiful willow twig mirrors!

Meet Willow Furnishing Makers Rick and Denise Pratt

Rick and Denise Pratt use a traditional and contemporary blend of willow furnishings for your home and garden.  They incorporate hand-chosen fabrics and individually mixed paints for a unique and functional piece of art.

Rick and Denise Pratt are from Wooster, Ohio. Denise Pratt is a member of the Early American Folk Arts & Trades Facebook group.

These Artists Collaborate on Pinterest. Follow All the Action!

One of the many special things about the American Craftsmen Show is its artist's investment in making it the best show for traditional and handmade arts and crafts. The American Craftsmen Show artists are also one social media savvy group. The Show artists have created a collaborative Pinterest board where they collectively pin images of their work. What teamwork! If you want to learn more about the American Craftsmen Show artists and their work, don't forget to follow their Pinterest Board.

Meet Whimisical Designer Deborah Hartwick

The work of Deborah Hartwick is whimsically designed, sewn art pincushions and emerys using the same blend of color and texture that evoke the antique sewing pieces of the past. Her artwork is made using natural fabrics like cotton and wool and then a dyeing and over dyeing technique, finally and stuffed with sawdust and emery powder.

Deborah Hartwick is a member of the Early American Folk Arts & Trades Facebook group.

Meet "Little People" Woodcarver Donnie Rogers

Self-taught, Virginia artist Donnie Rogers has been wood carving for about 25 years. He and his wife, Deborah, design unique one of a kind rattles, scenes and small figures everyone has come to know and love as the "Little People."  Donnie hand carves using only a hatchet, a hand drill, rasps, xacto knives and various carving blades.  His woodcarvings are at once primitive yet sophisticated.

Meet Intuitive Visual Artist/Sculptor Deborah Rogers

Each piece of Deborah Roger's work begins as a drawing/blueprint as her unfired clay warps and shrinks.  Altered and fabricated objects are made in advance, incorporating them as the clay is hand built.   Washes of acrylic, layers of colored pencil, dyes, ink, drawings and commentary are added to the surface. The narrative story, as important as the 3-D piece, marry to convey a message as a whole. Surfaces are preserved with paste wax.  Deborah considers herself an Intuitive Visual Artist/Sculptor.  In her words, "the eyes will see strange things that the mind will alter.

Deborah Rogers is a member of the Early American Folk Arts & Trades Facebook group.

Did You Miss Your Favorite American Craftsmen Show Artists on Facebook? Visit Them On Instagram!

Don't worry if you missed the art of your favorite American Craftsmen Show artist on the Show's Facebook page. Many of the photos from this blog and the American Craftsmen Show in Ridgefield Facebook page will become available on Instagram! Don't forget to visit to "Like" and comment on your favorite images! 

Meet Traditional Painter Dan Coble

Dan Coble is a traditionally inspired painter.  His interpretations of Pennsylvania German designs, New England grain painting and other early American decorated furniture, frames and accessories, reflect his love for the history and art of the 18th and 19th century.

Dan Coble is from Wabash, Indiana and is included in Early American Life Magazine's Traditional American Crafts Directory Listing of artists.  He is a member of the Early American Folk Arts & Trades Facebook group.

Meet Pottery Makers Tom and Carole Bognar

The oldest form of pottery is that made from gourds. Tom and Carole Bognar have given a new look to this age old type of pottery by creating many different styles of functional and decorative gourd items. Pitchers, canisters, vases and a variety of baskets and bowls.  In creating their work Tom and Carole Bognar use various types of mediums such as watercolor, carving, wood burning, paint, dyes, pen and ink.   As every gourd is unique, each piece of gourd pottery is one of a kind.

Meet Self-Taught Weaver Barbara Dull

Barbara Dull is a self-taught weaver with over thirty years of experience. She works with luscious colors of hand dyed yarns and touchable textures of handspun fibers. Her designs are threaded onto a floor loom, where she weaves and finishes each original piece by hand. These one-of-a-kind and limited editions include shawls, scarves, ruanas and throws. Each piece is elegant in design, easy to care for and sensuous to wear.

American Craftsmen Show Accessible by Mass Transit

The American Craftsmen Show, located at the historic Lounsbury House in Ridgefield, Connecticut, is approximately 61 miles from New York City. New Yorkers and Westchester County residents can get to the Show by Metro North.  There are two Metro North options:

Take the Metro North to the Branchville Station on the Danbury Line (54 Miles from Grand Central Station)

Take the Metro North to the Katonah Station (41 miles from Grand Central Station) on the Harlem Line

 

Once you arrive at your Metro North station, please contact the following taxi services to bring you to the Lounsbury House at 315 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT:

Breakfast Is Served at the American Craftsmen Show!

Isn’t it nicer to meet and chat with America’s top traditional and handmade artists over breakfast and a cup of coffee or tea? You can do this because the American Craftsmen Show will be serving breakfast from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, November 7th.  To make this even “sweeter”, breakfast is free with admission! Breakfast is provided by the Lounsbury House, home of the American Craftsmen Show.

Please visit the American Craftsmen Show in Ridgefield Facebook page for the latest on this breakfast event. While you are there please remember to “Like” this page so that