Photo courtesy Westchester Fine Craft Show
When the doors open for the 19th annual Westchester Fine Craft Show Oct. 12, discerning collectors ”“ and enthusiastic shoppers ”“ will find an array of couture fashion, jewelry, furniture and decorative accessories on display from more than 100 artisans from across the nation.
The juried showcase, which will run Oct. 12-14 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, N.Y., will again put the spotlight on the best of contemporary American art and design.
“We”™re always looking for the best artists in the country,” said Elizabeth Kubie, director of Crafts America, the Greens Farms-based organization that presents the show.
Works of art will represent a variety of fields including wood, metal, glass, paper, leather, decorative fibers, clay and ceramics.
“It”™s a very unique marketplace,” Kubie said. “You want something special and unique, so go to the place where you”™re going to find it.”
The participants, she added, “are really fine craftspeople. They studied their art, they studied their craft for years. There”™s an artistry to what they”™re doing. They”™re designers, as well.”
The show, which has a strong local following, is known for presenting one-of-a-kind creations that reflect the finest technical skills, an unwavering quality of workmanship and a strong and original sense of design.
Kari Lonning, a Ridgefield-based basket artist, is a show veteran who says the show not only allows patrons to meet the artists but also truly see ”“ and appreciate ”“ the work.
“No matter how great the photography is, the real thing is better,” she said.
This year, a special “Meet the Artists Show Preview” will be held from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 12. Proceeds from the sneak-peek morning will benefit the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Program at Maria Fareri Children”™s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. Tickets are $40, with all proceeds going directly to the program.
The show will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 12; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 13; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14. Admission is $12, $11 for senior citizens and free for children under age 12. (Please note payment on site is by cash only.) The county center is at 198 Central Ave. White Plains. For complete details, including the purchase of benefit tickets, visit craftsamericashows.com or call (203) 254-0486.
