Celebrating 40 Years
November 20-21
During the weekend of November 20-21, Valley Craft Network will celebrate it's 40th Studio Tour. And, while many things have changed, much remains the same. Susan Hanson, the founding member and a potter of Valley Craft Network retired in 2019. And, because we know that some of you have been touring with us since our first tour, we thought it might be fun to "sort through our history" to find out the who, what, where, why and more. So we asked Susie how our story began and here's what she had to say:
The Valley Craft Network was established in 1982. At that time most craftspeople participated in nearby craft fairs including Noel Clark’s Frederick and National Craft Fairs, Sugarloaf Craft Fair, West Virginia’s Mountain Heritage and the American Craft Council’s Winter Fair in Baltimore.
Crafters paid huge fees for a booth, with no guarantee that people coming to the show would buy anything. Another issue was location- including who you were set up next to as well as their product and prices, and where your spot was located- close to or far from the entrance. Weather could also be a challenge. Booth fees were paid regardless of the weather condition and we soon discovered that attendance was weather driven.
The original group of VCN craftspeople believed the buying public would enjoy seeing where the pottery, paintings, etc were made. The various studios, their location in the country side, the equipment and process used, plus the ability to purchase on-site were important considerations. And, of course, meeting the families and pets were also important parts of the ambiance.
Prior to the first official Valley Craft Network Studio Tour, there had been informal coordinated ‘Shows’ with 4 or 5 crafts people. Once the 1982 tour was scheduled, a map with a suggested route was created so all studios could be visited in one day.
Studios were inspected to make sure they were inspirational and actually used as studios. Members work was evaluated to be certain they met the quality and quantity requirements necessary for membership in the Valley Craft Network.
Participants in the first Valley Craft Network tour, forty years ago included: Deva Lifeware, a Burkittsville cottage industry creating cotton clothing; the Cokers, Martin Paule and Rose Gerstner designed the clothing and sold the finished products, but the stitchers came from all around. Many of them are still in the area.
Paul Breeden, a talented artist from Burkittsville, participated some of the early tours and also designed some of the first promotional brochures.
Jan Richardson, of Windy Meadows Pottery, was there from the beginning. Her quaint ceramic houses were very special. I was told that on some Tour mornings there were 40 cars lined up to get through the gate to see and purchase her houses.
Del Martin, a well-known local potter, working under the name of FoxCross Pottery, made well designed functional pottery. His customers loved his work and him! His son, Dirk, made his own little dinosaurs and other animal sculptures to sell. As noted in the last newsletter, Dirk has returned to FoxCross Pottery and taken over his dad’s pottery wheel. He will be on the Tour this Fall.
Surreybrooke’s Nancy Walz, basket-maker and wreath-maker extraordinaire, was also part of the first Tour. She involved her kids and hubby for the event. This recruitment of family to help was true for most of the other stops, too. Nancy’s historic house, and especially her kitchen, was loaded with herbs, functional baskets, and other embellishments that she made. The memory of the aroma of the herbs drying can still bring a smile to my face. She is still working with plants, today, but now they are live! Her business has morphed into selling plants and designing beautiful spaces for them.
Mike Dixon and his Wooden ware, was another member of the ‘First Club’. His cutting boards, trivets, and other clever gadgets were very popular. His shop is now the studio of Dan Rudy, a current Member of VCN. The tradition continues!
In 2019, Catoctin Pottery was the last of the originals to leave the Valley Craft Network. I called myself the last of the dinosaurs! The VCN Studio Tour was a wonderful way to meet people, have them see the whole picture, to share what I created with others, and to support myself with something I loved doing. I am so grateful that I was able to stay home, make pottery, and as I told my customers – the commute from upstairs to downstairs in the mill was a killer!
There are a handful of the original first attenders who continue to ‘Do the Tour’. Some came as children, and 40 years later bring their own children. There are children and grandchildren of those first customers who celebrate the connections to the Tour. One customer started recruiting carloads of neighbors and friends to caravan from Baltimore and Kent Island to the VCN Studio Tour. There are many more wonderful stories of the people and event that continues after 40 years and makes the Valley Craft Network Holiday Studio Tour so special. Stay Tuned! Let's see what wonderful art and crafts will be created by the next generation of Valley Craft network members!
Susan Hanson
Catoctin Pottery
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A special thank to the Hagerstown Tourism Bureau for a generous grant to promote the 40th Anniversary of the Valley Craft Network Studio Tour.
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