Grace

Debora Meltz, a longtime student and Peters Valley board member, recently took the class “Basketry into Woodturning” with Janine Wang (left). She kindly wrote the following about her experience in the workshop.

“I have been a member of Peters Valley since the mid-1970’s. I’ve taken numerous workshops at Peters Valley, most of them in disciplines I had no interest in pursuing further. I just wanted to have the experience of making something different and exercising my hands and brain.

This past weekend, my friend Harriet and I took a basket weaving class at Peters Valley School of Craft. I convinced my BFF to take the class because I wanted her to discover her inner artist. Wouldn’t ya know…she’s a natural, while I struggled to keep the weaving straight. I’m not very good at things that require attention, patience and practice, so my first efforts were pretty dismal. But, in the end, thanks to our wonderful, patient and encouraging instructor, Janine Wang, I finally caught on. This was the class:

Peters Valley has a wonderfully warm, welcoming and relaxing  atmosphere, with no pressure, in which even a novice can do wonderful work.

I am taking two more workshops this summer, also in mediums I don’t normally use and don’t plan to start. But – I’ve said that before and then gotten hooked!

Making something tangible with one’s own hands is a wonderful experience, even if the result is not great. It’s good for our minds, our bodies and it ‘restoreth our soul.'”

Deb’s piece in progress, and the final product:

And other beautiful pieces:

We have officially welcomed our first cohort of GlassRoots Fellows to campus. Here, Andrea (Aye) David, one of the first group of five fellows to arrive on campus, reflects on her experience thus far:

“It’s been 3 weeks since I went from being a participant at Glassroots in the City of Newark learning about new crafts and skills, to now being a City Girl in the woods for the first time participating in intensive Arts & Crafts workshops… What an experience it has been so far. I’m currently living with 4 other people that I’ve only known for 5 weeks before now. We all don’t always have the same classes but we spend a lot of time together like a family. We go on adventures exploring the grounds of Peters Valley, doing mundane chores like laundry together, finding ways up the sometimes treacherous Thunder Mountain, and even cooking dinner and breakfast with each other throughout the week. At first I was very anxious about living with new people for 7 weeks coming out of a pandemic, but now I see this is a life changing experience and a great way to learn about others lifestyles and build friendships.

Personally, my favorite class so far has been Ceramics. It was also my first class, so I guess you can say it left a lasting impression on me. I really enjoyed the process. It’s an art form that requires technical skill and focus but at the same time it’s so freeing, relaxing, and messy. Making a mess was my favorite part because typically I don’t like getting messy at all, so it allowed me to let go and just create.

I also appreciate meeting Bruce [Dehnert, Peters Valley Head of Ceramics] and Grace [Kerr, Ceramics Studio Assistant]. Bruce knows a lot about Ceramics and has an inspiring, unique style in his craft. He also introduced me to his wife Kulvinder, who creates amazing drawings, is a curator, and describes herself as a “sentient being.” I see myself in her a bit and would like to know her more. Then there’s Grace who took a lot of hands-on time during one of the workshops to help me perfect my bowl-making while working with clay on the wheel. At first I didn’t like all the attention, but she actually taught me a lot about understanding the basic techniques and I felt like a pro after my 6th bowl.

In the first week of me being at Peters Valley as a Glassroots Fellow, they have definitely made an impact on me and influenced my inspiration. I’ve also taken Blacksmithing, Basketry and Loom Weaving since being here, so I am looking forward to seeing what else is in store for the rest of my participation here.”

      

Brienne Rosner, Peters Valley’s Gallery and Craft Fair Director, will be leaving in June to become the Managing Director at the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG). Here, she reflects on her time at Peters Valley and some of the most rewarding aspects of her role.  

Q: How long have you been at Peters Valley? 

A: I started at Peters Valley 14 years ago in 2007 part-time as the Gallery Associate. In 2009, I was promoted to Gallery Director and since 2018, I have also managed Peters Valley’s Annual Craft Fair.

Q: How did you become interested in craft, and jewelry in particular?

I truly have lived the “craft school experience.” Although I received my degree in Painting from Boston University, I have a diverse training in craft. One of the perks of being an employee at Peters Valley is getting to take a class every summer, so I would use my vacation days to take a workshop each year. The experience of taking classes at Peters Valley has really changed the trajectory of my career; it’s ultimately how I became introduced to metalsmithing. I started bringing metals and other materials into my wall pieces, which gradually led to creating jewelry that I brought the mixed media paintings into. I also took a machine knitting class, and have a small line of knitwear that I’ve sold at the Peters Valley during the holidays. I’ve taken other classes like carving wooden jewelry and fabricating serveware, but I really clicked with metalsmithing. Because of all of the skills I learned here, my practice has evolved and this foundation has helped me go on to exhibit in shows such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show, where I had the honor of being an award winner in 2016. I even found out about SNAG (the Society of North American Goldsmiths) through Peters Valley.

In my spare time, I’m still a practicing artist. I admit I have definitely prioritized my  administrative  career over my studio practice, which has limited some of my ability to do shows or have a lot of time to make work, but I’ve always been making. In fact, when I was house hunting a few years ago, my selection revolved around an adequate studio space; my studio is the largest room in the house, what should be a master bedroom. 

Q: What have been some of your favorite parts about your role at Peters Valley?

I’ve particularly enjoyed developing relationships with all of the artists through the gallery and craft fair, as well as the instructors and students that come through. I also enjoy connecting artists with one other. I love seeing someone come into the gallery as a shopper, and they’ll come back as a student or a craft fair exhibitor, or even become a board member. Bringing people in like that is really rewarding for me. 

People always ask me “How do you work here and not buy everything?” and I always tell them that I own one of everything. One of the perks of working in the gallery is that I get first dibs, so there are things that come in that people never see because I buy them [laughs]. But when I talk to gallery customers, I can be very authentic, because I actually live with so many handmade pieces, many that I’ve purchased through the gallery or at the craft fair.

I’ve learned so much about other types of crafts over the years, information that I’ve been able to share with employees and customers alike. Whether it’s about wood-fired ceramics or fiber techniques, I’ve learned so much just by talking to artists or listening to the Instructor Slide Presentations here. I can then go on to talk about it and help teach customers how different processes work. 

Q: What are your favorite exhibits in the Gallery since you’ve been here?

There have been so many really good ones. Domestic Matters: The Uncommon Apron show that Gail M. Brown curated was definitely one of the highest caliber shows that we’ve had. Wendy Haas, a fibers curator, also put together a really nice show of contemporary fiber in 2016. We’ve done some really nice juried exhibitions, such as Maker Moxie: The Impact of the Craft School Experience, also in 2016. We also had the exhibition, Nuance: Craftsmanship, Imagination, and Innovation, which was about ways in which artistic expression has merged with technology in contemporary craft. I was especially excited about that one because I do that in my own work, so it’s a theme that’s interesting to me. 

Q: In your role, you’ve had the opportunity to mentor many of the emerging artists who’ve come through as Studio Assistants or Artist Fellows. Can you speak to that a little bit?

I often help the Artist Fellows and Studio Assistants with professional development as it relates to selling and marketing their work. We talk about pricing, I show them how to photograph their work and edit their photos, and I can give them advice for selling at shows or in the gallery. Now, more than ever, artists need a bit of business acumen and professionalism, and you don’t always get that through a university program or being in workshops.

I also tell them to be a studio assistant or apprentice at least once! I worked for the ceramist Bennett Bean when I moved to this region after graduating from college and it was very informative.

I hope that I have been able to provide some of that for them, which I really have valued. I have also equipped gallery employees with the skills to shoot product photography, use Photoshop, or even just talk more about artwork and processes. 

I believe that supporting professional artists is really important. That’s why, as I’ve been working for the craft fair and the gallery, it’s my priority to advocate specifically for that group. If we can’t support professional artists, then the next generation isn’t going to become a professional artist because they don’t see any future in it.

Q: From your perspective as a Gallery Director, what do you think compels people to buy handmade?

Here at Peters Valley, people largely buy gifts. Giving something handmade is a really meaningful gesture and also helps people justify spending more on a quality item than shopping at a mass-produced store. Oftentimes people don’t allow themselves to make those kinds of purchases for themselves, as they should. But it gives people pride when they give a gift that was handmade. And they come here, because they know they are getting quality gifts.  

Q: Why do you think places like Peters Valley are important to the field?

People come in all the time and say, “I can’t make anything. I’m not an artist,” and I respond “Yes, you can! I bet if you took a workshop you would have a great experience.” And they do! Just allowing yourself to take class and not be self-conscious I think really helps people to see a different side of themselves that they don’t ever really get to see or experience. Plus, there’s something about that personal experience where you’re actually touching or making something that gives you a deeper connection to materials. There’s also a gratifying sense of accomplishment and pride.

Q: What has been your vision for the gallery retail store?

The thing that I’ve really tried to maintain is having a variety of price ranges while also ensuring quality. So, we have earrings that are $10 and earrings that are $500, but they’re all high quality. There are so many different types of artists, and some choose to make production work, and some choose to make higher-end work. One is not better than the other. There are all different kinds of people that we serve, and I’m proud that Peters Valley has such a diverse group of customers and that they can all find something here. It’s also important to make it welcoming; so I’ve been conscious not to give it that white-wall, can’t-touch-anything feeling; the space has a more homey Peters Valley feel, recognizing our location in the National Park.

Q: What are you going to miss about working at Peters Valley?

I have so many pieces that I’ve purchased at the Weekly Auctions that are made by the summer assistants or summer staff. They’re really special pieces because every time I use or see the piece, I remember the person who made it. I think about where they are now. Because I’m staying local, I will still be able to go to the summer auctions, but I won’t form that deeper connection with the summer artistic staff, and I am going to miss that.

Q: Tell us about your new role at SNAG.

I will be the director of SNAG, the Society of North American Goldsmiths, which is for jewelers, metalsmiths, designers, artists. It’s a great community and organization that has a particular interest in jewelry and metal arts. I’m really passionate about having a leadership role in the field of craft because I think it’s important to provide opportunities for the next generations of makers as well as cultivating collectors and figuring out how to keep the craft field’s vitality. 

Q: Closing thoughts?

Because I will be working remotely in my new job and can stay local to Peters Valley, I’m looking forward to staying as a part of the community. I plan to participate in events, public programs, and the Craft Fair, attend slides, and become a member.  I’m hoping to continue to visit campus often and see my friends when they come!

A note from Peters Valley Executive Director, Kristin Muller…

April 12, 2021

Dear Friends,

Help us create a bright future for Peters Valley with important technology investments!

We are eagerly looking forward to facilitating in-person creative experiences on campus this summer. Our staff and board have been working hard to develop plans and accommodations to facilitate safe immersive and interactive learning in our studios this year.

Technology will play a major part in our plan for reopening. Along with the mitigation practices of masks, hand hygiene, adequate spacing of work tables, and daily communal cleaning of surfaces, we have an immediate need to invest in technology to facilitate safer and intimate in-person studio instruction and to build capacity for our online programming.

In order to implement this plan, we must make several technology investments over the next several weeks. This will cost the school $20,000.

+ Video equipment & monitors will allow instructors to demonstrate and project detailed techniques, such as stone setting, without the need for students to gather up-close around their workbench, maintaining social distance

+ Daily wellness screenings can be conducted and filed with the office via tablets with students and instructors each morning prior to entering the studios

+ Those with hearing impairments will be able to hear instruction while maintaining a safe physical distance using assisted listening devices

+ Hotspots will allow for a series of online demonstrations to be produced by our Artist Fellows and Assistants in the Thunder Mountain studios

+ Instructor Slide Nights can be hosted in-person on campus with a projector and screens, while also live streamed at the same time to those at home

Can you help us fund these important investments? Today, we ask for your continued support with a gift to support these expenses that will allow us to re-gather again together on campus & make Peters Valley more accessible than ever.

With your investment, you are ensuring that Peters Valley remains a vital force in the craft field, a resource for emerging and established artists, and a safe place for you to explore your creativity among a community of other creative minds.

We’re looking forward to welcoming you back to campus during our workshop season this year and are grateful for your support to help us hit the ground running.  Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.

Gratefully,

Kristin Muller

Executive Director

Sally D. Francisco pursued the vision for Peters Valley with determination, energy, and a creative spirit, setting a firm foundation for the organization to grow and become what it is today. We are grateful that we’ve been able to stay in touch with Sally’s children, Susan, Bond, and Doug over the past years. Below, they reflect back on their memories from those earliest days, when Peters Valley was just an idea.

Susan Francisco:

 

Bond Francisco:

In 1970 I moved out to the West Coast. On those occasions when I was home, I’d take every opportunity to visit Peters Valley. [I] took a weaving course, and wood carving (sculpting!) with Emil Milan. I knew my mother as a force of nature, and am so very proud to her and all she accomplished. I also want to acknowledge the part that our dear father played. I am forever grateful for his role in supporting our mother in her endeavors, as she did his. I went on to support myself all through the 80’s as a street artist making and selling neckties in the SF Bay Area. So I guess some of my mother’s “crafty” genes made their way into my being. So delighted to be still celebrating Peters Valley 50 years later!

Doug Francisco: 

I was at home (being only 15 years old ) for the entire P.V. saga. At home for the ” Elfwood Craft Store ” in our West Orange house in the late 50’s . The entire First Mountain Crafters conception, founding and success in West Orange N.J. Moving to Wantage in Sussex county, the founding and success of the Kittatinny Craftsmen. When the whole debacle of the Tocks Island project revealed itself with the abandonment of all of the Parks service buildings in Bevans, she saw an opportunity to continue her passion for giving artists the vehicle to drive their respective craft skills and teaching contributions towards a much bigger and all encompassing goal. 50 years later the vision she had is vivid and flourishing.

I can remember coming home from school and finding pages and pads of yellow legal paper all over the kitchen table. Names of new contacts, phone numbers of park service go-to’s. The phone receiver still warm from countless calls to prospective donors and craftsmen, anyone who could help. Mom steered the boat, and she got it done. Through all of this she kept a wonderful sense of humor and always had some sort of dinner on the table for us when Dad got home from his long daily commute to New Brunswick. Lots of casseroles.
I volunteered with some nudging here and there at Peters Valley in the early days cleaning bat guano from the floor of what is now Sally D. Francisco gallery ( her first office there), just general clean up. In some magical way she could turn a small annoying request into something you actually wanted to do and felt good about when the task was accomplished. That was her style and I believe the key to her many successes.

The first glimpse of the Peters Valley Success story I had was the first Peters Valley Fair. Emil Milan carving a bird, Andy Wilner turning a table leg on a lath , the hammer and strike of the blacksmith at his craft, weavers weaving , jewelers wire wrapping earrings, all in one place and crowds of people coming to see. All this due to her and her crew.

I am so proud to have been her son and am so happy Peters Valley lives on.

We thank each and every student, teacher, visitor, donor, board member, and volunteer of Peters Valley over the last 50 years for helping steward the mission Sally Francisco set out to fulfill. We truly would not be here without you and your support. If you are able, we hope you consider supporting Peters Valley at year end with a gift of $25, $50, $100 or more as we set the foundation for the next 50 years. Thank you so much for your support.

A note from Peters Valley Executive Director, Kristin Muller…

November 25, 2020

Dear Friends,

We need your continued support today to take the learning, practice, and appreciation of craft into 2021.

Thanks to you, we have thus far successfully navigated the historic challenges of 2020. Our 50^th Anniversary was not what we expected it would be. Still, the Peters Valley staff and board regrouped, pivoted, and fulfilled our mission all because of the generous support from our committed community.

We’d like to share some key highlights from this transformative time and ask for your continued support for what we are poised to do in 2021:

1. We are in the midst of restoration work to the Valley Brook Farm House, a project funded by the New Jersey Cultural Trust and the National Park Service

2. Bruce Dehnert, our Ceramics Head, is days away from completing the full rebuild of the Noborigama kiln

3. The Peters Valley website has been redesigned & optimized to showcase our virtual and in-person offerings

4. Our anniversary exhibition, From the Ground Up: Peters Valley School of Craft, at the Hunterdon Art Museum is now open to the public and has received incredible local and national press

5. We have connected with our community virtually, presenting 28 free online programs to over 2,300 viewers, a virtual Craft Fair, and a series of online workshops, eliminating barriers to the “Peters Valley experience”

This was all possible thanks to YOU and your sustained commitment to Peters Valley and our mission.

After a year of historic challenges, your appeal contribution is especially critical. We have an urgent need to raise $100,000 by December 31 and ask for your support to help us reach our goal.

In 2020, our 50^th Anniversary year, we had hoped to both celebrate and build a strong financial foundation for the next 50 years. However, Peters Valley, like so many other arts organizations, was placed under an extreme financial burden due to the pandemic. After suspending our workshop season, donations from our friends and supporters have become even more critical to Peters Valley’s future; we truly rely on your support in order to impact lives through craft this year, next year, and well into the future.

We are deeply committed to artists and craftspeople. In 2021, we will continue to develop ways to put them to work and to promote the learning, appreciation and most of all, the practice of craft.  We will foster creativity and curiosity, and offer opportunities for new audiences to gain access to making and makers through our programs.

Can we count on your support? We all have the capacity to help facilitate a safe and resilient future for our beloved Peters Valley. Today more than ever a financial gift to Peters Valley, regardless of its size, has critical and urgent impact. You can give anytime online or give us a call. We love to connect with you.

Please support Peters Valley and help carry it forward into a bright and creative future. Thank you in advance for your support.

Gratefully,

Kristin Muller

Executive Director