Similarities Mingle with Diversity Among Artists and Artisans
Amish
Acres Arts and Crafts Festival offers 80 acres of fertile shopping
grounds for arts and crafts of impeccable creativity and quality
from across the nation as 320 artists gather July 31st through the
3rd of August.
The roster of participants is a who’s who of the cadre of artists who take their creations on the road week after week and year after year. From the craft guild hotbeds of Missouri and Tennessee, to the shores of California and hills of West Virginia, juried booths will gather around the farm’s pond for the 46th consecutive year.
From the 28 states represented in the marketplace, Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia are sending an even six from each state and a dozen from artisan rich Tennessee. Sixty one come from across Indiana and thirty three from neighboring Illinois. A record 117 fresh faces are bringing a new generation of artists and artisans for their first year, including Eugene Zach, Juan and Suzy Zavala, and Jeff Moeller; hailing from Antioch, Illinois, Brea, California, and Clayton, Ohio respectively. Don and Pat Baker from Columbia, Illinois who have participated in 20 shows per year for the last 25 years will be showcasing their wood miniatures for the first time in Nappnaee.
Hall of Fame artists Geoffrey and Linda Guevre, from Fort White, Florida, in their 38th year, and painter Charles Sizemore of Crete, Illinois will be welcoming new inductees Pennsylvania Dutch hex sign artist Deloris Quint, Crown Point, Indiana, and potter Jimmie Floyd of Gilbert, Arkansas. Quint has been in the show for 30 consecutive years and Floyd twenty eight. They join the fourteen artists with twenty years or more experience at the Amish Acres festival.
Americana folk crafts are always a highlight of the show. Lucille Bordner, Louisville, Ohio, weaves hand-woven rag rugs, Connie Borrie, Lapeer, Michigan throws traditional pottery, while Dan Davenport Millington, Michigan hand hammers aluminum using traditional methods. Richard and Jean Nixon, Au Gres Sheep factory, Au Gres, Michigan, featured in the American Museum of Folk Art in New York City and the cover of American Craftsmen’s magazine will bring their unique designs in wool for the ninth year to the festival. Liz and Paul Shedron, Long Lane, Missouri create herbal soap, oils, and balms from recipes handed down from generation to generation.
The influences of Native American crafts are kept alive by Marilynn Browner of Larwill, Indiana, who creates Indian drums, Russell Cook from Bennington, Oklahoma comes with his award winning dulcimers; he has built over 1000 instruments over two decades and has been chosen as the National Hammer Dulcimer Champion 16 of the past 22 years. Keith and Kandi Evans from Mustang, Oklahoma transfer ancient traditions into delicate painted feathers. Ken and Karen Fuerst, of Lebanon, Ohio, work in wrought iron and barbed wire. Paul Miller, Brockway, Pennsylvania, celebrates a 30 year career in hand crafted fine furniture. Pat Mizell, St. Johns, Florida, takes her hand painted clothing on the road to Kutztown Pennsylvania’s German Festival, Craftsmenfair, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mountain, Georgia. William Garinango, Chicago, Illinois, hand knits children’s sweaters from Peru alpaca and sheep’s wool from the Andes Mountains. Michelle Rivera and Jaime Muenala, Antioch, Tennessee, are full-blooded Apache from New Mexico. Their booth, Sacred Winds, showcases Native American crafts, Southwest jewelry and traditional native American instruments. Lucille Bordner, Louisville, Ohio creates hand-woven rag rugs on an 85 year old loom.
Many artists bring an impressive collection of medals and ribbons from prestigious shows across the country. Michael Macone, a ceramic artist, won the Top Award at the Detroit Festival of the Arts in 2007. Pam Marcum received the Best of Show at Riley Days, Greenfield, Indiana, Carol Marshall was the featured artist at the Manistee, Michigan Art Institute Solo Art Show, and David Mayhew photography, Chicago, Illinois was awarded a 1st place ribbon at the Bloomingdale Museum exhibition in 2008. Mary Waite, Mount Dora, Florida, won Best of Show at the Venice Nokomis art festival, Beverly Skinner, Battle Ground, Indiana, was Best of show at Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, Robin and Steve Smith, Wapella, Iowa, apprenticed at the Amana colonies and received 1st in Metals at the autumn Festival in Omaha, Nebraska,
Betty and Wayne Bsrcheski, Naperville, Illinois, create personalized one-of-a-kind dog bandanas. One of their customers has over 500 bandanas and was featured in USA Today and a special on pampered pets on ABC.
The oil and watercolor painters include Dalai Ancevicius, Oak Lawn, Illinois, Linda Bennett, South Bend, Indiana, E. Jean Boger, Toledo, Ohio, and Kim Foster, Fenton, Missouri.
From whimsical to country crafts to hand painted clothing to pottery and watercolor paintings, the variety and quality is beyond compare. The Amish Acres Arts And Crafts Festival offers a fun filled day for the entire family with shopping, entertainment and delicious food around the bucolic farm’s pond.
Admission charge is $7 per adult, $6 for seniors, students 12 – 17, and military. Children under 11 years are free. Tickets may be purchase on line in advance for $6 at AmishAcres.com. Free parking is available. Pets are not allowed on festival grounds. Corporate program discounts with advance purchased admission tickets as well as charter bus group rates are available upon request by calling 800-800-4942 ext 215.
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