Brandywine Valley's largest crafts fair also has the most stringent crafting standards

Celebrate handmade and locally-made fine crafts, as well as the 65th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen when the Pennsylvania Guild’s Fine Craft Fair returns to the Chase Center on the Riverfront July 25 and 26.

The Brandywine Valley’s largest craft fair, this third annual summer event, brings thousands of art patrons and festival goers to Wilmington’s Riverfront in search of contemporary and traditional crafts.

The Pennsylvania Guild promotes only crafters that individually design and create each piece of craft, making the Guild’s Fine Craft Fair unique among craft shows.

“We accept only the best,” said Guild Executive Director Sherrie Boyer. “Our Standards Committee juries and scores thousands of crafts for quality during the application process. We also do a second jurying on site to make sure the work displayed is the same high quality as the work they applied with. It’s not about numbers for us, it’s about quality."

One-of-a-kind, handmade works from nearly 200 craftspeople will be available for purchase in glass, jewelry, pottery, wood, metal, decorative and wearable fiber, furniture and more.

The Pennsylvania Guild Fine Craft Fair is an opportunity to support the region’s best craftspeople while finding functional and decorative crafts, said Program Coordinator Mindy Kline.

Many of the featured craftspeople -- like Joanne Litz and Dennis Wolk -- use sustainable practices, making locally purchased crafts better for the environment. Litz and Wolk's Steel Pony brand uses recycled fabrics from “unwearable” clothing and transforms it into unique, trendy garmets.

"They are conscious about the impact their creative process has on the earth and future generations and help reduce their waste by using reclaimed and repurposed materials," Kline said.

This year, any craftsperson using sustainable practices will be identified with a “Guild Green” sign.

“Our Fine Craft Fairs are about connecting people," said Boyer. “Whether we link a collector with a local artist, educate children about American-made crafts or explain the process involved in creating a single piece of pottery, our Fine Craft Fairs are designed to get people talking about, and celebrating, fine handmade crafts."

Supporting craftspeople in your state or region is as important as supporting your local restaurant, she said. They are small business owners, who pay local taxes and support local institutions just like you.

Meet the Artisans

Olga Ganoudis is a Wilmington native with a style that is truly one-of-a-kind. Ganoudis creates highly textural jewelry that is inspired by her Greek ancestry, richly patterned fabrics and the clothing and adornment customs of Africa and India. The integration of form, textures and the use of color plays an essential part in the design of her jewelry.

Joan Gale’s work is a combination of her lifelong interest in both nature and art. She started sculpting as a child when her neighbor, Jean Salter, opened a greenhouse and pottery studio in her home. She has been a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen since 1994. Her work has been displayed in local galleries, Longwood Gardens, Brandywine River Museum and the Philadelphia Flower Show. Joan works from her home studio in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Growing up surrounded by Pennsylvania's farmland has inspired Brad Smith, who adds elements of farm tools, including axe handles and pitchforks, to his line of unique furniture. “The idea is to make something special out of something ordinary,” said Smith. “Ax handles seemed to be the perfect stool leg with their gentle S-curve and knobby foot. Pitchforks make ideal supports for chair backs; they even have some spring when you lean back.”