The CV 5: Adventures at WheatonArts (the other 51 weekends a year)

Here’s Shen’s 5 favorite things-to-see at WheatonArts EVERY weekend of the year! Check ‘em out.

The Glass Studio – The building – a replica of the T.C. Wheaton Glass Factory – appears to be a many, many, MANY foot-tall brick furnace with a structure around it.  If you have some leisure time on a chilly fall afternoon, you can warm your bones at a glass-blowing demonstration in this very cozy place.  It’s way more interesting than sitting on the couch.

The Museum of American Glass – This lovely building contains one of the finest collections of American glass in the United States, with more than 6,500 pieces, ranging from early bottles and flasks to recent works by contemporary glass artists.  Even if you don’t know much about the history of glass, you’ll find something you like in the museum.

Make Your Own – It’s not exactly a cheap date at $75 plus shipping for a paperweight and $135+ for a vessel.  But a make-your-own session, under the guidance of an experienced glass artist, is definitely a fun and satisfying activity.  Reservations are required.

Retail Therapy – The shopping opportunities at WheatonArts include Brownstone Emporium, the General Store, the AG Paperweight Shop, The Gallery of Fine Craft, and the Christmas Shop.  Customer Appreciation Week, from October 30 thru November 7, will feature discounts, fun activities, door prizes, refreshments and much more.  Shop ‘til you drop!

From A to Z (or B for Blowing to Y for Yoga) – Throughout the fall, WheatonArts offers a wide-ranging selection of multi-session classes, intensives and workshops, and many are open to adults and teenagers.  Can you say multi-generational bonding?

Festival of Fine Craft: The 411.

I was in a terrific mood on Saturday morning as I drove to WheatonArts for their annual Festival of Fine Craft. It was another gift-from-the-weather-deity day – brilliantly blue sky, warm sun and moderate temperatures – and I was grooving along to some tunes from a CD that came with a recent issue of the British music magazine, Uncut.

Aside from just anticipating the day, I was also looking forward to discovering for myself what all the fuss was about at the Wheaton festival. Many friends who KNOW – either as buyers or from an artist’s point of view – told me that the WheatonArts Festival of Fine Craft sets a fairly high bar.

Festival of Fine Craft at Wheaton: Preview and Pumpkins (Oh, my).

This weekend, I am planning to take a brief break from focusing on the Phillies and will be heading to WheatonArts in Millville for the annual Festival of Fine Craft.

The Festival is open – rain or abundant sunshine – on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3, from 10 AM to 5 PM.  And just one admission price gets you in to everything! Visitors can view (and purchase) works by more than 140 artists, as well as enjoy what WheatonArts offers all year ‘round – the exceptional collection in the Museum of American Glass, the rich cultural experience of the Down Jersey Folklife Center, and the first-hand look at the creative process at work in the Glass and Craft Studios.