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PA Guild Brings 190 Independent Craftsmen to Wilmington

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With almost 70 years of experience, the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen has a knack for bringing together accomplished craftspeople who focus on handmade products. The Guild is building on that legacy with its seventh annual Fine Craft Fair, taking place at Wilmington’s Chase Center on the Riverfront.

Sure to be a great show for novices and experts alike, the fair features more than 190 independent craftsmen with a plethora of products, including furniture, clothing, photography, pottery, weaving, jewelry, sculpture, woodturning, and more.

Many of these craftsmen might be called ?green,? since they use the environment around them to make their products. One such skilled artisan is Linda Doucette, who makes fiber art using materials from her own Shady Grove Farm. Doucette’s alpaca, angora rabbits, and locally raised sheep provide the fibers; her garden provides the natural dyes; and she provides the inspiration. She weaves, spins, and dyes her own yarn.

Guild Executive Director Sherrie Boyer explains the allure of fine handmade crafts: ?Buying something handmade means you can buy something unusual, something that expresses your individual style, something that has a story behind it. It was created with care, one at a time.?

The Guild is a non-profit arts organization for emerging and established craftspeople from throughout Pennsylvania and the country. It also seeks to encourage the practice of, and nurture excellence in, heritage and contemporary crafts.