SELINSGROVE — The Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen’s holiday shop at the Susquehanna Valley Mall is opening early this year, on Oct. 3, and will remain open for three months instead of from Black Friday to Christmas, as was the case in previous years.
The Guild of Craftsmen is an organization for artists, artist wannabes and anyone who appreciates art, said Toby Bouder, of Liverpool, a former president of the SVC chapter.
People in the Guild are either interested in crafts, involved with crafts as a hobby, or selling. There are currently 33 members in the Susquehanna Valley Chapter.
“The many artists in this year’s shop make fraktur, pottery, fiber art, woodturnings, jewelry, metal sculpture, photography, goat soaps and lotions, pressed flower pictures, and more. Each piece is crafted by the artist and makes a personal and unique gift,” Bouder said. “When you visit the shop, you might get to speak with the artist whose work you purchase because they are the shopkeepers.
“Our members are from central PA and meet on the third Monday of the month at Wheel of Light Studio in Halifax for special programs and chapter business,” Bouder said. “We get together to network for information and share what we know. We have educational and hands-on programs.”
Bouder’s specialty is woodturnings, which is when wood is turned on a lathe. “Since I was young,” he said, “I always messed around with woodturning, but I didn’t get into woodturning until I retired. “
“My wife and I started at the mall when we had a booth there and they had craft fairs to bring people in,” Bouder said. “At some point, we met with the mall manager, and she suggested that we might want to have a store in the mall. We decided to invite other members to bring their crafts into the store to provide variety and attract people.”
Three committee memebers started the mall’s holiday craft shop, he said.
This is the Holiday Shop’s sixth year in the Susquehanna Valley Mall atrium, and it will be open Fridays and Saturdays from the beginning of October to Black Friday and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Black Friday to Christmas Eve. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The guild also shows up at local art festivals, field trips, parties, and summer picnics.
The mission of the SVC, Bouder explained, is to promote an appreciation of artistry and craftsmanship in the craft mediums, provide educational and networking opportunities to members, assist members with improving craft, to preserve traditional craft, and educate and advance the creativity of our community through craft.
The artists get all of the money from sales of their craftworks at the holiday shop. No commission is involved.
“We rent the store, with all the participating artists contributing the cost,” Bouder said.