Heart & Hand: The Award goes to...

Thanks to all the artisans, volunteers and those of you who came out and took part in Saturday's event! The weather cooperated (for the most part) and we had a great turn out. Many of you who visited voted for the "People's Choice Award" which went to....

Sandra Dunn and Stephen White - "Two Smiths"

Sandra Dunn and Stephen White

- the "Two Smiths" (Kitchener)

They delighted and impressed audiences with the intricate details they were able to create through heating and hammering copper and iron.

Anne Cline - Pysanky Artist

Our “Best of Show” was awarded by our panel of judges, Rosemary Aicher, Linda Crawford and Stephanie Walker.

Anne Cline with her intricate and delicate traditional pysanky art “Ukranian Easter Eggs” was awarded the prize for 2012.

Congratulations to our winners and a special thanks to Royal LePage Scharf Realty for generously donating the prize.

We look forward to seeing you all next year!

Heart & Hand: Today is the Day!

Join us at the Heart & Hand Festival today!  The weather has been perfect.  Drum circles, storytellers and lots of activities to try!

Heart & Hand: The Big Day! Event Schedule

 Tomorrow is the big day!  Keep your fingers crossed for sunshine -  but we've got the tents set up and lots of cover so it is bound to be a great day rain or shine!  Over 27 artisans will be on site demonstrating their traditional arts, including a blacksmith, coppersmith, woodcarvers, tool maker, tinsmith, paper marbling and more!  

Entertainment Tent

Host Mary-Eileen McClear of Baden at the mic.

10:30 - 11 a.m. - Drum Circle

Nii Addico

11 a.m. - 12 Noon - Baden Storytellers

Carolyn Wilker

Mary McCullum Baldasaro

Beverly Matson

Gwen McCutcheon

12 Noon - 12:30 p.m. - Musicians

Jakki Annerino & Wayne Cheater

12:35 - 1:30 p.m. - Baden Storytellers

Sarah Granskou

Judy Caulfield

Brenda Byers

1:30 - 2 p.m. - Musicians

Jakki Annerino & Wayne Cheater

2 - 3 p.m. - Baden Storytellers

Diane Halpin

Derek Brisland

Mary-Eileen McClear

3 - 4 p.m. - Drum Circle

Nii Addico

On the Grounds

Town Crier - Scott Fraser

Organ-Grinder - Alex Fausto from 1 p.m.

 





Heart & Hand: Meet Potter Sally Pfeiffer

Meet potter and pottery instructor Sally Pfeiffer.  We ask Sally what it is about pottery that excites and inspires her.   

1.  Why Pottery? What is it about this art form that excites you most?

 What excites me about pottery is that I can make something that is beautiful, creative as well as functional at the same time. For example, I have tulip goblettes. Can you imagine drinking a glass of white wine out of a tulip? Or imagine a bud vase that looks like leaves are growing out of it!

2.  How did you get your start? Do you remember the first piece you made?

I got my start through the Waterloo Potters' Workshop Guild. I went to one of their sales at the Waterloo Recreation Centre, picked up a business card and took my first class. My first piece was a vase that went wonky and was super bottom heavy! It's now in the home of a friend who loved the blue glaze decoration!

3.  What is the most difficult aspect of creating with clay

The most difficult aspect of working with clay is working on the wheel and getting it centred in the middle. Once you learn this foundational skill, the rest is smooth sailing!

4.  Can anyone learn to create with clay?

You don't have to be super artistic to learn to create with clay! Clay is wonderfully impressionable, there are so many ways to create interesting texture using found objects, fabrics and stamps. This coating of glaze that gets applied then plays with this texture in the firing process - chemical reactions by the high heat of the kiln produce fascinating, colourful results! I lead my students with step-by-step guided projects until they have the building blocks to create their own projects. No one leaves my classes without a ceramic piece to be proud of!

5.  What’s next for you?  Any large projects you are looking forward to tackling?

I'm looking forward to going bigger in the next year. Creating pieces focusing even more on sculpture "meeting" function in my work.

To learn more about ongoing pottery classes taught by Sally please go to www.sculption.ca/class.htm

Watch as Sally works on the potting wheel. This short clip was taken at last years Heart & Hand Festival!

 

Heart & Hand: Glass Artist Laurie Spieker

 

Maple Leaf

 We've asked Glass Artist Laurie Spieker about her art form and what it is about working with glass that inspires and excites her. Take a moment to meet Laurie...

How did you get your start?  What was your biggest inspiration?

On a fall evening in 1996 I got my start in stained glass in a friend’s basement, where I eagerly put together my first suncatcher.  I carefully chose pieces of glass, cut and ground, foiled and soldered –  with one piece in upside down! – and finished with a loving polish.  This small piece now hangs in my studio.  After much practice at home and in a retail setting, I decided to open my own business, Grand River Glassworks in 2007.  Here, the studio is bright, the kiln is warm, and the atmosphere is welcoming. 

My biggest inspiration remains the glass itself – there is beauty in every sheet of art glass!  I also find inspiration in the students I call friends and, of course, in the timeless beauty of Mother Nature.

Fall Fused Leaf



What are the different ways you create with glass and why?

I create glass art using the traditional Tiffany method of copper foil stained glass and I also fuse glass.  I enjoy both methods of manipulating glass – they each appeal in different and interesting ways.

Can anyone learn to create with glass? 

Absolutely! Once the basic skills are covered, the sky is the limit! Glass is inherently creative, and as with all things, practice is key. Visit www.grandriverglassworks.com for workshop information or email info@grandriverglassworks.com to join my Newsletter Contact list. Grand River Glassworks can also be found on Facebook.





Owls

 What's next? Any projects or plans you are looking forward to tackling?

Over the next months I will experience a dynamic mentorship opportunity at Sheridan College, dealing with in-depth investigations into the medium of glass.

I am also welcoming back into the studio a group of area high school students to complete a project, Glass Fourteen, for installation at RIM Park.  These students have collaborated on an impressive large-scale glass fusing artwork.

Visit Laurie at the Heart & Hand Festival on Saturday, Sept. 22, to learn more and to watch her create her beautiful glass art.  

Heart & Hand: Origami Frog Instructions

Did you know that the Heart & Hand Festival brochure is actually a jumpy frog?

Pick up your brochure today. Watch the video to see how it is done!

Heart & Hand: Brenda Byers Tells a Tale

Meet Brenda Byers, member of the Baden Storytellers Guild. She grew up in a family that cherished music and tall tales. Listen as she shares this story of dreams and visions coming true! Visit the Heart & Hand Festival Saturday, Sept. 22 at Joseph Schneider Haus to hear Brenda sing and share her stories under the tent.

Heart & Hand: Meet Nii Addico, Master Drummer & Woodcarver

Meet Nii Addico, a renowned artist and woodcarver originally from Ghana. Together with his wife Bronwyn they run Creation Africa, a small company based in waterloo, created to showcase Nii’s work and raise awareness for the rich African culture here in Canada. Visit www.creationafrica.com to learn more about Nii, his process and his works.  

Nii will be joining us for Heart & Hand 2012 at Joseph Schneider Haus as both a carver and a drummer, demonstrating his traditional carving techniques as well as displaying and selling his beautifully hand carved pieces. Nii will also be leading two dynamic drum circles on the day. Join in between 10:30 and 11 a.m. or from 3 to  4 p.m. Bring your own drum or borrow one of the many instruments Nii will be bringing along with him. It’s fun and therapeutic, you won’t want to miss!

Heart & Hand: Minature Painting with Debbie Thompson Wilson

Joseph Schneider Haus Folk Artist-in-Residence 2012, Debbie Thompson Wilson demonstrates miniature painting and tells us a little about the history of limners and miniature portraits. Before photography, facetime and Skype miniature portraits were the next best thing to being with your loved one.
Visit the Joseph Schneider Haus galleries to view Debbie's tiny works of art. The Medieval World Illuminated, opening Sept. 15, will highlight the labours of the months in medieval times, feature a modern replica of a Book of Hours and include illuminations of popular medieval saints and aspects of medieval life over the course of the seasons.

In the lower gallery The Illustrated Alphabet: Everyman’s ABC takes an intimate look at the alphabet from A to Z through illuminated letters, printed ABCs and other early educational aids.

Visit Debbie at the Heart & Hand Festival, Sept. 22, where she will be demonstrating calligraphy, get your name written in fancy fraktur!

Heart & Hand: Storytelling with Mary McCullum Baldasaro

Heart & Hand 2012 is very happy to announce that many talented storytellers from the Baden Storytellers guild will be coming back to join us for this years festival! We will be featuring a number of these storytellers on our blog.

Meet storyteller Mary McCullum Baldasaro who joined us in the back garden of the Joseph Schneider Haus to share a short story about a very big dog! She also discusses the role of the listener in storytelling; we have a very important job you know!

 

Heart & Hand: Philippe Elsworthy Cabinet and Violin Maker

Cabinet and violin maker Philippe Elsworthy tells us all about the miniature schrank/wardrobe he made for the Joseph Schneider Haus. 

It is a 1/6th scale copy of the schrank found in the downstairs bedroom of the haus. This piece is an exciting example of Pennsylvania-German furniture-making because it comes apart for ease of transport.

Watch as Phil demonstrates with the miniature schrank just how all these pieces come apart…and luckily…how they go back together again. 

Heart & Hand: 3D Paper Heart



3D Paper Heart




Try this simple and fun little craft. Using only a thin strip of paper (1.5 cm x 15 cm) you can make a delightful little 3D heart.

Use them to make earings, or string them together to make a mini heart garland. You could write little notes on them and give them to your friends.

Watch the video for easy instructions. Try it today! 

Heart & Hand: Hand Stamp Heart Logo

Wondering how we came up with the Heart & Hand Festival logo here at Joseph Schneider Haus?  Check out this video and maybe make your own hands stamp heart art!

Heart & Hand: Winners

"Best of Show" went to Philippe Elsworthy - Cabinet & Violin Maker (Waterloo)

Choosen by our celebrity panel of judes:

Frank Etherington - Kitchener Councillor

Kathryn Storring - Editor, Grand Magazine

David Imrie - Reporter, CTV (Kitchener)

Prize sponsored by Royal LePage Scharf Realty

"The People's Choice" went to Wesley Bates - Wood Engraver "West Meadow Press" (Clifford)