Glen Helen's Nature Arts & Crafts Show this weekend

The Nature Arts & Crafts Show is more than an art show for me. While I've sold my art there since 2006, I've been co-ordinating the show since 2001.

Every year we have several new artists, but many of the artists return year after year so there's also a wonderful sense of community among the artists, and it's fun to catch up with these friends, most of whom I only see once a year.

Photographers Ron Austing and Ken Becker, fiber artists Barbara Jones and Jack Southern, and stain glass maker Dave Roach have all been doing the show since before I started co-ordinating it. And although Charley Harper, a fixture at the show for many years, has passed on, his son Brett is still selling Charley's work and they will have some at the show.

For some returning artists, this is the only show that they do, or the only one that they do in the area, and others have mentioned to me that this is their favorite show.

Some of the artists new to the show this year are Ginny Baughman who makes art with found objects; Julie Gootee whose pendants and earrings use real butterfly and dragonfly wings; Rose Lawson who makes hand-woven beaded art; and Bootsie Robison who knits clothing and accessories from sheep and alpaca wool. Photographer Daniel Powers, who participated in the show before I was involved is returning this year.

Yellow Springs artists returning this year include Amy Achor, nature photography with a twist; Bill Felker, hand-bound journals; Pam Geisel, art quilts and quilted wall hangings; Sara Gray, photographs of flowers as nature intended; Theresa Mayer, unique lampwork beads that are “paintings” in glass; Libby Rudolf, watercolors and fabric art; and William Mishler, functional sculptural ceramics.

New Yellow Springs artists are Christine Klinger who paints abstract landscapes and floral paintings and Geno Luketic whose pottery is functional and decorative.

You can see a list of all of this year's artists including photos of their work on Glen Helen's website.

The Glen Helen Nature Arts & Crafts Show is a fund-raising event for Glen Helen, a 1,000 acre nature preserve located in Yellow Springs and owned by Antioch College. This is the 28th year for the event which features nature-related art and fine crafts made by local and regional artisans. We have photography, watercolor and oil paintings, jewelry, stained glass, fiber arts, pottery, sculpture, and many other wonderful items.

The show is held at the Glen Helen Building, 405 Corry St. in Yellow Springs and is always the weekend before Thanksgiving. This year it is Sat. Nov. 21 from 9 am-5 pm and Sun. Nov. 22 from 11 am-5 pm. The $4 admission fee goes to Glen programs and there is a coupon for $2 off admission on the website.

Pam Geisel