Larger Than Ever, BCC’s Holiday Show & Sale Returns This Month

BROOKFIELD — An intriguing new shopping experience awaits visitors to the region’s largest and one of the longest running holiday craft shows which traditionally features over 300 of the nation’s finest artisans. Brookfield Craft Center’s 24th Annual Holiday Craft Exhibition Sale, opening Saturday, November 13, will showcase the work of more artists than ever before in the center’s newly expanded Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery.

The ground floor gallery exhibition space has been enlarged by 50 percent due to the relocation of administrative offices in recently acquired space upstairs in the historic gristmill on the banks of the Still River. Studios on the lower two levels normally used for classrooms are also transformed into festive gallery space for the annual holiday show, which offers a unique “un-mall-like” shopping experience.

Featuring handcrafted jewelry and other wearable art and decorative accessories in ceramics, wood, glass, leather, metal and fiber, the Holiday Exhibition and Sale is open daily through December 31. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 pm on Sunday. Brookfield Craft Center is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

“In addition to more display space, we have a more open flow plan. Visitors can circulate more freely and we can now provide two more sales desks for the convenience of shoppers,” said Jack Russell, the center’s executive director. “Our annual holiday show has grown over the years to represent more and more artists throughout the country but in the past we’ve been limited by gallery space. Now the gallery has expanded to accommodate the increasing number of works selected from outstanding craftspeople throughout the country.”

This year’s show includes many new artists and hand-crafted items in all categories, according to Judith Russell, the gallery manager, who has curated the holiday show and sale for nearly 20 years. There are lots of jewelry and hand-painted, hand dyed and hand-woven scarves. There are many new ornaments in glass, clay, wood, paper and metal. Decorative accessories include exquisitely crafted boxes of rare and exotic wood for jewelry or other treasures, as well as handsome desk accessories in wood, some with pens.

The ever popular decorative and whimsical garden stakes in animal metal motifs are well represented. New this year is a larger collection of Judaica, with menorahs and mezuzahs.

The holiday show is staffed by over 100 volunteers and participating artists. Admission is free and all sales benefit the artists and the center’s educational programs. For further information call 775-4526.