Date: Fri 10-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Russell-Klein-Brookfield-Craft

Full Text:

Brookfield Open House Events Continue To Grow With Campus

(with photos)

BY SHANNON HICKS

BROOKFIELD -- All five buildings that comprise the campus of Brookfield Craft

Center were opened to the public on September 5 so that the center could

celebrate its annual fall open house. The rain that permeated the second half

of the three-day Labor Day weekend didn't kick in solidly until nearly 3:30

Sunday afternoon, just 30 minutes before the end of the open house, so crowds

were steady all afternoon at one of Brookfield's most distinctive buildings.

The red mill building on Whisconier Road near the intersection with Route 7

has served as a school for fine arts and craftsmanship for over four decades,

since 1954. Since its opening the school has expanded the number and size of

its buildings and studio spaces.

Jack Russell has been the craft center's director since 1980, and was on hand

Sunday afternoon to welcome visitors to Brookfield Craft Center. Mr Russell

estimated that well over 500 people turned out for the event.

"We were absolutely knocked out by how many people showed up for this," Mr

Russell said earlier this week. "There were more people by far than ever

before. We're going to have to do something to find better parking if the

attendance keeps growing as it has," he laughed.

Parking for the craft center is across the street from the campus, and on

Sunday afternoon the lot was continually full of cars. Pedestrian traffic kept

automobiles moving at a cautious pace as drivers went past the historic red

building that serves as the craft center's main building.

One of the largest draws of the open house this year was The Good Forge, the

craft center's newest building. Completed and opened earlier this summer, The

Good Forge is the craft center's new blacksmith studio. Located a short walk

up a hill behind the barn building that serves as the craft center's

pottery/ceramics studio, The Good Forge was constructed by Glen Hockstetter of

Bridgewater.

On Sunday, Bob Kluge and Jack Small took turns demonstrating the art of

blacksmithing.

"I'd say [the new studio] was the most popular place all afternoon," Mr

Russell commented. "People were just riveted, they stood there watching them

bang hot iron into shapes, and who wouldn't be? It's very magical.

"We were so happy to have people able to see the new studio in action,"

continued the director. "This is one of the few places in the area where

people can now study the art of artist-blacksmithing."

In other buildings, faculty members were offering demonstrations in

stonecarving, basketmaking, silversmithing, monotype printing, beadwork,

glassworking, loom weaving, quilting with ties, and pottery on the wheel.

Laurie Klein was among the artist-faculty members on hand Sunday afternoon. Ms

Klein, a Brookfield-based photographer, was offering demonstrations in hand

coloring black and white photography. On her work table was a copy of the book

Hand Coloring Black & White Photography , a brand-new Quarry Books publication

by Ms Klein.

(The photographer has a book signing scheduled at Borders Books in Danbury on

September 30. She has also been approached by producers from The Discovery

Channel with a proposal for a special on her photograph coloring techniques.)

Also at Sunday afternoon's event was Shirley Botsford, a Beacon, N.Y. artist

who specializes in weaving with ties. While Ms Botsford has been sewing and

quilting since age four, she has become known on the national level within

recent years for her designs and classes based on her recycled ties idea.

Ms Botsford got started by turning the ties of her late father into an evening

ensemble for a designer fashion show a few years ago. The idea of "combining

sentimentality and recycling," says Ms Botsford, has simply skyrocketed since

then. Ms Botsford makes dresses, quilts, vests, shirts and pillows using ties

and a scant offering of other fabrics.

"It would get very busy with just tie patterns in there," she said Sunday. A

respected teacher, Ms Botsford will teach her first weekend workshop at

Brookfield Craft Center later this month when she offers "Quilting With Ties"

on September 18 and 19.

Classes of different durations (one-day or evening, weekend or week-long) and

all subjects are offered year-round in Brookfield. The craft center holds its

open house events for two principal reasons. The first, explained Mr Russell,

is to have the school's buildings open for casual visits and exploration all

at once for the public.

"The open house... is the one time during the year the public can walk through

here and see what's going on," he said. "When a class is going on, we can't

have people walking through here. But there were over 20 artists demonstrating

here this weekend, so it was a really extensive look into the world of fine

craftsmanship." Faculty members saw a large number of class registrations

Sunday afternoon.

"We also had a fair number of purchases from our galleries," Mr Russell

continued. The center's pottery and ceramics studio presented its annual

student and faculty show and sale Sunday afternoon.

Brookfield Craft Center is a past recipient of the Connecticut Arts Award, the

state's highest recognition of excellence in the arts. The school's focus is

on contemporary fine art, and its mission, in part, is "to stimulate interest

in handmade objects of good design."

The center is also home to the Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery, which presents

exhibitions by local and national-profile artists on a regular basis.