Artisans use creative energy to reuse and recycle

Delaware’s Hagley Museum and Library will feature more than fifty artisans at its annual Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19. Visitors may browse through the fine crafts and wares created by premier artists of the Mid-Atlantic region.

The Craft Fair features works in various media, from traditional crafts of fibre, wood, pottery, and glass, to contemporary items created from recycled and reused materials. “Hagley’s attention has been turned to energy in 2008—preserving, renewing, and creating energy—and the Craft Fair is no exception!” says Visitor Services Manager Candy Dunson, “When you bring together talented people using texture, shape and colour in a creative way, the energy level of everyone is enriched.”

Grace Mahanes of Graceful Touch fashions one-of-a-kind jewellery from discarded items like antique buttons, coins, keys, and vintage typewriter keys. 2nd Time Designs artists Judy and Lou Hagen create colourful outdoor sculptures of birds, flowers, sea creatures, and more from recycled metal items like shovels, bicycles, and army helmets.

The weekend festivities include a raffle of items donated by each artisan. Each visitor will have the opportunity to win just by coming to the Craft Fair. Shoppers will receive additional raffle tickets with each purchase. Visitors can take a break from shopping and enjoy lunch or a snack. The Belin House Restaurant will sell café-style fare including sandwiches, soups, and desserts.

The Craft Fair takes place on Hagley’s upper property in the Soda House and library with free shuttle service between both buildings. Admission is $4 per person, free for members and children under 6. Use Hagley’s Buck Road East entrance off of Route 100. Hagley’s GPS address is 200 Hagley Road.

Hagley Museum and Library is where the du Pont story begins. It was here that the gunpowder works of E. I. Du Pont created an empire in 1802, with a lasting legacy throughout the Brandywine region. Our scenic 235-acre campus stretches along the banks of the Brandywine River. See the first family residence, walk through the original mills of the DuPont Company, and listen to the stories about the people who lived and worked along the river.