STATEWIDE – Tucked away within thousands of acres of the Delaware Water Gap’s National Recreation Area is Peters Valley Craft Education Center . Peters Valley, airing on NJN on October 1, at 8:30 pm with an encore performance at 11:30 pm, focuses on the life of this unique village of artisans, its history and surrounding environment. Peters Valley can also be seen on NJN’s digital channel; please check the web site at njn.net for dates and times.

From mid-fall to early spring, the peaceful village in rural northwest New Jersey is home to a handful of artists, all working to hone their skills. Maegan Crowley, the resident blacksmith, forges metal into organic patterns and shapes inspired by seed pods, bugs and other elements of the vast wilderness surrounding her workshop. Bruce Dehnert, in charge of the ceramics department, is the active caretaker of the center’s world-renowned anagama kiln. Karen Henderson weaves abstract compositions as well as her own line of clothing from natural fibers and dyes. As spring unfolds throughout the valley, classes begin and students from around the world come to learn from master artisans. Blacksmithing, weaving and ceramics, intensive courses in fine metal work, photography, woodworking and more are offered.

At the end of this cycle is the annual Peters Valley Craft Fair. Artists gather to sell the fruits of the past year in a flea market setting, featuring wandering musicians, homemade food and art-making demonstrations. When the dust settles and fall creeps in, the valley grows quiet once more and the resident artists return to pondering their work, until, of course, next spring. “NJN is pleased to offer the award-winning STARTS team to cover New Jersey ’s cultural treasures for our viewers and to archive such programs for future generations,” states Elizabeth Christopherson , executive director of NJN.