Peters Valley On NJN's State of the Arts
Friday, September 2, at 8:30 pm ; rebroadcast at 11:30 pm
Program's original music nominated for Emmy Award

STATEWIDE - Tucked away within the thousands of acres of the Delaware Water Gap's National Recreation Area is Peters Valley Craft Education Center . Peters Valley , an NJN State of the Arts special, focuses on the life of this unique village of artists and artisans, its history and surrounding environment. The documentary recently received a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award nomination in the category of Music Composition for its original music. This encore presentation airs on September 2, at 8:30 pm with a rebroadcast at 11:30 pm - just a few weeks prior to the Peters Valley annual Crafts Fair, held this year September 23 rd through the 25 th .

From mid-fall to early spring, this 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 outside 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. In addition to 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.

According to Jimmy Clark, Executive Director of Peters Valley , "This year marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Peters Valley Crafts Fair and simultaneously Peters Valley itself - as the origins of the craft center actually stem from the first fair held in 1970. We'll be celebrating with our first ever Friday Night Preview Party, featuring a concert by Richie Havens on September 23rd. We are especially grateful to NJN for producing the beautiful documentary, Peters Valley , which captures the spirit of the Center and showcases not only the many crafts we practice, but also the peaceful environment that's home to Peters Valley."

The original music featured in the Peters Valley documentary has been nominated for a 2005 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award. It was written and recorded by The Band Who Planted Trees - an independent rock band that producer Chris topher Benincasa played in during his college days. Chris topher re-engineered and re-mixed the music at the studio where it was recorded to use as the soundtrack for Peters Valley . The Emmy Awards will be announced on September 17 th .

State of the Arts is the recipient of 23 regional Emmy Awards including a 2005 New York Emmy and a 2004 Mid-Atlantic Emmy. Peters Valley was produced by Chris topher Benincasa for State of the Arts . The executive producer of State of the Arts is Nila Aronow, and the series producer is Susan Wallner. Funding is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.