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. This encore presentation airs on May 4, at 8:30 pm with a rebroadcast on Wednesday, May 9 at 11:30 pm – near the time of the Peters Valley annual Open House on Sunday, May 6th. State of the Arts marks twenty-five years on NJN this season. The series has earned 26 Regional Emmy Awards, including New York Emmy Awards in 2007 and 2005, and a 2006 Mid-Atlantic Emmy.
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, until recently 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, “The Center’s Spring Open House is a free annual event when we open our doors to the general public and offer a unique opportunity to tour all our studios and get an inside view of how our artists work. In addition to craft demonstrations, the day will include live music, food, an art exhibit — and a special celebration to commemorate the legacy of Bevans, the village that pre-dated Peters Valley Craft center. 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.”
Peters Valley was the recipient of a 2005 national CINE Golden Eagle Award in the Arts, Leisure & Lifestyle category. The documentary also won a 2005 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition. The original music was written and recorded by The Band Who Planted Trees. The program’s producer, Christopher Benincasa, played bass in the band when in college. He remixed and re-engineered the music to create the soundtrack for his production of Peters Valley.
Peters Valley was produced by Christopher 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.
State of the Arts, the award-winning, half-hour arts magazine, airs every Friday at 8:30 pm, followed by an encore presentation each Wednesday at 11:30 pm. Peters Valley is also available on DVD, and may be purchased through the online NJN Store.
The current episode of State of the Arts can be viewed online at www.njn.net. Individual stories will be available to view following their broadcast by visiting the program online at State of the Arts.
NJN is available on all New Jersey cable systems, satellite systems, and Time Warner Cable channel 750 in NYC.
State of the Arts is also available via video streaming at njn.net after the original broadcast.
Additionally, the program is repeated on NJN’s JerseyVision available on Comcast Digital Cable in New Jersey.
(Check http://www.njn.net/digital/schedule.html for detailed listings.)
NJN – Uniquely New Jersey
# # #
