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peters valley

Friday, August 29, 2008 @ 8:30 pm • Wednesday, September 3 @ 11:30 pm

Preview

Tucked away within the thousands of acres of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in rural northwest New Jersey is Peters Valley Craft Education Center. From mid-fall to early spring, this peaceful environment is home to a handful of artists, all focusing on honing their skills. There’s blacksmith Maegan Crowley, who forges metal into organic patterns and shapes inspired by seed pods, bugs and other elements of the vast wilderness surrounding her workshop. Bruce Dehnert is in charge of the ceramics department, and is the active caretaker of the education 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, ceramics and weaving, 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, where artists come together to sell the fruits of the past year in a flea market setting featuring wandering bands of musicians, home-made food stands and art-making demonstrations. When the dust settles, and fall creeps in, the valley grows quiet again, and the resident artists return to pondering their work – until next spring.

This CINE Golden Eagle and Mid-Atlantic Emmy award-winning State of the Arts half-hour documentary special focuses on the life of Peters Valley Craft Education Center, as well as the unique history of the organization and its place in one of America’s most beautiful national parks.

collage
ceramics department
karen henderson weaving
blacksmith
peters valley
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Read selections from New Jersey historian Kevin Perry's book on Peters Valley: • Who the Heck was Peter? • Tocks Island - An Overview • Birth of the Crafts Center
View artwork made at Peters Valley
watch online tv Watch a story about Peters Valley's anagama kiln from the State of the Arts archive
Hear music from the Emmy Award-winning Peters Valley soundtrack
Listen Listen to ”Grow”
Listen Listen to ”Star”
Listen Listen to ”Shell”
  • where to see
    Peters Valley Craft Fair
    September 27-28, 2008
    Peters Valley Craft Education Center & Peters Valley Store & Gallery
    19 Kuhn Road
    Layton, New Jersey 07851
    (973) 948-5200
    Hours: Open year round, varying seasonal hours
  • also visit
    www.petersvalley.org

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NJN Video Online njnvideo@njn.org 1-609-777-5093

Press Room
Visit Peters Valley Press Room

The music heard in the Peters Valley documentary won a 2005 Mid-Atlantic regional Emmy award. Find out more about the music and the musicians:
The bluegrass trio The Lost Ramblers are neighbors and good friends of Peters Valley Craft Education Center. You may have noticed them strumming and thumping away at the craft fair. They can be reached at felixpap@ptd.net. You can learn more about Daniel Higgs and his CD of solo jews harp improvisations at www.dischord.com. All incidental guitar work was performed by New Jersey natives The Band Who Planted Trees. They can be reached at plantedtrees@hotmail.com

 
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State of the Arts
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