April 14

May 26 - 27

June

Featured craft/art of the month: Fiber arts, basketry, paper

July 21

Potter Lin Hausknecht of Yellow Spring will set up her potter‚s wheel and demonstrate throwing pottery.  The potter's wheel is essentially a flat disk that revolves horizontally on a pivot. Wheels were once powered by hand or foot, but Hausknecht will use an electric variable-speed wheel controlled with a foot pedal.
 
The foot pedal control means she can use both hands, one on the inside and the other on the outside to shape the pot upward from a ball of clay that is thrown and centered on the rotating wheel.
 
For her demonstration at Lost River, Hausknecht said she will focus on forming bowls, pitchers and casseroles using stoneware clay, which differs from earthenware clay because it can be fired to a higher temperature and is more durable and waterproof. She said these qualities are often desirable in many kitchen-related pottery pieces.
 
Albert Hutchings, who splits time between Washington D.C. and Lost River, will demonstrate finishing a leaded stained glass panel, which includes glazing an already assembled piece. He explained, "this is the step that seals the panel, strengthens and waterproofs it."
 
Hutchings said that glazing cement and the application of a cleaning solution known as "whiting" is a messy two-step process once for each side of the panel but the final result for onlookers will be a piece of embellished sunlight.
 
Glass artisan Carol Slovikosky of Martinsburg will demonstrate traditional glass painting. Her paints are a special mixture that, when fired, result in a permanent bond with the glass surface.
 
Slovikosky said glass painting can decorate transparent glass panels or enhance an assembled stained glass design. For her demonstration, she will concentrate on painting single glass panels.

July 21

Following the Toy Symposium above, the 1923 Model McCormick-Deering 10-20 will be dedicated to the memory of longtime teacher, farmer, community historian, and collector of antique farm equipment, Saturday, July 21st, at 3 p-m.  Old-time gospel and blue grass music will precede the short ceremony and refreshments will be served.

July 28

Dan Blumhagen, who also travels between Washington D.C. and Lost River, will demonstrate the assembly of leaded stained glass the same basic technique as that used by cathedral-window makers for hundreds of years.
 
With this technique, glass pieces are cut to match a pattern and their edges are covered with strips of grooved lead called "came." The glass is finely ground and adjusted for a tight fit, and horseshoe nails help hold the assembly in place on a plywood panel with the „cartoon,‰ or pattern, attached to the surface. As the pane comes together, joints between lead strips are soldered.
 
Blumhagen stresses that it‚s a stop-and-start process: "People can see where the unfinished edges are, and how each piece is shaped to fit into the next and how some disassembly is always required to get the fit right."

August

Featured craft/art of the month: Film, photography, music

August 4

Sorry, the Toy Symposium has been cancelled.

August 5
10am, 2pm & 4pm

Documentary films in focus at Lost River Craft Cooperative

Documentary filmmakers Ray and Judy Schmitt of Mathias, W.Va., will present a retrospective of their films and lead a Q&A discussion about documentary filmmaking on Sunday, Aug. 5, at the Lost River Craft Cooperative, Lost River, W.Va. They will conduct the hour-long sessions at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
 
The award-winning duo have been making films since 1975. Their production company, Real Earth Productions, creates films and in-depth documentaries that explore a range of topics from rural traditions to artist profiles to public policy.
 
Ray Schmitt notes that documentary films appeal to him on multiple levels. From a practical point, he said, they are not as expensive to make. Filming a documentary, he said, is often more leisurely, meaning he can enjoy the process. Most importantly, he has complete control over the project and can be true to his vision of the film.
 
Real Earth films have garnered international and national awards, including a first place in the 1987 Canadian International Film Festival and a blue ribbon in the 1992 American Film and Video Festival.
 
In 2004, Ray Schmitt was named West Virginia Filmmaker of the Year at the West Virginia Filmmakers Festival.
 
The Lost River Craft Cooperative is located on WV 259 in Lost River, W.Va.

August 11

Photographers in focus at Lost River Craft Cooperative

On Saturday, Aug. 11, Albert Mach II of Arthur, W.Va., will display a collection of vintage photographic equipment that spans the early 1900s to the present.

Mach, who says he has experimented with photography since childhood, has followed changes in photo technology and now has converted to professional digital photography, though, with this collection, he acknowledges an understanding and fondness for photography's history.

Mach will also display examples of his digital photography, concentrating on landscapes and cityscapes, and will discuss current high-end photo printing methods, including how giclée prints differ from photographs and how to tell the difference.

Visitors can also ask Mach questions about photo composition, lighting and technique. "Photography is about experimentation," Mach said, "but the most important advice I can give someone is to read your camera‚s user manual carefully. Know what your camera can do, and your skills will grow from there."

August 18

Photographers in focus at Lost River Craft Cooperative

Saturday, Aug. 18, Mary Ann Honcharik of Dry Fork, W.Va., will discuss techniques for photographing waterfalls with a visual display and step-by-step discussion of how variables such as shutter speed and setting exposure affect the shot.
 
Honcharik will also discuss some digital darkroom techniques, specifically in Adobe Photoshop, that she finds useful for processing waterfall scenes.
 
She will also discuss the aesthetics of photographing rushing water.
 
Honcharik‚s portfolio focuses on the rugged mountain highlands of West Virginia, with an emphasis on Dolly Sods. She says she enjoys going "off trail" in her ongoing search for secret waterfalls and fantastic viewpoints.

August 25 & 26

Photographers in focus at Lost River Craft Cooperative

Completing the month's tour of regional photographers, Frank Ceravalo of Martinsburg, W.Va.,  will display some of his most recent pieces on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25 and 26.
 
Ceravalo says his engineering background has been an asset for his photography, both from a technical aspect, and from his willingness to experiment and adapt.
 
Topics of his photographs often represent change, changing seasons, sunrise or sunset, or running water. His ultimate objective, he says, is to compose scenes where "form and light are in balance."
 
Ceravalo uses both film and digital cameras, saying both formats are simply tools through which he achieves his desired effects.

September

Featured craft/art of the month: Wood and fine arts

September 2

Challenge and atmosphere draw painters outdoors

Given the ease of snapping a reference photo, why would an artist still go into the field and risk wind gusts, biting insects, sunburn and bad weather? "There's nothing like it," says painter Afra Collier of Mathias, W.Va.. "It‚s best to paint in the moment." Collier believes that painting "en plein air," French for "in the open air," requires a sophisticated sense of composition, decisive drawing and painting, and a firm grasp of color. Collier and fellow painter Kristen Colebank of Wardensville, W.Va., will test their plein air skills on Sunday, Sept. 2, on the lawn of the Harper Barn, home to the Lost River Craft Cooperative in Lost River, W.Va. They'll start at 10 a.m., weather permitting, and will move around the lawn as inspiration and sunlight direct.

In the past, landscape artists worked outdoors and on-site at some stage of their work, whether for preliminary sketches and paintings, or for more elaborate pieces which required numerous location sittings. However, with advances in photography, many artists now are content to carry a digital camera, experiment with compositions on a computer, and paint in the controlled comfort of a studio. "I've always worked from photographs," said Colebank, who paints exclusively with watercolor. "Even when I've set up still lifes, I've taken a photo of the set-up and worked from that rather than directly from the arrangement." Recently, she's begun to experiment with location painting. "I have great admiration for plein air painters who paint well," she said. "It's hard adjusting to the changing conditions. I always feel like I'm one step behind the sun." Collier, who is skilled in watercolor, oil, and other media, has been painting plein air for years and is always looking for artists who will join her in the field. "The light . . . nothing can match the light when you're there," she said. "These cameras, they just don't get the real picture." The two artists are members of the craft cooperative and their outdoor painting adventure is part of LRCC's September focus on fine art and wood craft.
 

***

The duo will be joined that Sunday by artisan coffee roaster Serina Roy who will set up her portable roaster at the barn. Roy, who lives near Frederick, Md., has developed several custom coffee blends inspired by the people and places of Lost River, including the aptly named Lost River Blend, as well as Highland Grogg and Goat on Roof, a tongue-in-cheek name for one Lost River artisan's personal blend. Roy, who has been a member of the cooperative since 2006, will roast fresh coffee for customers and answer questions about the process.

September 29 - 30

Craftspeople display their work on the lawn of the Lost River Craft Cooperative in Lost River during Hardy County Heritage Weekend last year. The cooperative's gallery is housed in a 150-year-old barn which is also home to the Lost River Museum.

Clothesline Art Show‚ at Lost River Craft Cooperative

Imagine how approachable fine art can be when it‚s hanging from a clothesline.

That‚s the idea behind the Clothesline Art Show at the Lost River Craft Cooperative on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29-30. The show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The Lost River event is part of Hardy County‚s annual Heritage Weekend.

Heritage Weekend highlights the county‚s past with a tour of many of its historical homes. The house tour is augmented with events all around the county, such as a quilt show, ring-jousting tournament, music and food at numerous sites, art shows, and crafters and artisans.

The Lost River Craft Cooperative is one of three county Welcome Centers for the weekend. The other centers are the Hardy County Public Library in Moorefield, and Antiques Etc. in Wardensville.

Artists at Lost River will display unframed pieces on clotheslines, providing a unique and economical venue from which to share fine art.

"It‚s a great way to see art," said Afra Collier of Mathias who is organizing the show. "We‚ve done this for many years, and people appreciate art that‚s up close and personal. This is a great setting for that."

In addition to the Clothesline Art Show, many craftspeople and artisans will also display and demonstrate their work on the cooperative‚s lawn. Visitors will get to see blacksmiths, fiber artists, jewelry makers, woodworkers and painters in action. Also, fresh gourmet coffee will be roasted on site.

For more about Hardy County Heritage Weekend, visit www.HeritageWeekend.com.

October

Featured craft/art of the month: Iron

December 9

Store closes for season.