Pandy Zolas of Lewiston will exhibit his model ships

AUGUSTA — The Maine Crafts Guild and the Maine State Museum have collaborated to offer a rare opportunity Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8, for Mainers to see historic work and contemporary artisans in the same venue.

In the foyer of the Maine State Museum and library complex, 30 artisans of The Maine Crafts Guild will represent the continuing “handmade” tradition, offering their fine crafts to discerning buyers. Inside the museum, a self-guided tour will highlight handmade items in the collections, which span 10,000 years.

For example, visitors will be able to see definite similarities as they compare the graceful handmade plummets from the “12,000 Years In Maine” exhibit with the stonework of Obadiah Buell in the craft show.

Stephen Zeh, a nationally ranked basket maker who works in brown ash harvested from the Maine woods, creates his baskets using the same types of tools and techniques that were employed by Maine woodsmen, Shakers and Native Americans. Similar baskets can be seen in the museum’s “Made in Maine” and “Uncommon Threads: Wabanaki Textiles, Clothing and Costumes” exhibits.
A large display of early Maine pottery in the “Made in Maine” exhibit gives visitors a sense of how early potters developed their own embellishments to make their work distinguishable. The products of the eight contemporary potters in the Guild Show have such a breadth of styles that visitors sometimes have to remember they all begin with clay.

Replicas of a blacksmith shop can be mirrored in the wrought iron works of Tony Takacs. The tiny display of an early sewing room offers a description of how important handmade clothing was to our descendants.

Within the Maine Crafts Guild show, fiber artists express themselves in everything from comfortable, elegant clothing to wall fiber art. Within the “Made in Maine” exhibit, a small model woodworking shop (complete with shavings on the floor) make us think about what it was like when each piece of furniture was made by hand, often from nearby trees.

Within the guild show, four furniture makers will share their handmade wooden furniture. There will also be an exhibit of model ships by Pandy Zolas of Lewiston. Zolas will be available to talk to the public about how he researches and builds the models.
Both the Maine Crafts Guild Show and the Maine State Museum on Capital Street will be open free of charge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. Chief Noda will provide live classical guitar music; and lunches by Bagel Mainea will be available. Many fine crafts created by participating artisans will be available as door prizes.