Thanks to the overwhelming success of the 2023 Winter Festival and the generosity of The Park School of Buffalo, the 44th annual Roycroft Winter Festival will take place in the Rich Family Activity Center at the Park Campus on Harlem Road in Amherst. The size of this state of the art facility has made it possible for the Roycrofters at Large to expand the footprint of the festival to 35 booths and exhibitors, restoring the Roycroft Winter Festival to the largest festival in ten years!
We've have used this opportunity to reintroduce live art, demonstrations by Masters, artist presentations and seasonal programming, marking this as a return to the Festival that collectors and enthusiasts will recall from years past. Admissions to the festival is free of charge for Members and Patrons; if you are an active member, please be sure to bring your membership credentials to redeem your voucher for admission! Admission to defray costs is $5 for the general public, or $4 pre-sale for parties of two or more can be purchased ahead of time .
Not a member yet? Become one at Festival front of show and receive an original piece of art by Artisan Andre Chaves of Clinker Press as our thank you. RALA, like all non-profit arts organizations, is made possible through the donations and support of its Patrons and collectors!
This year’s Roycroft Winter Festival features the work of Roycroft Masters and Artisans, two Roycroft Emerging Artist cohorts and a schedule of live and interactive art demonstrations by Roycroft Artisans and Masters throughout the weekend. We are also joined by the Buffalo Society of Artists and C. Stuart and Jane H. Hunt Gallery as arts partners working alongside RALA in the WNY Arts community.
Also, NEW to the Roycroft Winter Festival in 2024: Visitors with children can sit with Santa Claus from 11:00 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday or Sunday! Children under 12 are always free.
James Howe, "Santa Jim," started his career of bringing holiday cheer in 1994. With a borrowed suit from the VFW, Santa was an instant hit...the rest is WNY history. Through the years, Santa Jim has seen thousands of children at schools and daycares throughout Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania. He even attended the Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland, Michigan. (Yes, really).
Santa will be greeting families in an authentic Roycroft “throne” in loan by RALA board member William Pictor from his personal collection of period antiques. We are thrilled to be able to offer this experience to families as part of the expansion of the Roycroft Winter Festival!
Master Henry Schmidt will present a live demonstration of his practice and a brief artist lecture between 10am and 12pm Saturday, followed by a demonstration of calligraphy and book arts by Master Linda Nagel Meyer beginning at 1 pm. Artisan in Wood Karen Ernst will demonstrate spoon carving on Sunday morning, and Master Leah Corey will host a live beadwork session in her booth on Sunday afternoon. A roster of Buffalo Society of Artists Exhibiting Artists demonstrate from noon - 2pm on Sunday, making the weekend full of events sure to satisfy everyone.
This year’s Festival Poster highlights the work of Master CJ Hurley of Pennsylvania. “Winter Rose” is a significant work by Hurley and RALA is proud to spotlight this fine work as a collaborative celebration of the White Rose’s 20th anniversary. A limited series of commemorative posters will be released for purchase at the Winter Festival to festival goers and available to membership following the festival.
In furtherance of RALA’s mission to educate and foster, the work of Park School student Anna Dyshlovya will be highlighted as part of the 2024 Winter Festival as the first Emerging Park Artist. Dyshlova, originally from Ukraine, is a 17 year old painter currently residing in the United States and attending Park School of Buffalo. While here in the United States with her family, she has developed her process and her business practice to gain juried entry into various regional festivals, including Music is Art, the Lewiston Art Festival, Glen Park Festival and Tiferet JFS.
Find out more about Anna here.
Roycrofters at Large is proud and touched to have the opportunity to help Dyshlova hone her practice and will work with her to help develop a CV, a portfolio, proper pricing and assistance with sales. The work of Park Students of Note will also be represented at the festival. Assembled work of Park Upperclassmen art students, recommended by Park School of Buffalo art faculty in collaboration with the Roycrofters at Large Emerging Artists Chair will be installed in the Park Art Booth. RALA and Park will also be joined by representatives of the The C. Stuart and Jane H. Hunt Art Gallery Emerging Artist Program.
Park School’s proximity to both the northtowns and the City of Buffalo is in keeping with RALA’s mission to promote and further the evolution of Roycroft and an exciting opportunity to connect the Roycroft Renaissance with a broader segment of Western New York Arts & Crafts collectors. Park’s philosophy and shared tradition in the Arts & Crafts Movement represents significant mission overlap and shared vision, and RALA is pleased to partner with Park to further its charter and to expose what the East Aurora based Roycroft community has to a wider audience.
The 2024 Winter Door Prize is provided by Artisan John Monk. Monk is a Roycroft Artisan in Metal working out of Ohio and specializing in copper. This year's "Park Prize" is a set of 2 oval nesting Shaker Boxes in Hand Hammered Copper bearing the Roycroft Renaissance mark. The larger box measures 4 1/2 and 1 1/2 inch deep with smaller companion measuring 3 3/4 inches. This piece is valued at $360 and all paid admission attendees and RALA Patrons will receive one ticket for the drawing at 2:45 pm Sunday, December 8. The winner need not be present.
Raffle tickets for the RALA “Goodie Box” will also be available. The Goodie Box is a tradition of the organization for over 20 years, and is the backbone of its non-profit fund-raising initiatives.
This year’s box contains items created by Roycroft Artisans and Master Artisans valued at over $9,000.
The centerpiece of the 2024 Goodie Box is a Copper Jewelry Box by Master Metalsmith Ronald VanOstrand. The design features chased ginkgos and a tooled leather interior designed by new Roycroft Artisan in Leather Tom Ciminelli.
Together with this piece, the 2024 Goodie Box contains additional items created by Roycroft Artisans and Master Artisans valued at over $9,000 with contributions by:
Julie Leidel, Master in Painting/Printing
Karen Hull Sienk, Master in Fiber
Marilyn Akerson-Corbitt, Artisan in Fiber
Laura Wilder, Master in Painting/Printing
Linda Nagel Meyer, Master in Book Arts/Calligraphy
Ann PerrySmith & Jerry Smith, Masters in Ceramics
Kathy Cairns Hendershott, Master in Fiber
John Monk, Artisan in Metal
Peter Potter, Master in Photography
Andre Chaves, Artisan in Book Arts/Letterpress
Louise Richens, Master in Fiber
Bonnie Hedden, Artisan in Jewelry
Leah Corey, Master in Beadwork
Thomas Pafk, Master in Wood
Nancy Sue Asmus, Artisan in Fiber
Chrissy Lapham, Artisan in Glass
Mission Guild, Masters in Metal, Jewelry
Tom Ciminelli, Artisan in Leather
Ronald VanOstrand, Master in Metal
Sue Mair, Master in Paper
Patty Cancilla, Master in Jewelry
Michael Cancilla, Artisan in Drawing
CJ Hurley, Master in Painting
Suzanne O’Brien, Artisan in Fiber
Keith Rust, Master in Painting
Henry Schmidt, Master in Sculpture
Leslie Green-Guilbault, Artisan in Ceramics
Natalie Richards, Master in Painting
The drawing will be held in February 2026, at the 38th National Arts and Crafts Conference, at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. The winner need not be present.
The Exhibitors in. the2024 Roycroft Winter Festival:
Our 2024 Roycroft Winter Festival Exhibitors:
More information and links to these artisans portfolios can be found through our Artisan page.
Share details and invite others to help spread the word on social media:
Lastly, don't forget to reserve a seat at The Roycroft Inn for next Thursday's Little Journey, featuring. an intimate performance by The Roycroft Chamber Music Festival musicians!
This is a size-limited, ticketed event. Be sure to book your space today through our ticketing link to guarantee in-person seating.
Find more inforamtion and invite friends to attend with you on socials here.
See you at Park!
Comments