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Showing of handicrafts

The Chester County Craft Guild will sponsor its annual show this weekend in Chester Springs. Among the featured artists are a husband-and-wife team.

About 20 years ago, the Reis family of Charlestown decided to exchange only homemade presents for Christmas because they had grown tired of mall shopping. Since then, Rick and Deb Reis have parlayed the tradition into a second career.

The husband-wife team, who make unusual jewelry and woven baskets, will be one of 25 craftspeople displaying their works at the Chester County Craft Guild show Saturday and Sunday. Other artisans will sell enamel work, fiber art, woodworking, metalwork and pottery.

For the first time, the juried show will be held at the West Pikeland Township Cultural Center in Chester Springs to accommodate more craftspeople. A few artists will also demonstrate their work.

Rick Reis makes jewelry out of the unusual combination of wood and rock. Prices range from $30 to $150. He also creates wooden photo frames with a magnetized backing for easy switching out. "It changes almost as fast as the digital ones," joked Reis. The frames cost $48, half the price of the high-tech ones.

Not that he's got anything against technology.

His day job is in the computer field. Deb Reis works as a software engineer. She also weaves Nantucket-style baskets from colorful fishing lines and cane. The baskets sell for $75 to $120. The couple lives in Charlestown Township.

Kennett Square resident Janice Ritenuti does copper enameling for wall coverings. It's a process that involves "ground glass fused on copper creating glorious, brilliant colors," she explained. Her works sell for between $70 and $400.

All three artisans are members of the Chester County Craft Guild, a nonprofit devoted to craft education and increasing public awareness of craftwork. The group is the local chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

The group meets monthly at the YWCA in West Chester for workshops and meetings. A few times a year, it will have speakers, and once a year, it will have outings such as a trip to N.C. Wyeth's studio.

Two years ago, the Reises joined the guild because they thought "it was a great way to learn" about the business of craft shows. "It's a great group of people . . . and it's been really encouraging," said Deb Reis.

Ritenuti said the group is split between professionals and hobbyists. "Probably more hobbyists," she added. She is a job coach for the mentally impaired in Chester County.

For the last 13 years, she has worked on enameling for the love of it. "We put a little of ourselves into our crafts," she said.


If You Go

The Chester County Craft Guild show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the West Pikeland Township Cultural Center, 1645 Art School Rd., Chester Springs.

There is no admission fee.

For more information, call 610-363-9427 or go to www.pacrafts.org/cccg.

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