Holiday Craft Shows Popular in Ocean City

OCEAN CITY – For almost a decade now Norman and JoAnne Schaut have brought juried regional craft shows to the Ocean City Music Pier. The Schaut’s scour the area inviting the most creative and talented artisans to show and sell their one of a kind handi-work.
These events attract thousands of visitors to Ocean City during the Christmas and Easter seasons. The shows have a charitable aspect with admission donation going directly to area charities. Over $200,000 has been donated to the Ocean City Food Cupboard alone.
The Holiday Celebration of Fine Crafts is the latest edition produced by the Schaut’s organization, the Jersey Shore Artisans Guild. It is set for March 31 and April 1 inside the City’s historic Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace.
Stained glass artist, Chiara Reading, is the featured crafter. Reading has chartered new territory in stained glass. Her hanging and free standing productions are riveting. Using the glass as a background, the artist embeds her productions with sea shells, stones, and various shards that produce unique and satisfying waves of color that dominate space.
Reading is owner of My Wildest Dreams Studio which she founded four years ago upon retiring from private industry to give her art full time attention. “I’m fulfilling my wildest dreams,” she says and look forward to exhibiting and discussing my work with visitors to the show.
Other artists joining Reading include Philip Breden, Cape May, hand woven shawls, scarves, outerwear and fiber jewelry; Dolores Calvello, Blackwood, spring floral arrangements; Stephanie Clineman, Mays Landing, “Jersey Girl Wine Jelly”; Lori Curtis, Barnegat, matching child-doll dresses; Dee Elkins, Hightstown, Aged Balsamic Vinegar; Alexander Farber, Margate, hand painted impressions or your dog or cat; Dung Lu, Hamilton, Silk Jewelry by the artist born in Vietnam.
Among the many other one of a kind artisans to exhibit and sell will be Heather Newton, Cherry Hill, hand poured scented candles and pies; Anne Resnick, Voorhees, dog products, collars, leashes, T Shirts; Donna Stufft, Temperanceville, V A, art quilts, holiday seasonal jewelry handmade from pottery and clay and John Styer, Northeast,Md., turned wood heirlooms, pens and peppermills.
The Holiday Crafts shows are set for March 31 and April 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terr. A $3 contribution goes to local charities. Children under 12 are free. For more information, call the Jersey Shore Artisans Guild, 1-800-822-4112.