By Lynn Barrett, Vermont Country correspondent.
PUTNEY — Looking to buy a gift directly from the local artist who made it?
The day after Thanksgiving, the studios of 24 of Vermont’s most prominent makers invite the public in to discover, ask questions and snag one-of-a-kind gifts directly from the crafters. Glassblowers, potters, jewelers, woodworkers, painters, sculptors, stained glass artisans, an aromatherapist, and even wine- and cheesemakers welcome visitors to their studios.
The Putney Craft Tour, America’s oldest continuous craft tour, conceived in the late 1970s and timed to coincide with Thanksgiving and holiday shopping, celebrates its 46th anniversary Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, in the historic town of Putney.
Every year, the tour draws art lovers, shoppers and the curious. “The opportunity to experience the uniqueness of the number and the variety of craftspeople and artists in a small rural environment — is the real draw of such tours,” says glassblower Robert Burch, one of the founders of the tour.
Well-marked signs and tour maps lead the way. Start at the Putney Mountain Winery & Spirits welcome center, where you will find an exhibition of the artisans’ work, maps and brochures, and be able to ask any questions about the tour.
Green Mountain Spinnery’s Maureen Clark guesses why people come back year after year. “It’s due to the variety of artists on the tour, and seeing how other people thrive in an artistic lifestyle making beautiful things.”
Also, she adds, “holiday shopping at just any box store is so generic — finding and giving a unique gift is so much more rewarding.”
Jewelry designer Jeanne Bennett adds: “More than anything, the tour is great entertainment. Driving through the Vermont countryside and finding the studios is an adventure in itself.”
Guest artisans new to the tour this year include Blake Johnson, specializing in furniture, sculpture, wall art and useful wooden objects, Marcie Maynard (oil paintings), Kerrianne Harlow (needle felted and soft sculptured wool dolls and animals), Mucey Bolles (Mayan inspired ceramics), Candace Jensen (calligraphy, letterpress and drawing) and Laurie Alberts (oil painting inspired by rowing).
Tour goers are advised to enjoy the tour in a leisurely fashion. Don’t try to do it in one day. Spend at least a couple of days and take in the rich community of artists and the Putney Historic District that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For details about wheelchair accessibility, call each studio. To learn more about the artists, download the map and sign up for the tour’s newsletter, go to PutneyCrafts.com.
