Local artisans guild offers art exhibit and workshops as part of Maine Craft Weekend

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Some of Janis Lilly’s yarn.

FARMINGTON – Visit with the artists, shop or participate in free workshops during the statewide Maine Craft Weekend.

On exhibit on Oct. 5 and 6 will be exquisitely embroidered antique Czech folk garments that have inspired FolkAnna’s fiber art. Vera Johnson will offer a free workshop, Copper Repousse or Embossing, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 1-3 p.m. Janis Lilly will offer a free workshop, Round and Rectangular Loom Knitting, on Oct. 6, Sunday, 12-4 p.m.

No registration is needed. Stop in for a few minutes, stay as long as you like. Located in Vera’s Iron and Vine at 155 Front Street, Farmington. Regular business hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vera Johnson, owner of Vera’s Iron and Vine, has been a blacksmith since her 20s. The relationship between the steel, the fire and the human with the hammer is the divine three. Everything is transformed on a molecular level. To be able to heat and manipulate steel, changing the shape, never fails to fascinate her. She has worked with reclaimed wood and found objects, pastels, watercolors, acrylic, and clay- hand building technique being favorites. Copper is her most current steady medium. She finds it to be alive with possibility, warm and energetic.

Janis Lilly of Wonderland Farm in Temple began loom knitting and yarn dyeing as way to bridge the expanse between gardening seasons. Locally and internationally sourced yarn and dyes gives her hand knitted chunky cowls, Bunny Pom hats and hand painted skeins timeless appeal. You can follow her fiber crafting and tiny farm adventures on Instagram at Wonderland_Farm_Maine and see her wares at Vera’s Iron and Vine in Farmington.

FolkAnna, Kathy Beauregard’s artisan business in the foothills of western Maine, is named to honor her great, great grandmothers, Anna, Anna and Anna. Inspired by ethnic designs from their Czech homeland, her passion for color and botanical motifs, and the mischief of woodland fairies Kathy found herself creating hand embroidered whimsical textile art after a lifetime of needlework. She creates soft matryoshka dolls, bird ornaments, Mir (Peace) Babies and more. FolkAnna’s textile art is on exhibit at artisan shops throughout Maine and on Etsy.com.

For more information go to the Facebook page for Vera’s Iron and Vine.

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