: : . . : . . : : Handweaving Museum and Arts Center : : . . : . . : :

LOCATED AT: 314 John Street Clayton, NY 13624


WHO WE ARE
The Handweaving Museum & Arts Center is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of traditional arts and handcrafts through educational programs, classes, lectures, exhibits and by maintaining a library and a permanent textile collection. The Arts Center offers a wide variety of art and handcraft classes for adults, young adults and children. All levels of students, from the beginner to the professional artist, are welcome. Classes are small and enrollment is limited to allow for ample guidance. Our purpose is to encourage the art of handcrafts and to pass on this tradition. Additional educational programs include annual weaving conferences, an after school arts program for children in the spring and fall, elderhostel programs and variety of demonstrations from skilled artisans. The Handweaving Museum specializes in 20th-century hand-woven fabrics, coverlets, study notebooks, old tools, implements and looms. We encourage weavers to use the extensive resources we have available from lifelong collections of well-known weavers such as Berta Frey, Theo Moorman, Mary Snyder, and many others. The library includes books on weaving, spinning, dyeing, surface designing and textile history. The many study notebooks offer original manuscript drafts, patterns, tie-ups, treadling guides and color studies. The Catherine C. Johnson Gallery hosts a variety of scheduled art shows and exhibits art shows and exhibits open to the public April through December. The Museum Gift Shop sells original art works, prints, jewelry, fiber art, pottery and carefully selected items from regional artists.

The HMAC Gift Shop
(Closed for the winter)
The Handweaving Museum & Arts Center (HMAC) has recently renovated and opened an exciting addition to their campus: “The Gallery Store” at 321 James St, Clayton. The Gallery Store is a gift shop which specializes in beautiful handmade crafts of all sorts.
The Gallery Store’s interior is light, cozy, and comfortable, as some customers have described it. The shop carries a variety of items: from lovely handwoven blankets and scarves, to hand thrown pottery, handmade soaps and oils, one-of-a-kind jewelry, handwoven rugs, hand carved wooden utensils, and much more. It features a Bead Bar where visitors can choose from a wide variety of beads to create their own necklaces, bracelets and earrings, with help from friendly staff.
The Gallery Store carries fine, unique products created by North Counry artists and artisans. Many of the artists live locally, or are summer residents of the area. Barbara Decker of Clinton, NY, handweaves beautiful blankets and other apparel. Jean Henry, a Wednesday Weaver at HMAC, handspins then handweaves wool into soft winter scarves in rich colors. Cait Throop and Sherrill Koss design and weave scarves and shawls as well. Gene Valk weaves 19th century patterns into intricate table linens, while Mary Millet converts old, damaged quilts into playful pillows and Lynn LePan of LeFargeville, NY sews large colorful tote bags. Nancy Dauray of Wellesley Island, NY, finger-weaves shawls on a triangular loom, in detailed patterns, using vintage yarns and fibers collected from her travels to Italy and France. Margot Miller of Rockport, ON, handpaints beautiful flowers on linen jackets.
The Gallery Store’s jewelry artists supply the shop with exquisite products. Mary Harding creates ceramic pendants and detailed, eye-catching, peyote cuff bracelets. William Brenon of Black River, NY creates striking silver pieces, while Gina Wells of Dexter fires different metals to create unexpected patina designs on pendants, cuffs, earrings and pins. Carol Moore of Clayton, NY, creates pretty necklaces, earrings and pendants, while Gretchen Martin of Redwood, NY makes necklaces with beaded strands, and adorns them with vintage pendants. Alicia Taylor of Clayton, NY displays her fresh, creative designs through her earrings and bracelets.
The pottery sold at The Gallery Store comes from various artists around the area, too. John Arnnot, the resident potter at the new HMAC Pottery Studio, handthrows clay pitchers, vases, bowls, mugs, planters, and cups, while decorating them with beautiful and creative glaze designs. Mary-Ann Evans of Ogdensburg, NY makes serving bowls, platters, and decorative fish, using a raku glaze. Gintra Young creates unique handbuilt pottery, giving her pieces iridescent raku glazes. Cookie Witham forms original “Clay Cookies” which are whimisical stake flower decorations for gardens.
Fred Feldman, an instructor at Watertown’s Jefferson Community College creates “Pinchpot People” which are scrunched, character face bowls.
The best sellers at the Gallery Store are varied items. “Marianne’s Sol Mate” mismatched socks catch the eye of nearly every customer. Purposefully mismatched and knit in Vermont, these colorful, crazy socks are fun, functional and a great gift. The Bead Bar attracts a lot of customers who love to design and create their own unique jewelry. Bead Bar birthday parties can be scheduled for children and teenagers.
Also, as seen on Oprah, and used by Rachael Ray, “Jonathon’s Spoons” are a huge hit.
These beautiful hand carved utensils and bowls are excellent in the kitchen.
The Gallery Store also carries fine, handmade soaps and oils by Harmony Soaps, which are beautifully packaged and serve as great gifts.
So, please stop by and enjoy The Gallery Store’s wide variety of fine gifts and creative ideas, and don’t miss The Handweaving Museum & Arts Center to see what new, exciting exhibits and programs are available to you.

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