Pioneer Craft Fair Highlights Lost Arts

Paul Wensel sat quietly in the foyer of , watching passers-by ogle at the sights and sounds going on in the school gymnasium.

"This is such a great event," Wensel said, changing the cloth on his loom as he worked on a handmade rug.

Wensel was one of 56 artists who were on hand to demonstrate old-fashioned crafting Saturday at the 37th annual Pioneer Arts Fair, a fundraiser to benefit the Dexter Historical Society.

Wensel, a member of the , said rug making is one of several programs offered at the center.

He said seniors use 100 percent cotton or wool from donated fabrics and can make a rug a day, depending on the length. Proceeds from the sale of the rugs help offset activity costs at the center.

"You can make a rug in a couple of hours," he said. “It’s fairly easy to learn, and it's a lot of fun. We can make shawls, scarves and hats. We also have a group that meets every week to knit socks and hats.”

Booths featuring jewelry, weaving, quilting, watercolors, wood carving, toys, broom making, paper arts and other crafts lined the gymnasium at Creekside throughout the afternoon.

Tammy Braunscheidel of BET Baskets in Ann Arbor said she has woven baskets for 16 years. After taking a community education class in Pinckney, she turned the hobby into a business.

"It's fun to try something new," she said. "I've been coming to the Pioneer Arts Fair for six years, and I enjoy showing people how to weave, especially the kids."

Karen Cram of Parma, who was demonstrating clay pottery, said she has been working with clay for 25 years and enjoys selling her creations at local art shows.

"I do totem poles, leaves, bowls, platters ... if I can figure it out, I'll make it," she said.

Cram said the fair is one of the nicer shows she has attended.

"I like the atmosphere and the people who come here," she said.

Donna Garner of Brooklyn said this was her second year attending the event.

"I like talking about the lost arts," she said. "These types of crafts people don't do anymore because in this world, where everything is so rushed, no one has the time. I'm forunate because I'm retired, so I can do knitting and embroidery for fun. I'm an old-fashioned person at heart, and I find knitting relaxing."

Ron Lindgren of Gaylord said he has attended the fair every year for several years and enjoys demonstrating the art of broom making.

"It's more of a novelty, but there are people out there that still want a good broom," he said, explaining that it takes about an hour and a half to make a broom.

Harold Eyster of Lima Township, who was named the Young Birder of the Year by the American Birding Association in 2010, demonstrated the art of painting birds on birch bark.

"I've always had an interest in birds," Eyster said. "I suppose it has a lot to do with being outside a lot and watching them."

Proceeds from the annual event benefit the upkeep of the Dexter Area Historical Society Museum as well as its various programs. For more information, visit the society's website.