Winterthur’s New Artisan Market Honors Fine Craftsmanship (and Farming)

(Jack Russell terriers in a vignette by Tracy Shue of Walking Olive)

Winterthur expands its salute to craftsmanship and honors its history as farmland with its first artisan market.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 17-18, 86 vendors, about half from Delaware, will sell antiques and collectibles; furniture and home décor; up-cycled and architectural salvage pieces; crafts and handmade items; vintage clothing and jewelry; small-batch and artisanal gourmet packaged goods; original art in a variety of media; and garden items.

Tickets are $20-$6 and include the grounds, exhibitions, reservation-only house tours and music.

One of the more intriguing offerings will be oh-so-cute felted dogs by Tracy Shue, an artist from York, Pennsylvania.

Her business is Walking Olive, named for the family dog, a border collie and Labrador retriever mix.

“My work is inspired by my children Bailey and Kirill, my dog Olive, new things, old things, nature, travel, really good music and really good film, not always in that order,” she writes on her site. “I get some of my best ideas when walking my dog, thus the name.”

She has mastered about 100 breeds, with airedales, golden retrievers and shih tzus the most popular. She crafts them as ornaments, puppies, adults and in vignettes, with the dogs maxing out at about 7 inches long. Prices range from $30 to $150.

“My entire life I have been dabbling in art,” Shue said. “And I’ve been felting for about 10 years.”

She specializes in dogs but takes commissions. How about cats? She laughed.

“I’ve done that. Don’t enjoy it. Their skeletal and muscular systems are so different, and I wanted to pick one animal and get really, really good.”

“Winterthur exists to celebrate the decorative arts and fine craftsmanship, and Artisan Market is an extension of that, very much in keeping with our mission to inspire and explore,” said spokesman Mark Nardone.

“It’s a fun and different way to enjoy what the museum does every day, and in a very contemporary way, with some of the finest artisans and crafters in the region,” he said. “And you can buy the things you love, so in a way, you get to own a little piece of Winterthur.

The vendors will be in five areas.

“Part of what makes Artisan Market special is the setting,” he said. “We’d like our guests to explore and enjoy them as much as possible while they are here.”

As for the music, Allison Dietz and The Midnighters perform both days. The Joe Hillman Band performs on Saturday, and The Quixote Project performs on Sunday.

“We hope the Artisan Market will become a Winterthur tradition,” said Chris Strand, interim director of Winterthur and director of the garden and landscape.