The 38th Annual Chimneyville Crafts Festival

“People come to the Chimneyville Festival year after year because they know they will find something of value.  Everyone is selling handmade, quality items!”
Andrew Young, Owner and Chief Designer of Pearl River Glass Studio. 

The 38th Annual Chimneyville Crafts Festival will be held in Jackson this weekend, from December 5th through the 7th.  Customers will flock to the Trade Mart to purchase impressive handmade items such as pottery, jewelry, glass, wood and basketry.  Pearl River Glass has been selling their stained glass creations since 1977 and looks forward to the event every year.  Young and his company create exquisite stained glass pieces for churches and homes.  For Chimneyville, they scale down and create beautiful ornaments (look for their angel this year!), bowls, flower vases, and many other pieces.  

In 1973, Governor William Waller created what would become the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi.  Governor Waller believed that organizing and nurturing Mississippi craftsmen would help our state’s economy and image.  And he was correct!  For over four decades, the Guild has helped craftsmen make a living from their craft, include Young.  He says, “I graduated from LSU with a degree in landscape architecture.  When I was in school, I took a lot of art classes, and I took a stained glass class.  After college, I decided to open up a stained glass studio instead of what I was trained to do.  I have been doing it full-time since, and now I am doing all of the fun projects I dreamed about!” 

We spoke with Nancy Perkins of The Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi to learn what makes the Chimneyville Crafts Festival so special and the Guild so prestigious. 

What makes this event so successful each year?             

"The high level of craftsmanship and the abundance of finely crafted items. There are numerous festivals and shows in the state with excellent craft but not ones where all of the exhibitors are skilled craftsmen who have met the high standards of the Guild. The Festival represents some of the best artisans in the region and the nation."

Any standout exhibitors this year?

"As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so the answer is it depends who you ask. Most of our regular patrons have their favorites but they also love discovering new craftsmen. The other reason is so difficult to pick standouts is it is difficult to compare one artist's work against another.  There are such a variety of mediums - glass, wood, clay, metal, mixed media, jewelry and more - as well as different styles, Some craftsmen create functional, some whimsical and some museum quality craft. The truth is we have standout craftsmen to appeal to all tastes."

The Craftsmen's Guild of MS is 41 years old and the Chimneyville Festival is 38 years old.  That is incredible.  What makes the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi so successful?

"The Guild was a pioneer. There were no organizations or associations available for craftsmen and not even recognition that many of these crafts should be valued as an art form. The creation of the Guild gave craftsmen recognition, standards to achieve and maintain, a vehicle for camaraderie with other talented, like-minded people and, most importantly, opportunities to make a living from their craft."

How does the Guild help local artisans?

"To be a member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi means you have shown a mastery of your medium; it is a mark of excellence. Our craftsmen are able to offer their work for sale exclusively in our retail galleries at the Mississippi Craft Center in Ridgeland and our satellite galleries in the Outlets of Mississippi in Pearl and the Arts District in Biloxi. We recommend our craftsmen to those seeking artisans for commission work and custom projects. We pay our members as teachers for craft classes, craft camp and school field trips. They can do demonstrations and sell at any of our facilities and can host exhibitions in the George Berry Gallery. We also share information with our members about shows, competitions, available grants and provide workshop opportunities. And, only our members can participate in the Chimneyville Crafts Festival and other Guild sponsored events."

How does an artist join the Guild?  Tell me a little about the jury process.

"Twice a year – March and August, the Guild Standards committee reviews applications for new Guild members. Those applying must submit samples of their work, photos of additional pieces, information about themselves and their work. The review is conducted by the committee made up of two members from each medium who use a numerical system to determine results."

Why do you think this Festival is important for Mississippi?

"You cannot find a large selection of exceptional craft work like this anywhere in Mississippi, and few other states have anything like this. The Festival reinforces Mississippi’s status as one of the best producers of fine craft in the country and should be a source of great pride. We have people who fly in for this every year, because they recognize our craftsmen are offering unique treasures that are unique and will stand the test of time."

"You cannot find a large selection of exceptional craft work like this anywhere in Mississippi, and few other states have anything like this. The Festival reinforces Mississippi’s status as one of the best producers of fine craft in the country and should be a source of great pride. We have people who fly in for this every year, because they recognize our craftsmen are offering unique treasures that are unique and will stand the test of time."

Thank you so much, Nancy!  For more information on the Guild and the Chimneyville Crafts Festival, visit their website here or Facebook page here!

{Blog by Mitchell Walters}
{The two Pearl River Glass photos are courtesy of Peal River Glass, and the others are courtesy of the Guild's Facebook Page.}