PA Wilds Creative Makers
The road
less traveled makes all the difference
Now in its third year, and showcasing more than 200 images and 48 makers, the Creative Makers of the Pennsylvania Wilds – A Traveling Public Art Show raises awareness about the region’s creative community by bringing their stories to public spaces.
This exhibit, which features regional artisans and producers making their crafts in their creative spaces, highlights members of the Wilds Cooperative Pennsylvania (WCO), a program that is a direct product of the last 15 years of PA Wilds work.
Today, there are about 300 regional artists, craftspeople and creative entrepreneurs participating in the WCO, which is administered and promoted by the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship.
This exhibit is free and open to the general public.
Project Stats
what we’ve accomplished at a glace
Photographers
Miles Traveled
Artisans Featured
Total Exhibit Images
Creative Makers Background
Fifteen years ago, a groundbreaking effort began to brand a quarter of the Commonwealth as the “Pennsylvania Wilds” and invest in it to create a premier nature, heritage and cultural destination that would fuel local economies and inspire stewardship among the people who live, work, play and visit the region. Engaging the region’s artists and craftspeople in the work is key to building a meaningful regional brand and infusing pride into economically-distressed communities.
The Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania, our membership program that supports artisans and entrepreneurs through such regional branding, was born out of this belief. Today, nearly 200 local artists and craftspeople participate in this juried arts and business development program.
What this program has revealed is that the Pennsylvania Wilds has many talented artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs, but many visitors, residents and event artists are not aware of this due to the region’s rural geography (the PA Wilds covers 25% of PA, but accounts for only 4% of the population). It can be difficult to appreciate the creative spirit and skill of the region’s artists and craftspeople when so many of them practice their craft in a room at their house on a back country road, out of sight.
Telling the story of the region’s creative makers is essential to developing the region’s identity and sense of place and to helping the public appreciate and be inspired by the creativity around them.
Participating Artists
2016-2017 PROJECT
Alabaster Coffee
Alpaca Creations
Amanda Lewis
Blackberry & Sage Market
Brenda Nicklas
Carol Cillo
Chris DeStefano
CF Lawrenson
Ellen Paquette
Highland Chocolates
Hughes Pottery
Jack Northrop
Katie Weidenboerner Deppen
Kim Gates Flick
Laughing Owl Press
Lynn Kibbe
Paul Staniszewski
Perry Winkler
Rich Horner
Shandra Wilson
Stephanie Distler Artisan Jewelry
Steve Getz
The Muddy Moose Bath Boutique
2017-2018 PROJECT
Airhead Grafix
Art in the Wilds Bill Crowell
Danette Wightman
Debbie Penley
Elkwood Arts
Endless Mountain Music Festival
Equinox Ltd.
Heron
Icyy Ink Screen Printing
Jabebo, LLC
Jessie Vaughn
Joanne Oviatt
John Pearson
Julie Mader
Karen Heltzel
Kathleen Schnell
Kyle Yates
Linda Moore
Lois Crozier
Michele Bango
Mickayla Poland
Miller’s Purely Maple
Peggy Houser
Pine Springs Pottery
Rich Valley Apiary
Rocky Holland
Sharon DiMichele
Sue’s Salves
Tom Svec Furniture Design
Tracy Smith
Xtreme Wear
2018-2019 PROJECT
Allison Schanbacher
Amber Neefe Fowler
Bernadette Chiaramonte
Carolyn Schiffhouer
Cliff Stump
Cooney’s Mountain Mustard
Curt Weinhold
Darryl Kotz
Dean Fry
Diane DeLarme
Donna Edmonds
Doug Bauman
Enola McClincey
Erin Solveson
Helene Nawrocki
Jeff Crawford
Josh Helke
Judy Schrader
Karen Heltzel
Kristen Osborne Carroll
Mark English
Milkweed Monarchy
Mountain Graphics
Mudslide Pottery
Nuthatch Studio
PA Wilderness Skills
Pine Creek Outfitters
PJ Piccirillo
Scott Gnan
Stacie Johnson-Leske
Steve Bower
Terry Palmer
The Pajama Factory
Tracy Smith
Woodsmen Show
We’ve been around
Some of our fabulous exhibit sites and dates.
Winkler Gallery of Fine Art
DuBois, PA
Show ran: 11/03/17 – 11/30/17
opening reception: 11/03/17
Elk County Council on the Arts
Ridgway, PA
Show ran: 03/06/18 – 03/30/18
reception: 03/09/18
Factory Works Gallery, Pajama Factory
Williamsport, PA
Show ran: 04/6/18 – 04/27/18
opening reception: 04/07/18
closing reception: 04/26/18
(as part of the PA Wilds Annual Dinner and Creative Entrepreneur’s Conference)
PA Lumber Museum
Ulysses, PA
Show ran: 05/25/18 – 07/09/18
closing reception: 06/30/18
Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center
Wellsboro, PA
Show ran: 12/01/18 – 2/24/19
East Wing Rotunda Gallery, Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA
Show ran: 3/8/19 – 3/28/19
closing reception: 3/27/19
A Citywide Exhibition
Lock Haven, PA
Show ran: 09/03/19 – 10/05/19
opening reception: 09/13/19
(The show was displayed across three venues: The Station Gallery, Avenue 209 Coffee Shop & Lock Haven University)
PA Wilds Media Lab
Kane, PA
On Permanent Display
This exhibition was supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.