Douglassville ‘Early Americans’ Hit Exhibit Highway

DOUGLASSVILLE PA – Award-winning artists Ray and Pat Oxenford of Douglassville PA, who are life members of the Reading-Berks and Pennsylvania Guilds of Craftsmen, are part of a “Pennsylvania Hands” exhibit being shown in six cities throughout the state through the end of July.

Pat, left, and Ray Oxenford

Pat Oxenford, known for Early American tole and decorative paintings, and her husband, Ray, an accomplished tinsmith, will also appear at several other major art, crafts and folk art shows in southeastern Pennsylvania during 2011.

“Pennsylvania Hands” is part of the “American Hands” project created by photographer Sally Weiner Grotta, a new York City-based digital artist, author, columnist and lecturer.

The show is scheduled for exhibit this month (through May 31) at the Genesee Area Library in Genesee PA and the Oswayo Valley Memorial Library in Shinglehouse PA. It then heads to the Antoine Dutoit Museum in Delaware Water Gap PA (June 17-July 3) and the center court of Lebanon Valley Mall in Lebanon PA (July 5-30).

The Oxenfords also are appearing:

• this weekend (May 13-15) at the spring meeting of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration, Holiday Inn Albany Hotel and Conference Center, Albany NY;
• July 2-10 at the Kutztown Folk Festival, Kutztown Fairgrounds, Kutztown PA;
• Sept. 10 at the 37th annual Colonial Days, East Berlin PA;
• Sept. 24-25 at Harvest Fescht, Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Luckenbill Road, Kutztown PA;
• Oct. 15 at the 43rd annual Traditional Crafts and Folk Art Sale, Heidelberg Municipal Building, Wernersville PA; and
• Oct. 29-30 for the 62nd annual Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen Juried Holiday Show, Keystone Hall, Kutztown University, Kutztown PA.

Pat Oxenford has written a book, “Heritage Crafts Today—Tole Painting”  published by Stackpole Books, and will soon release a book on bride’s boxes, her specialty. Ray Oxenford has more than 45 years experience in the antiques business, as well as being a tinsmith and woodworker. He creates his own tinware using authentic 18th and 19th century patterns and designs and restores old tinware.