DEERFIELD — If the character Wednesday from the Addams Family was to attend this weekend’s Old Deerfield Fall Arts & Crafts Festival, she would probably make a beeline straight to Glenn Church’s “Of Grave Concern” booth.
Church is one of 22 new exhibitors joining the more than 100 craftspeople from all over New England and beyond selling their creations on Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of the Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield.
Shoppers will find a unique array of jewelry, quilts, handbags, pottery, dolls, photography, fine arts, furniture and more. The festival will also showcase specialty foods such as fudge, honey teas, gourmet veggie and oil dips, sauces, salsa, jam, and fire cider among many other tasty creations to bring home to the kitchen.
Church at his Of Grave Concern booth will be selling illustrations, candles, prints, plaques, books and bottles inspired by history.
The main historical periods his art reflects range from 1348 to 1848 — the Black Death and its aftermath in the 14th and 15th centuries; the age of superstition and its counter-reaction of scientific reason and inquiry in the 17th and 18th centuries; and the Gothic Victorian period with its harsh dichotomy of industry and the sublime, as explained on his website.
“I’ve always been interested in history and art, more of the darker side of history which is more underground,” Church said.
The artist — who lives in Spencer after emigrating to the United States from the United Kingdom in 2006 — studied at three British universities in the areas of art and graphic design, ultimately obtaining a master’s degree in 18th century studies.
After working several years in the field of special education, Church was looking for a change.
“I was looking for a way to combine my interests in art, graphic design, and history, resulting in Of Grave Concern,” Church said.
He said most people are receptive to his work when stopping by his booths at various festivals.
“Generally, people find them quite fascinating, a hidden history you don’t often hear about. I tell them stories that go along with each piece that I create from these hidden worlds, explaining to them that just because they seem strange, they were not strange to people of that time period,” Church said.
“They are a piece of history to display and are quite visually appealing,” he added.
Among some of his more popular pieces are his bottles of Aqua Tofana and a print entitled “Vampires in Rhode Island: The Connecticut Courant 1784.”
“The story is that Aqua Tofana was sold by a ring of Italian poisonists in the 17th century specifically because divorce was difficult for women to obtain from their husbands,” Church said.
His noted his newspaper report of vampires in Rhode Island does “quite well.”
Printed on handmade paper, the print is a reproduction (with some liberties taken) of the actual Connecticut Courant newspaper with text from a letter which appeared in the newspaper detailing the practice of vampirism.
If you can’t wait until the craft festival, you can visit his website to view examples of some of the pieces he will be selling this weekend.
“Just as we did with Glenn and his Of Grave Concern art, as a juried show we are very careful in distinguishing that the items our artisans and crafters are selling are handmade by them,” said Jennifer Smith, co-coordinator of the Old Deerfield Craft Fairs.
She said what also makes the fall event special is the fact that it is the only one held outdoors in Old Deerfield, with both the Holiday Sampler and Spring Craft Fairs held indoors at The Big E.
“Ours is a quintessential New England experience held in the open air in the charming small town of Deerfield. The leaves are changing and there is a fun fall feeling,” Smith said.
Before, after or in-between shopping, visitors can head to the Food Tent for some Filipino street food from Ginger Love Café and wraps and bowls with chicken and veggies from Roadhouse Grille, as well as hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and other options. DJ Greg Stewart, located near the Food Tent, will provide live music.
For younger fairgoers, there also will be children’s craft activities.
The Old Deerfield Craft Fairs are organized by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, which operates Memorial Hall Museum, Indian House Children’s Museum, PVMA Library, and the Deerfield Teachers’ Center. The proceeds from all three yearly craft fairs support the many historical and educational programs of the nonprofit association.
Tours of Memorial Hall Museum and its three floors of historical exhibits are free with festival admission. It is open from noon to 4 p.m. both days.
Doll fans, especially those of the iconic Barbie, can view a selection of 58 high-fashion Barbie dolls, created by famous fashion icon designers, in the museum’s “Barbie – All Dolled Up in Deerfield” exhibit. The museum’s newest exhibit, “Pioneer Valley Picture Show,” highlights the region’s cinematic history featuring movies filmed in Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.
Admission to the craft fair is $7, with children 12 and under admitted free. Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.
Free shuttle buses and parking is provided at marked lots along Routes 5 and 10.
For more information, visit deerfield-craft.org.
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