Starting next Thursday, November 6, the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, a not-for-profit, volunteer organization that provides a marketplace for locally handmade craft goods, including infants’ and children’s clothing, toys, housewares and gifts, and books by local authors or about local subjects, will host its annual “Holiday Thursdays”, during which artists, craftspeople and authors will be present to demonstrate their techniques or crafts, or read from and sign their books. The Exchange is located at 55 Pierrepont Street, between Henry and Hicks. The schedule of events is as follows:
Thursday, November 6:
11:30-6:30. Artist Deborah O’Connor will create a silhouette of your child in minutes. Please call 718-624-3435 for an appointment.
1:00-3:00. Fine needleworker Betty Anderson will demonstrate the art of cross-stitch and display her pillows.
Thursday, November 13:
11:30-2:30. Craftsman Bob Kaplan will demonstrate how to “turn” wood into bowls and vases.
3:30-5:00. Puppeteer and author Grace Chang will perform a puppet show using characters from her book Jin Jin the Dragon.
Thursday, November 20:
1:00-3:30. Designer Erin McGill will exhibit her appliquéed children’s T-shirts.
3:30-4:30. Author Phil Bildner will read and sign his newest young people’s book, The Turkey Bowl.
4:30-6:30. Artist Karen Van Every will demonstrate her woodcut technique and display her Brooklyn Bridge T-shirts and stationery.
Thursday, December 4:
11:30-3:30. Designer Lisa Detwiler will present her colection of jewelry with semi-precious stones.
3:30-4:30. Author and illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg will sign her newest children’s book, Mermaids on Parade.
Thursday, December 11:
12:30-3:30. Craftsman Benjamin Parnes, still going strong at 93, will exhibit his hand-painted wood trains, planes, and trucks.
3:30-6:30. Toymaker Simone Kaplan will display her unique fabric dolls and animals.
Thursday, December 18:
11:00-7:00. Last minute shopping and gift wrap. Volunteers will be available to help with last minute shopping and, as always at the Exchange, free gift wrapping is available.
2:00-4:00. Kids’ crafts. Noel MacFetrich will help your child create holiday decorations.
