Fine Craft as a Business: Professional Craft Artist Origin Stories
Location: PA Guild of Craftsmen (PGC), 335 N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA, 2nd Floor  (In person and via Zoom).
Description:
Three veteran craft artists will tell the stories of how they began their careers. Often when an aspiring newcomer sees a polished and successful professional artist, they don’t see the distance traveled to get there. This workshop will shed light on what to expect when starting out, straight from the first-hand experiences of those who have done it. Our goal is to encourage and inspire, remove the intimidation factor, while also providing a realistic framework on time, effort, and investment.
Presenters:
Laura DeNardo
Michael Reimer
Margery Erickson
Agenda:
9:30 – 9:45 / Welcome, general announcements, attendee introductions
9:45 – 11:15 / Speakers (approx. half-hour each)
Laura DeNardo, Photographer, lauradenardo.com
Margery Erickson, Weaver, opalessencefiberstudio.com
Michael Reimer, Printmaker, michaelreimer.com
11:15 – 11:45 / Panel discussion, led by Mea Rhee
11:45 – 12:15 / Audience questions
12:15 – 12:30 / Wrap-up and evaluations
Speaker Bios:
Laura DeNardo
Laura DeNardo received her teaching degree from Slippery Rock University and taught art for a number of years. She transitioned from teaching into graphic design, then business marketing. Laura has always been producing art from printmaking and watercolor to photography. Photography has been her passion for the past ten plus years. Laura’s photography has been sold by Ethan Allen, Create & Barrel and Ballard Designs. Laura’s formal education includes an Art and Education degree from Slippery Rock University. She has also studied at Maryland Institute College of Art and the Maine Media Workshops.
Margery Erickson
Margery has a Master’s Degree in Education and taught high school special education for over 30 years. In the early 1990’s she took several classes in weaving. One weaving class, one yard of fabric and she was hooked. She received Master Artisan status with the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen in 1991. Now retired, you will find her spending most days in her studio designing patterns, dying fiber, and weaving yards of colorful fabric. You can find her hand woven items under the label Opalessence Fiber Studio.
Michael Reimer
Michael Reimer received juried status with the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen in 2008. He is a print maker, specializing in Gyotaku, which is Japanese Fish Printing. He has been selling his fish prints at juried art shows and online since 2003. His formal education includes an undergraduate degree in Quantitative Business Analysis from Penn State University and a Master of Management from Penn State Great Valley.
Mea Rhee
Mea is the owner of Good Elephant Pottery, and a PGC Master Artisan. Her work is being widely collected at prestigious craft events throughout the Northeast. She has been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Home and Garden Television (HGTV). She holds a BA in Graphic Design, and enjoyed a busy design career before becoming a full-time potter in 2010.
PGC’s Fine Craft As A Business program assists PGC members and others in navigating the business world so they can be successful in running an art/craft business and/or participating in a craft show. We do this by offering workshops and a Mentor Program to help people set up, maintain, or expand their art/craft business and to enrich their business skills in general. Workshops are open to both PGC Members and the public. The Mentor program is open only to PGC Members.
Cancellation/Refund Policy:Â
We understand that plans can change, and we strive to accommodate our participants as best as possible. Please review our refund policy before registering for a workshop:
In order to request a withdrawal from a workshop, students must contact the Guild by phone at 717-431-8706 or contact us here.
Cancellations More Than 7 Days Before the Workshop
If a cancellation is made more than 7 days before the workshop, a 10% administrative fee will be deducted from any refund to the original form of payment to cover credit card processing and administrative costs. A workshop credit of 100% of the tuition may also be offered. Workshop credits expire 6 months after the date of the workshop.
Cancellations Within 4-7 Days of the Workshop
Cancellations made within 4 to 7 days of the workshop are not eligible for a refund to the original form of payment but may be transferred to another class or issued as a workshop credit for future use. Workshop credits expire 6 months after the date of the workshop.
Cancellations 3 Days or Less of the Workshop
Cancellations made within 3 days of the workshop are not eligible for a refund or a workshop credit.
No-Show Policy
If you do not notify us ahead of the class and fail to attend, you are not eligible for a refund or a workshop credit.
Classes canceled by the instructor or the Guild.
Students are eligible to receive a 100% refund to the original form of payment or workshop credit if the workshop is canceled by the instructor or the Guild. Workshop credits expire within 6 months of the date of the workshop.
To purchase a ticket at the member discounted rate, please login here.
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Fine Craft as a Business: Professional Craft Artist Origin Stories
2026-05-30
9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Venue: PA Guild of Craftsmen
Venue Phone: 717-431-8706
Venue Website: www.pacrafts.org
Address: