“Spring Ahead” never had so many meanings around here. We’re now open seven days a week! In addition to setting clocks, we find ourselves balancing creating the next auction catalogue with executing multiple upcoming events and activities, a couple of which are actually just behind us.

In the third week of March, as the dust was just settling on Auction 68, Ben hit the road to attend the Oklahoma PCA meeting in Tulsa where he teamed up with Damon MacNaught to man the Selman booth. They enjoyed a rousing response to Damon’s newly offered weights–each of course created in an edition of 1/1. (Remember that the next time you hesitate!) We still have a select group, by the way…

Additionally, we attended the April 7th meeting of the Midwest Paperweight Collectors in Long Grove, Illinois where we filled in members on our gallery’s plans and events, some of which are covered below. Brand new president Joan Parsley opened the proceedings. Nancy Alfano hosted an identification clinic with Lynn Harper turning up with some very elusive items. Keith Lange displayed some weights with very elaborate doorknob bases. And it was good to see Bruce and Kathryn Giangiorgi and the rest, but we’ll leave it off there since the MPC has its own newsletter!

Next, we’re traveling to Michigan’s Flint Institute of Arts, combining forces with Joan Parsley, to record interviews with the Director of Development Kathryn Sharbaugh, and other museum personnel, about the museum’s increasing involvement with paperweights. The FIA has just published Paperweights: Highlights from the Flint Institute of Arts Collection to accompany “Small Worlds,” a beautiful overview of the art of the paperweight, drawn in large part from their recently enhanced permanent collection and supplemented by loans from well-known contemporary artists. Auspiciously, the museum’s first paperweight was a gift from studio glass pioneer Dominick Labino.

Meanwhile, Ben is finalizing plans for the Selman booth at the Wheaton Paperweight Fest 2018. Along the way to New Jersey, we’ll be delivering the marvelous millefiori table collaboration that Damon MacNaught initiated and helmed, which brought spirited bidding as Lot 120 in Auction 68. At Wheaton, stop in and say hello to Mike and Sue Hunter, who will be assisting us in our booth and answering any questions you may have about their works. Nearby on Thursday at noon, MPC president Joan Parsley will be hosting a memorial melt of some of her father’s weights in the hot glass shop. The MPC itself will be hosting a Meet & Greet that day. And while examining the paperweights in our booth and talking with us and the Hunters, be sure to pick up a reminder about the biennial “Celebrate the Paperweight” festival in Chicago!

Speaking of “Celebrate the Paperweight”…

In Chicago at our beloved and landmarked Fine Arts Building—this year, in addition to the guest artists (final roster to be announced) and other planned activities (sadly, the potato sack race has been cancelled, although both the taffy pull and apple bobbing are still scheduled) we are reaching out to explore something new. Two local organizations have caught our attention. ART Reach (with the helpful Director of Development, Marie Tempels) and Healing Hurt People Chicago (Dr. Bradley Stolbach) have joined forces to sponsor the program, Project Fire. Project Fire is helmed by Pearl Dick, a respected glass artist. All of these people bring together extremely at-risk youth with the opportunity for education and training in the glass arts, including (you guessed it) paperweights! We look forward to highlighting their efforts and possibly even working with them during the September weekend event. And yes, there will be an evening at the Columbia Yacht Club! Stay tuned!

We were about to say be sure to check your calendars for both The Paperweight Fest as well as the “Celebrate the Paperweight” BUT you don’t have to, do you – because it’s already clearly marked on your current Selman calendars. Remember to send us interesting and pertinent dates in the world of glass and glass paperweights to include in next year’s L.H. Selman Fiftieth Anniversary Calendar!