Touchstone Center for Crafts

Pennsylvania’s Premier Craft School

724-329-1370
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News

August 2020


Building a Pipeline To Participation In Crafts – Touchstone’s Open House Is Going Virtual!

Farmington, PA — Touchstone Center for Crafts is excited to announce a grant award from Center for Craft in Asheville, North Carolina. The Craft Futures Fund grant will be used to help fund Touchstone’s Virtual Open House on Saturday, September 26th.
Read More…

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GO! List 8-20-20

Aug 20, 2020 – Uniontown Herald-Standard

Touchstone Center for Crafts For virtual studio tours, artist talks and demonstrations, visit https://touchstonecrafts.org/virtual-events/. Please join us online for a free Virtual Open House on Saturday, September 26 from 11AM-4PM. 
Link to Article


Meet the 2020 Craft Futures Fund Recipients


Aug 11, 2020 – Center for Craft

Touchstone Center for Crafts Our Open House is going virtual. Nothing beats visiting our campus and watching live demonstrations, but perhaps touring our studios, watching demonstrations, and interacting with artists virtually will actually reach more people than our typical event does…
Link to Article


GO! List 8-13-20

Aug 13, 2020 – Uniontown Herald-Standard

Touchstone Center for Crafts For virtual studio tours, artist talks and demonstrations, visit https://touchstonecrafts.org/virtual-events/. Please join us online for a free Virtual Open House on Saturday, September 26 from 11AM-4PM. 
Link to Article


July 2020


Things to do this week, from a discussion with Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz to Pittsburgh Glass Center reopening

July 19, 2020 – NEXT Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA —For its next virtual Artist Happy Hour event, Touchstone Center for Crafts is welcoming metalsmith, Marlene True, executive director of the Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft in Columbia, N.C. …
Link to Article


15 things to do this week in Pittsburgh, from a Charlie Chaplin picture show to an online nightclub

July 5, 2020 – NEXT Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA —For its next Artist Happy Hour, Touchstone Center for Crafts is welcoming jewelry designer Maia Leppo for a conversation, demonstration and studio tour…
Link to Article


June 2020


A Collaboration Announcement

  • June 6, 2020; Touchstone Center for Crafts is excited to be part of a group of museums and cultural institutions from across Southwestern Pennsylvania that is collaboratively preparing our organizations for safe re-openings. 
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#BlackLivesMatter

June 2, 2020; Touchstone Center for Crafts stands in solidarity with the Black community and condemns all acts of racism, discrimination, and senseless violence. We firmly believe that everyone has a right to dignity, respect, and equality without fear. As an organization, we commit to listen and learn and to grow. We will continue to work to empower people to use art as a means of expression, a way to build community, and a powerful voice for change.


May 2020


Touchstone Center for Crafts cancels season, reaches audience with virtual tours

May 28, 2020 – Uniontown Herald-Standard; By Alyssa Choiniere

UNIONTOWN, PA — Touchstone Center for Crafts made a difficult decision to close its doors for the 2020 season due to COVID-19, but the center is reaching a broader audience online via virtual tours with artists from across the country…
Link to Article


Things to do in Pittsburgh this week (at home and outside), from a zoofari drive-thru to a quarantine…

May 25, 2020 – NEXT Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA — Touchstone Center for Crafts and East End United Community Center are teaming up to host potter Dan Tomcik as part off their new virtual…
Link to Article


Things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend (at home and outside), from porch parties to the…

May 21, 2020 – NEXT Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA — Touchstone Center for Crafts is bringing the work of talented artisans right to you. During its new Artist Happy Hour Series, potter and Pittsburgh native…
Link to Article


Touchstone After School Program for Teens

May 8, 2020 – Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau

LAUREL HIGHLANDS, PA — This week, take a virtual tour of Touchstone Center for Craft’s Studios (blacksmithing, ceramics, printmaking, drawing/painting, jewelry, glass…
Link to Article


March 2020


Airport Exhibition News Release…

  • 03-09-20: Touchstone’s 2020 Instructor Exhibition Travels from Allegany County, MD TO Allegheny County, PA.
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Touchstone Center for Crafts scholarships available

Mar 6, 2020 – Herald-Standard; By Amy Fauth

UNIONTOWN, PA — The officials of Touchstone Center for Crafts believe that anyone with artistic … especially by enriching their skills and knowledge of arts and crafts….
Link to Article


February 2020


Six KU Students Awarded Art Summer Workshop Scholarships

Feb 27, 2020 – BCTV.org

KUTZTOWN, PA — Kutztown University proudly announces the six art students selected and awarded the 2020 Summer Workshop Scholarships… Nieberlien will travel to Farmington, Pa., for Chasing and Repousse at Touchstone Center for Crafts. Nieberlien connects the acquisition of technique…
Link to Article


Touchstone Center for Crafts Educators’ Retreat

Feb 23, 2020 – Remake Learning

Touchstone Center for Crafts Educators’ Retreat. Join other educators for five days of immersive learning and sharing professional art studios, …
Link to Article


6 KU art students earn scholarships for summer work

Feb 17, 2020 – WFMZ Allentown

KUTZTOWN, PA — A half-dozen Kutztown University art students are being given the chance to study under master artisans… Nieberlien will attend Touchstone Center for Crafts in Fayette County….
Link to Article


Local art, cultural assets receive grants to promote tourism

Feb 4, 2020 – Herald-Standard; By Amy Fauth

UNIONTOWN, PA — In addition, Touchstone Center for Crafts also received three grants – a $20,000 marketing grant, $2,106 capital grant and $5,000 operating grant….
Link to Article


Touchstone Center for Crafts Exhibition

Feb 4, 2020 – Recreation News

MILLERS ISLAND, MD — Feb. 1-29. More than 20 of the region’s premier artisans will exhibit work representing the arts of blacksmithing, ceramics, metals and jewelry, glass…
Link to Article


January 2020


Allegany Arts Council presents exhibition from Touchstone Center


Jan 31, 2020 – Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — The Allegany Arts Council, 9 N. Centre St., will exhibit the work of some of the region’s premier artisans during its Touchstone Center for Crafts exhibition.
Link to Article


Exhibition News Release…

  • 01-30-20: The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to be exhibiting the work of some of the region’s premier artisans during its Touchstone Center for Crafts Exhibition.
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December 2019


Workshop – Touchstone Center for Crafts

Dec 4, 2019 – Jen Allen Ceramics Blog: jenallenceramics.com

Maia Leppo and I are once again teaming up to co-teach a ceramic jewelry workshop in the Laurel Highlands of PA. Minutes from Fallingwater (Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic home) ……
Link to Article


Art center, educators team up to highlight benefits of art in education


Dec 1, 2019 – Herald-Standard; By Rachel Basinger

Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington recently held an event for educators with Remake Learning to highlight the importance of integrating art into education…
Link to Article


November 2019


WEB – The Craft School Experience for Jewelers

Nov 7, 2019 – Halstead Blog; by Kelli Vanyek Greene

The Craft School experience is designed to be a brief stay at a retreat campus where serious artists can explore a craft while enjoying a beautiful place and the company of like-minded peers…
Link to Article


October 2019


Visitors bureau honors Somerset distillery with Pathfinder award

Oct 14, 2019 – The Tribune-Democrat; Mark Pesto

The bureau’s 2019 Tourism Employee of the Year award was presented to Dean Simpson, the marketing manager for Touchstone Center for Crafts…
Link to Article


Out & About: Visitors bureau dinner lauds champions of tourism


Oct 9, 2019 – TribLive; Shirley McMarlin

Tourism Employee of the Year: Dean Simpson, marketing manager for Touchstone Center for Crafts. The award celebrates someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty in serving a business or organization.
Link to Article


Touchstone Center Creates A Retreat-Style Experience For Artists


Oct 12, 2019 – 90.5 WESA; The Confluence Podcast

On today’s program: Touchstone keeps traditional crafting alive in the Laurel Highlands; The Bellefield Tower is the last remnant of a community; …
Listen Online


WEB – 5 Organizations Improving Arts Education In Pennsylvania


Oct 11, 2019 – Wiki.ezvid.com, The World’s Video Wiki

Studying art can be engaging and fulfilling for kids and adults alike. Taking the time for creative pursuits boosts creativity, relieves stress, and keeps the mind active. The organizations listed here make it easier for people to be more artistic, no matter their skill level or financial situation. Whether you’re a Pennsylvanian looking for a new hobby or a patron of the arts, consider supporting these five groups…
Link to Wiki


Veterans to be offered connection, healing through art at Touchstone Center for Crafts


Oct 10, 2019 – Herald-Standard; By Rachel Basinger
Image courtesy of Frontline Arts

Administrators with Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington have desired to offer the benefits of arts and creating to as many groups as possible over the past years…
Link to Article


Tourism Leaders Honored at Visitors Bureau Annual Dinner


Oct 9, 2019 – laurelhighlands.org; by Anna Weltz

LIGONIER, Pa., (Oct. 9, 2019) – Nearly 160 members of the tri-county’s tourism industry gathered Tuesday night in the lodge at Laurel Mountain Ski Area in celebration of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau’s 61st annual dinner…
Link to Article


Tourism honors for Tall Pines, Touchstone Center for Crafts

Oct 8, 2019 – Daily American

…Dean Simpson, marketing manager for Touchstone Center for Crafts, was named Tourism Employee of the Year.
Link to Article


September 2019


Touchstone Center for Crafts hosting art exhibitions through September


September 5, 2019 – Herald-Standard; By Rachel Basinger

Those looking to see, not one, but two amazing art exhibits close to home, can take a drive through the scenic Fayette County hills to the Touchstone Center for Crafts …
Link to Article


August 2019


WEBINAR: Americans for the Arts

Supporting Individual Artists Coffee Chat: Creating a Retreat Style Experience for Artists

Recorded On: 08/19/2019 – Americans for the Arts

What do you need to think about when considering building retreat-style experiences for artists? This Coffee Chat with Lindsay Gates, Executive Director of Touchstone Center for Crafts, discusses the many configurations of artistic retreats and spaces, the unexpected benefits of such experiences for both artists and organizations, the realized benefits that professional and emerging artists experience, and more.
Link to Recording


Local teachers enjoy creative professional development through Touchstone retreat


August 15, 2019 – Daily American

Touchstone Center for Crafts recently welcomed more than 30 educators to the first educators’ retreat. This special week of programming is designed …
Link to Article


Educators Retreat News Release…

  • 08-08-19: Educators gather at Touchstone Center for Crafts for a creative week of professional development
  • Download PDF

July 2019


New Touchstone Exhibit explores artists’ ‘Mutual Understanding’

July 31, 2019 – TribLive

Artists Adrienne Heinrich of Murrsyville and Judith Musser of Bedford will display their works in “Mutual Understanding,” a joint exhibition opening Aug. 2 at…
Link to Article


WEB – Educators Retreat

July 16, 2019 – Remake Learning

The Educators’ Retreat at Touchstone Center for Crafts provides a week of professional development that will enhance an educator’s own creativity…
Link to Article


WEB – Community Foundation of Fayette County

July 3, 2019 – CFFC

The word “crafts” may bring to mind a childlike image of popsicle sticks, yarn, and glitter, but the “crafts” at Touchstone Center for Crafts refer to the…
Link to Article


May 2019


GO! List 05-30-19


May 30, 2019; Uniontown Herald-Standard

Touchstone Center for Crafts will host the 2019 open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 2. This event is free to visitors who can …
Link to Article


Touchstone Center for Crafts sets open house


May 29, 2019; Tribune-Review; By Mary Pickels

Touchstone Center for Crafts will hold an open house from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 2 at its Farmington, Fayette County, site. The free event will introduce visitors to…
Link to Article


Touchstone’s Community Open House


May 28, 2019; Pittsburgh Current

Visit Touchstone in the Laurel Highlands for a FREE Open House featuring studio demonstrations, artist pop-up shops, gallery exhibitions, kids craft activities, food vendors, and more!…
Link to Article


Open House News Release…

  • 05-23-19: Touchstone’s community open house brings artists and organizations together for a fun, free, family-friendly event
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Top events in Pittsburgh this weekend

May 21, 2019; NEXTpittsburgh

DC2 Symposium at Touchstone Center for Crafts … invited to retreat to the tranquil Laurel Highlands center for the first annual symposium presented …
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Touchstone Center for Crafts

May 16, 2019; Remake Learning

Touchstone Center for Crafts offers immersive learning experiences in seven fully equipped studios including blacksmithing, ceramics, glass, fine …
Link to Article


Professor Kristen Letts Kovak Exhibits at the Touchstone Center for Crafts

May 14, 2019; CMU School of Art – Carnegie Mellon University

“Vessels in Five Dimensions” explores the spatial fluidity between two-dimensional images and three-dimensional forms. Professor Kristen Letts …
Link to Article


April 2019


Hammer time: Local blacksmith shares his craft

Apr. 19, 2019; Observer-Reporter; By Dave Zuchowski

A year after his initial introduction to the craft, Shriver said he picked up … She enrolled in a blacksmithing course at the Touchstone Center for Crafts …
Link to Article


March 2019


Monmade: Growing a W.Pa. economy of artisans, crafters in smaller cities and rural areas

Mar. 18, 2019; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; By Joyce Gannon

Two high-profile arts centers in Fayette County — Fallingwater and Touchstone Center for Crafts — have also agreed to provide exposure to the…
Link to Article


February 2019


Regional artistic, maker opportunities abound

Feb. 3, 2019; Tribune-Review; By Mary Pickels

From sipping while painting to sketching with charcoal, molding hot glass, dyeing fabric or woodworking, opportunities exist for crafts people from novice to advanced to practice their artistic and making skills…
Link to Article


January 2019


Fayette County awards tourism grants to 26 entities

Jan. 23, 2019; Uniontown Herald-Standard; By Frances Borsodi Zajac

East End United Community Center, Uniontown, $5,650 tourism education … Touchstone Center for Crafts, Farmington, $13,500 marketing grant for…
Link to Article


Officials with Touchstone Center for Crafts excited for upcoming 2019 season


Jan 3, 2019; Uniontown Herald-Standard; By Rachel Basinger

The blend of favorite workshops and the addition of some new events have officials with Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington excited about the upcoming 2019 season…
Link to Article


April 2018


News Releases…

  • 04-09-18: Makers Gather Together: Makers Symposium Weekend Including Alchemist Picnic V
    • Download PDF
  • 04-09-18: For the Love of Iron: Tenth Annual Jim Campbell Hammer-In with Rivers of Steel Iron Pour
    • Download PDF

March 2018


News Release…

  • 03-07-18: Touchstone Center for Crafts Board of Directors Selects Lindsay Ketterer Gates as New Executive Director
    • Download PDF

 

Touchstone Center for Crafts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression.


Touchstone Center for Crafts stands in solidarity with the Black community and condemns all acts of racism, discrimination, and senseless violence. We firmly believe that everyone has a right to dignity, respect, and equality without fear. As an organization, we commit to listen and learn and to grow. We will continue to work to empower people to use art as a means of expression, a way to build community, and a powerful voice for change.


2021 Registration Is Now Open!

Click Workshops to view offerings in each studio

NEW! Artist Residency Opportunities in 2021!

LEARN MORE


In light of the current COVID-19 concerns and need for social distancing, Touchstone’s staff is working a rotating mix of office hours and remote work until further notice. Office voicemail: 724-329-1370 will be checked daily. Staff members can be reached by email: info@touchstonecrafts.org.

Our offices and campus remain closed to the public. Please follow our social media: Facebook and Instagram, and check out our digital offerings on the Virtual Events page. Thank you for your patience as we take precautions for the health and safety of our staff and community.

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