WHEATON SPRINGS 2025
FREE on Saturday, April 5
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine!
Join us for our free 2025 “kick-off” event celebrating a new season!
Celebrate the start of WheatonArts’ creative season with this free kick-off event highlighting our many daily offerings and hands-on programming! Explore thought-provoking exhibits in the Museum of American Glass and Down Jersey Folklife Center, showcasing glass collections and the complexities and values of traditional arts through modern-day times. Experience various artist demonstrations throughout the campus, including glassmaking, pottery, flameworking, and more. Discover a series of free hands-on projects to create across campus, and discounted glass-fused projects in the Education Studio. Enjoy a bite to eat from food vendors.
Wheaton Springs offers every visitor the chance to explore, experience, and create across a campus that inspires and heals the senses. Admission to all WheatonArts exhibits and artist studio demonstrations are FREE and open to the public, part of “Family Days! Presented by PNC Arts Alive!”
Please check back for programming updates as the event gets closer.
Photo by Elizabeth Lamark
EXPLORE – Exhibitions
Museum of American Glass
Transformations: The Wasserstein Collection of Contemporary Glass features almost 60 masterworks donated to WheatonArts by Linda and Henry Wasserstein. Shown in its entirety, the collection includes work by founders of the American Studio Glass Movement and other contemporary artists, including many women, who transformed glass into a medium for sculptural design, self-expression, social commentary, and thought-provoking concepts.
redundancies
Glass artist David Schnuckel is the guest curator for redundancies, a solo exhibition of his work. Schnuckel’s devotion to technique and the conventions of “doing things well” are prompted by a provocative and equally thoughtful exploration of “(un)doing things well.” Out of curiosities with conflict and how human vulnerability parallels material vulnerability, redundancies both contemplates the lure of idealism and relishes in the poetics of mishap, the flawed, and the faulty.
Join us at 2:00 p.m. in the Museum of American Glass for a guided tour “Highlights of Our 2025 Special Exhibitions.”
Down Jersey Folklife Center
Communities and Cultures of Down Jersey
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Join us for an Exhibition opening with light refreshments and talk about the Down Jersey lore. Explore the variety of stories, legends, beliefs and practices of South Jersey residents, including the famous legend of the Jersey Devil, basketry and woodcarvings together with a variety of ethnic folk and traditional arts in our region.
EXPERIENCE – Artist Demonstrations
3D Printing
Aritimi Design Studio brings their mini printer to demonstrate the 3D printing process from start to end.
Bead Weaving on a Loom
Watch as Paul Mc Allister uses a photograph and Excel sheet to begin planning a 204-color palette tapestry pattern and demonstrates how the beads are woven with a loom. Then try your hands at weaving a row of beads yourself!
Chinese Paper Cutting
Watch master artist Hou-Tien Cheng as he performs free-form style paper-cutting.
Glass Marbles & Eggs
In the Flamework Studio, visit with glass artists Bill Futer and Jason Gordon as they demonstrate the making of glass marbles and glass eggs using glass rods, a torch, and gravity.
Glass Studio Demos
Wheaton Arts’ studio artists each have a unique artistic practice which they have been developing over the winter season in our shared studio. Throughout the day they will be demonstrating techniques unique to their interests and specialities in hot glass. Demonstrators include Jeremy Hayes, Josh Metzger, Tiffany Leps, Ismael Rodriguez, Patty Clune, Katey Murphy and Alexander Rosenberg. Demonstrations will run from 10:00 am until the studio closes at 4:00.
Gnome Carving
Visit the Gallery of Fine Craft to see local woodcarver and artist Domenick Maggio. His Gnome series is a bestseller, and he continues to add new designs. Stop by to see his latest gnome Willow, ask questions, and interact with Domenick as he carves!
Loom Weaving & Spinning
Join the Third Star Fiber Artist Guild to learn the timeless traditions of spinning yarn and weaving on a loom.
Paper Studio Demo
Join paper artist Cherelle Oriolo to try your hand at writing with glass pens.
Pottery Studio Demos and Tours
Watch Senior Potter Terry Plasket as he decorates pots with wax and stencils and Craft Studio Manager Phyllis Seidner as she puts together bird houses. Join us in the Pottery Studio at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. for a Kiln Tour to learn about the glazing process of clay.
Woodcarving
One of the oldest traditional crafts in human history, discover various cutting techniques and styles of woodcarving demonstrated by local artists Hop Edwards & Ray Yoast.
CREATE – Family Art Activities
Paper Roll Birds
Create your own charming songbirds and chickens using recycled paper rolls in this fun and eco-friendly craft activity! Transform paper towel and toilet tissue rolls into colorful birds with just a few simple materials. Use markers to add vibrant patterns and details, then attach string to hang your songbird or place your chicken on a wooden perch for a playful, farmyard touch. Whether soaring through the air or roosting on a stick, these delightful birds will bring creativity and joy to your springtime crafting!
Crawling Caterpillar
Create a cute and colorful caterpillar that looks like it’s crawling on a leaf in this fun nature-inspired craft! Participants will bring their caterpillars to life using a simple tissue paper scrunching technique. Using bright colors, expressive eyes, and playful details, each caterpillar will be unique. Perched on a paper leaf, these wiggly critters are a perfect way to explore creativity while learning about nature.
Twirling Lady Bugs
Watch your ladybug spin and twirl in this delightful craft activity! Using simple materials like cardstock and markers, you’ll create a twirling ladybug that dances through the air with just a little breeze. Add bold red and black patterns, googly eyes, and other designs to bring your ladybug to life. This hands-on project is perfect for kids of all ages, combining creativity with a touch of movement for a craft that’s as fun to watch as it is to make!
Fused Glass Magnet, Pendant, or Suncatcher (fee-based)
Create a fused glass project of your choice starting with a pre-fused glass blank. Using small pre-cut pieces of glass and an assortment of accessory glass, including frit and stringers, create a design to be tack fused. After firing your fused glass, our artists will glue a bail or a magnet to the back, depending on your project choice. In one week, completed projects will be ready to pick up or ship (for a fee). This glass fusing activity has a discounted fee of $10 per magnet/pendant and $20 per suncatcher.
Food Vendors
Enjoy a selection of flavors with the following food vendors and picnic on the grounds during your visit.
Karen and the Nut
Macs & Munchies
Pizza Queen Mobile
Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine
Wilson Kettle Corn
In the General Store, excite your taste buds with food samplings of jams, dips, pickles, and fruit shrubs in bright spring flavors from Tait Farm Foods, Wildwood Specialty Foods, and Kilhaney’s Pickles.
