Brookfield Craft Center closed

[Mark Emig]

Hi All,
Well another good thing died. Brookfield Craft Center closed.I got an e-mail from them stating that they are closing up shop. I taught there a bunch of times,took a class from Joe Szilaski there also. It's a bad thing when a craft center closes up-they are a needed thing. I think that it was partly the economy, partly poor management. They had been around since 1954. From what I heard the property was owned by them, then they took out a mortgage to pay some bills, they economy went sour and they couldn't service the debt load. Sad thing indeed-I really enjoyed teaching there. I think that this reminds me that craft schools are a treasure and should be treated as such. I know that Peters Valley is having a very difficult time now also. I think the lesson on this is that we should all take care of our craft schools-support them in any way possible from taking a class to donating money and such. When we lose one it will never come back, and we lose on education and the public seeing our craft. Brookfield was the only school between N.J. and Maine.
Take care,
Mark Emig

[Mainely,Bob]

Rountop Center for the Arts up here also closed.Always sad to see a center for craftsmanship,creativity and sharing disappear.
As you say,once they`re gone they are hard to resurrect. :(

[Bentiron1946]

What with the economy and the rise in prices for workshops I think that more will be closing too. It's sad to see it happen :(