At its first fair in 2005, the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Artisan Guild had 13 exhibitors showing their arts and crafts at the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Historical Society building. The organizers weren’t feeling confident about that sale.
“It was winter,” said Nancy Mieling, a founder and current co-organizer. “It was dark at 4:30 p.m. It’s not like anyone was just driving by the historical society. That was long before emails were doing what they are doing now.”
“We were hoping to raise enough money to pay for the janitor to clean up after the sale,” said co-organizer Sande Noble. That would cost $150.
They spread word of the sale largely through word of mouth and hanging posters around Lake Forest. It worked. They were able to raise $1,000 to donate to the historical society, Mieling said.
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This Labor Day weekend, 43 artists were scheduled for the fall fair, Mieling said. Over the years, the Guild has developed a list of about 4,500 people it sends postcards to.
Last year, the Guild added demonstrations by artists. An artist who makes masks out of leather will show her craft, as will another artist who carves stones. Others will paint canvases or china, and one will demonstrate wire working.
The sale took place in the parking lot of Lake Forest Bank & Trust in Lake Forest.
Over its 10 years, the Guild has raised about $76,000 for various charities and non-profits, Mieling said. Those include Lake Forest elementary schools, Ragdale artists community, the Lake Forest Symphony, Gorton Children’s Drop-in Center, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
This year, artists will donate a portion of their sales to the Committee Representing Our Young Adults (CROYA). Noble is hoping they raise at least $4,000, which would be used for weekend programs for students in grades 7 through 12 grades at CROYA.
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