Limited Edition Annual Ornament

Woodland Treasure by Aaron Slater

League of NH Craftsmen’s 2012 Annual Ornament

Aaron Slater’s handcrafted ornament, called Woodland Treasure, is the League of NH Craftsmen’s Annual Ornament for 2012. Aaron is a master glass craftsman who enjoys creating pieces that reflect nature and incorporate found objects. Woodland Treasure is a glass acorn fused to an actual acorn cap. The ornament is further embellished with an embossed copper oak leaf. The acorn and leaf are attached to a handmade copper hook so that the ornament can be hung on a tree or wreath.

The inspiration for Woodland Treasure came from Aaron’s curio cabinet of found objects. “My wife and I started collecting acorns during our hikes. I was attracted to the acorn’s shape and how the cap hugs the acorn. The ornament is my vision of the icy glaze that an acorn has after a winter storm,” said Aaron.

Aaron is a self-taught glass artist, who has been working in glass for 11 years. He grew up in Londonderry (NH) and, when he was four years old, got his first exposure to glassblowing at the Annual League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair. “Years later, I remember being fascinated by a PBS show about glass artist Dale Chihuly. It had an impact on me, because I started using my dad’s plumbing torch to melt bottles in our basement.” Aaron left New Hampshire to attend Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a degree in creative writing. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to work in the film industry, reading and writing movie scripts. He looked for opportunities to do glass blowing, and decided to leave his work in the film industry and apprentice as a flame worker. He then moved back to New Hampshire in 2005 as a full-time glass worker.

A juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen since 2010, Aaron teaches flame working and marble making in his studio in Lowell, MA. He specializes in creating glass spheres, or marbles, that have complex designs and objects within them. “Working with glass gives me a chance to explore my creative side, and I also like the chemistry and science behind working with glass. It is such an immediate craft: it is an extremely hot and flowing material that demands your full attention,” says Aaron.

The League’s annual ornament selection, now in its 25th year, is open to all juried League craftspeople. The ornament is selected by the managers of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Retail Galleries, located in Center Sandwich, Concord, Hanover, Littleton, Meredith, Nashua, and North Conway. Woodland Treasure ornaments are sold exclusively by the League of NH Craftsmen Concord Retail Gallery, located at 36 North Main Street, the other Retail Galleries, and at the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, August 4-12, 2012. Each ornament is numbered as one of a limited edition. The ornament comes beautifully gift-boxed and sells for $24.50. Major credit cards are accepted for ordering the ornament by telephone. The phone number for the Concord Retail Gallery is 603-228-8171.