Once, travelers seeking Pennsylvania souvenirs were limited to bright, shiny knick-knacks -- usually imported from the Orient -- or a selection of T-shirts. Many could not find quality items produced in Pennsylvania. They wanted a selection of functional and artistic reminders of their visit that had meaning, value and attitude.
        Now, visitors to the Pennsylvania Turnpike's service plazas at Zelienople and North Neshaminy give an "overwhelmingly positive" reception to the new Pennsylvania-Made Crafts galleries that opened at both locations last autumn, according to President Alice Eakin of Pennsylvania-Made Crafts, Inc.
        "This makes me proud to be a Pennsylvanian," is the most common comment heard from Pennsylvania residents, Eakin reported of the first few months of operation at the galleries. Sales, especially at the larger Zelienople gallery, exceeded expectations, but more important to her is the exposure for the state's skilled crafts artists to the travelling public.
        Travelers from across the nation are effusive in their praise. Commented Anna Seale of Youngstown, Ohio: "I would like to buy the whole shop. I love stopping here!" Renne Jones of Lathrup Village, Michigan, wrote in the guest book at Zelienople: "Thanks for showing off the artisans of Pennsylvania. Everything in the store is fantastic."
        Dianne and Rich Soccio-Knapp of Wilmington, Delaware, wrote: "What a wonderful idea! We enjoyed our stop and would like to visit again." And, Jen Robinson of Virginia Beach, Virginia, praised the center saying: "Wish you were closer to home -- I'd love to be here all of the time!"
        "Visitors from out of the state are getting a new impression of Pennsylvania when they see the quality of Pennsylvania-Made craft arts," says manager of operations Gregory Bennett. What the visitors are so enthusiastic about are the handsome new crafts centers fitted with world-class Pennsylvania woodwork and stocked with the best of the state's craft arts.
        Original pottery from two dozen studios, the metal sculptures of displaced steelworker Roland Parronish, original and heritage fabrics ranging from wall hangings to rugs and quilts, hand-blown glassware, leather, "Treenware" wooden utensils by Bill Baumgartel, custom crafted jewelry, functional and decorative gourds by Holly Coia, stained glass by Melody Haring are represented in the constantly expanding displays. Some 150 Pennsylvania crafters were represented in the first exhibits, and new work is being steadily added to the displays.
        Helen Overly and Freda Raker, the founders of Overly-Raker in rural McConnellsburg, Fulton County, were visitors at the Zelienople gallery just before Christmas. Raker, designer for the internally-known makers of soft sculpture dolls, said she was impressed with the quality of design and production in the juried exhibits.
        Overly added, "It's about time. We started sewing in a basement and could have used this kind of help and exposure." Overly-Raker, the craft firm they started in a basement, now employs 35 full-time workers and has annual sales of $2 million.
        The galleries are operated by the non-profit Pennsylvania-Made Crafts, Inc. (PMC) in space provided in the remodeled service plazas by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Planning for the galleries was partially funded by the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts.
        Current partners in this and other Pennsylvania-Made Crafts initiatives include the federal Appalachian Regional Commission and Economic Development Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Commerce, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, private foundations and businesses, most notably the Host-Marriott Company.
        The Zelienople and North Neshaminy locations were chosen because they are the first service plazas on the Turnpike available to travelers entering Pennsylvania from Ohio and New Jersey. The Turnpike's newest Visitor Welcome Centers adjoin each of the craft galleries.
        The selection of crafts at the Pennsylvania-Made Crafts galleries will be expanded dramatically throughout 1997. Some 150 Pennsylvania craftspeople were selected by a professional jury of experts to exhibit at the centers in 1996. Independent, unbiased jury members choose the work of craftspeople based solely on the quality of the work.
        The galleries are only part of the long-term Pennsylvania-Made Crafts effort, which is working to establish a model crafts business development center at Old Bedford Village. "This is an economic development project, not just an arts project. While our business development center will help craftspeople improve and increase the volume of their work to meet the quality demands of an international market, our primary aim is to help more craftsmen develop their business acumen to earn a better living," Eakin said.
        The Pennsylvania-Made Crafts business development center will help develop Pennsylvania craftsworkers' businesses along the same lines as some 50 established Pennsylvania small business and industrial incubators. The overall mission of Pennsylvania-Made Crafts is "to raise public awareness and appreciation of quality handmade crafts produced by Pennsylvania craft artists and to help them make a decent living from their craft." The Pennsylvania project parallels the multi-million dollar crafts production and marketing programs in states like Kentucky, West Virginia and North Carolina.
        For further information on the Turnpike galleries, other programs, and Pennsylvania's crafts industry, contact Pennsylvania-Made Crafts, P.O. Box 2, Bedford, PA 15522-0002 or call (814) 623-5322.

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