Derry’s Claire Renaud develops first-ever ornament made of leather.
CONCORD, NH – Growing up in a family of makers, Claire Renaud demonstrated her own flair for art from a young age. That passion to create translated into a career in craft which is celebrated with the release of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s 2021 Annual ornament, “Magic Remembered.” This annual collector’s item was designed and hand-formed by Claire Renaud of Derry, inspired by her love of shapes found in nature.
The design has a form that appears simple but requires an intricate sixteen-step leatherworking process to arrive at a finished product. This imaginative and playful interpretation of a holiday tree evokes memories of childhood and the magic of the holiday season.
“Each ornament is a time-consuming labor of love; the leather needs to be carefully worked into shape,” explains Renaud. “It’s very challenging to color, decorate, and hand form each one of thousands of ornaments, but the results are exciting, and I’m honored to share it broadly this year.”
The 2021 League ornament comes gift-boxed and sells for $25. This annual offering is a critical fundraiser for the League that helps support local artists and League Fine Craft Galleries and makes for a thoughtful keepsake for any special occasion, milestone or holiday.
Annual ornaments are sold exclusively at the League of NH Craftsmen Fine Craft Galleries, located in Center Sandwich, Concord, Hooksett, Littleton, Meredith, Nashua, and North Conway; in the League’s online store; at League Headquarters in Concord, and at the Annual Craftsmen’s Fair August 7-15 at the Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury, NH.
For decades, juried League members have submitted a piece to be considered for the Annual Ornament. Managers of the League of NH Craftsmen Fine Craft Galleries review the submitted pieces and then select a winner.
About the Maker: Claire Renaud
As the second youngest of 16 kids, all the girls sewed and as soon as Claire could reach the foot pedal, she was sewing too. Growing up with so many amazingly talented siblings was an incredible education and helped her become the designer she is today. Claire grew her love of sewing and creating things into a business, a costume shop Claire owned and ran in Derry for the past 27 years. Her art projects dip into and cross many mediums and materials, but she is especially passionate about giving new life to vintage materials. Many of her projects incorporate rare, exquisite fabrics she has collected in her years creating custom costumes.
The mission of the League of NH Craftsmen is to advance, cultivate and champion excellence in fine craft. The League pursues that mission through educational programming, leadership initiatives, marketplace strategies and support services.
League of NH Craftsmen Fine Craft Galleries where the ornament can be purchased. Find gallery locations online at nhcrafts.org/gallery-locations
- Center Sandwich, 32 Main St., 603-284-6831
- Concord, 36 North Main St., 603-228-8171
- Hooksett, I-93 Northbound Rest Area, 530 West River Rd., 603-210-2509
- Littleton, 81 Main Street, 603-444-1099
- Meredith, 279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Rte. 3, 603-279-7920
- Nashua, 98 Main St., 603-595-8233
- North Conway, 2526 White Mountain Hwy., Rte. 16/302, 603-356-2441
For more information about the League of NH Craftsmen’s Annual Ornament, visit https://www.nhcrafts.org/annual-ornament/.
To purchase the annual ornament online, visit https://www.nhcrafts.org/webstore/
