The town of Bethlehem has made good use of an old factory and converted it into a really nice place... read more
The town of Bethlehem has made good use of an old factory and converted it into a really nice place... read more
The ArtsQuest hot glass studio at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was a terrific... read more
The Banana Factory (a former fruit distributor) is a apace for artists to have studio space, a craft shop, a glass blowing studio and a place to see art shows, take an arts class or enjoy a first Friday. On the First Friday evening of each month, many of the artists are in their studios, you can talk to them about their art, purchase a painting or sculpture, drink wine and eat hors d'oeuvre's, listen to live music in the gallery and view an local artists art show, all in one place. Other businesses on the Southside stay open late so you can peruse them as well.
The galleries have very nice, and some Excellent & Sophisticated shows. Artists who have studios there mostly appeal to non-artists; ordinary and non-edgy artwork. First Friday openings are festive and enjoyable.
We took the 6 hour (3 hours per day) glass blowing and furnace work class. What a great experience. We really learned, doing "hands on" glass making! The instructors were knowledgeable, patient, and helpful, but let you do the work of gathering the glass, blowing, adding color, shaping, etc. It was very satisfying to make two pieces and learn about what goes into this craft. The shop was very hot, but water and ice are just steps away for a drink, and some time out of the heat. Safety glasses are a must, you can bring your own or borrow some there. Parking outside is free and there are places to eat right in town. An easy, short drive right off of Rt. 78. We did it with our grown kids! A really different kind of activity for our family! I would highly recommend it!
The Banana Factory is a great place to view a wide variety of regionally, nationally and internationally recognized artists. Individual studio spaces make up much of the space - it's a great place to spend an afternoon perusing wonderful creative works of art and craft.
My daughter attended the week long glass blowing camp for three years in a row. She absolutely loved it! There are many great classes to choose from. This is a great place to enhance your child's artistic interest.
I was here over the last few weeks for a pit orchestra rehearsal for PYT's production of the Wizard of Oz. I didn't get to walk around much due to rehearsals but from just walking around during 5 min breaks, it seems like a fairly big place. Check it out when you get a chance.