WheatonArts

      Thursday, April 13, 2023: Since I last visited here in the early 2000s, this place was known as Wheaton Village. Nowadays, those in power renamed this place Wheaton Arts, 1000 Village Drive, Millville (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-825-6800). Upon arrival, I entered my favorite place in this village: The Museum of American Glass. In a Victorian-gingerbread interior, this museum exhibited American-made glass in both fine and decorative arts from the 18th century into the 21st century. When I was there, I looked at two special presentations: works by glass artist Amber Cowan and the history of Wheaton as a tourist attraction. In the first special exhibit area, Amber Cowan made fine art out of broken glass and glass scrapes by melting and sometimes glassblowing into different shapes. Many of her artworks looked very elaborate and colorful! The other special area, via text and pictures, covered the 50 years of Wheaton as a glassmaking area and a favorite attraction in NJ.  Therefore, the next place I entered, the Glass Studio, glass makers demonstrated glassblowing and other techniques in their quest to make different items: pitchers, paperweights, and other, mostly, decorative and practical glass items. Meanwhile, a guide explained to us what each glassworker was doing in detail. This building was a copy of the 1888 Wheaton Glass Factory, and in another section, other glassworkers were using flame work to make smaller glass objects: beads, marbles, jewelry, etc. The final section in this building showed potters making their share of items with clay: pots, pitchers, plates, cups, and so on. On the other side of the village street, I viewed the Down Jersey Folk Life Center that presented temporary exhibits about the different kinds of people who lived in Southern NJ. When I was there, I saw costumes from the Latino cultures. The rest of this side of the street included stores where you didn’t need an admission ticket to enter: an arts & crafts gallery, a paperweight shop, and an old-fashioned (circa early 20th century) general store. At certain times of the year, Wheaton plays host to special events, but no matter what time of year, it is worth your while to visit.