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Arts:
'The Blacksmith and
By KEN LAWLESS
Staff Writer
MALONE — The craftiest
family in Malone is a clan called
McMahon.
Shari Weber McMahon runs
her business. Cry of the Loom,
from their handsome home on
Park Street. Paul is the owner of
Ironworks, a firm located at 2
Boyer Ave. in Malone. across
the street from the fairgrounds.
Each has built a successful career in the very treacherous
craft m a r k e t p l a c e , while
together they have plied the
even more traditional craft of
creating a family. Their success
shows that talent and hard work
still make a winning combination.
Born in Texas. Shari grew up
in a series of upstate communities where* her father worked as a journalist. In high school
in Troy she began to weave, but
her flair for drawing convinced
her she wanted to be a commercial artist until her studies at the
Art Institute of Boston left her
disillusioned with the crass and
ruthless aspects of that difficult
calling.
Shari Weber came to Malone
to earn her associate's degree in
crafts management at the North
Country Community College extension. In May of 1977, she
began to renovate the 1870
sawmill office building on
Ballard Mill Island into her own
Senior
Senior citizens' i
the Weaver'
As thm wmovmr pllmd
thm shuttle,
Wovm shm to thm mystic
rhymm.
And thm smith his Iron
mmasurms,
Hommmrmd to thm on*
vil's chlmm,
Thonklng God,
whosm
boundlmss
wisdom
Mokms thm flowmrs of
pomsy bloom
In thm forgo'* dust ond
clndmrs,
In thm tlssums of thm
loom.
— Homy Wads worth
Longfellow
Ihm Blacksmith ond
tho Woovor'
shop, Cry of the Loom, which
was a paying concern for the
next four years, specializing in
garments and placemats which
Shari also marketed at craft
fairs and lecture-demonstrations.
That sawmill office which
became Cry of the Loom was
right next door to the Blacksmith Shop. The smith was from
Malone. Paul McMahon had
been the first craftsman on
Ballafd Mill Island. He built the
bridge and cut down the black*
SENIOR HEALTH FAIR!
Free services to all Senic
ing evaluation, vision acv
pressures taken and liter
agencies.
May 27: Peru Town H
p.m.
MONDA1
Plattaburj
d'Youville Center. 12.
Movies" with Lynn Scribi
Senior Services Adult
Rugar St.. open 8:30 an
crafts, activities
Dannemo
Drop In Center. Ever
Joseph's Church Hall,
anyone 55 years old and
attend. Lunch, program
Covered dish the first I
month; third Monday is
Sponsored by the Clinto
Services, funded by the <
ing.
berry bushes.
Paul had studied 19th century
biacksmithing through the University Without Walls at Skidmore College before doing his
apprenticeship at the Farmer's
Museum at Cooperstown where
he took courses at the graduate
school for folklore and museum
studies operated by the New
York State Historical Society.
At that time, McMahon was a
19th century blacksmith, making
all his own tools, using no
technology not available to the
village smithy in Longfellow's
day.
Just like in a romantic play,
Paul fell in love with Shari and
Shari fell in love with Paul.
Alasr a* you recall Ironx those
plays, the course of true love
never did run smooth. Shari was
not quite sure she wanted to settle down in Malone on the
precarious fortunes of two traditional crafts. Paul wooed her
with Longfellow's poem "The
Blacksmith and the Weaver,"
set by Alice Wand on handmade
paper.
They were married on July 4,
1981. Their first son, Eamon, was
bom on March 27,1983, and their
second son, Cameron on Feb. 4,
1986.
Motherhood has slowed, but in*
Julie Burdo and Dennis Valk rehearse a sequence
from the Junior Associates' musical review to be
performed at the Elks Club on May 30 to raise
money for camperships for area youngsters tp the
YMCA's Camp Jericho. ( P R staff photo "by Dave
Paczak)
no way stopped, Shari's work as
an artist. She gives lessons in
fiber arts in her 3rd-floor studios, where she has a spinning
wheel, a 10-harness countermarche loom, two four-harness
jack looms, and all the many accessories.
Shari still produces handwoven garments of exquisite
craftsmanship on commission.
She has handwoven yardage to
sell and does at least one craft
Blacksmith Paul McMahon
fair a year. She will exhibit in
the December show of the De- forge a reputation in period res- sort, his firm has the capability
signer Craft Council at* the toration for the ironwork on to undertake major commissions
Schenectady Museum, after at- public buildings, private estates, in architectural restoration. He
tending the Handweavers Guild and other historical sites.
has come a long way profesof America's Convergence '86 in
When O l y m p i c w o r k m e n sionally during the 10 years
Toronto this s u m m e r . Her wrecked that gate at John since he operated his small shop
mobiles a$,we 11 as other : works
: ^ — B r o w n ' s Grave in North Elba, it, on Ballard Mill I s l a n d , a n d no
are on sale in the House oT w a s P a u l M c M a h o n who one doubts he will go farther still"
Pinecraft Shop on East Main restored its traditional shape. in the years ahead.
Street in Malone and at the Blue He worked on the Greensway
If the McMahon family sounds
Mountain Designs Craft Gallery Project in Syracuse. Historic too good to be true, there's a
in Blue Mountain Lake.
the
Pastures in Albany, and the res- s i m p l e e x p l a n a t i o n :
Paul McMahon has expanded toration oT Albany's elegant McMahon family is too good to
from a single craftsman practic- Kenmore Hotel.
be true. Perhaps the fairytale
ing 19th century smithing in a
Beginning with broken rem- quality of their courtship, living
small shop on Ballard Mill nants of twisted, rusted metal, out the Longfellow* poem as the
Island into a modern shop of Paul McMahon recreates the el- blacksmith and the weaver, has
trained craftsmen working in egance of yesteryear with iron bestowed on them that tradithe custom fabrication of metals railings of consummate grace tional fairytale conclusion, "and
of all sorts.
and fabulous tracery embellish- they lived happily ever after."
McMahon's mastery of both ed with fanciful leaves, walnuts,
It couldn't happen to nicer,
traditional and contemporary even pineapples of cast iron. more talented, or harder-worktechnology has enabled him to Working with tons of iron,
folks.
McMahon must blend the antiquarian's passion for 'Sfltfrentic
detail with the artist's delicacyv-^
Thrs rare combination of gifts
is winning Malone's McMahon a
national reputation. His most
recent commission is' from the
nation's capital, where he will
restore the beautiful ironwork
gate on one of the buildings in
Washington, D.C., most in need
of a sturdy gate — the Internal
SATIO-40
Revenue Service.
While Paul remains available
for workaday tasks of every
Youth fundraiser presents
dinner and musical revue
By DIN A WILLIAMS
Intern
PLATTSBURGH — The Junior Associates of Clinton and
Essex Counties are presenting a fundraising evening on Friday,
May 30. at the Elks Club in Plattsburgh.
The dinner theater show, called 'Broadway." is a musical
review of big band. Broadway and vaudeville music. Proceeds
will be used to establish camperships to send area youths to the
YMCA's Camp Jericho.
"Broadway'is directed by Linda Oliver, who also directs the
North Star Children's Theater group. Local talent Gail Ganott,
Paul Pape. Larry Nichols. Barb Sweet. Julie Burdo. Linda
Rachelle Armstrong. Cathy Burke. Carla List and Dennis Valk
comprise the cast Tim McDonald from WEAV radio will act as
the master of ceremonies
Cocktails will be served at 6 00 p.m.. dinner will be at 7 ^0
p.m. and the show begins at 9 00 p.rr. TiCKets are $18.00 per person and may be purchased at the following piaces YMCA. 5614290: Kriff Furniture Store. 563-7700: or The Spectacle Shop.
561-7170.
Reservations must be made by Wednesday. May 28. at which
time diners should indicate their preference for prime n b or
stuffed chicken For more information, call Marianne Grogan at
$63-7700 or 834-7650.
BAKER MEDICAL SUPPLY
will be moving to a new location
CONDO PHARMACY
28 Montcalm A v e n u *
TUESDAY, MAY 20TH, 1986.
This will be known as
8
CONDO'S
HOME HEALTH
CARE CENTER
W# arm pl+o**d to onnounc« th# t o r n * pro*#*sionol
quality of service w i l l b« available and the oddttion
of Jim Raker to our staff who will bring with him 2 t
yman of expertise.
Phone 563-1010
Mtaevilh
Senior Citizen's bowlinj
VFW every Monday and
Any senior citizen is s
ticipate. Information. 546
Port Hem
Senior citizen meetings
day at 1 p.m. at the nuti
served Monday through
nutrition site. Call 546*71
vance for reservations.
Mooers
Nutrition Site at Mooer
Mooers area senior citi;
older, open weekdays at
reservations needed a <
Sponsored by Senior Ser
Country Home Care Inc.
West Chaj
The first Monday of t*
Citizens Friendship Club
hall (former Grange Hi
Weaver Shari McMahon
'Broadway'
.___.
a weekly basis. Sen
information to Sei
Weekly, Press-Rei
Margaret St., Pla
formation must be
Monday.
Faculty play
Achieving fitr
Alive. One of t
dents^to test tl
they assemble
Nutrition
on WCFE
PLATTSBURGH
Comes Alive, a r
education progra
children m a k e
choices when bo
their world of fast f
machines and T.V
is available free t<
schoo] teachers fro
County Cooperath
office. This new pr<
was announced 1^
Matilda Cuomo. I
New Y o r k . ]
k i n d e r g a r t e n thi
grade teachers witl
integrate nutritic
with language a
social studies, math
The program con
plan
booklets
worksheets, and co
that teachers can
classroom. Cornell
Extension faculty ii
of Nutrition Scienc
University develop
rials in response
needs to help stude:
ter food choices.
A live teleconfe
nating from Rocht
MEMORIAL DAY
SAVINGSMENS
ib
KNIT SHIRTS
The wicked queen (Eva Martin) offers innocent
Snow White (Bob Garrow) a poisonous apple in the
Monty Street faculty and staff play to be presented
again on Tuesday, May 27, in the auditorium at 7
p.m. The proceeds will go for arts-related programs
for the students. ( P R staff photo by Dave Paczak)
THANK
i£
by
campus
S-M-L-Xl
YOU
from
St. John's Parish and School
*!*»»
Rog.M3
For your support in making our Annua
Summer Festival another great success
PRIZEWINNERS
Kelly & Janice Ryan
Barb Nephew
LB. Downs
Harold & Joyce Ryan
A. Gonyea
Anne Moore
Barbara Ward
Arlene Johnson
Mike Serra
John Osborne
Mary Hensel
MEN'S
BELTED P O P L I N S L A C K S
Plain Front M o d e l by
K h a k t ^ - N a v y — Silver
S^ze 30-42
99
14
t*9.'2T
OPEN MONOA Y — MEMORIAL DA Y 9 5
( S « * « i f i 4 s 5 25;
STORES
St. John s Festival Committee
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A m w Plaio Platttbvroh
Cold ftroofc rimtQ U k « Hoci
Atot* S t r w t Poft H#nry
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