Along with Moosehead Manufacturing Co.'s products and its new line of furniture called J. Wentworth, the company's store offers an assortment of guild offerings from handbags to jewelry.

The public was invited last week to view the company's line and the guild's new display. Of the approximately 50 artisans in the guild, about 20 have their wares in the Main Street store.

"This gives us an opportunity to educate the public that we've got wonderfully talented local artists, and it also gives the public a chance to see Moosehead's high-end line furniture," said Tracy Michaud Stutzman, executive director of the Maine Highlands Guild.

The guild's mission is to promote and preserve the arts in the area but to do it in way to help the local economy, according to Stutzman.

She said Moosehead Manufacturing officials approached the guild about the partnership. "It says something about the type of business Moosehead is to do that," Stutzman said.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Tuesday, May 30, 2006 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."