TBW Daily Diary

I was saddened today to learn of the passing of Dick Vanier, a former president of the Harrisburg Chapter, Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, and an early chairman of the Greater Harrisburg Arts Festival back in the days when the event took place at the State Museum . . . It was Dick and his late wife Phyllis who helped get The Bare Wall off the ground in 1972; it was he with his truck who carted in the display shelves, tables and jewelry cases while Phyllis helped plan the displays . . . Dick was an excellent silversmith who designed wonderful pieces of jewelry; he was among the first group of craftsmen that we represented. (Phyllis was a weaver for her own pleasure but her first love was acting. She had a few lines in the TV movie Playing with Fire that was photographed in part at Ft. Indiantown Gap. But fame came at a price: the Screen Actor's Guild union dues were more than she was paid for the part.) . . . . Phyllis' brother was Tony Arms, society editor of the Pat-News and, after retirement, part time clerk at The Bare Wall . . .