Sea Hag Soaps

&

Art Mercantile
1044 McCormick Rd

Brackney, PA 18812

Toll Free Phone Number:

1-888-5SEAHAG

(1-888-573-2424)

Fax:

570-663-2878

E-Mail:
colleen@seahagsoaps.com

Visit the Hag's new blog!

Last Update
01 Mar, 2010
Newsletter
New Artist

Hours of Operation

(We are open all year)

Summer - Autumn
(Starting May)

Tues. - Sat. 10-5

Sundays - Noon-4:30

Winter - Spring
(Starting Christmas)

Tues. - Sat. 10-5

Always Closed Mondays

Colleen Drying Soaps

Soap making has been around for so many centuries that the origins of the process have mostly been lost to history. We can assume however that soap making, like many other important breakthroughs, was very likely an accidental discovery.

A likely possibility is that when an animal was butchered fats would be left on the ground. Later, after a sacrifice or cooking of meats in the same location ashes would become mixed with the fats.

At some point, the mix of ash and fats would get washed into a nearby creek where people would bath or wash their clothes. Eventually people would notice that this area of run off actually got their clothes cleaner. Soon they would begin combining fat and ashes on purpose to create crude soaps.

Fast forward to the farm where very little was wasted. At slaughter time, after the animal was butchered, the left over fat would be rendered (cooked and liquid saved). Wood ash from cooking and heating would also be saved. When water is run through the ash pit a caustic soda (lye) is created. The lye would be combined with the fats after melting and bring both substances to about the same temperature, creating SOAP!

I became interested in soap making when I was a kid living in a household of 9 kids. I knew my grandmother made soap and we had one of her big blocks of soap on our laundry tub to pre-spot clothes. I was fascinated but never saw her make it.

In 1995 a few friends and I organized a soap making class at a local grammar school. The teacher was part of a Historical Society and veteran soap maker.

The day she was suppose to drive in from Newark Valley to teach the class we had a terrible snowstorm. My girlfriends all wanted to cancel, but I said, "This woman told me she's coming so I'm NOT canceling. If she can drive from Newark Valley we can make it.”

I told them I'd come around and pick them up in my Jeep. And so I did - a crowded jeep filled with all our big kettles.

I was a vegetarian at the time and the class was using tallow (melted sheep or ox fats) and lard (melted pig fat). Although I thought the process was cool I really did not like the smell.

After the class I started reading about soap making and discovered soaps could also be made with vegetable fats. I then began experimenting with the process. I think I’ve made just about every possible mistake, but I also carefully recorded the temperatures and recipes as I worked. Eventually I became more consistent and my soap making became very successful.

I'm an ex metal smith and art history minor and I bought the barn thinking it was going to be a place for me to create artwork again. I originally began producing soap in the barn thinking that could bring in a little income while I got my studio going.

A woman I knew from my time as a jeweler and metal smith was organizing a local art tour at the time and I thought being part of her tour would be a good way to get exposure for my work.

So I called her and asked if I could be on the tour. She asked me if I was still doing jewelry. I said, "No, I'm doing soap and another friend is doing handmade candles and we'd like to have the barn on your tour.”

She responded, "Well we really don't consider soap and candles Artwork".

I said OK and proceeded to organize some local artists and together with my soaps I put on a Holiday show of my own.

I sent out 500 invitations and I swear almost everybody came. It was cold and rough in here but people had FUN. I followed up with another successful show the following spring with more artists and soaps. Another successful Holiday show with even more artists the following year convinced me that I was on to something.

Since the building restoration was continuing and I was here all the time any way, I decided during the Spring 2001 to open the shop full time. We started with about 40 artists, candles and of course my soaps. The Sea Hag barn is now featuring the work of over 200 local and regional artists.

The Sea Hag name comes from the name of a boat that I have at Quaker Lake. It's a small 16' wooden boat that I've spent some time refurbishing.

Check out our Artist page from time to time as I plan to begin featuring different artist every month, and show a few of their items for sale.

And of course, be sure to stop in for a visit.

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