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PAUL F WESLEY
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by Chrysa Smith
Christmas most always brings out the best in folks. And in Doylestown, a couple of talented artisans bring out the best in Christmas. That’s where the Sanctuary Atelier Studio of Navidad Nativities (holy space where art is created) carves out a little joy and spirituality, as they create some of the most intricate and beautiful nativities this side of Bethlehem.
It was only October, but Christmas music played as a backdrop in the small outbuilding behind Owner/President Michael Stumpf’s home. There he was joined by business partner A.J. DiAntonio, who Michael jokingly claims suffers from Obsessive Christmas Disorder. Actually, they might both be victims, because they are literally immersed in nativity settings, figures, and enclosures most of the calendar year.
This ‘custom-building’ company takes a vision for a stable, building, barn, or other structure, turns it into a predominantly wooden setting, mainly balsa wood planks, which are adorned by finishing touches such as plaster, thatch, moss, silk, straw and even copper wire. There are as many settings as tastes; some known by clients in advance, and some not. A.J., with a background in theater and set design is the perfect person to establish what something should look like—the perception, scale, framing, perspective. It’s a huge part of the project which makes the dioramas look accurate. He also decides on lighting for the display, which provides dimension and atmosphere. Some settings look more like traditional mangers, others more like buildings or town squares. And finally, a search through their European suppliers brings in the perfect size, color, and styled figures of hand-painted wisemen, shepherds, stable animals, and towns people to complete the creche. Depending upon the project, figures can range anywhere from 8 cm. (3.15”) to life-size, and so, the nativity settings are made to scale to house them.
For this duo, the best figures are almost always made of hand-carved wood. For Navidad, all come from long-lineages of European craftsmen—mainly Italy and Germany, but also from a Spanish company in Barcelona. And, creche-making is such an art, that the skill is passed down from carver to apprentice—often family members. One company in Italy has seven immediate and extended family members on staff. And, because Michael and A.J. are working with custom settings, they can also accommodate figures from other studios. Michael said, “People buy figures in their world travels or the figures have been passed down to them.” So Hummels and other collectible figures have made their way into Navidad’s settings as well.
You might know Michael from the marketing and graphic design agency he ran for years in Doylestown, or as a banker before that. He’s a multi-faceted guy with a lot of artistic talent. So, a childhood interest and adult hobby turned into something a bit larger in scale. The business was born almost four decades ago, but when he met A.J. by chance at a Byers’ Choice Nativity Weekend Open House, the business changed. Michael had his work on display, and A. J’s deep immersion in Christmas (175 figures in his collection) made them the perfect match. The two got to talking and Michael suggested they do some work together. After a few successful projects in 2013, they cemented the partnership the following year.
“It’s not about selling nativities,” Michael said. “It’s an art form.” And so, it is. Delicate features, expressions, clothing are finely detailed as in a grand Renaissance painting. In fact, everything about this art is not only collectible, but expandable, as Michael points out that their work is often commissioned for wedding and Christmas gifts. Sometimes, a project might be as simple as a setting which houses the holy family—Jesus, Mary, Joseph. Other times, entire villages are housed within a setting. As with many families, you can begin with the basics and add on. Not only the figures, but the settings as well.
So, what is it about nativities that is so interesting? A.J. summed it up beautifully, saying, “As the birth of Jesus was the beginning of a Christian story, so is a wedding the beginning of a couple’s life story.” Makes sense. Of significance to the company are projects from three special places: The Byer’s Choice Gallery in Chalfont (crafters of caroler figures), Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City and Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn.
Michael had been friends of the Byers for some time. In fact, when he was looking at turning this project into something of more substance, he took a trip down with them to the Atlanta Gift Market. “I saw nobody with great backdrops,”
Michael said, “So, I came back and built eight nativities.” An article in Country Living Magazine gave him the publicity he needed, and they all sold. “It all happened so quickly,” he said. Before he knew it, he signed a design contract with Fontanini, a division of Roman, Inc., the most well-known nativity maker since 1908. At the time, his designs (settings for their figures), sold out in about 5,000 stores worldwide. Simultaneously, he was gaining additional press with an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, television coverage out of Philly and a request to appear on the Martha Stewart Show. “I turned it down,” said Michael, “I was still running the ad agency and wasn’t in a position to do it then.” Apparently, Martha is one of the thousands of nativity enthusiasts that also include clergy, museums, galleries, and other collectors. And then, Trinity Church found him, commissioned him, and eventually blessed him with two projects. “One was a piece in a museum case that we had in inventory for use in their corporate offices. The second piece was a custom commission for All Saints Chapel that was five feet long and sat on two Corinthian columns, covered with a large Plexiglas Museum case cover.” Michael said. As the largest landholder in NYC, these noteworthy nativities at Trinity gained Michael and A.J. more attention, including interest from some prominent religious institutions.
Then, there’s the Glencairn Museum (currently closed for renovations). If you’ve ever taken a trip to the cathedral, you’ve likely seen the castle-like structure which houses religious art and history. Thus, a large Navidad Nativity, that contains architectural elements from the museum and the cathedral sits in the permanent collection. Multiple arches, stained glass and stone detail are dramatically backlit in a most moving manner. A trip to see it will put you in the Christmas spirt, as will seeing smaller Navidad settings that change in a rotating collection.
For Michael, “The smallest nativity I created back was in the ’80s while still in banking. I would build a nativity on an actual piece of Bucks County rock from a stream bed. The largest would either be the Presepe (creche in Italian) reproduction in the Byers’ Choice Museum or Glencairn Nativity.” The largest collection in the country can be found at the University of Dayton, where Michael says, there are thousands. And each year, a prominent display can be found at the Knights of Columbus exhibit in New Haven, CT. There’s even a collector’s group, called Friends of the Creche. You can find them on Facebook.
So, exactly how did the concept of a nativity begin? The official origin was about 800 years ago, when St. Francis of Assisi presented a live nativity in Greccio, Italy. Its significance was such, that it was reproduced during the Middle Ages and later, scaled as an art form to actually fit in people’s homes. European carvers have kept the sentiment alive in art, ever since. Michael and A.J. told stories of their trips to Italy and Munich, where they were invited to meet the masters. One time, after a day spent window shopping for nativity figures in Italy, where
there are several nativity-makers, A.J. convinced Michael to see one last showroom. Asked by the shopkeeper if they’d like to meet the creator of the figures, they waited for an hour, returned, and were driven to an industrial building, where they met renowned carver Heinrich Demetz. Wowed by the magnificent dioramas of the life of Christ. “We were on our knees,” Michael reflected. Throughout their time together, the partners have covered the lands of the best figure-makers, including a stop at the Bavarian Museum—the largest selection of nativities in Europe.
You might say they’re saturated in the Christmas Story. One in which the birth of Christ is center stage, surrounded by the rest of society. According to A.J., “Since Christ’s reach is everywhere, to everyone, all peoples are represented in these dioramas—from earthly (animals) to heavenly (angels); the poor (shepherds) to the wealthy (kings).” The story remains the same, but the setting changes, including more interest in dioramas of other Bible stories like the Resurrection. One project they’re waiting on is for a customer in Texas, where they are represented by The Sacred Art Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. The customer wants a round, rotating ‘turntable’ of sorts, where the story of the birth is on one side: the resurrection on the other. Full circle of life.
A new prototype is currently on display in the Sanctuary. “Trinity Church wanted something that all people could relate to more, without specific facial features that might identify an ethnicity.” So, as Michael said, the soft ‘Henry Moore’ type of sculptural Lindenwood (semi-abstract sculptures) with a much more rounded design is a perfect fit. It is set in front of a unique piece of hardwood found locally, smoothed, and finished. A replica tree made by wire, and moss are anchored by a base surrounded by a multitude of stones—such as you might pick up in your garden. “I love this because a grandchild could write their name on the stone one year, and it becomes part of a tradition for the future,” Michael said. The creche grows as the family does.
As you can see, the options are many. And if your interest in nativities has you wanting to see more, take a look at www.navidadnativities.com and begin planning for next year. It takes somewhere from a month or more to complete a nativity setting. On their website, there are photographs of their work and some completed pieces for sale, as there are in the studio that have returned from museum displays. You may just find yourself in the Sanctuary Atelier Studio, listening to Christmas music and watching in awe as more stories that are not easily explained, come to life. As Michael said, “God’s work comes through us. We understand the layers of a story and tell it.”
To contact Michael or AJ, email michael@navidadnativities.com, call 267-844.3108 or visit www.navidadnativities.com.
Chrysa Smith is a regular contributor to Bucks County Magazine and a lover of all things Christmas.