 March 2010
Greetings!
Dear friends of the CCCD, We are excited to announce that the Makers: A History of American Studio Craft textbook that was a dream in 2002 will be on a bookshelf near you by summer! The hard work of turning dream into reality began in 2004 and over the years many people have been involved in supporting this project: the research, writing, editing, and proofing over and over (Janet Koplos and Bruce Metcalf, who now know twice as much as appears in the book); peer review by publisher University of North Carolina Press (a one-year process alone); 2 years of searching for rights to over 400 images (thank you Kristin Watts for the mind-boggling detail); curriculum writing (cudos to Katie Lee and Mary Beth Ausman) and companion website development (the amazing duo Mike O’Kane and Constance Humphries). Everyone involved should be pleased that Makers: A History of American Studio Craft is not only full of facts and images – but it is a really great read. With the curriculum guide and website (visit www.americanstudiocrafthistory.org to preview) the packet is turn-key for colleges to include a course in the History of U.S. Contemporary Craft. I am proud to have been a part of this critical advancement for the craft field. CCCD is thrilled to be able to offer a pre-publication discount to you, as a supporter of our programs. A project of this scope and significance to the craft field required major financial support. Support was provided by the Windgate Charitable Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Rotasa Foundation, Fidelity Foundation, Collectors of Wood Art, John and Robyn Horn, Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, American Craft Council, Friends of Fiber Arts International, Society of North American Goldsmiths, The Karma Foundation, Grainer Family Foundation, Terry F. Moritz, David and Ruth Waterbury, George and Dorothy Saxe, Andora Gallery, The Greenburg Foundation, Ken and JoAnn Edwards, and Dewey Garrett. Dian Magie 
MAKERS: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN STUDIO CRAFT
Janet Koplos & Bruce Metcalf University of North Carolina Press A special limited pre-publications edition at 25% off the cover price, featuring a hand-tipped signature card from the authors. Orders must be placed by June 1, 2010 to receive this rate. Pre-order online today: Makers follows the development of American studio craft from its roots in 19th-century reform movements to the rich diversity of expression at the end of the 20th century. This comprehensive book offers a detailed analysis of motivating ideas and stylistic currents related to craft, including in-depth portraits of the significant artists working in fiber, clay, glass, wood and metal who helped shape contemporary American art and design. "Truly, people making things is what the craft field is all about,” say authors Koplos and Metcalf. “Every story in this book is bound up in a time, a place, a set of political and social conditions, and an aesthetic philosophy." A beautiful volume with more than 400 photographs, Makers is an important and enlightening resource for craftspeople, curators, collectors, critics, scholars, students and teachers interested in American craft. Janet Koplos, writer and art critic, was editor for Art in America and guest editor for American Craft magazines. She has written for numerous publications and books including Contemporary Japanese Sculpture. Bruce Metcalf is a studio jeweler and writer based in Philadelphia. He taught at Kent State University and the University of the Arts and exhibits his work internationally. This Book is a Project of The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. IN THE GALLERY
Images L to R:
Crown, human hair, fiberglass screen, wire, 18 x 18 x 18", 2008 1317 Charbonnet St., human hair, fiberglass screen, wire, beads, 19” x 23” x 3.5", 2007 Nest, human hair, synthetic hair, wire, 30 x 16 x 12", 2008 Loren Schwerd: Mourning Portrait
January 15 – March 26, 2010 Mourning Portrait began as a series of memorials to the communities of New Orleans that were devastated by the flooding which followed Hurricane Katrina. These commemorative objects, made from human hair extensions found outside a flooded beauty shop in the Ninth Ward, venerate the city’s losses, both individual and collective. The portraits draw on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century tradition of hairwork, in which family members or artisans would fashion the hair of the deceased into intricate jewelry and other objects as symbols of death and rebirth. In the two years that Schwerd has been researching and executing this work, the series has expanded into a larger body of objects and images that utilize a broader range of techniques and provide a richer context for the houses, such as sculptures, shaped from found wigs, that combine imagery from Victorian hair wreaths with contemporary, sculptural, African-American hair fashions. 2010 WINDGATE MUSEUM INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Since the first 2006 Windgate Museum Internships were awarded, 17 graduate and undergraduate students from 13 universities have received internships in 10 museums throughout the U.S. and the V&A in London. Interns work closely with a curator on a studio craft collection, exhibit, or project providing students with invaluable experience. Museums select from qualified applicants from across the country in this highly competitive program. Museums report over 50 applicants for each Windgate Museum Internship position. The student receives $5000 from the museum for their internship. Applicants should be enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate program in an accredited U.S. college or university with a focus on studio craft or art/craft history. Individuals who have received a Windgate Museum Internship in the past are not eligible for the 2010 internships. The Oakland Museum of California The Cleveland Museum of Art To that end, the Windgate summer Internship opportunity will explore the development of the CMA’s studio craft collection through careful analysis of existing work; the identification of major trends and cross currents in the field; and suggestions for appropriate additions from emerging artists. It is expected that a final written report will address these areas in specific and measurable ways along the ideas for exhibition display and interpretation of the collection within the museum’s galleries of 20th and 21st century art. The intern will report to the Curator of Decorative Art and Design and the Director of Museum Interpretation. The Victoria & Albert Museum, London OF RELATED INTEREST
The CRITICAL Santa Fe: Call for Abstracts-Deadline March 24th
A Symposium on Developing Criticism in Ceramics Speakers include: Ted Adler, Terry Barrett, Glen Brown, Garth Clark, Moyra Elliot, Tanya Harrod, Elaine Henry, Dave Hickey, Janet Koplos, Donald Kuspit, Elizabeth Leach, Paul Mathieu, Hunt Prothro, Jim Romberg, Raphael Rubinstein, and Adam Welch. Submissions specific to ceramic art are encouraged, but considerations of critical practices in any form of studio art production, exhibition, history, pedagogy, or theory will be reviewed. Suggested topics of inquiry are as follows: Panels (15 minute presentation and panel response) To be considered please submit an abstract (no longer than 300 words) to office@nceca.net by March 24, 2010. Authors of accepted abstracts will be asked to provide a full paper of approximately 1500 (panel) or 2500 (lecture) words by July 1, 2010. March 24: Deadline for submissions. Andrew Glasgow Writing Residency
Andrew Glasgow is very dear to CCCD, serving on our board as Vice-President from 2002-2007 and being a friend to many in this area. He has been a leader in the craft field for over 20 years, holding the positions of Assistant Director of the Blue Spiral 1 Gallery; Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Director of Education and Collections at the Southern Highlands Craft Guild; Executive Director of the Furniture Society from 2000-2007; and most recently Deputy Director and then Executive Director of the American Craft Council. The Andrew Glasgow Writing Residency will provide two writers the opportunity to serve the field by fully immersing themselves for four weeks in thinking and writing about craft. If you are a writer, or know someone who may be interested in this opportunity, please visit: http://www.penland.org/programs/special_programs_glasgow.htmlCONFERENCES
REINVENTION
Conference, Tours, and Workshops in San Francisco, CA March 19 - 24, 2010 Co-sponsored by Surface Design Association, Studio Art Quilt Associates and San Francisco State University Textiles Surface Design Association, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. and the Textiles concentration of the Art Department at San Francisco State University announce the upcoming conference, tour, and workshop program called "Reinvention". The location will be Seven Hills Conference Center, San Francisco State University Campus. Program dates for the conference are Friday and Saturday, March 19 - 20; Sunday, studio bus tour and de Young museum tours on Sunday, March 21; and three-day workshops on Monday - Wednesday, March 22-24. The program is intended for fiber studio artists, textile designers, art quilters, instructors, and people interested in the fiber field and looking for inspiration. Attendees must be members of either Surface Design Association (surfacedesign.org) or Studio Art Quilt Associates (saqa.com). Other interested parties are invited to join and attend. The theme Reinvention is described as follows: "Life in the arts is a constant process of invention and reinvention. Techniques change, new materials emerge, inspiration evolves along with the world in which we work. Artists reinvent themselves as they mature or change creative paths. It's an exciting time to be a creative individual and change is in the air." KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Marci McDade, editor, Fiberarts magazine, Reinvention: Transforming the Face of Fiber Janet Koplos, editor, American Craft magazine, Reinventing American Craft Conference brochure and registration will be available at saqa.com and surfacedesign.org after September 20th, 2009.
Arrowmont to host Figurative Sculpture Symposium
Limited to 200 attendees
October 27-30, 2010 “Figurative Association: The Human Form in Clay” will feature eight internationally and nationally known ceramic and mixed media artists from six states who use the figure as the main theme in their sculpture. The artist/presenters include: The symposium is being coordinated by Arrowmont’s Program Director Bill Griffith with assistance from Debra Fritts, a noted Georgia ceramic artist and Arrowmont instructor and Thaddeus Erdahl, current Arrowmont Resident Artist in Ceramics. A series of lectures, panel topic discussions, demonstrations and gallery exhibitions will make up the three-day symposium. Additionally, each artist/presenter has invited an emerging figurative sculptor of their choice to be represented in the Invited Artists Exhibition, which will be one of the highlights of the event. Arrowmont and Debra Fritts will each also invite an emerging figurative artist to participate. “One vital, educational component of this symposium is the identification of 10 emerging artists in the ceramic sculpture field and the invitation to exhibit their work alongside the highly respected national Presenters Exhibition,” said Arrowmont Program Director Bill Griffith, adding, “This again speaks to Arrowmont’s commitment as a leader in education and support in promoting the careers of the next generation of artists.”
ABANA Conference
June 2-5, 2010 Memphis, TN The Bi-annual Conference for the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA) will kick-off on June 2 and continue thru June 5, 2010 at the AgriCenter International in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 1,000 professionals, amateurs, and artists will gather for this unique event offering active involvement and exposure to blacksmithing skills. This premiere conference will host artist demonstrators from the U.S. such as Dan Boone, Darryl Nelson, Mark Aspery, Phil Cox and Steve Parker. Other noted artists include Joe Anderson, Dan Nauman, and Tom Latane, as well as International master artists, Shelley Thomas, England, and Amit Har-Lev and Tsur Sadan from Israel. All demonstrations will take place at the AgriCenter International. The Keynote Address will be delivered by Carissa Hussong, executive director of the National Ornamental Metal Museum (NOMM), and Jim Wallace, the museum’s first director. Register now and take advantage of the low rates by calling the ABANA Central Office at 703-680-1632 to request a registration form or to register by phone. Daily passes will be available for the general public.
CODA - Craft Organization Development Association
Annual Conference: Aspects of Identity Savannah, Georgia April 6-8, 2010 Hosted by Georgia Made Georgia Grown LLC As organizations struggle to market themselves, grow memberships, expand services, and attract customers and funders, establishing a clear understanding of the organization's identity is a critical step toward successfully reaching its goals. This identity embodies a deeper understanding of what organizations want to accomplish and who they serve and their ability to communicate that message effectively to their audiences. Topics addressed at the conference are "Challenges and Creative Solutions in this Current Economy," "The Savannah Story," "Transitioning Craft Students into the Workplace," and "Crafts and Arts in Education." For more information go to www.coda.org PUBLICATIONS
The Craft Reader, edited by Glenn Adamson The CCCD proudly supported this text with a Windgate internship. From the canonical texts of the Arts and Crafts Movement to the radical thinking of today's “DIY” movement, from theoretical writings on the position of craft in distinction to Art and Design to how-to texts from Covering the period from the Industrial Revolution to today, the Reader draws on craft practice and theory from America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The world of craft is considered in its full breadth – from pottery and weaving, to couture and chocolate-making, to contemporary art, architecture and curation. The writings are themed into sections and all extracts are individually introduced, placing each in its historical, cultural and artistic context. Bringing together an astonishing range of both classic and contemporary texts, The Craft Reader will be invaluable to any student or practitioner of Craft and also to readers in Art and Design. Glenn Adamson is Deputy Head of Research and Head of Graduate Studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He is author of Thinking Through Craft and co-editor of The Journal of Modern Craft. String, Felt, Thread: The Hierarchy of Art and Craft in American Art String, Felt, Thread presents an unconventional history of the American art world, chronicling the advance of thread, rope, string, felt, and fabric from the “low” world of craft to the “high” world of art in the 1960s and 1970s and the emergence today of a craft counterculture. In this full-color illustrated volume, Elissa Auther discusses the work of American artists using fiber, considering provocative questions of material, process, and intention that bridge the art–craft divide. Studio Furniture of the Renwick Gallery: Smithsonian American Art Museum The eighty-four pieces of studio furniture owned by the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum constitute one of the largest assemblages of American studio furniture in the nation. Three former administrators-Lloyd Herman, Michael Monroe, and Kenneth Trapp-amassed a seminal collection that samples studio furniture's great diversity. From the carefully crafted stools of Tage Frid to the art deco chest painted by R ob Womack, from the one-of-a-kind Ghost Clock sculpture by Wendell Castle to the limited production stool by David Ebner, the collection highlights the astonishing variety of the American studio furniture movement. In this catalog, author Oscar P. Fitzgerald documents each piece of furniture in a descriptive, illustrated entry. He also recounts the history of the collection's formation in an introductory essay, which illuminates the rationale and aesthetic choices of each curator and notes various donors and support organizations. Finally, Fitzgerald's statistical analysis of the collection, formulated from detailed interviews with the surviving artists, casts new light on workshop practices, marketing concerns, and other aspects of the contemporary studio furniture movement. A foreword by noted scholar and curator Paul Greenhalgh gives readers a brilliant overview. This book is published by Fox Chapel Publishing and is available at www.foxchapelpublishing.com. Choosing Craft: The Artist's Viewpoint Choosing Craft explores the history and practice of American craft through the words of influential artists whose lives, work, and ideas have shaped the field. Editors Vicki Halper and Diane Douglas construct an anecdotal narrative that examines the post-World War II development of modern craft, which came of age alongside modernist painting and sculpture and was greatly influenced by them as well as by traditional and industrial practices. The anthology is organized according to four activities that ground a professional life in craft--inspiration, training, economics, and philosophy. Halper and Douglas mined a wide variety of sources for their material, including artists' published writings, letters, journal entries, exhibition statements, lecture notes, and oral histories. The detailed record they amassed reveals craft's dynamic relationships with painting, sculpture, design, industry, folk and ethnic traditions, hobby craft, and political and social movements. Collectively, these reflections form a social history of craft. Choosing Craft ultimately offers artists' writings and recollections as vital and vivid data that deserve widespread study as a primary resource for those interested in the American art form. This book is published by The University of North Carolina Press and is available at www.uncpress.unc.edu The Craftsman and the Critic When English craftsman, poet, and socialist William Morris advised consumers in the 1880s to "have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful," he prompted a movement for design reform in Britain, Europe, and America. Championing Morris's views, the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston led the quest for "usefulness and beauty" in the United States. As the oldest, continuously-operating arts and crafts organization in the country, it exerted considerable influence. Among the Boston reformers were design critics, whose profession became increasingly important in the nineteenth century. Many of them-including a number of prominent women-were also architects, designers, craft workers, educators, and theorists. Their views on design reform were substantive and often controversial. This richly illustrated book explores the interaction of craft workers and critics as they collaborated to improve the quality of the living and working environment in Boston and across the United States. Beverly K. Brandt examines multiple overlapping topics-the evolution of the profession of design criticism in the nineteenth century; Boston in the "Gilded Age" as a center for reform, epitomized by the Aesthetic and the Arts and Crafts movements; the formative years of the Society of Arts and Crafts (1897-1917); key personalities associated with that organization; the theoretical underpinnings of the Arts and Crafts movement; and a diaspora of Boston reformers who left the city to promote usefulness and beauty across the country and abroad. In an epilogue, she discusses the Arts and Crafts revival which has flourished since the 1970s and contemplates why the search for usefulness and beauty continues to resonate today. This book is available through the University of Massachusetts Press at A Theory of Craft: Function and Aesthetic Expression by Howard Risatti. What is craft? How is it different from fine art or design? Risatti examines these issues by comparing handmade ceramics, glass, metalwork, weaving, and furniture to painting, sculpture, photography, and machine-made design from Bauhaus to the Memphis Group. He describes craft's unique qualities as functionality combined with an ability to express human values that transcend temporal, spatial, and social boundaries. Craft must articulate a role for itself in contemporary society, says Risatti; otherwise it will be absorbed by fine art or design and its singular approach to understanding the world will be lost. Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Sock to High Art. This is the history that Knitting America celebrates. The first fully detailed, full-color, comprehensive history of knitting in America from colonial times to the present, the book conveys the social and historical realities that the craft embodied as well as the emotional narrative that unfolded at the hands of the nations knitters. With vintage patterns and designs typical of each era, Knitting America comprises a knitted history of American society. Here are the trends and the shortages, the historical happenings and the social movements, the advertising and economic developments that affected knitting and style. Also included are 20 historic knitting patterns for todays knitters. Beautifully illustrated with vintage pattern booklets, posters, postcards, black-and-white historical photographs, and contemporary color photographs of knitted pieces in private collections and in museums, this book is a treasure of history and craft, an exquisite view of America through the handiwork of its knitters. Makers: A History of American Studio Craft At the first "Think-Tank" convened by CCCD in 2002, of craft faculty, museum director and curators, scholars and critics, the initiative ranked as most important to the advancement of the field was a history of American Craft in the twentieth Century. The journey toward making this a reality can be tracked on www.craftcreativitydesign.org/research/history.php. Makers: A History of American Studio Craft by Janet Koplos and Bruce Metcalf is with the publisher, the University of North Carolina Press. Long awaited, the book, researched and written under the auspices of CCCD, will include 500+ images and also serve as an undergraduate text. It will be released in 2010. The University of North Carolina Press is making craft history and criticism a focus of the Press. The Journal of Modern Craft, edited by Glenn Adamson, Victoria & Albert Museum, UK; Edward S. Cooke, Jr. Yale University, USA; Tanya Harrod, Royal College of Art, UK, is the first peer-reviewed academic journal to provide an interdisciplinary and international forum in its subject area. It address all forms of making that self-consciously set themselves apart from mass production - whether in the making of designed objects, artworks, buildings or other artefacts. Published three times a year in March, July and November. Additional information can be found at www.journalofmoderncraft.com. To place an order/subscription visit www.bergpublishers.com. About Us
The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design is an inter-institutional Center of the University of North Carolina. The mission of the regional UNC Center is to support and advance craft, creativity and design in education and research, and, through community collaborations, to demonstrate ways that craft and design provide creative solutions to community issues. The mission of the nonprofit CCCD is to support the mission of the UNC center through funding, programs, and outreach to artists, craft organizations, schools in the community, region and nation. email: info@craftcreativitydesign.org |
