The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (CCCD) has launched ENEWS to keep you current with all our programs, exhibits and events. ENEWS will be sent out monthly with most news linking to more lengthy information found on our website www.craftcreativitydesign.org. Announcements cards will still be mailed for upcoming exhibits and talks. If you are on our mailing list to receive an announcement card for exhibits and would prefer to receive the information through ENEWS, please let us know and it will save us a stamp!

Paulene Verbeek-Cowart, Felt Lace Diagonals 2008 yardage, extra fine merino wool, woven at The Oriole Mill on a Dornier industrial dobby loom, hand finished
Catharine Ellis, 3 samples from Big Stripe, Jacquard woven Shibori, cotton, reactive and vat dyed
Ismini Samanidou, Forest, Fabric prototype woven on a computerised jacquard loom using viscose and metallic threads.

There is still time and space to register for the January 7-10, 2009 international conference Inspired Design Jacquard and Entrepreneurial Textiles!

In addition to the international speakers at the conference, there are registered participants from Canada, Holland, Finland, Scotland, Norway, and Austria as well as the many U.S. fiber artists, faculty and students. The conference is only $300 for professional registration, and $75 for students, with conference hotels as inexpensive as $65 a night. For information download a registration form from www.craftcreativitydesign.org/education/textiledesign.

Other U.S. speakers include:
Joan Morris, Dartmouth College faculty, teaches shibori internationally and designed textiles for a scene in Julie Taymor's "The Lion King" on broadway and for its international and road productions. She and inventor Michele Ratte have a U.S. patent for their unique printing process, which allows for an articulately printed, washable deposit of gold and other metals on textiles.

Matilda McQuaid, Deputy Curatorial Director, and head of the Textiles department at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. In 2005 she authored Extreme Textiles: Designing for High Performance curating an exhibition of the same name. She was one of four curators for the 2007 "National Design Triennial: Design Life Now" and is now working on the next Triennial for 2010.

Christy Matson, Assistant Professor, Fiber and Material Studies Department,The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, who creates interactive sound installations with electronic circuitry and hand-woven Jacquard "antennae."

Pauline Verbeek-Cowart, Associate Professor, Kansas City Art Institute, designs fabric jacquard woven yardage, she then makes into limited-edition clothing marketed in trunk shows in NYC. Past chair of the Surface Design Association's national conference, she is author of Cloque in Handweaving.

Anna Zaharakos, founder of Studio Z in Grand Rapids Michigan, designs for the jobber customs market, including panels, seating, and wallcoverings, carried by more than 30 North American furniture and textile suppliers, including Knoll, Steelcase, and DesignTex.

Catharine Ellis retired recently after 23 years as Fiber Faculty Haywood Community College. She is author of Woven Shibori (2005), has taught workshops internationally and created bed linen for the Ramble, an upscale craft showcase model home.

Bethanne Knudson, founded The Jacquard Center in 2000, and is director of The Oriole Mill which opened in 2007. With Pauline Verbeek-Cowart, she has designed a line of fabric for interior design.

Michele Fricke, professor and program head of art history teaches the history of textiles. A practicing fiber artist, her work has been shown nationally. She is a regular contributor to Fiberarts, and Surface Design Journal magazines.

Canadian Speakers:
Joanna Berzowska, Assistant Professor of Design and Computation Arts Concordia University, Montreal and founder and research director of XS Labs has developed animated fabric, constructed with conductive yarns and thermochromic inks together with custom electronics components woven on a Jacquard loom.

UK Speakers:
Tim Parry-Williams, Senior Lecturer, Woven textiles, Bath School of Art and Design, designs fabric that is woven by Japanese textile manufacturers, and used by fashion designers in the UK and Europe. He embraces both woven textiles and studio craft practice.

Janis Jefferies' research into exploration of visual and sonic texture enabled by a mapping of textile images into sound and virtual patterns, performed live and "translated" into new forms of material research through the jacquard process. She is a professor at Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Ismini Samanidou is a designer in residence at University College Falmouth. She designs woven fabrics for interior spaces, ranging from one off pieces to limited edition textiles, woven mainly on industrial computerized looms. The interior textile "ismini" has been licensed to George Spencer designs and is available in their London showroom. "Twigs on the Cuadra Chair" is a chair exhibited at the Milan Furniture Fair in April 2006 includes a textile design developed for collaboration with furniture designer John. Miller.

Australian Speaker::
Jennifer Robertson, Canberra, Australia, developed a series of woven cloths using the process known as "triple-weave" where three separate, but linked layers of cloth are woven simultaneously. Her double-weave designs were put into production by NUNO Corporation in Tokyo, Japan, a leading company in the world for research, innovation and production of textiles.

Celebrating the Bringle Sisters: Clay & Textile Mentors
September 5 - December 5, 2008

This exhibition presents the works of textile artist Edwina Bringle and potter Cynthia Bringle. These sisters have dedicated much of their lives to teaching, influencing innumerable students. This exhibition celebrates their contributions by exhibiting select works from throughout their lives.

"When I was new to my art and struggling to find my own way, there were many potters working in my part of the world, but there was no one like Cynthia Bringle. Cynthia's doors were always open, her willingness to share and teach provided others and me leadership and showed me how I could model myself. The fact that she was making pots and making a living made me believe that it might be possible for me to do the same. Cynthia made pots that were based on utilitarian pottery, but treated them as one-of-a-kind objects. This creative playfulness is, in my opinion, Cynthia's hallmark. Her example has helped me to embrace the idea of continuous experimentation with my own work."

"Edwina was my first weaving instructor and introduced me in 1973 to the world of textiles. She is an extraordinary teacher-clear, precise, calm and patient. When a loom needs fixing or a warp thread breaks, she has a solution. Encouraging words come when most needed. She enables you to stretch beyond the limits you might initially set. Through Edwina you'll observe colors and textures in your surroundings with fresh eyes. Her work warms your body and delights your soul. The Bringle sisters are gifts to Penland School of Crafts and our students and community. They are extremely generous with their time-as volunteers, advisors, mentors, teachers, and friends. They bring a kind of humor, tenacity and grit, wisdom, history, and stability to the life of the school. All that in addition to the beautiful work they produce!"

Image one: Sarah House, [A]Round 1000, plastic, porcelain, monofilament, 2008; Image two: Sarah House, Detail of [A]Round 1000, 2008; Image three: Sarah House, Wreath, painted wood and porcelain

"Receiving the Windgate Fellowship has influenced my career as a ceramic artist in ways I never imagined. It has provided the resources to make work that has been displayed in several different exhibitions both in this county and Eastern Europe, and helped me in making connections in the art world that will continue to influence my life.

The first springboard I stepped on was at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. Shortly after becoming a fellow I was accepted as a part of the Summer Staff as a Studio Manager. The work was intense, the friends and connections memorable, and the overall experience, amazing. I met and befriended over 100 ceramic artists and professors from around the county. It can't hurt to have connections at universities, especially when sending out grad school applications. When I left Maine I was to embark on a journey that changed my life forever.

Two weeks after I left Watershed my plane left for Hungary. I had been accepted as a Resident Artist at the International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemet, Hungary, a huge honor. I used my time there to complete a sculpture, as well as many porcelain forms, some flat for wall hanging and some in the round. As luck would have it the center was hosting a juried exhibition and the call for entries was put out. I figured I might as well enter my sculpture; after all I wouldn't have to pay for shipping. Over 200 clay, glass and concrete artists from around the world entered and 70 were chosen. I was one of those lucky 70, and my piece, [A]Round 1000, was displayed at the 2nd International Triennial of the Silicate Arts. When the show ended my sculpture became part of the ICS permanent collection. Sadly my time in Hungary had come to an end, but the excitement had not.

I was offered a teaching position at the Community College of Baltimore County, an honor in itself since I do not yet have a Masters Degree. Once I was settled in Baltimore and preparing to teach, I went to the Baltimore Clayworks with my portfolio and a smile. I admired what the Clayworks stood for and wanted to be a part of it. The hired me as an instructor on the spot and I began teaching adult and children classes. Looking back on those first few months of teaching I can see how hectic and stressed out I was. Having no experience, no training and little advise with 5 classes was intense. However I got through it and now I'm fully confident in my teaching ability. Trial by fire I guess. During this time I was taking some of the forms I had produced in Hungary and turning them into sculptural paintings, or painterly sculptures...maybe miniature installations is the best term. What ever you call them I was cranking them out in my living room and front porch (I no longer had a studio space). I displayed these works at a solo show at Yellow Dog Tavern in Baltimore MD, then at the Faculty Spring Art Show in Catonsville MD, and finally a group show at Funke Fired Arts in Cincinnati OH. I have entered them in a few other exhibitions and will find out in a couple months if they have been accepted. Now we are almost up to date, the most recent accomplishment is one that I am very excited about.

As of September I have been accepted as an Artist in Residence at the Baltimore Clayworks. This step is sure to be an important one. I now have a beautiful space in a supportive clay community. When I was a resident in Hungary I realized what sort of environment I need to be productive. As a student at Tyler and as staff Watershed, there was always a strong sense of community, the space was open and the dialogue and ideas flowed. In Hungary I was separated and a bit isolated, not only from a language barrier but also because my studio was closed off from the others. I didn't realize how important the community was to my level creative output until I lost it. Some artists would thrive in this kind of atmosphere; I however struggled to be productive. Now that I am a part of a creative community again it is a breath of fresh air and although I'm working several jobs, I'm producing a lot of new work. The next show I am be a part of will take place in Seattle Washington during the month of November, and I'm honestly not sure how I landed this one.

I recently received a letter stating that I had been invited to be a part of the 4th Annual Simple Cup Invitational. I'm not sure how they found me as I didn't apply, and I'm not really a diehard potter, but I'm not complaining. I have been making cups, cups, and more cups. It's a shame I can't go for the opening, I can't justify flying to Seattle for a show, but it's ok, I'll be there in spirit (and in cups).

My life as an artist has exploded with travel and opportunities to create, showcase and teach art. It is clear that the Windgate Fellowship got this ball rolling and it seems to be picking up speed exponentially. It makes me wonder what else life has in store for me. For the time being I'm going to spend a year making new work at the Clayworks and apply for grad school next winter. Then I'm off to my next great adventure, I'm not sure where this all will take me, all I know is that it will be amazing, and I'll have the Center for Craft Creativity and Design to thank for it."

SOFA Chicago 2008, November 7 - 9, 2009
The 15th annual Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair returns to Navy Pier's Festival Hall, presenting work from 100 international galleries and dealers. There will be a lecture series Nov. 7 and 8th, with presentations by renowned artists, collectors, and arts professionals. Admission to the lectures is included with a SOFA ticket. For more information visit www.sofaexpo.com

Don't miss "The Philanthropy of Craft: Innovative Ways to Maker Your Charitable Contributions Count" as part of the SOFA Lecture Series
1pm on Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, Room 309, Navy Pier.
Moderated by Jim Hackney, Alexander Haas Martin & Partners, a firm focused on seeking results in philanthropy for non-profit organizations.

CCCD's Director, Dian Magie, will participate in this panel along with John E. Brown III, Executive Director, Windgate Charitable Foundation; Cindi Strauss, Curator, Modern & Contemporary Decorative Arts and Design, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and Jean McLaughlin, Executive Director, Penland School of Crafts.

Cherokee Pottery: People of One Fire exhibition features a collection of visually stunning and culturally significant pottery made by the Cherokee people spanning centuries of dramatic culture change. From its utilitarian, ceremonial, and decorative uses in prehistoric times to its contemporary appeal as fine art, the pottery of the Cherokees has continued as a vibrant and distinct part of their culture. This traveling exhibition is sponsored by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation of North Carolina and features over 80 pieces. www.cherokeeheritage.org. On view at the Mountain Heritage Center in Cullowhee, NC, August 4 - Nov. 16, 2008.

A Theory of Craft: Function and Aesthetic Expression by Howard Risatti. Published by Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2007.

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.

Thinking Through Craft is co-published in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Written by Glenn Adamson, Deputy Head of Research and Head of Graduate Studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum, "this book is a timely and engaging introduction to the way that artists working in all media think about craft. Workmanship is key to today's visual arts, when high 'production values' are becoming increasingly commonplace. Yet craft's centrality to contemporary art has received little serious attention from critics and historians. Dispensing with clich�d arguments that craft is art, Adamson persuasively makes a case for defining craft in a more nuanced fashion. The interesting thing about craft, he argues, is that it is perceived to be 'inferior' to art. The book consists of an overview of various aspects of this second-class identity - supplementarity, sensuality, skill, the pastoral, and the amateur. It also provides historical case studies analyzing craft's role in a variety of disciplines, including architecture, design, contemporary art, and the crafts themselves." Source: www.amazon.com

Ornament as art: Avant-Garde Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection This richly illustrated 528-page catalogue, available at amazon.com, features an introduction and essay by Cindi Strauss, an essay by Helen Williams Drutt English, an interview of Drutt by Strauss, a chronology of major events in contemporary jewelry, a complete illustrated checklist of the Drutt collection and artist biographies. This catalogue accompanies a landmark exhibition that explores contemporary jewelry from a global perspective. The exhibition traces the development of artist-made jewelry and honors its craft roots while also placing the work within a larger framework of seminal movements in 20th century art. Ornament as Art showcases a broad array of national and international works made between 1963 and 2006. The exhibition includes 300 objects, including 275 pieces of jewelry and drawings, watercolors, sketchbooks and sculptural constructions by the artists. Cindi Strauss, curator of modern and contemporary decorative arts and design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, organized the exhibition; Robyn Kennedy, chief of the Renwick Gallery, is coordinating curator for the exhibition in Washington.

Makers: 20th Century American Studio Craft (working title) 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. 20th Century 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 late 2008. The University of North Carolina Press is making craft history and criticism a focus of the Press.

Cahiers m�tiers d'art* Craft Journal, is a nonprofit organization that encourages and publishes critical, historical and technical research on local and international craft. Membership includes a subscription to the Cahiers m�tiers d'art* Craft Journal published twice a year. Each issue presents essays from international researchers in both French and English; book and exhibition reviews; and profiles of craftspeople from around the world. (www.craftjournal.ca) Denis Longchamps, publisher and managing editor, is interested in critical, technical and historical research on craft from all regions of the world.

The first issue of 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. To place an order/subscription visit www.bergpublishers.com and download order forms or email custerserv@turpin-distribution.com.

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.