American Craft Council on "International Glass & Clay" Exhibit

Erwin Timmers, Rebound, part of the 2013 International Glass + Clay show in Washington, DC - photo by Pete Duvall.

The American Craft Council (ACC) gives the Washington, DC US/UK collaborative glass and clay show a mention in the ACC's roundup of national exhibits:

"No time to lose! The 2013 International Glass + Clay runs through March 23 at Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Washington, DC. It's a spectacular showcase of artists from Washington, DC and Sunderland, England, the third creative collaboration since the cities signed a friendship agreement in 2006."

The International Glass and Clay 2013 exhibit is open through March 23, 2013, at Washington, DC's Pepco Edison Place Gallery, located at 702 Eighth Street, NW, Washington, DC. The show is organized by Artomatic and the DCCAH

Can A Craftsperson Succeed Today?

American Craft Oct/Nov 2012 issue

It’s not realistic for most craftspeople to make a living working alone (on their craft). That was the provocative argument made by Garth Clark, award-winning historian, writer, dealer, and auction specialist in ceramic art, in the Oct/Nov American Craft Magazine. In the interview by Monica Moses, Garth urges crafters to emulate designers who partner with industry as a way to find success. American Craft asked him to elaborate in the interview – a few samples from the interview: 
You’ve said “the crafts are a threatened field,” suggesting that purely handmade work can’t compete with more scalable, cost-efficient work. What is threatening craft now? The big weakness is a failing economic studio model. Overheads rise constantly, but each maker has only two hands and can’t make more work to bring in more money. There is an output ceiling. This threat is self-imposed, coming from adherence to a medieval concept of craft and refusal to employ low-key industrial techniques to produce more inventory. Another threat: Craft galleries are withering and in some cases closing. Then, of course, there is the damage to the brand of craft done when institutions such as the flagship American Craft Museum [predecessor to the Museum of Arts and Design], drop the term craft and seek to join the fine arts world.

As you’ve suggested, for a number of years craftspeople aimed to be accepted in the fine art world, with limited success. Your view is that, in general, the design world is a more promising avenue for craftspeople. Why? Most crafters are not fine artists, even when they use fine art as their muse. The ones who have crossed over are about .0001 of the craft community. It’s a tiny handful: Ken Price, Josiah McElheny, Betty Woodman. The odds are hardly encouraging. On the other hand, designers and crafters do exactly the same thing; they make vases, jewelry, furniture, mugs, hats, fire irons. It’s exactly the same class of objects. Both are designed. The difference is the means of production: Crafters work by hand, while designers employ industry. Designers have learned to have it all – some unique works, some limited works, and some mass-produced works. Crafters can do the same. And the market is gigantic and growing.

What advice would you offer today’s aspiring craftsperson?

Decide what you want to be – be it fine artist, designer, or for that matter, crafter. And live there. If you believe you are, say, a sculptor and not a crafter, then the day you leave college, take the strengths of your craft education and head to a sculpture community and make your home there. Don’t remain in the relatively protected world of the crafts and whine that you are a misunderstood artist trapped in the craft world. Leave the nest, and learn to fly. 

Click here to jump to the full online version of the article – or look for in the Oct/Nov hard copy magazine at the shops. That American Craft issue also has a great review of the Smithsonian's 40 Under 40 Craft Futures exhibit.

Garth Clark at lecture on Ai Weiwei at University of Sunderland, March 2012

Garth Clark is one of the leading experts on design and craft. The blog has posted previous lectures that Garth has had on the changing nature of craft. 

While at the University of Sunderland, the WGS Fulbright directors were able to attend Garth Clark’s lecture on Ai Weiwei Ceramics. The lecture was most interesting and gave great insight into Ai Weiwei's work with clay.

American Craft Council Interviews Chris Shea

ACC interview with Chris Shea is online - click HERE.

Perry Price - the American Craft Council's new Director of Education interviewed master metal artist Chris Shea for the ACC's American Craft Week. 
The "5 Question" format gives a too-brief glimpse into Chris' thought process, but includes his thoughts of the DC area and the Washington Glass School:

The Renwick Gallery has been a special source of inspiration and encouragement for me as have the members of the James Renwick Alliance, the support organization for the museum. The Washington Glass School, created by Tim Tate, Michael Janis, and Erwin Timmers is a second creative home for me, and for many other people, too. It's a kind of energy bank where I go for a spark of comradeship, collaboration, competition - and to find that special luminescence that glass can bring to the darker, heavier tones of forged metalwork. (ok, emphasis is mine, but still, phwoar!)

Chris recently had some of his forged steel furniture acquired by the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery - click here to read about his process. Congrats (again) Chris!

Click HERE for the American Craft article.

The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 with a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. The ACC celebrates the remarkable achievements of the many gifted artists today who are working with a variety of materials.

Running Around the ACC

Tommie Rush at booth #2104

Tim Tate & I ran through the American Craft Council show at Baltimore's Convention Center - looking at the cool work and catching up with some old friends who are exhibiting at the huge show. Unfortunately, we were not able to stay too long, and we also were there on a wholesale market day - where the artists showing on those days are marketing to retail buyers - many of the booths were not open as a result. The ACC opens for the public on Thursday February 25, 2010.

The Glass artists have a strong showing - and some (tho not all) are:

Penland artist-in-residence Devin Burgess' sculptural glass is beautiful & sublime.

Tim Tate and Devin Burgess at the ACC.Tommie Rush's booth is filled with vibrant color - her "Happy Pills" in the foreground.
Kenny Pieper's newest works show how his incredible detailed and intricate canework can feel spontaneous .
Tim Tate explains theory on how to market glass to Urban Glass artist Jamie Harris.
Jaimie Harris' Infusion Panels - the result of experiments he pursued at a recent residency at the Corning Museum of Glass. These one-of-a-kind panels begin as solid sculptures and are then kiln-cast into flat blocks, carved and polished.

ACC Baltimore Opens Feb 25!

More than 700 of the country's leading craft artists will gather in Baltimore's convention center for The American Craft Council Show - the largest juried, indoor craft show in the nation. The highest quality of handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, glass, and more, will be available for purchase at the Baltimore Convention Center, February 25-28, 2010.

Be sure to see some of our not-to-miss glass favorites like:

• Tommie Rush @ Booth 2104
• Thor Bueno @ Booth 1613
• Kenny Pieper @ Booth 2405
• Charles Savoie @ Booth 725
• Devin Burgess @ Booth 3903
• Martin Kremer @ Booth 927
• Jeremy Newman @ Booth 1402
  

And many more fantastic glass artists - Also mixed media, jewelry, demos and presentations - for more info: American Craft Council Tommie Rush

LOCATION
Baltimore Convention Center

One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

RETAIL DATES AND SHOW HOURS
Thursday, February 25 (10 am - 6 pm)
Friday, February 26 (10 am - 9 pm)
Saturday, February 27 (10 am - 6 pm)
Sunday, February 28 (10 am - 5 pm)

For information on the Wholesale dates, please click here.

ADMISSION - SAVE UP TO $5 BY PURCHASING YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!
Purchase, print and bring right to the door!
Buy Tickets Online
ON-SITE ADMISSION $15 per person $25 for a two-day pass $30 for a three-day pass SPECIAL FRIDAY EVENING ADMISSION: $6 after 6pm.

American Craft Council Baltimore show

More than 700 of the country's leading craft artists are gathered under one roof to present the latest designer & handmade work at the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore, the largest juried, indoor craft show in the nation. This fantastic show of the highest quality handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, home décor, and more, will be available for purchase at the Baltimore Convention Center, February 27 - March 1, 2009.

A group from the Washington Glass School made a grand tour of the enormous show - some of the highlights included:

Tommie Rush’s booth – great to catch up with Tommie & Richard Jolley. Tommie is the Vice President of the Glass Arts Society. Click here for info about her glass.

Kenny Pieper had great work on display at his booth - always great to catch up with one of the worlds best blowers! Click here for his website.

Rania Hassan – is showing in a new section of the ACC show – ALTCRAFT. This section features rising indie crafters whose work illustrates the innovative techniques and materials of the burgeoning new handmade movement, in a shared market-style space. And her work looked fantastic! Click here for her website

Robert Wiener’s DC Art Glass booth was packed – a very popular place!
Click here for Robert's website.