Wayne Art Center’s 2024 CraftForms Call for Entry
Wayne Art Center is seeking submissions for the 29th International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, in the following mediums: basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Work created utilizing CAD/CAM technologies and 3D printing tools also is eligible.
Selected works will be on display in the Davenport Gallery of Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania from December 7, 2024 through January 25, 2025. This year’s juror Jo Lauria will present $10,000 in prize awards. For more information and to see last year’s artists, visit www.craftforms.org.
Here is the direct link for CaFe.
‘Between the Lines’ opening reception opens today at Craft in America Center
LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Craft in America Center is opening Between the Lines, a two-person exhibition featuring master glass sculptors John Luebtow and Stephen Edwards. These two maverick sculptors have shaped the field of glass through potent artwork and technical prowess. Constantly innovating, they use glass in ways that defy expectations— bending, casting and cutting it into astounding forms that push the material to its limits. Over the decades, both their intimate and monumental works address relationships with nature, spirituality, and family.
Line is the guiding force shaping the form of each work. Line and form relay philosophical signifiers stemming from the artists’ personal experiences and outlooks. Responding to concepts through abstraction, glass becomes a material for echoing dynamics of the natural world.
This exhibition pairs these two luminaries who are also tied by a teacher/student relationship: Edwards was once a student in Luebtow’s high school art classes. Insatiably curious about process, both artists consistently push the boundaries of technical development and have created significant facilities, both of their own and at institutions. In addition to illustrious art careers, the two masters have been instrumental in creating education programs and facilities in glass, and have taught scores of art students; Luebtow at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, and Edwards at Alfred University in New York.
With more than a century of knowledge between them, these objects are a glimpse at how these artists create abstract forms with powerful, transcendent ideas about beauty, conflict, tension, nature and existence.
John Luebtow has become one of the most respected names in contemporary glass sculpture over the past forty years. He developed innovative techniques in glass-making, introducing and incorporating gestural and expressive qualities into impeccably finished sculptural components. He holds a BA from California Lutheran College, and two MFAs from UCLA (one in ceramics and one in glass).
Stephen Edwards built one of the largest hot glass programs in the nation at Alfred University, where he taught for 22 years. Prior to that, an early stepping stone was working as an artist-in-residence at the Penland School of Crafts. Near Penland, he established his first private glass studio in Micaville, North Carolina in 1982. Edwards graduated from Illinois State University with a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1980.
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 9, 3:00–5:00pm PST Artist talk: Saturday, April 27, 3:00pm PST
Original article here.
2024 Winter Highlights: Craft in Schools
As we round the corner from winter into spring, our Craft in Schools program would like to reflect on our most recent and multimedia season of teaching artist & student programs. Throughout February, over 200 students across five schools learned about and explored the creative potential of puppetry, piñatas, reclaimed, and assemblage art from our Spirit of Play: Craft and Imagination exhibition.
Inspired by our most recent PBS Craft in America featured Play & Miniatures episodes, we connected and engaged these students ages 9-18 with featured teaching artists Lorena Robletto, Calder Kamin, and local artist Eleanor Tullock from the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre.
Much of our gallery visits investigated the environmental impact and hope within reclaimed/reuse art practices, guided by visiting artist Calder Kamin; we had a blast discussing school recycle programs, building out marker-cap jump ropes (pictured below) and exploring how we envision the future based on collective ecological responsibilities. Much of our gallery curriculum explored poignant historical art related to Black History Month as seen in Schroeder Cherry’s puppetry and hopeful Future Voter Series assemblage works. Working with each of these artists was such a treat– full of personal artist-journey insights and encouraging messages of creative empowerment.
Community Partnerships: Reaching this many students in a whirlwind few weeks wouldn’t have been possible without key community partnerships. Our Craft Center would like to recognize and highlight our partnerships with Remainders: Creative Reuse Space & Thriftstore in Pasadena and Señora Robletto’s Mid-City Amazing Piñatas Creative Studio for donating our assemblage/reclaimed and piñata workshop materials. We encourage our craft community to further explore and connect with these wonderful change-makers!
All of us fellow educators and crafters who collaborated on these fieldtrips and class visits were wildly impressed and delighted in our students’ depth of inquiry, creative innovation, and visual thinking. Special thanks to the following schools teacher and chaperone collaborators at: Rosewood Elementary, Paul Revere Middle School, Palms Middle School, Fairfax High School, and Van Nuys High School.
For more information about our Craft in Schools program or teaching artist opportunities, please contact (me) Sam@craftinamerica.org or Center Director Emily@craftinamerica.org
Craft in America Hosts Two Innovative Glass Artists
The Craft in America Center will host “Between the Lines,” a two-person exhibition featuring master glass sculptors John Luebtow and Stephen Edwards from March 9 through May 25.
The two sculptors have shaped the field of glass through their own work and their technological prowess. With a constant desire to create and innovate, they both use glass in ways that defy expectations – bending and cutting to give it shape. They walk the fine line of pushing the material to its limits. Over the decades, they have created work that pertains to their relationships with nature, spirituality and family.
Art begins with the line for both artists. It is the guiding force for shaping the form of each work. Responding to ideas through abstraction, glass is a material for echoing the natural world.
The exhibition pairs the two luminaries, who are also tied by a teacher-student relationship. Edwards was once a student in Luebtow’s high school art classes. Insatiably curious about processes, the artists consistently push the boundaries of technical development and have created significant facilities, both of their own and at institutions. In addition to illustrious art careers, the artists have been instrumental in creating education programs and have taught numerous art students – Luebtow at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles and Edwards at Alfred University in New York.
Original post in the Beverly Press here.
See portraits of Black life, as told by puppets, at new LA exhibit
The new “Spirit of Play: Craft and Imagination” exhibit at Craft in America is running through Saturday, March 2.
When puppets speak, people listen, says artist, educator and puppeteer Schroeder Cherry.
Cherry uses puppet play to teach people about the U.S. African diaspora. Organizers of his new “Spirit of Play: Craft and Imagination” exhibit, featured at the Craft in America nonprofit center in Beverly Grove, say that Cherry uses the “disarming quality” of play to both educate and engage viewers. His “family of idiosyncratic characters” tackles topics like the history of slavery, and contemporary life in America as a Black person.
The new Los Angeles exhibit — now running through Saturday, March 2 — showcases realistic-looking puppets and assemblage to educate both children and adults about Black culture and history in the U.S.
Read the full article in the Los Angeles Daily news here.
2024 NEA National Heritage Fellows
Congratulations to the 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellows, especially Navajo/Dine quilter Susan Hudson, featured in the QUILTS episode.
arts.gov/honors/heritage/list?title=&field_year_value=2024
Getty Marrow Digital Communications Paid Internship 2024
Craft in America is pleased to announce that we have received a Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship grant for this summer and we are offering a Digital Communications internship.
The Craft in America Digital Communications intern will provide support and assist in various aspects of organizational digital media content and management. Projects include cataloging and captioning our digital video library, research for the Craft Video Dictionary, cataloging our Craft in America Center library, researching and writing artist biographies for the website, and creating promotional materials.
Over the summer, the intern will participate in outreach with artists, outside organizations, collectors, local businesses, student groups, and art schools. In addition, the intern will be involved in researching and writing web and social media content to support the organization’s programming, website, and PBS documentary series. The intern will be trained to use our website and Constant Contact and will have structured time to familiarize with Craft in America’s resources, artist database, and style guide. Familiarity and knowledge of Adobe Suite, Google Suite is a plus.
This paid internship is on-site at the Craft in America Center two days a week and remote for three days a week for a total of 40 hours a week. Intern must be available for 10 continuous weeks between June 3-Aug 23, 2024.
To Apply
Submit résumé, two letters of recommendation or contact information (phone/email) for two references (teacher, professor, former employer, etc.), and a description of how you meet the requirements for the position. Email all submissions to apply@craftinamerica.org with the subject heading “Internship.” Applications due April 15, 2024.
Eligibility
Students must:
- Be a member of a group underrepresented in careers related to art conservation, museums, and/or visual arts organizations, which can include groups defined by – among other things – socioeconomic status, cultural background, physical or other disability, geographical origin and/or any life experiences that add diverse and underrepresented perspectives.
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate in either a bachelor’s degree program or an associate’s degree program. Students must have completed at least one semester or two quarters of college by June 2024. Students who graduated the semester or quarter immediately before the internship begins are also eligible. (Students who are enrolled in a second BA or BS program are not eligible.)
- Attend college in or be a permanent resident of LA County; and
- Be a United States citizen or permanent resident (non-citizen authorized to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis; also known as a “green card” holder). Students with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) status valid through the internship period are also eligible.
Smithsonian Craft Show May 1-5, 2024
THE SHOW
National Building Museum
May 2-4, 10:30 am-5:30 pm
May 5, 11 am-5:00 pm
TICKETS
Daily general admission: $20
Groups (10 or more) & students: $15
Preview Night Party: $250
Early Entry & Visionary Reception, Preview Night Party: $500
For tickets and more information, visit smithsoniancraftshow.org
PREVIEW NIGHT, May 1
From 5:00 pm-6:00 pm
First Look and Visionary Reception
Meet Smithsonian Visionary and SWC Delphi Award winners as you enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
From 6:00 pm-9:00 pm
Preview Night Party
Meet the artists. See and shop their work. Enjoy joyful cuisine from around the world.
EVENTS
May 2, 1:00 pm-2:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Trio in Glass
Moderated by Stephanie Stebich, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this talk will feature Visionary and Delphi award winners Dan Dailey, Judith Schaechter and Norwood Viviano. Registration required.
May 4, 11:30 am-1:30 pm
Saving Culture and Art in Crisis
Light Lunch and Presentation by Dr. Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian’s Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-large and founder of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative, discusses their vital efforts to preserve cultural heritage under threat in our country and around the world. Cost: $50 includes Admission to the Show.
Project Threadways Symposium
The annual Project Threadways Symposium brings together scholars, activists, makers, and thinkers to present research, share stories, and encourage dialogue about history, community, and power—all through the lens of fashion and textiles. Presentations, dinners, exhibitions, and workshops create a multi-day experience in Florence, Alabama, centered on material culture and making.
In 2024, the theme is The Future. On April 19-20, 2024, participants will gather at The Factory and virtually to imagine a better way for textile manufacturing. Presenters will consider the balance between art and business, connect heritage and healing, preserve craft and community, and look to the past to chart a more sustainable future. Presenters include:
Carla Fernández, fashion designer
Cassidy Zachary and April Calahan, Dressed: The History of Fashion podcast
Kim Kelly and Joeann Pettway West, Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy
Rebecca Burgess, Fibershed
Sherhonda Allen, Project Threadways oral historian
…and more to be announced.
Natalie Chanin of Project Threadways will also hold a Zero Waste workshop for in-person attendees.
This event offers in-person and virtual experiences. There will also be a special dinner event, with a guest chef and more details to be announced soon. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for dinner tickets, please contact think@projectthreadways.org.
More information and registration here.
Emergency Artist Relief Resources
CERF+ has an emergency relief fund for craft artists (woodworkers, ceramicists, fiber arts, glass artists, etc.). If you hear of any craft artists that have been affected by these storms, please encourage them to apply here.
For other artists, below are a few resources that we hope you find useful.
· CERF+’s Get Help page has links to relief from agencies, arts organizations, and other resources.
· Entertainment Community Fund’s Social Services and Emergency Financial Assistance – provides temporary financial assistance to those with documented financial need due to unforeseen circumstances.
· Entertainment Community Fund’s Artists Health Insurance Resource Center – Useful healthcare resources including information about how to negotiate with hospitals to lower your medical bills.
· NYFA Emergency Resources is a centralized source of information for artists in the United States and its territories.
· MusiCares – financial and addiction recovery assistance for music industry professionals
· Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems.
· Heritage Emergency National Task Force
- Cultural institutions and arts organizations affected by the flooding can call the National Heritage Responders hotline: 202.661.8068. The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.
- Members of the public who have questions about saving family heirlooms can email the National Heritage Responders at NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org.
- HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available at Save Your Family Treasures | FEMA.gov. Here you can find the downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” available in multiple languages.