COMING JULY 29 | Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America
Smithsonian Craft Show Opens April 23: Juried Fine Craft Show Celebrates American Artistry
March 25, 2026
The 44th annual Smithsonian Craft Show will take place April 22–26 featuring the work of recognized masters and outstanding innovators of American craft. A panel of expert jurors has selected 120 American artists representing all facets of contemporary craft and design, including basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed-media, paper, wearable art and wood. The works will be on display and for sale. Serious collectors and casual shoppers will find one-of-a-kind pieces at a wide range of prices.
The show will be held at the National Building Museum, located at 401 F St. N.W. in Washington, D.C. Admission is $25, and group sales of 10 or more are $20 each, both of which can be purchased in advance or online.
The show’s Preview Night Benefit April 22 offers an early opportunity to view and purchase crafts while enjoying cocktails and dinner. Tickets and more information are available on the craft show website.
The 2026 honorary chair is Carol Sauvion, the former executive director of Craft in America, and the guiding force behind Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a nationwide initiative to showcase 250 years of American craft.
A highlight of the Preview Night Benefit will be the presentation of the Smithsonian Visionary Award to Wayne Higby for his significant achievements in sculptural art and design. Ceramic artist Cristina Córdova will receive the Delphi Award from the Smithsonian Women’s Committee for her exceptional mid-career artistry and promise.
The Smithsonian Women’s Committee produces this show to celebrate the finest in American contemporary craft and design. All proceeds go back to the Smithsonian through grants to multiple museums, research centers and the Zoo. To date, the organization has awarded more than $15 million to the Institution for projects that support innovative education and enhance knowledge, research and outreach in areas of culture, arts, mysteries of the universe, biodiversity and the American experience.
About the Smithsonian Women’s Committee
The Smithsonian Women’s Committee is an all-volunteer organization of 180 members that raises funds through its annual Smithsonian Craft Show and Craft2Wear Show to fund its grants and endowment programs to support the initiatives of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo and numerous education, research and conservation centers in the Washington, D.C., area and around the world.
Craft in America on PBS Highlights IAIA’s Role in Shaping Contemporary Indigenous Art
| Craft in America on PBS Highlights IAIA’s Role in Shaping Contemporary Indigenous Art For Immediate Release November 24, Santa Fe, New Mexico For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Jason S. Ordaz, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Institutional Communications, at jason.ordaz@iaia.edu. This December, Craft in America begins a journey around the United States with the hour-long episodes East and West, premiering on PBS on Friday, December 19, 2025, at 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm (MST) (check local listings), and streaming starting November 24, 2025, on the PBS app, www.pbs.org/craftinamerica, and www.craftinamerica.org. East and West are part of a four-episode series (North and South will premiere in winter 2026), which is part of Handwork 2026, an expansive, year-long collaboration among art and culture organizations, educators, and makers that reflects the diversity of craft over the past 250 years. The West episode features the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)—highlighting our campus, students, alum, faculty, and leadership, as well as distinguished voices such as former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna and Jemez Pueblo), internationally recognized artist, IAIA alum, and Trustee Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) ’07, ’18, President Emeritus Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation), and many others. The film honors IAIA’s more than 60 years of creative roots and our position as the birthplace of contemporary Indigenous art. Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), IAIA President, said, “IAIA’s creative roots go back over 60 years, and many important Indigenous artists have found their start at our university. Seeing this legacy reflected in Craft in America’s thoughtfully presented West episode, I am deeply grateful for PBS’ and Craft in America’s commitment to telling this story.” Craft in America is the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary series that explores the beauty, significance, and relevance of handmade objects and the artists who create them. “It was very important for our series to include the Institute of American Indian Arts in our retrospective on the West for the Handwork 2026 project—we believe IAIA is one of the most important institutions in the country. The creativity we witnessed there is inspiring and hugely influential, and it was a great honor for us to film at IAIA during Dr. Robert Martin’s final year as president. We spent nearly two years being guided on our journey by Jason Ordaz, IAIA Chief Communications Officer, and IAIA staff, who opened doors and worked in depth with Craft in America Executive Director Carol Sauvion, and me on this important episode on the West,” said Patricia Bischetti, Executive Producer and Director. “The Craft in America crew of six was here on campus for three days filming in various classrooms, during commencement, and through interviews with trustees, our president’s cabinet, alum, staff, faculty, and students,” said Jason S. Ordaz, IAIA Chief Communications Officer. “It was a pleasure and privilege to help shepherd this important film into being.” Viewers who want to learn more about IAIA and its mission can go to www.iaia.edu for a wealth of information about its programs. Visitors can arrange a trip to the IAIA campus and explore contemporary Native art at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA), located in the city’s historic downtown. The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)—the University for Indigenous Creative Excellence—is widely regarded as the preeminent higher education institution dedicated to the study of contemporary Native American and Alaska Native arts. IAIA offers undergraduate degrees in Cinematic Arts and Technology, Computer Science, Creative Writing, Indigenous Liberal Studies, Museum Studies, Native American Art History, Performing Arts, and Studio Arts; graduate degrees in Creative Writing, Studio Arts, and Cultural Administration; and certificates in Broadcast Journalism, Business and Entrepreneurship, Museum Studies, and Native American Art History. Recent partnerships, such as those with AMC, The Walt Disney Company, Nike, Ralph Lauren, the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and NBCUniversal Media, help students leave lasting footprints in the creative community. Among its many illustrious alums and former staff are two U.S. Poet Laureates: Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation) ’68, US Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022, and Faculty Emeritus Arthur Sze, the current and 2025 US Poet Laureate. IAIA serves approximately 500 full-time equivalent (FTE) Native and non-Native students, representing nearly 100 federally recognized Tribes. IAIA is among the leading art universities in the nation and is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). |
Craft in America announces executive director’s retirement
By Dakota Smith
October 30, 2025
LOS ANGELES — Craft in America has announced that Carol Sauvion, the institution’s executive director, will retire from the organization at the end of December 2025. Sauvion’s retirement comes after 21 years of leadership and follows the launch of Craft in America’s initiative for the national semi-quincentennial, Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, which will take place November 13-14, 2025, in Philadelphia.
Sauvion says, “At the end of December 2025, I will leave the Executive Director position to the new Co-Executive Directors, Robyn Hollingshead and Ann Ruhr Pifer, both members of the Craft in America Board and both experienced, dedicated craft professionals. With Ann and Robyn, my work and my passion will be woven into their vision for the future of the crafts. We have been working on this transition, set to happen on New Year’s Day 2026, for several months.”
Director & Executive Producer of the Craft in America series, Patricia Bischetti states, “Carol Sauvion is the visionary behind Craft in America. Her inspiration to explore the handmade on PBS has blossomed into a movement driven by the fundamental truth that the handmade is essential in our cultures and our humanity. Carol’s continuing commitment to the crafts, our artists, and our project has had a huge impact in the field and on many lives.”
Board President Robyn Hollingshead shares, “Carol’s realization, many decades ago, that craft is all around us, hiding in plain sight, moved her to create an organization that could expose communities across the country to the magnificent world of original hand-crafted works and the living artists who make them. Her steadfast dedication to studio craft, her sincere reverence for craft artists of all backgrounds, her high standards for excellence, her sincerity, authenticity, and enthusiasm, and her clear vision for Craft in America have eloquently shined a bright light on craft across America. We are deeply grateful to Carol for this extraordinary gift she has given the nation.”
Board Member Cornelia Carey observes, ”Carol has been the vision and the glue for the work of Craft in America since 2004. Her drive comes from her passion and respect for artists who transform materials into objects of beauty at the highest level. I shudder to think of all of the artists’ voices I would not have known had it not been for Craft in America bringing them to life.”
Carol Sauvion, Executive Director of Craft in America, To Retire at the End of 2025, After 21 Years of Leadership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2025
[Los Angeles] – Craft in America announced today that Carol Sauvion, the institution’s Executive Director, will retire from the organization at the end of December 2025. Sauvion’s retirement comes after 21 years of leadership, and follows the launch of Craft in America’s initiative for the national semiquincentennial, Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, which will take place November 13-14, 2025, in Philadelphia.
Sauvion said, “At the end of December 2025, I will leave the Executive Director position to the new Co-Executive Directors, Robyn Hollingshead and Ann Ruhr Pifer, both members of the Craft in America Board and both experienced, dedicated craft professionals. With Ann and Robyn, my work and my passion will be woven into their vision for the future of the crafts. We have been working on this transition, set to happen on New Year’s Day 2026, for several months.”
Board President Robyn Hollingshead shares, “Carol’s realization, many decades ago, that craft is all around us hiding in plain sight, moved her to create an organization that could expose communities across the country to the magnificent world of original hand-crafted works and the living artists who make them. Her steadfast dedication to studio craft, her sincere reverence for craft artists of all backgrounds, her high standards for excellence, her sincerity, authenticity, and enthusiasm, and her clear vision for Craft in America has eloquently shined a bright light on craft across America. We are deeply grateful to Carol for this extraordinary gift she has given the nation.”
Director & Executive Producer of the Craft in America series, Patricia Bischetti states, “Carol Sauvion is the visionary behind Craft in America. Her inspiration to explore the handmade on PBS has blossomed into a movement driven by the fundamental truth that the handmade is essential in our cultures and our humanity. Carol’s continuing commitment to the crafts, our artists, and our project has had a huge impact in the field and on many lives.”
Board Member Cornelia Carey observes, ”Carol has been the vision and the glue for the work of Craft in America since 2004. Her drive comes from her passion and respect for artists who transform materials into objects of beauty at the highest level. I shudder to think of all of the artists’ voices I would not have known had it not been for Craft in America bringing them to life.”
About Carol Sauvion
Carol Sauvion grew up in Philadelphia, PA, and is a craftsperson herself. As a potter, she would spend 12-hour days at the wheel, giving her a deep understanding of the skill required to master a craft. She learned under the mentorship of artist Toshi Seeger, who gave Sauvion her start in the crafts. She sold her work at galleries and craft shows for years, but eventually came to realize that her true calling was promoting craft and the work of other artists.
Sauvion opened Freehand Gallery, a fine craft shop, located in the heart of Los Angeles in the West 3rd Street district, in 1980. In 1996, after 16 years of selling the finest contemporary craft to local customers at Freehand, Sauvion noticed that craft was still an underrecognized art form. She felt the best way to remedy this was to put craft on television. She created the Craft in America series, and after years of planning, the first episode aired on PBS in 2007, receiving the Peabody Award. As of 2025, the series has produced 35 episodes, taking viewers on intriguing and often emotional journeys through the lives, histories, and processes of American craft artists. The series is a celebration of the handmade and its significant impact.
Sauvion currently oversees Freehand Gallery, the Craft in America series, and the Craft in America Center — a space for exhibitions, events, and education. Since the pandemic, craft has seen a resurgence, with makers of all levels creating everything from masks to quilts to furniture. Sauvion has spent much of her life promoting and documenting craft, and now it seems that craft is more important than ever. It is a uniting force in a time of division and a meditative activity in a time of increased anxiety.
“Whatever happens, the handmade endures.” – Carol Sauvion
About Robyn Hollingshead
Robyn Hollingshead, former Managing Program Director for the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, will join our organization after a career in nonprofit management and philanthropy. She brings a wealth of knowledge about traditional and folk arts to our organization, as well as an understanding of the workings of nonprofits, specifically in the arts and media. She has also served on the staffs of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Friends of Hospital Albert Schweitzer, Haiti (a Mellon family project), and the Joseph Drown Foundation. Her personal artistic interest is in painting, and she will continue her lifelong involvement in pursuing this medium. Robyn’s background in the arts, experience in philanthropy, and strong administrative skills will ensure that Craft in America’s mission is supported and carried out.
About Anne Ruhr Pifer
Ann Pifer will come to Craft in America, where she has been the treasurer of our board for many years, from her position as Executive Director of AdoptAClassroom.org. There, she led a successful turnaround of the organization, more than tripling its revenues and its impact for teachers and students. Prior to her position at AdoptAClassroom.org, Ann had a 15-year career in corporate banking and then owned and operated The Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul, Minnesota, representing craft artists from across the country. She has served on the boards of Craft Retailers and Artists for Tomorrow (CRAFT) and the Minnesota Museum of American Art. We are fortunate to have Ann’s administrative and financial skills, along with her dedication to the handmade.
PRESS CONTACT
Lauren Over
Communications Coordinator
Craft in America
press@craftinamerica.org
ABOUT CRAFT IN AMERICA
Craft in America is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit arts organization founded in 2004 with the mission to promote and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media. The Peabody Award-winning, Emmy-nominated Craft in America documentary series first aired nationally on PBS in 2007 and has produced 35 hour-long episodes to date. These programs are filled with artists, techniques, and stories from diverse cultures, blending history with living practice.
Our Mission
To promote and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media
Our Goals
To document the importance of handmade objects and the artists who make them
To provide a gateway to discover, explore, and experience craft
To celebrate our nation’s cultures through craft
EAST & WEST: *NEW* Craft in America Episodes Coming to PBS, Part of Handwork 2026
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 16, 2025 |
| [Los Angeles] – This December, Craft in America begins a journey around the United States with EAST, the first episode in our celebration of the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary, part of PBS’s slate of programming for PBS America @ 250. EAST will be joined by WEST, also premiering in December 2025, with NORTH and SOUTH episodes premiering in 2026. EAST & WEST will premiere on PBS on Friday, December 19, 2025 at 9pm and 10pm (check local listings) and stream starting November 24th, 2025 on the PBS App, pbs.org/craftinamerica, and craftinamerica.org. They will stream on YouTube starting December 19th, 2025. This four-episode event is a part of the Handwork 2026 initiative, Craft in America’s nationwide Semiquincentennial collaboration showcasing the importance of the handmade and celebrating the diversity of craft that defines America. Find out more at handwork2026.org. Craft in America is the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary series discovering the beauty, significance and relevance of handmade objects and the artists who make them. Stream previous episodes of the series on YouTube and the PBS App. “Craft in America…[has a] knack for telling big stories…about the formation of culture, the purpose of creativity, the idea that the pursuits of beauty and utility are foundational to humanity.”– The New York Times CONTACT press@craftinamerica.org |
EAST explores the intersection of history, culture and contemporary craft in the eastern region of the US. As a nation of immigrants, these American stories, from a fabric flower factory to a silversmith to a potter and more, highlight the diverse expressions behind modern craft.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
We meet fiber artist Bisa Butler at her studio in Jersey City, New Jersey. Butler creates remarkable quilted portraits that tell stories of African American life, taking inspiration from historical photos and family history.
In Philadelphia, Colette Fu opens a giant pop-up book, revealing an intricate scene made from her photographs and cut paper. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, the pop-up books and sculptures she crafts are inspired by Chinese American history and her travels in Yunnan Province, China, where her mother is from.
Surrounded by nature in her studio in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Helena Hernmarck weaves wall-sized tapestries designed for modern, architectural environments. She takes inspiration from nature, her life and other artists, collaborating with artists from the United States to Sweden, where she grew up.
Roberto Lugo welcomes us to his neighborhood of Kensington in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He works as a potter, taking deep inspiration from his community, graffiti and Ancient Greek pottery, and values sharing his art with the public by throwing pots in parks and creating public works of art.
Adam and Warren Brand show us around the last remaining fabric flower factory of its kind in the country, a fourth-generation New York institution called M&S Schmalberg. They use the same methods to handmake flowers that were used when the factory was established in 1916, keeping the art alive in the 21st century.
Silversmith Ubaldo Vitali welcomes us to Maplewood, New Jersey, where he makes his home and business as a fourth-generation metalworker from Italy. Vitali makes original work and restores historical silver, including the work of Paul Revere, whom we learn more about from the Paul Revere House.
WEST celebrates the continuum of heritage and the handmade, taking inspiration from the landscape, history and culture of the American West. Working across cowboy arts, Hawaiian indigenous practices, and Native American handwork, the makers show how traditional craft can be revived, reworked and reinvented in the art of today.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
We meet bootmaker Graham Ebner in Austin, Texas, where he crafts bespoke cowboy boots. He uses traditional bookmaking techniques paired with his creative and original style to tell stories through his custom, high-quality boots.
In Honolulu, Hawaii, we are introduced to Native Hawaiian artists who are committed to keeping indigenous practices alive through their work. These artists and institutions include culture bearer and fiber artist Marques Hanalei Marzan, feather artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida, Cissy Serrao, and Rae Correia of the Poakalani quilters, the Bishop Museum, and the Hōkūleʻa ocean voyaging canoe.
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is the only educational institution in the world dedicated to the study of contemporary Native American and Alaskan Native arts. Here, we meet students and teachers and learn how the school gives them the opportunity to develop artistic practices, embracing the history and creating the future of Native American arts.
We meet Cary Schwarz, an internationally recognized saddle maker, and Jeff Minor, a rawhide braider, working in Salmon, Idaho. They demonstrate intricate leatherwork processes, and we learn how they engage with their community and work to keep traditional cowboy arts alive.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
OUR MISSION
To promote and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media
OUR GOALS
To document the importance of handmade objects and the artists who make them
To provide a gateway to discover, explore and experience craft
To celebrate our nation’s cultures through craft
CRAFT IN AMERICA, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
PBS America @ 250 Marks Nation’s Semiquincentennial with Expansive Programming
PBS Publicity
5/20/25
PBS America @ 250 Marks Nation’s Semiquincentennial with Expansive Programming Beginning Spring 2025 and Through 2026
ARLINGTON, VA; May 20, 2025 – PBS America @ 250 is a multiyear celebration of U.S. history, culture, and children’s programming, from spring 2025 through America’s Semiquincentennial in 2026 and beyond. As part of the largest national and local engagement effort in its history, PBS member stations will pay homage to the country’s founding with events in more than 75 markets nationwide. In addition, next summer, from June 27 through July 4, 2026, PBS will showcase a collection of its programming during a special week commemorating this important milestone.
PBS America @ 250, which was first announced in 2024, is designed to engage the country and inspire conversation around history and civics. In addition to tentpole programming like THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION from Ken Burns and Florentine Films, PBS KIDS, PBS LearningMedia, PBS Digital Studios, and PBS member stations will explore these topics at a national and local level.
With support from The Kern Family Foundation, PBS has launched the largest education and outreach effort in its history with THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. As part of the initiative, stations are hosting screenings and discussions with the filmmakers and historians. Events have already taken place in Richmond, Williamsburg, Boston, Lexington and Concord, Charleston, Raleigh, and Atlanta, with upcoming events in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Charlottesville to name a few. A full list of events can be found at www.pbs.org/americanrevolution.
“PBS America @ 250 is an extraordinary undertaking, made possible by the dedication of our member stations, PBS LearningMedia, PBS Digital Studios, producers, and countless others,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. “I could not be prouder of the powerful content emerging from these collaborative efforts. Our nation’s history deserves to be honored, and through this work, we are doing just that. PBS was made for this type of national reflection.”
PBS America @ 250 programming will span across History, Music and Culture, plus programming from PBS KIDS. More titles will be announced on a rolling basis.
At the helm of the initiative is THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new six-part, 12-hour documentary series from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, which explores the country’s founding struggle and its eight-year War for Independence, premiering Nov. 16. A MORE PERFECT UNION: INSPIRING CIVIC & CIVIL CONVERSATIONS ACROSS AMERICA, a special from WETA in collaboration with the National Constitution Center that follows THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, examines how we think about America’s founding and how the ideas and values articulated 250 years ago remain relevant to conversations about governance today. It will premiere on Nov. 24.
HANDWORK: A CRAFT IN AMERICA 250 SPECIAL, a four-part series, will celebrate 250 years of handmade artistry with the first two episodes, “East” and “West,” premiering Dec. 19. Each episode is told through the hands of makers and explores ancestral traditions and modern innovation. Celebrating the significance of handcrafted objects in shaping and reflecting America’s diverse cultural heritage, these episodes are one part of HANDWORK: CELEBRATING AMERICAN CRAFT 2026, a multi-faceted, national initiative organized by Craft in America. Exhibitions and community events will be held nationwide in collaboration with PBS member stations, and educational programs for K-12 will be available on PBS LearningMedia.
LUCY WORSLEY INVESTIGATES: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a two-part miniseries from BBC Studios marking the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary, takes Lucy Worsley back on the detective trail as she uncovers why the British Empire, the most powerful in history, lost the War of Independence against a ragtag band of American rebels. This two-part special will premiere in spring 2026.
DECLARATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE, a documentary from VPM, Virginia’s home for Public Media, explores the American Revolution through the eyes of free and enslaved Black people in the 1700-1800s. It will premiere in summer 2026.
GREAT PERFORMANCES “SUFFS,” based on the Tony Award-winning musical created by Shaina Taub, tells the story of the passionate American women who fought for the right to vote and explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality. It will premiere in spring 2026. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW’s “250 Years of Americana” special episode will feature items from 1775 through today, and a journey through time via material culture. The special will premiere in summer 2026.
PBS will bring back several AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: PRESIDENTIAL PROFILES, examining the history of the American presidency, in addition to several original films. CAPITOL CONCERTS 2026 will feature a variety of well-known musical artists to celebrate America.
PBS KIDS programming will feature MAP ZAPPERS, a new series from Arkansas PBS that follows three ordinary kids who stumble across a highly anticipated museum exhibit in Washington, D.C. that contains artifacts from every U.S. state and territory. When they accidentally activate a piece of technology that teleports, or “zaps,” all the artifacts back to their place of origin, the trio of friends travel across the country, recovering the lost artifacts and learning about what it means to be an American along the way.
Additional content from ongoing PBS KIDS series will be a part of the PBS America @ 250 initiative, including a special new episode from MOLLY OF DENALI, plus new civics-themed content from ROSIE’S RULES and ALMA’S WAY.
PBS America @ 250 will include an array of digital programs. ROGUE HISTORY, from PBS Digital Studios and PBS North Carolina, introduces audiences to the rebels and revolutionaries who lit the fuse 250 years ago during America’s fight for independence. Season 2 will premiere on May 28, on the PBS Origins Channel.
IN THE MARGINS, from PBS Digital Studios and WHYY, reveals lesser-known figures who made huge impacts on the shape of the country and tells stories that expand our understanding of American history. Season 2 will premiere on June 25, on PBS Origins Channel.
CIVICS MADE EASY is a digital series hosted by author Ben Sheehan that explains how the American government and the U.S. Constitution work. Produced by Second Peninsula, the team behind PBS’s BRIEF BUT SPECTACULAR, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the series premieres June 26, on the PBS YouTube Channel.
As part of PBS America @ 250, PBS LearningMedia will help connect teachers and students to educational resources and learning events that draw from the broad range of new programming. Through curated, media-rich collections aligned to curriculum, PBS LearningMedia will help educators and students engage with this milestone moment in our nation’s history, inviting reflection, learning, and deeper understanding of how our past continues to shape our present.
Many of the 330 public television stations are partnering with educators and a wide range of local organizations to spark meaningful conversations about the nation’s founding and its evolving story.
Craft in America Premieres New Season with Episodes: SCIENCE & COLLECTORS
[Los Angeles] – SCIENCE and COLLECTORS premiere on PBS December 27 at 9pm and 10pm, respectively (check local listings).
Streaming starts November 12th on the PBS App, pbs.org/craftinamerica, and craftinamerica.org.
The episodes comprise the newest season of Craft in America. The Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary series has produced 16 seasons since 2007, discovering the beauty, significance and relevance of handmade objects and the artists who make bring them to life.
“Craft in America…[has a] knack for telling big stories… about the formation of culture, the purpose of creativity, the idea that the pursuits of beauty and utility are foundational to humanity.” – New York Times
SCIENCE
SCIENCE investigates the unexpected intersection between art and the sciences, spanning technology, engineering, biology, math, and the climate emergency. Nature, space, algorithms, and more serve as inspiration for artists connecting their work to the world around them, from the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico to the computer science labs of MIT to NASA and the International Space Station. The featured artists are Erik & Martin Demaine, Joan Takayama-Ogawa, Chris Maynard, John Luebtow, Joseph & Sergio Youngblood Lugo and Karen Nyberg.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Erik & Martin Demaine (Cambridge, MA)
We begin at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Erik and Martin Demaine combine math with art. Erik is an MIT professor of computer science and the father-son team takes inspiration from their research to create unique curved-crease origami sculptures from folded paper.
Joan Takayama-Ogawa (Los Angeles, CA)
We find ceramic artist Joan Takayama-Ogawa at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California. Joan is a passionate artist and educator who uses her work in clay to respond to the ongoing climate emergency.
Chris Maynard (Olympia, WA)
We travel to Olympia, Washington, to meet Chris Maynard, who creates intricate art entirely from bird feathers. Inspired by his love of the natural world and his background as a biologist, Chris hopes to give people a new perspective on nature through his art.
John Luebtow (Los Angeles, CA)
Back in Los Angeles, we meet John Luebtow, a glass sculptor and teacher. He introduces us to the founder of the modern kindergarten, Friedrich Froebel, and how Froebel’s geometric “gifts” inspired John and generations of other artists.
Joseph & Sergio Youngblood Lugo (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM)
The Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico has been home to a long tradition of Native potters, including brothers Joseph and Sergio Youngblood Lugo. Joseph and Sergio demonstrate the ancestral firing technique that produces their unique polished pottery.
Karen Nyberg (Salt Lake City, UT)
We end the episode with retired NASA astronaut and quilter Karen Nyberg. Karen brought quilting to the International Space Station and inspired the international quilting challenge that connected makers from all over the world. Karen continues to create art inspired by space and science.
COLLECTORS
COLLECTORS reveals the essential role that craft appreciators play in the community. It examines how collectors affirm and inspire the artists they support and how the art enriches the lives of the collectors in turn. The episode highlights collections from Chicano art to teapots to wooden spoons, looking at what drives collectors and how their support furthers artists at all stages of their careers. The featured artists and institutions are Cynthia Lockhart, Carolyn Mazloomi, Sara Vance Waddell, American Craft Council, Peter Shire, Sonny & Gloria Kamm, Fleur Bresler, Judith Chernoff & Jeffrey Bernstein, Norm Sartorius, Cheech Marin, Yolanda González, Francisco Palomares, Frank Romero and Jaime “Germs” Zacarias.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Carolyn Mazloomi, Cynthia Lockhart and Sara Vance Waddell (Cincinnati, OH)
COLLECTORS opens in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Carolyn Mazloomi, an artist, collector and curator and the founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN). We meet Cynthia Lockhart, a quilt artist who has found community with the WCQN, and Sara Vance Waddell, a collector of women’s art, and learn how the three women have developed a friendship through collecting that has provided inspiration and encouragement in their lives.
American Craft Council (Baltimore, MD)
In Baltimore, Maryland, we meet several dynamic young collectors and the artists they support at the American Craft Council’s annual show, American Craft Made Baltimore. This celebration of craft provides an opportunity for artists and collectors to meet in person and connect over the art that brings them together.
Sonny and Gloria Kamm and Peter Shire (Los Angeles, CA)
We meet Sonny and Gloria Kamm and their vast collection of teapots in Los Angeles, California. They lead us to artist Peter Shire and discover the joy he finds in creating unique objects, from teapots to mugs to furniture.
Fleur Bresler, Judith Chernoff and Jeffrey Bernstein, and Norm Sartorius (Washington, D.C., and Parkersburg, WV)
In Washington, D.C., we visit the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and meet three collectors who have donated work to the museum, Fleur Bresler, Judith Chernoff and Jeffrey Bernstein. They explain why sharing their collections with the public is an essential part of their connection with artists and introduce us to Norm Sartorius, a wood artist who makes fascinating and original spoons.
Cheech Marin, Yolanda González, Francisco Palomares, Frank Romero and Jaime “Germs” Zacarias (Riverside, CA)
Returning to California, comedian and collector Cheech Marin takes us to the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum. Cheech has made a lifelong project of collecting and encouraging Chicano artists and found a home for his collection at the Riverside Art Museum. Yolanda González, Francisco Palomares, Frank Romero and Jaime “Germs” Zacarias are among the featured artists we meet from his collection.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
ABOUT CRAFT IN AMERICA
Craft in America is the Peabody Award-winning series on PBS exploring America’s creative spirit through the language and traditions of the handmade. The series takes viewers on a journey to the artists, origins and techniques of American craft. Each episode contains stories from diverse regions and cultures, blending history with living practice and exploring issues of identity, ritual, philosophy and creative expression. Craft in America’s organizational efforts include educator guides that adhere to national standards and the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles.
OUR MISSION
To promote and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media
OUR GOALS
To document the importance of handmade objects and the artists who make them
To provide a gateway to discover, explore and experience craft
To celebrate our nation’s cultures through craft
CRAFT IN AMERICA, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
CONTACT
Lauren Over
press@craftinamerica.org
Woodworking Network: Craft in America Launches Craft Video Dictionary
5/13/24
Full, original article by Dakota Smith on Woodworking Network here.
Craft in America has launched the first-ever Craft Video Dictionary (CVD). The CVD is an online resource that gives the public a direct, close-up view of craft processes and techniques. Instead of words and images, CVD definitions are conveyed via video. Clear and concise, these videos are edited to focus on the artists’ movements and the transformation of materials. The project was initiated with support from The Decorative Arts Trust through their Prize for Excellence and Innovation in late 2020.
The first rollout of this new reference tool includes an initial batch of one hundred video definitions. This initial collection of videos begins to flesh out the ins and outs of art and craft making across a range of materials and media. Two hundred videos will be posted in total later this year.
The CVD includes techniques as demonstrated by artists with expertise in ceramics, metal, wood, fiber, glass, and more. Each video captures an artist manipulating material with their hands and tools through methods that are traditional, historic, and also very much still alive. “The CVD videos are intended to clearly define a craft technique, rather than demonstrate a how-to process. We hope this project will be useful to educators, museums, and everyone interested in craft,” says CVD project producer Denise Kang.
Thus far, 14 artists have been filmed across Southern California, and many of them are teaching artists at colleges in the region. The CVD includes definitions of terms ranging from sgraffito, which is a ceramics process, to glass blowing, and from cabinet making and joinery, to spindle turning, and blacksmithing.
By providing an intimate lens into the artist’s studio, CVD video definitions provide a sense of how the objects in our world come to be and what their craft entails. On creating the videos, CVD Project Director Emily Zaiden noted, “each artist during filming was able to take a step back from their second nature process and think about what someone unfamiliar with their craft might need to see and understand their work.”
A NEW, FREE ONLINE DICTIONARY OF CRAFT DEBUTS
This reinvented dictionary brings word definitions to life through videos of artists making objects.
About the Craft Video Dictionary
Three years in the making, Craft in America has launched the first ever Craft Video Dictionary (CVD), craftvideodictionary.org. The CVD is a free online resource that gives the public a direct, close-up view of craft processes and techniques. Instead of words and images, CVD definitions are conveyed via video. Clear and concise, these videos are edited to focus strictly on the artists’ movements and the transformation of materials. The project was initiated with support from The Decorative Arts Trust through their inaugural Prize for Excellence and Innovation, which was received in late 2020.
The first rollout of this new reference tool includes an initial batch of 100 video definitions. This initial collection of videos begins to flesh out the ins and outs of art and craft making across a range of materials and media. 200 videos will be posted in total later this year.
The CVD includes technique definitions as demonstrated by artists with expertise in ceramics, metal, wood, fiber, glass and more materials. Each video captures an artist manipulating material with their hands and tools through methods that are traditional, historic, and also very much still alive. “The CVD videos are intended to clearly define a craft technique, rather than demonstrate a how-to process. We hope this project will be useful to educators, museums, and everyone interested in craft,” says CVD Project Producer Denise Kang.
Thus far, 14 artists were filmed across Southern California, many of them are teaching artists at colleges in the region. The CVD includes definitions of terms ranging from sgraffito, which is a ceramics process, to glass blowing, and from cabinet making and joinery, to spindle turning, and blacksmithing.
By providing an intimate lens into the artist’s studio, CVD video definitions provide a sense of how the objects in our world come to be and what craft really entails. On creating the videos, CVD Project Director Emily Zaiden noted, “each artist during filming was able to take a step back from their second nature process and think about what someone unfamiliar with their craft might need to see and understand so as to appreciate their work.”