Artist in residence at MSU helps mark nation’s semiquincentennial through Craft in America celebration

Mississippi State University
9/10/26

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is one of 10 universities nationwide selected to host a one-week artist residency as part of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026.

Timed with America’s semiquincentennial year, Craft in America’s initiative aims to showcase the evolving field of craft and its vital role throughout history and in contemporary art.

Coulter Fussell, a visual artist who lives and works in Water Valley, is spending this week in residency at MSU, engaging with students and the community with lectures, critiques and workshops.

“We are honored to be selected to participate in Craft in America’s nationwide celebration of craft and the handmade during America’s 250th year,” said MSU Professor Critz Campbell. “The Department of Art is also proud to introduce our students to Coulter’s incredible textile practice.”

An exhibition of Fussell’s work is on display through Sept.11 in the Old Main Academic Building Art Gallery, Room 1070. A gallery talk and reception will be held on Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the gallery. Viewing hours this week are 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.  

A full-time studio artist, Fussell’s practice spans quilting, upholstery and mixed media works that are a culmination of photography and sculpting. In 2024, she received funding from The Andy Warhol Foundation of Visual Arts Exhibition Support Grant, and her work was featured in an art-book publication, New Women’s Work: Reimagining “Feminist” Craft in Contemporary Art and Art in America. Fussell’s work at The Armory Show with Sheet Cake Gallery was named “Best of” by ArtNews, and her recent solo show at The Mississippi Museum of Art was highlighted by The New York Times as a “What to See This Spring at Museums Across the Country.”

“We have been thrilled to work with Craft in America and Coulter Fussell for the past several months to create her solo exhibition, student interactions and her residency at Mississippi State,” said Dixie Boswell, Department of Art exhibit coordinator. “The Department of Art has a consistent history of strong programming to bring in world-class artists and scholars to enrich the educational experience of our students and the community at large, and we strive to support our young artists with every opportunity for exposure, growth and critique possible.” 

See the full Handwork schedule at https://www.handwork2026.org/. Learn more about Fussell at https://www.coulterfussell.com/.

Housed within MSU’s College of Architecture, Art and Design, visit www.caad.msstate.edu/art for more information on MSU’s Department of Art.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.

Original article here.

Handwork 2026 Artist in Residence – Coulter Fussell

Mississippi State University
College of Architecture, Art, and Design
8/22/26

Location
MSU Department of Art and Old Main Gallery

Begins
September 7, 2026

Ends
September 11, 2026

The Mississippi State University Department of Art is pleased to host Mississippi-based artist Coulter Fussell for a visiting artist residency from September 7–11, 2026. This residency is supported through Handwork 2026, a national initiative celebrating the evolving field of craft and its vital role in contemporary art.

Working from her studio in Water Valley, Mississippi, Fussell has developed a distinctive practice that merges quilting, painting, sculpture, and photography into layered textile works that challenge traditional boundaries between craft and fine art. Drawing from donated and discarded materials, her work carries the embedded histories of everyday life, transforming familiar fabrics into complex visual narratives that explore memory, landscape, and the emotional terrain of the rural South.

During her residency, Fussell will engage with students through lectures, critiques, and hands-on workshops that foreground material experimentation and the conceptual possibilities of textile-based practices. Emphasizing process, improvisation, and community-sourced materials, her approach invites students to reconsider authorship, value, and the cultural significance of making.

The residency will include a public exhibition of Fussell’s work (August 15th – September 11th) , offering audiences an opportunity to experience her immersive quilt-based installations firsthand. These works—at once intimate and expansive—collapse distinctions between personal and collective histories, weaving together fragments of lived experience into richly textured compositions that are both visually striking and deeply resonant.

By bringing Fussell to campus, the Department of Art advances its commitment to connecting students and the broader community with leading voices in contemporary practice. This residency highlights the continued relevance of craft traditions within a global contemporary art discourse, while grounding that conversation in the cultural and material realities of Mississippi and the American South.

Original article here.

Artist Talk: Cary Schwarz

Discover Los Angeles
8/17/26

FREE | Aug 22, 2026 at 4:00PM – 5:00PM

Craft in America Center
8415 West Third St, Los Angeles 90048

As part of our Cowboy Craft: Traditional Art of the West exhibition, Cary—a National Heritage Fellow and master saddle maker—will share stories about his craft, the traditions of saddle making, and the importance of keeping these skills alive. Schwarz is featured in the Craft in America episode, WEST. Schwarz is a founding member of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA), a non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional cowboy crafts. He has received recognition for his work, including the Governor’s Award for the Arts by the Idaho Commission on the Arts in 2010.

Please email rsvp@craftinamerica.org to attend in person or register to join the webinar online.

This talk is presented in conjunction with the Craft in America Center exhibition, Cowboy Craft: Traditional Art of the West, on view June 13 through September 12, 2026.

Original post here.

America 250. Craft in America Center: Cowboy Craft & Handwork

KTLA
By Gayle Anderson
8/7/26


The Craft in America Center in Los Angeles is hosting the “Cowboy Craft: Traditional Art of the West” exhibition and “Marques Hanalei Marzan: Entwine,” a solo mainland exhibition showcasing works by the renowned Honolulu-based Native Hawaiian fiber artist and cultural practitioner.

The two artists are featured in the AMERICA 250 Craft in America’s Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026 celebration of artists across the country, whose goal is to get the next generation to spend less time on screens and more time learning and studying the crafts that have last more than 250 years.

The Craft in America Center in Los Angeles will host the free Cowboy Art Talk #2 online via Zoom on Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT. This online event features silversmiths Beau Compton and Scott Hardy alongside rawhide braider Leland Hensley.

There will be a Q & A at the end of the presentation.

Registration is required at craftinamerica.org.

Original article and video here.

Ehren Tool Lecture & Demonstration at Pasadena City College

CONSUME: CHEF / MAKER ARTIST TALKS

Starting with the opening afternoon of Consume: Handcrafting L.A. Restaurants, the Craft in America Center will be presenting talks between chefs and designers/makers that they have worked with. Check back as we add more talks throughout the run of the exhibition.

Please RSVP to events at rsvp@

Otium / Neptune Glassworks / Irving Place Studio
10/5/19, 3pm
At 3pm, please join the Craft in America Center for a talk with Chef Timothy Hollingsworth of Otium, Uri Davillier of Neptune Glassworks, and Sabrina Judge of Irving Place Studio on collaborating and how the handmade came to shape the look of Otium. The discussion will be moderated by the curator of the exhibition and Director of the Center, Emily Zaiden.
Event page: https://www.craftinamerica.org/event/consume-opening

n/naka / MANO YA
10/7/19, 7pm
This installment will feature Chef Niki Nakayama of n/naka and Design/Maker pair Zen Sekizawa and Mario Correa of MANO YA. This talk will be moderated by Center Coordinator and Assistant Curator Alex Miller.
Event page: https://www.craftinamerica.org/event/nnaka

auburn / Klein Agency / Humble Ceramics
10/24/19, 7pm
This talk will feature Chef Eric Bost of auburn paired with Jon and Masa Kleinhample of Klein Agency and Delphine Lippens of Humble Ceramics.
Event page: https://www.craftinamerica.org/event/auburn

Somni
12/9/19, 7pm
A talk with Chef Aitor Zabala of Somni about collaborating on dishes and the creative process behind the design of Somni and practices used in his cooking and plating.

Support for these programs provided by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, the Pasadena Art Alliance, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission

ARTIST TALK: SUSAN CUMMINS

This past Saturday, art jewelry advocate Susan Cummins walked a full house through the wearable artworks of Joyce J. Scott. As the former owner of a gallery that dealt in fine art jewelry, a collector, and now the director of the Rotasa Foundation, Cummins had a unique access point for Scott’s work.

Cummins spoke specifically about four necklaces that are in The Circuitry of Joyce J. Scott: A Group Exhibition of Collaboration and Innovation. It was fantastic to hear about specific pieces and them to be able to point to them around the room.

As a lovely surprise, Shana Kroiz, who has a piece in Circuitry, was able to relate her personal connection to Scott and how she doesn’t believe that Scott gets any sleep because of how prolific she is. As another surprise, a member of the audience was actually wearing a Joyce J. Scott piece.

The talk will be available on craftinamerica.org soon.

ARTIST TALK: ALEJANDRO DE ÁVILA BLOMBERG & JIM BASSLER

Thank you for everyone that joined us this past Sunday at the Biscailuz Gallery at El Pueblo de Los Angeles for a conversation between fiber artist Jim Bassler and botanist/anthropologist/Director of the Ethnobotanical Garden Alejandro de Ávila Blomberg. The conversation was surrounded by of our exhibition Borders and Neighbors: Craft Connectivity Between the U.S. and Mexico was very personal and the two spoke directly about their relationships with each other and of Oaxaca.

What stood out were their descriptions of Oaxaca: a culture that was not defined by consumerism but more by art, which is so rare. They spoke about how unique elements of Oaxaca have allowed it to maintain an authenticity while being dominated by tourism. The talk will be available on the website soon.

ARTIST TALK: PENNY MORRILL, BORDERS & NEIGHBORS OPENING RECEPTION

We are so honored to have our exhibition Borders and Neighbors: Craft Connectivity Between the U.S. and Mexico hosted at the Biscailuz Gallery at El Pueblo de Los Angeles. The exhibition opened last Saturday with a huge turnout. We had a packed house for Penny Morrill’ls talk “Mexican Silver Designers Imagine their Future with Roots in the Past.” The talk was a fantastic journey of the history of silver jewelry starting with William Spratling setting up a studio, then to the evolution of those that worked with him starting their own studios. It was truly fascinating and Penny not only had a wealth of knowledge, but a great sense of humor as well.

Penny’s talk will be available online soon, as well as images from the Borders and Neighbors exhibition.

You can follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more updates. videos, and images from all that we do at Craft in America.

ARTIST TALK: GERARDO MONTERRUBIO

Today, artist Gerardo Monterrubio gave a heartfelt and thoughtful talk at the Center. It was a full house surrounded by his magnificent work.

It was remarkable how much we learned about the artist personally. While always referencing a piece of artwork, we were informed about his past via the drawings that adorn his sculpted objects. He mentioned that one of the things about working in 3D is beauty of imagery being able to wrap around.

During the talk, Gerardo talked about how he loves how glaze violates the form. It will run and move on the pieces unexpectedly. It might draw your attention to something you might not have noticed.

The talk will be available online to view soon. You can view all artist talks on our website at www.craftinamerica.org/talks