CRAFT IN AMERICA: CALIFORNIA Artists Bios

Premieres on PBS Friday, December 21, 2018 at 9pm (check local listings)

Corine Pearce is a Pomo basket weaver from Redwood Valley, CA. Throughout the history of the Pomo people, baskets were the essential tool of life and Pomo baskets are among the best in the world by fact of their sheer technical virtuosity. Corine has dedicated her life to sharing her specialized knowledge and abilities with people throughout the world as well as by teaching her community at the Redwood Valley Education Center. facebook.com/corine.pearce.1

At 19, Randy Stromsoe began working with master silversmith Porter Blanchard. Randy along with his wife Lisa, own and manage Stromsoe Studios on the Central Coast of California, carrying on the metalsmith traditions of hand-formed and hand-finished silver, gold, pewter, and copper. With over four decades of experience, Stromsoe has been featured in many museum and gallery exhibitions and his work is in The White House Collection of American Art, the Renwick Gallery, and the Oakland Museum of California, to name a few. stromsoestudios.com

James Ipekjian and Jack Ipekjian are father and son cabinetmakers. In 1972, James “Jim” Ipekjian, a master craftsman, established Ipekjian Custom Woodwork in Pasadena, CA. In 1994, he was asked to help restore the Blacker House, an important Greene and Greene home in Pasadena. Jim restored and built the furniture exactly according to the Greenes’ designs. He leads tours of the Gamble House, sharing his deep knowledge of the unique construction and furnishings of this National Historic Landmark. Jim designs and builds furniture and lighting and consults for historic home restoration projects. John “Jack” Ipekjian, his son, also a master craftsman, joined ICW in 2006, and in 2014, Jack established Pasadena Woodworks. Jim and Jack continue to work on projects together. Ipekjian Custom Woodwork focuses strictly on custom projects while Pasadena Woodworks focuses on limited production furniture and furniture-related products. pasadenawoodworks.com

Judson Studios is a fine arts studio specializing in stained glass, located in the Arroyo Seco area of Los Angeles, CA. Judson is the oldest family-run stained glass studio in America still making exquisite handcrafted glass, now under the direction of fifth generation David Judson. In 1897, Judson Studios was established in Los Angeles by painter and professor William Lees Judson and his three sons. Over its first century of operation, Judson Studios produced more than 10,000 stained-glass works that can be found throughout Southern California and the United States. Notable examples around Los Angeles can be seen at the Hollyhock House, Ennis House, the Natural History Museum, Glendale Presbyterian Church, and the All Saints Church in Pasadena. David and his team of skilled craftsmen bring a 21st century sensibility and new technology to this ancient craft. judsonstudios.com

Deborah Cross is a textile artist designing wearable art in Freedom, CA near Santa Cruz. Working with the interplay of fabric and the body, she considers beauty and comfort while constructing unique garments that are wondrously varied in their range of color and texture. “I strive for an architectural, feminine, modern feel that transcends seasonal trends and has universal appeal,” says Cross. Her work is regularly featured at the most prestigious craft and wearable art shows across America such as the American Craft Council, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and Smithsonian Museum events. deborahcross.com

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CRAFT IN AMERICA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing original handcrafted work through the Peabody Award-winning documentary series on PBS nationwide and the free-to-the-public Craft in America Center in Los Angeles. With twenty-one episodes produced since 2007, CRAFT IN AMERICA 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. Our websites craftinamerica.org and pbs.org/craftinamerica provide all episodes, hours of online videos and interactive learning materials, as well as object exhibitions, artist information, and the Random House book Craft in America: Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects and other Craft in America publications.

The Craft in America Center is an exhibition and learning space in Los Angeles. We give voice to traditional and contemporary craft through artist talks, workshops, exhibits and concerts. Our reference library contains over one thousand books and videos and is free to the public. We invite you to stop in and to join us for upcoming events and exhibitions – 8415 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA  90048.

For more about Craft in America:
craftinamerica.org                                 
pbs.org/craftinamerica
facebook.com/craftinamerica
youtube.com/craftinamerica             
instagram.com/craftinamerica
twitter.com/CraftinAmerica

To view the Artist Bios:

Please contact for art and interviews: (310) 659-9022
Lauren Over, Communications: press@craftinamerica.org

Additional images of all the artists’ work are available at:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rfy2k461lzl3jgb/AACDyQaZa9_a6h7AKytRp1CXa?dl=0