Artist Talk: Marques Hanalei Marzan
In person and online
Marques Marzan will present on his wide-ranging fiber-based artwork using techniques such as twining, hand-weaving, knotting and looping as inspired by his Hawaiian ancestors. Marzan’s forms reference garments and other bodily adornments.
Marzan is featured in the Craft in America episode, WEST. He is a Hawaiian and Oceanic fibers culture bearer and contemporary visual artist. He is highly regarded in his community for his skill, knowledge, and experience and serves as a mentor and advocate, promoting sustainable gathering practices, perpetuating Hawaiian fiber techniques, and instilling indigenous values in his students. Marques bridges the innovations of the past with those of the present, creating dialogues within his work and community engagement that speak to the vibrancy and dynamism of culture.
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, Marques Hanalei Marzan: Entwine, on view June 13 through September 12, 2026.
Photo by Jordan Fong.
Opening Receptions—Cowboy Craft: Traditional Art of the West and Marques Hanalei Marzan: Entwine
Please join us to celebrate the openings of two exhibitions related to the Craft in America WEST episode.
Please email rsvp@craftinamerica if you would like to attend.
Cowboy Craft, features artwork made by bonafide members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. Founding member, saddle maker, and NEA Fellow Cary Schwarz helped to organize the exhibition.
Wilson Capron
Beau Compton
Shawn Didyoung
Leland Hensley
Larry Lorang
Pablo Lozano
Ernie Marsh
Cary Schwarz
John Willemsma
Marques Hanalei Marzan: Entwine is a premiere solo exhibition of Marzan’s work on the mainland. The exhibition offers a rare chance to see his intricate work in person. Marzan will give an Artist Talk before the reception.
Top images: Left: Beau Compton, Cowboy Stein. Right: Marques Hanalei Marzan, from the Pu’lei series.
Creative Perspectives with Ferne Jacobs
This small group workshop will be for anyone who has taken beginning fiber techniques previously. Those who have learned weaving and off-loom fiber techniques from other teachers are welcome. The intention is for students to be working on a piece of their choice or starting one from scratch. The group will discuss creative approaches for pushing the piece forward and each person will receive individual attention.
Ferne will work with students for the day, advancing the skills from various techniques the students have already learned. Basic technique will not be taught. Discussion and exploration of the creative process and development of forms will be the focus, expanding the technical knowledge already gained.
Students will provide their own materials.
The workshop fee is $125.00. Limit of 9 students. Email rsvp@craftinamerica.org to be placed on a waiting list if the class fills.
Parking: Since most of the parking in the area has a two hour limit, the most convenient option is to pay to park at the Beverly Connection less than a block west on W. Third Street. Handicapped parking is available behind Freehand.
L’Merchie Frazier
Fiber artist L’Merchie Frazier uses her art to tell African American stories.
Archival images and video courtesy of Classic Image / Alamy, GL Archive / Alamy, Historic Collection / Alamy, Science History Images / Alamy, Zip Lexing / Alamy, Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, City of Boston / Produced and Directed by Rashin Fahendej, L’Merchie Frazier, Carolyn Mazloomi, bornreadyfilms / Pond5, Jesse Brown Cook Scrapbooks / University of California, Berkeley Library, Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection / UCLA Library Special Collections.
Gordon Parks series
Artist Bisa Butler‘s quilt portraits based on Gordon Parks’ photographs. Bonus video from the EAST episode.
Images courtesy of ©The Gordon Parks Foundation, DogPhonics / Pond5, Bisa Butler / Mark Bunger photograph, LIFE_Picture_Collection / Pond5.
Free Friends & Families Drop-In Day: May
Craft in America Invites you and your young ones to participate in our Friends & Families Drop-In Day on May 16, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
On this special community day, participants will be guided to discover the history and craftsmanship behind the evolution of the skateboard in this hands-on, all-ages experience!
Get creative as you create your own skateboard designs, piece together inventive builds, and put your creativity, design, and craftsmanship skills to the test through mixed media deck art, scavenger hunts, crossword puzzles, word searches, and skateboard trivia!
We hope to see you this month for some fun mixed media, skateboard deck designing! The Craft in America Center (West Hollywood adjacent) is open Tuesday-Saturday, from 12-6 pm.
Free Friends & Families Drop-In Day: April
Craft in America Invites you and your young ones to participate in our Friends & Families Drop-In Day on April 25, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
On this special community day, participants will be guided to discover the history and craftsmanship behind the evolution of the skateboard in this hands-on, all-ages experience!
Get creative as you create your own skateboard designs, piece together inventive builds, and put your engineering, design, and craftsmanship skills to the test through mixed media deck art, scavenger hunts, word searches, and skateboard trivia!
We hope to see you this month for some fun mixed media, skateboard deck designing! The Craft in America Center (West Hollywood adjacent) is open Tuesday-Saturday, from 12-6 pm.
Creative Perspectives with Ferne Jacobs
This small group workshop will be for anyone who has taken beginning fiber techniques previously. Those who have learned weaving and off-loom fiber techniques from other teachers are welcome. The intention is for students to be working on a piece of their choice or starting one from scratch. The group will discuss creative approaches for pushing the piece forward and each person will receive individual attention.
Ferne will work with students for the day, advancing the skills from various techniques the students have already learned. Basic technique will not be taught. Discussion and exploration of the creative process and development of forms will be the focus, expanding the technical knowledge already gained.
Students will provide their own materials.
The workshop fee is $125.00. Limit of 9 students.
Parking: Since most of the parking in the area has a two hour limit, the most convenient option is to pay to park at the Beverly Connection less than a block west on W. Third Street. Handicapped parking is available behind Freehand.
Graham Ebner segment
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. Segment from WEST episode.
Cary Schwarz segment
Saddle maker Cary Schwarz demonstrates intricate leatherwork processes, and keeps the traditional cowboy arts alive by engaging with his community. Segment from the WEST episode.