American Craft Council – Television: Craft in America “East” and “West”

By Jon Spayde
November 6, 2025

Craft in America is best known for its eponymous PBS docuseries honoring craft artists, but it’s far more than a production company; among other things, it also supports a craft museum and an outreach program in public schools. Next year, it will launch an ambitious nationwide craft initiative to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Called Handwork 2026, it’s intended to, organizers write, “showcase the importance of the handmade, both throughout our history and in contemporary life.” More than 250 craft centers, museums, and related organizations will host exhibitions and events.

Craft in America’s flagship show will offer its own coverage through four hour-long special episodes based on the cardinal points of the compass. “East” and “West,” focusing on craft artists in those regions, are set to debut December 19 on PBS, with “North” and “South” to come in December 2026.

“East” and “West” present the makers at work, demonstrating and discussing their histories, aesthetics, and processes, along with assessments from curators, partners, and colleagues. A broad view of American history is on full display.

The portrait of Italian-born master silversmith Ubaldo Vitali in “East,” for example, not only illuminates his immigrant experience but also includes a segment on Paul Revere—Vitali restored several of the patriot-silversmith’s pieces. Bisa Butler’s colorful textile works, often constructed of patterned African cloth, depict African Americans of the recent and more distant past; “East” provides context for her works by adding archival footage of the Black experience. Philadelphia-based Colette Fu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, found a compelling way to display images in the pop-up book format. She demonstrates a massive hand-cranked volume called Noodle Mountain, in which the paper “noodles” that appear are red to represent the blood spilled in anti-Chinese riots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and yellow for the arson fires that destroyed many Chinatowns.

“West” opens with a quintessential symbol of that region: intricate leather saddles, made in Idaho by Cary Schwarz, a member of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. The cowboy boots of Graham Ebner of Austin, Texas, are just as carefully crafted, but hardly traditional: The young artist decorates them with images of Paul Bunyan or a UFO’s encounter with an armadillo. Indigenous initiatives are represented by a segment on the New Mexico–based Institute of American Indian Arts, where Native artists exchange ideas and share traditions; and by a group portrait of Native Hawaiian artists introducing sacred crafts like pandanus-leaf weaving and featherwork to a new generation of makers.

It adds up to an account of contemporary American craft that emphasizes its cultural and ethical power as well as its aesthetics and utility. As Cary Schwarz puts it, “Craftsmanship comes down to the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.”

Jon Spayde is a contributing editor to American Craft.

Made in America: Handwork 2026 invites Americans to discover, explore, and celebrate the country’s craft legacy

American Craft Council

Shivaun Watchorn

8/6/25

To celebrate American craft during the country’s 250th birthday, Los Angeles–based Craft in America has partnered with the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum to spearhead Handwork 2026, a yearlong initiative that includes new TV episodes, a book, craft tourism, a national exhibition, and much more.

Major partners, including the American Craft Council, Americans for the Arts, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, PBS, and Ornament magazine, will help to organize and promote the initiative. More than 200 smaller regional craft museums and organizations will also participate in programming throughout the year.

“Craft is not nostalgic. Craft is alive,” says Carol Sauvion, founder of Craft in America. “That’s something we can be very proud of in our country.”

The initiative recalls 1993’s Year of American Craft, when Michael Monroe, then the chief curator of the Renwick, gathered 75 craft objects for display in the White House and brought the likes of Sam Maloof and Dale Chihuly into the storied building.

Visual arts consultant Harriett Green, who is an American Craft Council trustee, suggested doing something similar for the country’s semiquincentennial in 2026. Why not a full year of celebration of the craft that made—and continues to shape— the United States? Here’s what you can look forward to.

TV and Video. Starting in December, a four-part television documentary produced by the team behind the PBS program Craft in America will air on PBS and online, aiming to capture the full range of craft in the US with episodes titled “East,” “West,” “North,” and “South.” Three separate video initiatives—Handmade America, Craft Across America, and Crafting History—will also stream on PBS, YouTube, and Craft in America’s website.

A Book.  To be published in spring 2026 by Monacelli Press, a book will feature under-told stories about craft histories, artists, materials, and processes.

Residencies and Education. Handwork 2026 artist residencies at select universities are being funded by the Windgate Foundation. Dr. Marilyn Stewart, an arts educator and textbook author, will oversee the creation of a curriculum for K–12 students that will “take a wide look at the history, cultural traditions, and impact of craft in the United States, from Indigenous origins until today,” according to organizers.

An Exhibition. The capstone of the project will be an exhibition at the Renwick Gallery, opening in November 2026, which will draw on the Smithsonian’s permanent collection and include 10 objects acquired specifically for the show.

Regional Programming. Organizers also hope to connect Americans to the country’s craft history through programming with regional partners. In Houston and upstate New York, for example, neighboring organizations plan to offer “craft trails,” where people can visit a handful of craft sites over a weekend.

Ultimately, the goal is to deepen Americans’ appreciation of the craft artists, materials, and processes that have shaped the country in its past 250 years, divided as the country may now be.

“Craft is unifying and craft is gratifying, and there aren’t many things in this world that have those two traits,” says Sauvion.

Shivaun Watchorn is associate editor of American Craft.

American Craft Council: Craft in America Executive Director, Carol Sauvion, Receives American Craft Council Award of Distinction

Read the full, original article at American Craft Council here.

Congratulations to Craft in America Director, Carol Sauvion, for her Award of Distinction from the American Craft Council! This biannual award recognizes an organization, institution, corporation, or individual who has made significant contributions to the field of craft with a minimum of 25 years of service.

Carol Sauvion is the creator of the Peabody Award winning PBS series Craft in America. The documentary series celebrates American craft and the artists who bring it to life. She is also the Executive Director of the Craft in America non-profit organization which has the mission is to promote and advance original handcrafted work through educational programs in all media. Craft is Sauvion’s lifelong passion. For over 40 years she has been the director of Freehand, her Los Angeles gallery specializing in functional craft. Prior to opening Freehand, Sauvion was a professional potter for ten years. Sauvion has her degree in Art History from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She has served on the boards of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and the American Craft Council.

In addition, the ACC awarded a Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship to Craft in America artist, Wendy Maruyama. Craft in America artists Syd Carpenter, Michael A. Cummings, Einar and Jamex de la Torre and Diego Romero were added to the American Craft Council’s College of Fellows. Congratulations to all!