Interdisciplinary. Community. Advocacy. Humor.
Manifesto
Abandoned furniture that has no purpose any more or simply isn't fashionable.
The ever changing cycle, outdated shapes and the hour of triumph for Swedish design. Chairs, wardrobes and hat stands, a truly urban forest growing out of the asphalt, climbing street lamps and walls… this is my forest, my world where I walk with pleasure, always excited by the surprises the new harvest brings, where I hand pick the best pieces, and choose the woods as if they were fruit on a tree. Once in my workshop, my sanctuary, my laboratory, I start the process of transformation, sometimes slow and painful but always intuitive, searching for a certain elegance and poetry made from wood.
Please welcome our newest members:
Charlotte Barnard, Santa Barbara, CA
Luis Mendez Artesanos, Salamanca, Spain
Natasha Heines, Bloomington, IN
- by Ezra Satok-Wolman
Beijing is an amazing city that has been undergoing tremendous growth since its successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. You can almost watch it happening before your eyes. It is by far the largest city I have ever visited, and home to a staggering population of approximately 17.5 million people, equivalent to half of the entire population of Canada. Modern architecture can be found throughout the city, but much of the historical architecture of China’s centuries old political centre remain. In addition you can still find numerous Hutong or ‘neighborhood villages’ dotted throughout Beijing, that have yet to experience modern development.
I was born in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. I was my mother’s third child at the age of 21. My father had a middle school education and had been working on sugar cane fields in Puerto Rico since he was a child. Being raised in the 80’s in Philadelphia I was exposed to prevalent drug use and gang activity. The crack epidemic left half of the houses in my neighborhood abandoned. This neighborhood gave very little hope for a future outside of that of my families history. My parents were the first generation of Puerto Ricans to raise their children in the United States in my family’s history.
- by Dauvit Alexander, UK
I've just had a hiatus of nearly 2 weeks due to the 'flu, four days of which were spent in bed, two of them unable to move my neck at all. Nothing has really progressed since my last report. I've sent off the daffodils to Cursley & Bond for their fundraiser for Cancer Research UK and that is about it. The "Verdura Cuff" commission has got to the stage of choosing stones.
The Joseph Cornell Box: Found Objects, Magical Worlds
Working with found objects, pages from old books, and dime-store trinkets, self-taught artist Joseph Cornell (1903–1972) transformed everyday materials into extraordinary universes. By collecting and carefully juxtaposing his treasures in small, glass-front boxes, this pioneering artist invented visual poems exploring themes as varied as the night sky, the romantic ballet, glamorous movie stars, and bird habitats.
Last week, I filled out the American Craft Council questionnaire about defining the word “craft” and I’ll admit that I played the cynic in my responses. Sometimes I feel compelled when I get the sense something is going way to sharply in one direction that someone needs to sprinkle a little dark on all that light.
The question on the table was a fresh definition of the word “craft” for a new promotional campaign. But the content, to my mind, wasn’t really defining handmade craft so much as trying to define craftsmen. I suppose this is a noble enough pursuit but my inner cynic balked because we were asked to accept the notion that to promote art, we need to promote the artist as part of the art.
Parker Brown, 2014 SNAG /crafthaus Conference scholarship recipient:
The Kunst Schott von Hellengen Breastplate Part IV
Using the prepared working drawings, I like to construct a wooden framework to be used as a template as the breastplate is raised. This gives me a good frame of reference (literally). Once the frame is made, a flat pattern is drawn out onto a sheet of 12 ga. mild steel. The pattern is left deliberately oversized to allow for error. The upper portion of the breastplate nearest the neck is given an extra three inches extension. This will allow for the large folded edge which will strengthen the breastplate and provide a stopping ‘ledge’ to prevent sword thrusts from traveling up into the throat.
The Kunst Schott von Hellengen Breastplate Part V
Raising the breastplate is, by far, the most labor-intensive portion of the project. Each successive raising course tends to take up to about 2 hours. The temptation to rush must be resisted; precise movement of the metal is necessary to insure a proper fit. That said…..make sure you’ve got something really interesting to listen to while working. I’m currently listening to books on tape relating to Anglo-Saxon England. It’s kind of fitting, don’t you think?
This year, three US Craft Centers are generously opening their doors for a crafthaus member to attend one of their classes on a scholarship. Take a look at the wonderful programs each school offers and apply ! Deadline for all: March 15, 2014.
No entry fee. This is a crafthaus membership benefit!
Arrowmont / Crafthaus Workshop Scholarship
Peters Valley / Crafthaus Workshop Scholarship
Touchstone / Crafthaus Workshop Scholarship
The last word....
Why is this necklace worth $602,000 ?
The answer may surprise you so have a listen to last week's Jay Whaley radio interview with Harriete Estel Berman and Betty Talbott, Director of the Ohio Craft Museum and Artistic Director of the Ohio Designer Craftsmen.
This, as well as many other relevant issues around the topic of collecting and collectors will be discussed at the upcoming Professional Development Seminar during the 2014 SNAG conference.
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