American Craft - May 2022

86 Pages·2022·65.4 MB·English

Summer 2022

This Present Moment:
Crafting a Better World

Opens May 13
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Celebrating the
50th Anniversary of
Reexamine the landscape of American craft this spring at the Smithsonian American
the Renwick Gallery
Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the nation’s premier museum dedicated to American
craft. The exhibition features more than 130 artworks that push the boundaries of the
handmade and tell an inclusive story of American art with contributions from women,
people of color, LGBTQ+ and Native artists.
Plan Your Visit: s.si.edu/springrenwick
Renwick Gallery | Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW | Washington DC
Bisa Butler, (cid:39)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:333)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:55)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:68)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:50)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:48)(cid:72)(cid:15)(cid:3)(cid:42)(cid:82)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:39)(cid:68)(cid:80)(cid:81)(cid:15)(cid:3)(cid:47)(cid:72)(cid:87)(cid:333)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:42)(cid:82)(cid:4)(cid:331)(cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:79)(cid:72)(cid:80)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:72)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:403)(cid:74)(cid:75)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:86) (detail), 2019–21, pieced, appliquéd, and quilted cottons, silk, wool, and
velvet, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David Bonderman. Photo by Lee Stalsworth
Summer 2022 / Vol. 82, No. 2
forge
Heat. Fusion.
Vision. Strength.
Features
26
Forging New Paths
REBEKAH FRANK
Rachel David, Elizabeth Brim, and Ellen Durkan
take artistic blacksmithing into new territory.
36
H ip Hop Glassmaker
SUSIE J. SILBERT
Leo Tecosky brings the visual language
of graffiti and the ethos of hip hop to glass.
42
Showtime
CAMILLE LEFEVRE
The ACC Shows—now called American
Craft Made—have been connecting artists
and craft lovers since 1966.
48
Visionaries in Craft

AMERICAN CRAFT STAFF
Meet some of the people and organizations
working toward a more equitable and
supportive craft community.
ON THE COVER: Up close with Rachel
David at her forge. Learn more her and other
blacksmiths on page 26. Photo by Loam. 26
THIS PAGE: Rachel David made this custom
curio cabinet, 2019, out of forged, formed, and
fabricated steel, 92 x 32 x 22 in.
2 american craft summer 2022 / forge
Departments
4 From the Editor

4 From the New

ACC Executive Director
6 Contributors

8 Letters from Readers

22 58
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
10 Preview 14 New Releases 22 Maker
This Present Moment. The Renwick Five books. Two podcasts. The Assembler. For jeweler Carin
Gallery presents over 170 objects that Jones, gathering materials is an art
address gaps in the craft canon. 16 The Crafty Librarian in itself. | KAREN OLSON
ANJULA RAZDAN Highlights from the ACC Library
& Archives. | BETH GOODRICH THE CRAFTED LIFE
12 Sound Advice

chai. To Appraise or Not to Appraise . . . 20 Market 58 How I Made It
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oo Contemporary craft specialist Rinse. Eat. Repeat. Enjoy summer's Material Alchemy. Three artists
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ak Debrah Dunner has the answers. bounty with handcrafted berry transform swords into plowshares.
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th LAINE BERGESON BECCO bowls and colanders. KIMBERLY COBURN
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P An Homage to Yugi. An essay on
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ancestors, and an artist's identity.
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ANGEL YOON KYUNG CHO
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Z 80 End Note
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n Vasylkiv Cockerel. A ceramic rooster
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rin becomes a symbol of Ukrainian
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y strength—and resistance.
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P ABOVE LEFT: Earrings from Carin Jones'
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L domestic rabbit skulls, peach moonstone,
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O sterling silver, and gold-plated signature
T bolts. page 22. ABOVE RIGHT: Veteran
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O and artist Drew Cameron makes paper out
R of military uniforms and equipment. page
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E 58. LEFT: Marcia and Daniel Minter
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WI founded Indigo Arts Alliance to expand
K opportunities for Black and brown artists.
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american craft summer 2022 / forge 3
FROM THE EDITOR
Forge.
I once visited Arcosanti, holds other surprises. Here you’ll dis-
an experimental town in Arizona cover a hip hop glass artist, Korean
designed by architect Paolo Soleri. brassware called yugi, a zoologist turned
The highlight of my visit was attend- jeweler who sources bones only from a
ing an iron pour. A group of artists seller with a permit from the US Fish
tipped molten bronze into forms to and Wildlife Service, a veteran who
create the one-of-a-kind windbells transforms military uniforms into
for which Arcosanti is famous. The paper, a history of the ACC shows,
one I brought home now hangs in my and the story of a ceramic rooster that
porch. When the wind blows, it plays has become a symbol of resistance for
music that rings with strength. That the strong people of Ukraine.
sound, and the sturdy body of the This is an issue about people mak-
bell that was once glowing-hot mol- ing their own way, transforming what
ten metal, are reminders to me of the they think needs to be transformed,
transformative process of craft. and reimagining craft. We hope that
When putting together this issue it sparks new thinking and fortifies
on the theme Forge, we knew we had your spirit.
to include blacksmithing and jewelry,
stories of artists who have forged new
paths, and stories of people with the
vision to create change. But this issue KAREN OLSON / Editor in Chief
A Cosanti Originals bronze windbell. cosanti.com Visit craftcouncil.org/Blog for more stories about American craft.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Greetings, American Craft readers! Craft teaches us to make olly.
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It is a great honor to join the American Craft Council as things well and to appre- r
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executive director. I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into ciate well-made things. It P
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a role that will capitalize so fully on my diverse experiences as strengthens our shared sense o
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a visual artist, attorney, nonprofit executive, and arts advocate. of humanity. To me, the h
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dominantly practical things using materials and methods with its deep connections to T
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passed down through many generations—things like fine culture and history and its B
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wooden boxes, stained glass windows, quilts, and knitwear. remarkable capacity to help ck
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Looking back on it now, I can see that the culture of mak- us understand ourselves and /
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ing that surrounded me from childhood on was important in others—is the work of advancing more connected, vibrant, o
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shaping not only my identity as an artist, but also my sense of and just communities. I’m so excited to engage in this work and
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agency and belonging. to support the fine craft artists whose work I have long admired e
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Some of my fondest memories are set in my grandmother’s as a collector with a small “c.” ea
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kitchen. A daughter of German and Polish immigrants, my To our talented staff, board, and you—ACC’s artists, e,
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grandma baked breads, cakes, pies, sweet rolls, and more, members, donors, advocates, and other supporters—thank evi
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often from memory and always with attention to the aesthetic you for your trust and your partnership. an
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connection to my mother, who also bakes—through the bak- P: P
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ing practice I’ve cultivated since the early days of the pandemic. ANDREA SPECHT / Executive Director T
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Meet some of the many writers and
artists who contributed to this issue
Currently based in Barcelona, editorial legal
designer, potter, and artist Angel
Karen Olson American Craft®
Yoon Kyung Cho spent part of her
Editor in Chief (issn-0194-8008) is published by the
childhood in South Korea. There,
American Craft Council
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bronze ware called yugi to honor their Interim Senior Editor Minneapolis, MN 55413
ancestors in jesa ceremonies. “The craftcouncil.org
Shivaun Watchorn
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Assistant Editor Periodicals postage paid at Minneapolis,
and skilled hands carried a sense of
MN, and additional mailing offices.
mysticism and grace,” writes Cho in
Loma Huh Copyright © 2022 by American Craft
her essay about how yugi is forged Copy Editor Council. All rights reserved.
and what it teaches her. page 66 Reproduction in whole or in part
Cigale Ahlquist without written consent is prohibited.
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ACC membership rate is $60 per year
Jeweler Rebekah Frank writes in
Outside the Box Designs and includes a subscription to
this issue about how blacksmiths Lisa + Adam Mauer Elliott American Craft, at
Elizabeth Brim, Rachel David,
Art Directors craftcouncil.org/Subscribe
and Ellen Durkan are forging new Canadian and foreign orders: email for
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Publisher and addresses with zip code. Allow six of
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Membership Director weeks for change to take effect.
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American Craft Council the manner in which the subscription e
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at The Corning Museum of Glass, nill
writes in this issue about Leo Printed in the U.S.A. Story ideas: Da
craftcouncil.org/Submissions a
Tecosky and how he fuses glass art di
Feedback: [email protected] Ly
and hip hop. “In his approach, his y
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thought processes, and his range of Address unsolicited material to: to
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representation of what is to be an 1224 Marshall St. NE, Suite 200 ns.
Minneapolis, MN 55413 Mai
American today,” Silbert says.
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American Craft (formerly Craft Horizons) T
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Applied Arts Index, and Readers’ Guide ot
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to Periodical Literature. Book reviews P
Become a Member: Subscribe are also indexed in Book Review Index. N:
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Support craft by becoming a member of POSTMASTER: D
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We’re so much more than a magazine. American Craft M
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craftcouncil.org/Subscribe Minneapolis, MN 55413 FR
6 american craft summer 2022 / forge
The Folk School welcomes Elizabeth Belz as
our new Blacksmithing & Metals Coordinator.
. .
www sonyawinner com
LETTERS
mindless consumption fueled by a Too Academic
quantity vs. quality model is the basis Getting a little too academic and
for my zero-waste design strategy in “socially minded” for my taste. I don’t
Spring 2022 upcycling discards. Over the past 20 mind some of that, but I think the bal-
years I’ve watched a tsunami of fast ance has moved too far in that direction.
fashion flood the thrifts and dramati-
—Galen Erickson, Minneapolis, Minnesota
cally diminish quality textile resources.
Fashion has some big problems.
On the Right Track
Mr. Lauren’s successful collaboration
So happy you are not caving to those
with the Gee’s Bend artists expands the
readers who cannot imagine a diverse
conversation with options in redirecting
world in fine arts and crafts. Those
the fashion model and perspective. I am
who object to your new (and none too
very inspired!
soon) foray into inclusivity have no
clue about racism and the limitations
—Karen Lukacs, Tucson, Arizona
gg and pain it causes. Either that or they
gg On Variety just don’t care. Thanks for standing up!
I think the Spring 2022 issue is a huge
—Adrienne Farrar, Gaithersburg, Maryland
success. Really love the “Wearing the
Truth” paper dresses! And mostly it
One aspect of American life that craft
begins with white paper! Bravo. Bravo.
reveals is the cultural history of African
Letters from Bravo. “From Discarded to Maximized”
Americans. It was wonderful to see this
features the wonderful tennis ball
highlighted in your magazine, since it is
Readers
glove! And backpacks = shorts. How
something often left out of our dialogues,
original and fun. Shae Bishop’s pieces
both national and personal. I would love
(“The Fashion Factor”) are fabric art
for you to include this discussion of the
Inspired by Gee’s Bend Quilters
at its best. Whoops—just remembered
relationship of craft to American cultures,
and Greg Lauren
they are ceramic! The show-stealer is
especially the cultures of underrepre-
That cover (Spring 2022) is everything.
the last page: Michael Schmidt Studios’
sented communities, in all of your issues.
Craft, art, history, appreciation, and a
work for the Met Gala (“In Shining
Black woman! As a big fan of Gee’s Bend —Ellen Hunt, Austin, Texas
Armor”). I’m giddy with each layer. I
quilters, Jonathan Michael Square’s arti-
love all things that show equal imagi-
cle made my heart sing. His coverage of
nation, beauty, originality, humor, and
MOSAIC: Gee’s Bend & Greg Lauren is
especially quirkiness.
a dream come true for members of your CORRECTIONS: SPRING 2022 ISSUE
The caption for the top right slide image of the
audience who are being creative synthe- —Deby Bell, Austin, Texas
ribbon-covered pants in The Crafty Librarian
sizing important personal values with
(page 20) was incorrect. It should read “Hon-
I loved the section on Fabiola Jean-
new business models. orable Mention Denim Art entry from Alexis
Louis, her paper dresses, and her dis- Pawlik, Guttenberg, New Jersey.”
—Catherine McLetchie, Pemaquid, Maine
plays and presentation. Really amazing
The editors want to clarify that as part of the
and inclusive. Also loved learning more team at Michael Schmidt Studios that created
Thank you so much for this fashion
about Sonya Clark. She has such origi- (cid:51)(cid:80)(cid:83)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:72)(cid:90)(cid:3)(cid:63)(cid:187)(cid:90)(cid:3)(cid:91)(cid:79)(cid:89)(cid:76)(cid:76)(cid:20)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:96)(cid:76)(cid:89)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:92)(cid:91)(cid:196)(cid:91)(cid:3)(cid:77)(cid:86)(cid:89)(cid:3)(cid:91)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:52)(cid:76)(cid:91)(cid:3)(cid:46)(cid:72)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:19)(cid:3)
issue. And for the Zoom session with Angelina Smith worked on fabricating the
nal approaches to making art with his-
Greg Lauren and Gee’s Bend quilters armor layer (“In Shining Armor,” page 80).
torical connections to the moment. In
(American Craft Forum, Spring 2022,
fact the whole theme of fashion was a
craftcouncil.org/Forums). Fabulous.
way to look at craft that I enjoyed. Talk To Us
As a designer/maker in the space of
upcycling discards, I often wonder —Susan Cummins, Tiburon, California We welcome your letters and comments
at [email protected].
wherein I fit. Over two decades work-
Too Commercial
ing with reclaimed garments and
I recently renewed my subscription to
explaining why what I do is beyond Sign Up for
American Craft but your last issue gives
functional fashion, I finally found my Monthly Inspiration
me pause. I thought I got the New York
tribe with this issue—and session.
Get American Craft Council’s
Times fashion magazine by mistake. It’s
Greg Lauren’s work has been an
inspiring emails—including the monthly
much too commercial for me.
inspiration since his first denim remake. Craft Dispatch and artist interviews in
Addressing the deleterious effects of —Jack Swann, Kenmore, Washington The Queue—at craftcouncil.org/Signup.
8 american craft summer 2022 / forge / letters