Conceptual musings about art and fine craft
When one thinks of Mexico generally, at least locally, one thinks of a popular travel destination like Cancún, or the stunning beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. However, besides being a tourist haven, Mexico is steeped in so much controversy here in the U.S. We seem to be a nation divided in how we react…
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This past month, November, has been a whirlwind of excitement for me. Within days of each other I received word that two of my jewelry pieces have been accepted into two different international juried exhibitions. The first one is a fine contemporary craft exhibition coming up in December in North Carolina (a true epi-center lately…
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Excitedly walking through downtown Philadelphia’s “First Friday” gallery crawl this past weekend, I stumbled upon an exhibit of dedicated and extremely gifted artists showing at The Center for Art in Wood. This exhibition celebrates the Center’s seventeenth year of hosting the International Turning Exchange Residency (ITE) program; seven artists/scholars travel to Philadelphia to create new…
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Last Friday evening, I was excitedly hurrying into the city during peak rush hour to catch the opening of Derek Au’s work at The Clay Studio in downtown Philadelphia. American-born of Chinese descent, Au lives and maintains his studio in Jingdezhen China, a region historically known for its ceramic traditions. Au’s pieces are made from…
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The last few days have been challenging to my patience for me as a maker: metalsmith and jeweler. I’ve placed an order for sheet metals from a trusted supplier, and I’ve started a new body of work that I expect to be fairly different content-wise from any of the metals’ work I’ve done in the…
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So much of the art scene in downtown Philadelphia comes nearly to a halt during the late summer months, as residents scatter throughout the tri-state area to the New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland beaches. However, the contemplation of and dedication to craft is alive and well in Olde City Philadelphia’s The Clay Studio. Last Friday,…
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Ani Kasten’s delicate ceramic vessels were a sheer delight to see at Philadelphia’s The Clay Studio last week, as her solo exhibition, Offering, opened on Friday evening to a bustling area of “First Friday” art gallery visitors. As I walked around the airy and open front rooms of the exhibit space, I couldn’t help but…
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FiberPhiladelphia 2012 continues to thrive city-wide in local galleries, major institutions and art collectives, as the international fiber biennial continues its festival throughout the area. Strings + Things, currently at the 3rd Street Gallery in downtown Olde City, features significant pieces by fiber artists Melissa Maddonni Haims and Carol Wisker. Maddonni Haims’ Purge series showcases…
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Earlier this week, I spoke of two artists showing as part of the FiberPhiladelphia 2012 international biennial currently showing across various venues in the city. My trek through Olde City took me to the Wexler Gallery where Narrative Thread (a group exhibition) is currently installed. New York-based artist Donna Rosenthal’s Days of Wine and Roses…
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FiberPhiladelphia 2012 brings the eighth such international biennial celebrating the textile and fiber arts to Philadelphia. However, those attending the First Friday gallery openings in Olde City this past Friday night did not see the everyday mind’s eye image of cotton or wool-loomed rugs or fashionable clothing that one might expect. Starting at the Snyderman-Works…
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