What’s in a Name?
I recently got an inquiry from an artist who was perplexed by the name of our upcoming 6th annual Small Craft Advisory Show, thinking that it was downright inconsiderate toward our artists to label it small … and worse, small craft. Craft, of course, for her and a large percentage of the population, connotes macrame plant hangers, popsickle stick whirligigs, knitted baby caps, stained glass suncatchers, scented candles, glass plates on rebar yard ornaments, custom keychains, handmade soaps and of course, plenty of birdhouses. I get it.
I tried to explain that the name was intended as a humorous nod to a weatherman’s warning for vessels to be prepared for stormy seas. And hopefully the title would evoke in the general public a sense that these crafts would be a small tsunami in their impact.
I’m afraid that argument didn’t work, but trust me, our artistic vision is anything but small. And unlike many of the artists who dismiss craft as somehow inferior to their watercolor sunsets and their numbered reproduction prints, these are craftspeople creating one-of-a-kind artworks from wood, from clay, from found objects, from glass to fabrics.
You won’t find a kitschy birdhouse here … but if you did, it would rock your boat, believe me, and that small craft warning might be welcome. What you will find are Don Metke’s museum quality wood assemblages, Russ Riddle’s exquisite Japanese inspired furniture with delicate gingko marquetry, Shannon Kirby’s carved driftwood sculpture, Chuck Hamilton’s incredible turned bowls, Monika De Nasha’s native American otter bags with traditional beadwork, Erin Marie’s organic fueled jewelry, Persis Gayle’s distinctive clay creations, Elizabeth Moncrief’s fabulous fabric wearables, David Taber’s NW inspired wood and stoneworking that one year featured a gigantic octopus with moveable tentacles, Mark Eikeland’s unique pottery and my own stained glass panels many of which became inspiration for huge public art installations.
We run the entire gamut of crafts that are definitely fine art. We aren’t what you’ve come to expect from a ‘craft’ show — we’re what Artificial Intelligence will never reproduce. We’re crafters who love our work and want to share it. Not all of it is for sale. This is an exhibition, admission is free. This is fine craft and most definitely fine art. Come down to the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center, 10-4, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 and 21. But be advised, this is the Small Craft Advisory Show. www.smallcraftadvisory.net
Tags: 6th Annual Small Craft Advisory