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The first annual CraftWeek DC kicks off this Wednesday, April 22, with five days filled with exhibits, panel discussions, open studios and more. The week is an expanded program of crafty celebration, anchored by the 27th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show and the James Renwick Alliance (JRA) Spring Craft Weekend.
The week's worth of celebration of all things craft was named as such by Mayor Adrian Fenty and is organized by Washington area artists, galleries and the James Renwick Alliance, to celebrate "the growing reputation of artistic achievement of local artists working in clay, glass, fiber, metal and wood," as stated in the proclamation. It is a unique opportunity to see studio crafts and meet makers from internationally recognized artists to up-and-comers exhibiting for the first time at the Smithsonian Craft Show.
To say that CraftWeek DC offers a wide range of programing is an understatement. With over 15 current and new exhibits, open studios, panel discussions, gala events and all programing associate with the Smithsonian Craft Show and the James Renwick Alliance Spring Craft Weekend, you will be hard pressed to see and do it all. Events stretch across the metropolitan region with open studio demonstrations by artists in the Mt. Rainier area to gallery exhibits in Alexandria and Tysons Corner.
One impetus for CraftWeek DC, the Smithsonian Craft Show, is in its 27th year. This prestigious juried craft show features 120 artisans who work in 12 different craft categories. The Craft Show will open at the National Building Museum on Thursday, April 23 and runs through Sunday, April 26, with a preview benefit on Wednesday evening. Be sure to catch the ceramic demonstrations featuring exhibitors, faculty and students from the Corcoran as well as the "Emerging Artists" area, which highlights work by students from the Corcoran.
The Spring Craft Weekend, at the other end of the week long celebration, will host its annual Gala and silent and live auctions on Saturday evening, April 25, to benefit the James Renwick Alliance 's mission of building the contemporary craft collection of the Renwick Gallery, education programs, and scholarship on 20th and 21st century American craft through post-graduate JRA Fellowships.
On Saturday morning, April 25, the James Renwick Alliance and the Smithsonian American Art Museum host a panel discussion on My Life in Craft by five master artists selected by members of the James Renwick Alliance to receive the JRA's biennial Masters of the Medium award, given to recognize artists who demonstrate consummate craftsmanship and artistic expression in ceramics, fiber, glass, metal/jewelry or wood/furniture.
Other CraftWeek DC highlights include:
>> At the KORUS House, Embassy of Republic of Korea, see more than 100 works of innovative metal art and jewelry by Korean and Korean-American artists. Open now through the 24th, with a public reception on Tuesday April 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. RSVP requested call 202-797-6344 or email hychung [at] Koreaembassy.org.
>> Wednesday night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. join the Washington Project for the Arts for a discussion (featuring yours truly as one of the panelists!) on Art vs. Craft Tug of War. The panel will talk about the dividing line between art and craft in WPA space, followed by an actual Tug of War outside their office on Massachusetts Avenue. Free.
>> Ceramic artist Wayne Higby discusses “EarthCloud”, the world’s largest architectural installation of hand cut porcelain tiles, and the book that tells its tale on Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m at the Smithsonian Craft Show. Admission is $25 and includes a one-day ticket to the Craft Show, afternoon tea and tour of Craft Show award winners. Reservations required, contact Heidi Austreng at austrpr [at] si.edu or 202-633-5006.
>> On Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., explore the open studios and see demonstrations of various crafting techniques from Blue Fire Studio (ceramics), DC Glassworks and Sculpture Studios, Flux Studios (ceramics), Red Dirt Studio (ceramics), and Washington Glass School. Free.
>> Make your own fused glass sun catcher at a hands on workshop on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Offered by Artists on the Avenue in Hyattsville, Md., you will learn to make your own 11" round sun catcher with colorful Bullseye fused glass. $100, includes all materials and instruction to make fused glass sun catcher. Call 301-642-8320 to reserve your space.
>> On Sunday, For JRA members, get a sneak peak at Great Artists, Great Teachers at Habatat Galleries, an exhibit featuring 35 artists who have taught at the influential Penland School of Crafts, located near Asheville, North Carolina. This private event will start at 1 p.m. The exhibit will be open to the public starting April 28.
CraftWeek DC takes place Wednesday through Sunday at various locations throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Many events are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of CraftWeek DC events, please consult the full schedule here.
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Really? "The week's worth of celebration of all things craft was named as such by Mayor Adrian Fenty ..."
I had an interesting experience a couple years ago at the craft show. I watched a vendor use a couple of shills from the attendees to persuade my then spouse to buy some jewelry that, frankly, just wasn't worth the money being charged. We canceled the sale after assessing the situation. It's a biz, so caveat emptor.