“CraftForms 2019” is a feast for the eyes. The annual international exhibition opened to much fanfare with a collectors preview party on Friday night, December 6th at the Wayne Art Center. A whole lot of art was packed into the Davenport Gallery yet it has a very easy flow to it, and there is plenty of breathing room between pieces and pedestals making it easy to see all the work. If you appreciate fine craft in all its forms, be prepared to spend a few hours looking at the items on display. The crafts range from a stunning little 2.5” x 3.3” sterling silver brooch by Diya Wang of Rhode Island to the massive 8’ x 12.5’ piece titled “Horizon Fringe” by Michelle Stitzlein of Ohio, which was awarded “Best in Show.”
The exhibition entices talented artists from around the world to submit their works for review by an esteemed juror. The programming is popular due in large part to its jurors as well as the year-round attention given it by WAC’s Executive Director, Nancy Campbell and Exhibitions Coordinator, Patti Hallowell. The idea behind it is to celebrate craft in all its myriad forms while at the same time elevating it in stature in the world of fine art.
“CraftForms” provides a wonderful opportunity for artists to share their work with a wider audience in a sophisticated, contemporary gallery setting. This year, its 25th, Jane Milosch of the Smithsonian Institution reviewed the submissions ultimately choosing 89 works from 92 artists. Milosh was honored to jury the show for a second time stating, “At a time when many want everything done as quickly and cheaply as possible, this show visually broadcasts an anecdote to this short-sided approach. Art and culture are about excellence and long-term investment in our humanity and the world we inhabit.”
There are numerous events connected to the exhibition including a companion show titled “Westward Ho!” which features 79 works by 53 artists of the Southwest. Being held in the Ethel Gallery, it was juried by well-known curator Gail M. Brown, originally from Philadelphia who is now residing in New Mexico. This is also a large show of unique works by some of the most popular artists living and working in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. It presents a wonderful mix of artists covering topics both personal and political. As Brown put it, “Their threads of connection with the southwest convey its aura and energy through the individuality of finely crafted objects and their makers’ familiar visual vocabularies and tactile personalities.”
Other connected events at WAC include “Attraction to Abstraction” an exhibition of abstract paintings by current Wayne Art Center students and WAC’s Holiday Shopping Weekend which includes more than 30 local artisans and merchants showcasing jewelry, apparel, accessories, ceramics and culinary delights on December 14th and 15th. The fun continues in 2020 with “Craft Crawl”, a hands on craft experience on January 9th, the “CraftForms 2019 Collectors Panel” on January 11th, the “Designer Open House” on January 16th and the “Patron Wine Pairing Dinner” on January 23rd.
“CraftForms 2019” and “Westward Ho!” are both on view now through February 1, 2020. To view the catalog, click here.
Other events worth checking out: The 24th Annual Art Ability Exhibition at Main Line Health’s Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is on view now through January 26, 2020. For details, click here .
In Sadsburyville, Barking Tree Pottery is holding its annual holiday show and sale on December 13th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on December 14th and 15th from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information, click here .
In Ardmore, the 3rd Annual “Big Talent Small Works” sales exhibition with 22 artists featuring Teresa Haag, Carol Lesher, Cyndi Philkill and others is at Black Moth Gallery on Lancaster Ave. and runs through December 30th. Click here for gallery hours.
If you are traveling in Glassboro, New Jersey, Rowan University Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of works by Jamea Richmond Edwards. Titled “7 Mile Girls”, it’s on view through December 21st. People fond of works by Kehinde Wiley and Mickalene Thomas will enjoy seeing Richmond-Edwards work. Her mixed media pieces using paper collage, paint and ink on canvas are rich with vibrant colors and patterns. Portraying women with adversity filled lives, they touch on the complicated convergence of identity, commercialism, desire, and fashion.
Whatever you do this week, support the arts!!
About Constance McBride
A native of Philadelphia, Constance McBride lived in Arizona for 16 years, where desert observations made a transformative impact on her work as a research based visual artist. Passionate about contemporary art, she was actively engaged in the local arts community. She served as a board member for several art organizations, managed an artist collective/gallery space, curated and juried several exhibitions and wrote for two arts publications in Phoenix. She taught ceramics at Shemer Art Center and Museum and exhibited her work both locally and nationally. McBride returned to Pennsylvania in 2018 and resides in Chester Springs with her husband and two dogs. In West Chester, she serves as a board member at The Art Trust Gallery at Meridian Bank and teaches ceramics at Chester County Art Association. She also teaches at Clay on Main in Oley, PA. She is a member of American Craft Council, Philadelphia Sculptors, and Women’s Caucus for Art, Philadelphia Chapter.
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