American Craft Summer 2021

Flourish. When we chose the themes for the 2021 issues of American Craft last August, we anticipated that our Summer 2021 issue would be published after at least a year of isolation, a racial justice reckoning, and the overlapping crises of a global pandemic, political strife, and climate emergencies. So, we thought, we might all need reminders about how to flourish. A flourish is a bold, extravagant gesture. To flourish means to grow or develop in a vigorous way. Flourishing also speaks to having a strong sense of well-being and meaning. So, for this issue, we looked to the craft community to find stories about many ways of flourishing. One thing that became clear when we put this collection of stories together was that flourishing is deeply connected to community. We’re pleased…

Founder of The Homestead Atlanta, Kimberly Coburn explores the intersection of craft, the human spirit, and the natural world. In “The Art of the Flourish,” she writes about how artists use gestures, embellishments, and rhythm to make the functional beautiful and to express their voices. page 64. Zeyn Joukhadar was just starting a book tour for his most recent novel, The Thirty Names of Night, when we contacted him about writing a response to the work of the Syrian American artist Diana Al-Hadid. Despite a hectic schedule, he said yes because he fell in love with her art. page 88. This issue’s State of Craft article (“Unearthing the Craftscape” by Anjula Razdan, page 42), explores major shifts in how we are discussing craft. It’s followed by craft scholar and metalsmith matt lambert’s…

Thoughts on Changes Firstly, I love the cover: clean, spare, and elegant. That tattooed arm gives it a wonderful colorful jolt of surprise which elicits questions. The return to the older logo does change the focus somewhat, making the rest of the design of more visual importance. I am a weaver and have been getting wrapped and warped up in my looms for almost 50 years. American Craft has been a staple part of my reading for years, although I have only had a subscription for about a year. The spring edition was a very welcome surprise and very much appreciated after such a challenging, isolating year. The basketry was just great. The March 2021 edition of Craft Dispatch [the ACC’s monthly newsletter] was equally surprising and much appreciated. Indira Allegra’s letter was…

Blooms. Stunning art that evokes the ephemeral beauty of flowers.…

Project FIRE. Glassblowing is a means for healing at Project FIRE (Fearless Initiative for Recovery and Empowerment), where Chicago teenagers who have been victims of gun violence learn to transform molten glass into delicate sculptural works. Glass artist Pearl Dick and clinical psychologist Dr. Bradley Stolbach cofounded the program, which offers artistic development, employment opportunities, and trauma rehabilitation services. Dick is convinced that glassblowing is particularly effective for those who have been exposed to trauma. Working with the material has inherent risk, and trust gets built handling it together. Newcomers to the program are amazed by the molten, glowing glass, says Dick, and the first time they encounter the open glass furnace door, they find it shockingly hot. However, “the initial intimidation quickly gives way to excitement for a radically new…

Another Crossing: Artists Revisit the Mayflower Voyage. To mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage, the Fuller Craft Museum presents Another Crossing. For this landmark exhibition, ten artists from three countries were asked to use only 17th-century processes and technology to create work that speaks to that significant time in history. “To commemorate… this moment is to open a dialogue around immigration, innovation, land placement, and governance, reflecting on what came before us to build a better future for our country and world,” says Denise LeBlanc, the executive director of the Fuller Craft Museum. In preparation for creating work for the exhibition, American artists Annette Bellamy, Sonya Clark, Michelle Erickson, Jeffrey Gibson, Jonathan James Perry, and Allison Smith; British artists David Clarke, Jasleen Kaur, and Katie Schwab; and Dutch designer…