|
Herbst & Festival Pavilions & Conference Center, Building A
Change is brewing at the venerable American Craft Show, which returns to Fort Mason Center in mid-August. Produced by the leading US craft organization, the American Craft Council, the prestigious show brings together 250 top craft artists for a weekend of lectures, demonstrations, wine and craft appreciation, and the latest innovations in the craft world.
New for this year are artists creating green crafts — objects made from found, recycled, and eco-friendly materials using environmentally sensitive techniques. Another addition to the 2008 show is the AltCraft Loft, where 10 “indie” crafters display work developed with unique DIY (“Do-It-Yourself”) practices and media.
Billed as the “largest juried craft show in the West,” the American Craft Show features home décor, furniture, fashions, jewelry, toys, and accessories. The diverse array of limited edition pieces are crafted from clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, mixed media, found objects, and sustainable materials.
For example, San Francisco green craft artist Amy Faust creates eco-conscious bracelets, rings, and pins from salvaged beach glass, vintage bottles, Mason jars, pottery shards, and recycled silver and gold. New England green fashion designers Paul Mathews and Molly Grant make custom-fit, hand-sewn shoes without using toxic glues or synthetics.
In addition to three full days of glamorous crafts, the show also offers a stimulating evening program in Fort Mason Center’s Conference Center in Building A. Entitled “The Politics of Craft and Design,” the lively discussion among craft experts, journalists, and artists focuses on “how craft and design manifest at the cultural cutting edge and how makers respond to issues of urgency in the current political climate.”
Discover the evolving world of crafts at the American Craft Show. See August 15 for more information and learn about the artists at www.craftcouncil.org.
— Claudia Willen
Images:
American Craft Council: Trapezoid Coffee Table by Nathan Hunter (top), Necklace by Jay Bridgland, "Wedding Day Ring" by Tamera Seevers, “Hibiscus Rose” by Jenne Giles
|
