Craft Forms 2011 Preview Party

On Friday evening I attended the Preview Party for Craft Forms 2011 at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA.  It was a first class event from start to finish, and my husband and I had a wonderful time.  Here I am by my art quilt, Watt & Shand #8.  To the left of it is Mama Rebel, by Catherine Winkler Rayroud; to the right is SemiAquatic by Clay McLaurin; on the pedestals from left to right are Serving Set by John Huckins,  Folding Stools by Dan DeVos; and Platter by Fred Herbst.

Above is the  view looking into the left side of the gallery.  The artwork was of very high quality, IMO, and the buzz was that this one was of the best Craft Forms exhibits in memory.  In the foreground is a wood laminate sculpture, Mitosis_1 by David Knopp.    On the back wall (the blue section) you can see the large installation piece The Politics of Porcelain by Stephanie A. Rozene, flanked by two art quilts by Kathleen Loomis,  the large red fiber piece in the left corner, Stronger Together than Apart, by Amanda Ladymon, and a crocheted grouping, Terrain, by Donna Lish, in the right corner.  Just out of camera range on the right is another art quilt, Bluestairs, by Cynthia Friedman.  I got to meet Cindy and chat with her about art and art quilting--always so wonderful to put a face to a name!  Meeting the other artists who were in attendance and having the opportunity to learn about their inspirations and working processes was one of the high points of the evening.

Below is a view from the other direction.  In the foreground is 2368 by Lily Liu.  The circular object on the wall to the right is Implosion #3 by Beth Barron, a quilt-like construction made primarily out of band aids.  On the back wall to the left is a woven tapestry, Wind Turbine Mania, by Catherine I. Theodore.

Another view of the gallery--so many treasures!  I wish I had pictures and links for all of them for you.  These pictures were taken early in the evening, before it got crowded with throngs of art patrons who paid for the privilege of attending the Preview Party.  There’s a good article here with all the particulars of the evening and a list of the prize winners.  I want to particularly thank the juror, Elizabeth Agro, for being so open and accessible during the reception and her Juror’s Talk and the Meet the Artist event the next day.  She was very gracious about sharing her perspectives on choosing the art, the themes that developed, and the state of fine craft in general--very illuminating! 

To add to the ambiance and good mood, there was great food.  Scrumptious strolling appetizers were followed by a large buffet with a paella station, a dim sum dumpling station, and much more:

Desserts included gourmet cupcakes:

There was a wine bar and also a martini luge bar:
And live world music and jazz by Phylis Chapell and Siora:

In an adjoining gallery the Art Center is concurrently exhibiting Green  from the Get Go: International Contemporary Basketmakers.  It’s a stunning survey of world-class basketry with work by many of the big names in the field--really wonderful. 

And all throughout the Art Center is the exhibit Philagrafika, an invitational portfolio of printmaking, also wonderful.

At one point in the evening I did a brief 5 minute video interview for a local television channel, where I talked about my piece in the show and the inspiration behind it, and was hopefully coherent and articulate enough make the editorial cut.  I’m not certain when and where it’s airing, but will update if I find out. 

All in all, a fun evening filled with fabulous art, creative and interesting people, and superb food and libation.  My sincere appreciation to everyone who made it possible.  The exhibit is up until Jan. 21 and it is well worth your time to attend if you are in the area.

12/29/11  A few addendums--there's a well written and thoughtful article about the show from the Philadelphia Inquirer up online here, and a set of pictures up on the Craft Forms website here.  I'm in a picture on the second page; to my right in the pic is Camila Bryce, whom I struck up a conversation with because of her beautiful mud cloth coat, and on my left is Diana N’Diaye, who had beautiful work work in the show.

1/4/12  The exhibit is also featured on the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsman blog, with a handy listing of all the PA artists included. Read it here.