New England Crafts Connoisseur Online guide to fine contemporary crafts in the six-state region
News: Due to COVID-19, news and events are on hold until further notice
Clay artist Kyle Johns is an artist-in-residence at the Ceramics Program, Office of the Arts at Harvard in Allston, Ma. He will be part of "Made Here" exhibit opening March 19.
Fiber artist Amy Nguyen exhibits one-of-a-kind wearables at Society of Arts and Crafts's CraftBoston Spring in Boston's South End.
New England Crafts Connoisseur
NECC Publishing © 2020
Jan Shepherd, editor
newenglandcraftsconnoisseur.com
email: suseeq. 97 @ gmail .com
The region's contemporary crafts scene is experiencing both major and minor changes of which a few are thanks to coronavirus epidemic that's impacing all walks of life in our region and country.
The Paradise City Arts Festivals has rescheduled its March show in Marlborough, Mass. to June 12-14 at the Royal Plaza Trade Plaza on Rte. 20. Working with exhibitors and the center to find an open date, Paradise co-founder Linda Post said she expects that most of the original 175 visual and crafts artistss will participate.
Shows like Paradise are criticall for these professional artists' livelihood so do all you can to attend as a way to support this show and the talented participants.
In other news, the Society of Arts and Crafts shutting the doors to its popular retail and exhibitons galleries in the Boston Seaport District at the end of December. A place to find fabulous crafts in all media, the numbers didn't allow the SAC to continue there.
The SAC not gone as the 123-year-old nonprofit organization continues its mission to promote and support contemporary crafts and the artists. As part of that mission, SAC continues its major twice-a-year CraftBoston shows.
This year's CraftBoston Spring will be May 15-17 in the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts in the South End. The juried show features 60 regional and national crafts artists.
In Pomfret, Conn., the Hazelwood Gallery that is known for its choie selections in contemporary crafts will close March 29, although that could change as decisions are made about the coronavirus.
Owner Camille Benjamin and her husband Craig the gallery will have markdowns on all merchandise and also will sell all display cases and accessories. They also plan to sell the buidling. In the emails about the closing, they said they will continue being involved in crafts, just not as retailers.
In the good news department, the Maine Crafts Association and the Maine Crafts Guild merged the two enterprises as a way to continue promoting and supporting the hundreds of crafts artists in New England's largest state.
MCA maintains two year-round galleries in West Gardiner Service Plaza off I-95 and Portland. The Guild, a membership of professional crafts artists, organizes crafts shows during the summer and fall that will now be managed by MCA. The Guild's oldest show will be held again in July in Bar Harbor. www.mainecrafts.org for information on this all and all other activities and events.
The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail is a rite of spring on the last weekend of April in western Massachusetts. This year's 16th annual event features 10 host potters and 16 guest clay artists at 9 studios from Northfield to Amhest.
Among the host studios are Tom White, Francine Ozereko, Tiffany Hilton, Molly Cantor, James Guggina, Mary Barringers, and Stephen Earp. Among the guest potters are Michael Kline, Sam Taylor, Julie Wiggins, Todd Wahlstrom, Kristin Kieffer, Jennifer Morier, Julie Crosby. Know that no two potters are alike as each chooses clay, techniques, and artistic styles of their own. It's a self-guided tour and a fun way to learn about pottery while exploring this part of the state. For participants and map, visit www.asparagusvalleypotterytrail.com.
The Fuller Craft Museum marked its 50th anniversary begining last fall with "Striking Gold," an exhibit of work by 57 invited artists working in gold while exploring its role in art, that's in place through April 5. To mark an historic landmark event -- the Mayflower voyage of 1620 -- the Fuller opens "Another Crossing," an exhibit of work by 10 US and European artists in a cross-cultural examination of the famous trip. It opens May 2 and will be in place through Sept. 20.
In other exhibition news, the Ceramics Program, Office of the Arts at Harvard University, presents changing shows in Gallery 224 at its Western Avenue studio in Allston. However, it's temporarily closed due to the coronavirus. If it is able to reopen we hope to see these upcomig shows: Opening Marach 19, "Made Here" (through April 10) celebrates the work made at the studio with a public reception is March 19, 5-7 p.m. April 18 brings "What Was I Thinking" featuing creations of Shawn Panepinto, former executive director of the Ceramics Program. In place through June 8, the opening reception ix April 18, 5-7 p.m. The gallery is at 224 Western Ave. Let's hope for the studio's return.