Judith Schaechter

History in the Making: Renwick Craft Invitational 2011 features four extraordinary artists whose work explores the deep roots of contemporary American craft and decorative arts. Ubaldo Vitali, a fourth-generation silversmith uses classical techniques learned in Rome to create luminous works. Cliff Lee, a neurosurgeon, creates elegant porcelain vessels with the exactitude of a doctor. Judith Schaechter brings a wealth of knowledge about traditional stained glass practice to her moody windows. Mathias Pliessnig combines traditional boat-building techniques and 3-D design technology to create innovative seating furniture out of stem-bent oak strips. Authors Nicholas R. Bell, Ulysses Grant Dietz, and Andrew Wagner examine how each artist mines and transcends tradition.