Springtime for Crafters

Beth Cavener Stichter; Olympia; 2006

Beth Cavener Stichter; Olympia; 2006; stoneware, porcelain slip, polyester, and mixed media; Collection of Christine Rémy; Photo: Noel Allum; Courtesy Garth Clark Gallery

Kriston
March 14, 2007

After a late March snowfall, spring made its glorious debut, tempting this winter homebody to take a pleasant stroll through northwest D.C. down to the National Mall. One of the shows in bloom is the 2007 Craft Invitational at the Renwick Gallery, a show of artists working in media often associated with craft (paper, glass, and clay). For the most part, the artists—Paula Bartron, Jocelyn Châteauvert, Beth Lipman, and Beth Cavener Stichter—make sculptural objects that lack the everyday "usefulness" that you might otherwise associate with craft. In fact, the common thread between these artists is the fact that they came up doing craft; otherwise, the works they each contribute to this show are not categorically different from the work in any sculpture show. Lipman's Bancketje (Banquet), for example, wouldn't look out of place in a Matthew Barney film.

Having mastered the techniques associated with the genre, the Invitational artists execute pieces that another artist might in part subcontract to a craftsman. The sheer scope of hand-crafted materials is notable.

From the Ground Up: Renwick Craft Invitational 2007 is on display until July 22.

 

Recent Posts

Detail of an illustration showing a person wearing glass art standing in front of a slatted fence. The text says "Border Stories."
03/27/2024
Celebrating the renowned artist whose community-based practice involves interactions at the border.
A detail of a painting showing five women and the institutions they built.
Johnson offers historical insights and fresh perspectives of legendary women alongside less well-known changemakers
SAAM
Detail of an artwork showing children holding an American flag.
An item that most people carry in their pockets is key to experiencing Hank Willis Thomas's Pledge.
SAAM