Society for Contemporary Craft

From a teacher's perspective

2012-01-24T10:47:00.001-05:00

By Leisa Rich, Artist and SCC Instructor

I taught my first art class during the summer of 1975. The school district where I lived was looking for a summer school weaving teacher and I had just learned to weave. As I remember it, my students were around aged 8-88. I was all of 15 years old. I loved every minute as we built frame looms, wound warps and wove traditional tapestries using contemporary approaches.

While I don’t teach weaving anymore, I still teach, and I still love it. When the opportunity came up to teach at the Society for Contemporary Craft, I was thrilled. Of course, new to the SCC, I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was a professional experience teaching creative and interested students in a fantastic setting. Everyone bent over backward to make it positive for myself, and for the students.

I am an engaging teacher. I like to give my students value, so I make sure that I meet as many needs as I possibly can. I set out to make Freeing Motion- a two-day workshop featuring the technique of machine embroidery- about learning a variety of processes, experimentation using new products and materials, and to nurture each student’s personal, artistic discovery. Each student came to class with a different perspective, different ideas, and different approaches. I guided them in how to use their new-found stitching knowledge and apply it to their own works.

We started with some simple stitches:

Added in a variety of products to stiffen, transfer and create 3 dimensional shapes:

And ended up at the end of 2 days with some new ideas…and new friends!

In the book classes I taught, Judge A Book By Its Cover and Beyond A Book’s Boundaries, students were encouraged to stretch the concept of “book” and approach it from a sculptural perspective.

I brought a variety of found objects, materials, samples and templates, as well as techniques that could be accomplished in one day, to help the creative juices flow. The ideas that came out were extraordinary! To accomplish this much in one day is a credit to the talent of the students.

We transferred images onto canvas cloth and heat transfer papers, sliced, diced, folded, built, paint, burnished, stitched, waxed and more!

And made even more new friends!

It was a wonderful experience, and one I sure hope to repeat soon! I love Pittsburgh!

Leisa Rich holds a BFA in fibers from the University of Michigan; a BA in Art Education from the University of Western Ontario; and an MFA in Fibers from the School of Visual Art at the University of North Texas. She has exhibited extensively throughout the US, Canada, and abroad. Currently, Rich lives and teaches in Atlanta, Georgia at the Galloway School and the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.

Humor in Craft

2012-01-16T10:11:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited that we are finally able to talk about this, now that the publisher has officially released it. Crafthaus Editor Brigitte Martin's new book Humor in Craft can now be pre-ordered and will be available in March, 2012.

Book Description:

"What happens when professional craft artists are allowed to let loose – when they get to explore their mischievous and irreverent sides? Find out in this groundbreaking book, which, for the very first time, reveals an entirely different side of "serious" craft. Hundreds of images and essays from all over the world allow you to gain insight into the creative minds of contemporary artists like never before. A variety of traditional craft media are shown, such as furniture, ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, and metal, as well as a number of unique, nontraditional techniques. Even a bus shelter in London gets a creative make-over that's sure to make you smile! The topics range from the playful to the serious, but the message is always most enjoyable. Humor in Craft is a treasure trove for craft aficionados and humor enthusiasts alike."

You might be asking yourself, aside from being awesome in general, what does this mean for SCC? Well, I'm glad you asked — we are currently working with Brigitte to curate an exhibition called Humor in Craft. That's right. It'll make you want to cry...with laughter! Stay tuned for more info as the show gets shaped!

Applications being accepted NOW!

2012-01-06T10:56:00.002-05:00

The Judy Cheteyan Summer Internship

Applications Due On March 15, 2012

This scholarship is dedicated to those undergraduate and graduate students who are currently studying art or arts management. Applications may be downloaded on our website, or requested by emailing kati@contemporarycraft.org or calling 412-261-7003 x12.

The scholarship will be used to pay a $2,500 stipend to the student during the internship. SCC will notify the recipient of the scholarship by letter at least two months prior to the beginning of the internship. Food and housing will not be included but the Society for Contemporary Craft will work with a nearby university or other arts organization to help locate affordable, convenient accommodations, if necessary.

Requirements

• The applicant must be either an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full time at a college or university (studying craft, art education or arts management).

• The applicant must provide a copy of their transcript from all colleges or universities attended.

• The applicant must submit a resume or curriculum vitae.

• The applicant must have two (2) letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant's commitment to arts management, or contemporary craft.

• The applicant must write a one-page essay addressing their interest in a career in the arts.

• The applicant must complete the application and include it with other supporting materials.

Applications must be returned to the Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or hand delivered to SCC by March 15. The granting of this scholarship will be primarily based upon academic achievement and broad participation in art-related activities.

"The intersection of science, art, and technology..."

2012-01-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

2-Layer Center Ring, part of the Cell Cycle Collection

Founded in 2007 by Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg, Nervous System approaches product-design in a unique way. Using "generative design methods" the team creates organically architectural designs and forms, which they translate into wearable products.

Cluster Pendant, part of the Xylem Collection. Xylem is based on the process of vein formation in leaves.

I find their methodology really interesting. They say it best, "Instead of designing a specific form, we craft a system whose result is a myriad of distinct creations. These systems are interactive, responding both to changes in specific variables and to physical inputs. There is no definitive, final product, instead the many designs created allow for mass customization." By using this type of design, the company and customers are not limited to one designer's concepts. Consumers can create their own pieces using Nervous Systems software, which can then be made into a wearable. By utilizing rapid prototyping and inexpensive materials, Nervous System is able to provide affordable, eco-friendly products that can be customized at no additional cost.

A striking cellular cuff in stainless steel, inspired by microscopic cellular structures and created using computer simulation and 3d-printing. Part of the Cell Cycle, which was inspired by the intricate mineral forms of Radiolarians.

Read more about this company and their designs at Design Milk, which featured Nervous System a while back.

Algae Collection. The patterns for these pieces are grown organically through a process that mimics the branching structure of algae and plants.

How many ways can you say ‘I Love You’?

2011-12-28T15:03:00.003-05:00

Contemporary Creativity Symposium:

February 3: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

February 4: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Artists Dana Sperry and Natalya Pinchuk will lead a day and a half long idea generation workshop that asks a simple question: How many different, fresh and unconventional ways can you say “I Love You” with jewelry? Participants will leave this workshop with unusual and unique answers to jewelry design. These answers will be in drawing, writing and primitive model format, acting as fuel for future development. This symposium coincides with the opening of the Transformation 8 exhibition, and participants will include Transformation 8 artists Robert Ebendorf and Daniel DiCaprio. Don't miss this one-time opportunity to learn with some of the leading metalsmiths working in the field today. The cost of this symposium is $150, with a $5 materials fee. To register email thestudio@contemporarycraft.org or call Sherrard Bostwick at 412.261.7003 x25.

Dana is an Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Digital Media at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio. His work can be found in major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and The Kinsey Institute.

Natalya earned her MFA in Jewelry Design and Metals from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2005. Her work can be found in the collections of the Stedelijk Museum, Hertogenbosch, Netherlands and the Mint Museum of Craft and Design

Charlotte, NC, as well as numerous publications. Pinchuck also served on the jury panel for Transformation 8: Contemporary Works in Small Metals, opening at SCC in February.

Natalya and Dana (donning a piece by Natalya)

AAP 101st Annual Exhibition

2011-12-16T09:48:00.002-05:00

For the first time ever, Contemporary Craft is hosting the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (AAP) Annual Exhibition. AAP is an artist-run organization with over 550 artist members living within a 150 mile radius of Pittsburgh. It is one of the most esteemed artist-member organizations in the country, having produced a major museum exhibition of members’ work every year for over 100 years. I guess this year is the tipping point, being the 101st annual.

Ron Bayuzick, Art Rover, Chiz Exhibition Award,Mixed Media

This years exhibition was Juried by nationally known artist, designer, independent curator and educator Fo Wilson. AAP’s 101st Annual Exhibition features 45 works, selected from more than 300 submissions, that reflect the intersection of art, craft media and design, which is the intention of this year’s collaboration between AAP and SCC. The exhibition includes many media and presents a strong overview of the variety of techniques and artistic talent within AAP’s membership.

David Montano, Monument 1 & 2

, Carnegie Purchase Award

, Mixed media

The exhibition is on view through January 14th, so be sure to stop on in and take a look, or see the full show online.

Jane Ogren, Mixed Media #227, Fiber

Woven Installations

2011-12-06T10:29:00.001-05:00

Ann Coddington Rast is an Associate Professor at Eastern Illinois University. She is also an amazing fiber artist. Working with techniques of twining, basketry, and weaving, she creates gestural sculptures that echo the familiar. By grouping various pieces together, Rast constructs subtle wall installations that evoke a narrative that is felt more than it is understood. In the installation entitled mother/memory, individual pieces are reminiscent of lovingly knit mittens, gathered sustenance and shelter – all of which come together to induce a visceral reaction, a remembrance of childhood.

mother/memory

Blackbirds

Ann's work will be on view at our Satellite Gallery from December 17 through February 12, 2012. In conjunction with the exhibition, Ann will be teaching a class at SCC. Call or email Sherrard to register, 412-261-7003 x25

Contemporary Twining Basketry workshop

date & time: Saturday, February 11

10 a.m. – 4 p.m (one-hour lunch break)

registration deadline: February 3

In this workshop, the basketry technique of twining will be introduced. Participants will create a sculptural twined form using waxed linen and spring twine. In conjunction with this, we will engage in a discussion on conceptual aspects of contemporary fiber structures. Questions such as these will be addressed in the workshop: What types of forms can be made with twining? What are various methods of starting a twined piece? What are variations on twined stitches? How do artists investigate meaning through fibers? What types of themes are explored? What do you hope your work will communicate?

* Previous knowledge with fibers is helpful, for example knitting, or basketry experience.

tuition: $100

materials fee: $35

Sisters

Vestiges

Have you been published yet?

2011-11-30T13:27:00.001-05:00

I assume that we're all familiar with Lark Crafts, right? The publisher of all things craft - the 500 series, the Lark Studio Series, the Masters Series, etc.

What I would like to point out is the current calls for submissions for upcoming 500 Series books, including 500 Teapots and 500 Lights. "Each book is juried by an expert, features informative introductory text, and showcases spectacular images of state-of-the-art work. The first entry in the series, 500 Teapots, was published in 2002. Since then, 35 books have followed, and new titles release each season. With an international roster of contributors that includes both established names and up-and-coming craftspeople, each volume spotlights the shared and divergent approaches taken by artists who are producing visionary work." - Lark Website

This is not an opportunity to be missed! I'm even submitting my teeny tiny warty teapots. So get off your butt and get published!

The Family Puppet Theater!

2011-11-18T09:50:00.001-05:00

By Education Intern Samantha Braga

Jump start your creativity while celebrating your inner child. On Sunday, December 4th, Contemporary Craft is offering a workshop where you can construct your very own puppet theater with Pittsburgh’s Puppet Master Tom Sarver, the founder of the Tom Museum (now closed). The Tom Museum, in association with the Mattress Factory, was part performance piece, part installation. It broke down and displayed the processes of art making, turning the process into an art form itself. Sarver's work is fun and unaffected, drawing on the aspects of the Art Brut movement and Folk Art.

In this day of enchantment, students will animate everyday and found objects to create miraculous puppets and miniature worlds of wonder. Tom Sarver's class will not only teach the basics of puppetry, but will bring the energy and spirit of the Tom Museum back to life. Bring a box or any other recycled container to transform into an extraordinary puppet theater. Whether it is just you, or you bring the whole family, this class will be great entertainment for all ages!

Puppetry Archive Room at the Tom Museum

"Combining humor, social commentary and a low-tech aesthetic, Tom Sarver explores relationships between the art world and the everyday. From 1999 through 2008, Sarver was a core organizer of The Black Sheep Puppet Festival, a national festival of activist and experimental puppetry. In 2008, Tom created an installation piece at the Society for Contemporary Craft called Cooking with Sticks. He holds a B.F.A. from Tyler School of Art and an M.F.A. from Purchase College. Sarver is currently working on a new puppetry initiative in Pittsburgh called Puppet Happening."

Little Tricker the Squirrel Meets Big Double the Bear

based on a story by Ken Kesey

Tom Sarver Puppet Express at the American Shorts Reading Series

July 27th, 2006 at the Brewhouse

This class will bring Sarver's innovative world into your own and teach you how to look at the world as your own puppet theater!

Tom Sarver's Family Toy Puppet Theater

Sunday, December 4

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

$60 (per adult or for an adult with up to two children, additional

children $15 each)

$5 materials fee

For more information or to register

Email: thestudio@contemporarycraft.org

Phone: 412.261.7003 x25

Re-Post — Unnatural History

2011-10-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

Check out the latest blog by American Craft Magazine. Written by Gussie Fauntleroy, this post explores the work of Geoffrey Gorman.

Art and Education

2011-10-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

By Sam Braga, Education Intern

As an education intern at SCC, I’m here to familiarize students that come for tours with our exhibitions. But often times, it is a mutual experience! To allow open ended conversations about the artworks, we use a teaching method called Visual Thinking Strategies. This means we ask the students what they see, what it makes them think and why. Last Friday was my first time giving a tour not only at SCC, but in my life, and right as the high school students filed in, butterflies filled my stomach. Immediately my mind started running; what if they don’t like these works at all, or worse yet, what if they don’t have anything at all to say! But, due to the prepping of the rest of the education staff, I knew I was ready. And, high school students always have something to say.

My experience taught me that in these situations, it’s okay to say what you’re thinking and in fact, that’s what the Visual Thinking Strategy teaches you. As the high school students warmed up to me, their conversations about the art became richer and more fulfilling. My nerves melted and the students started to have fun. Anne Drew Potter’s piece influenced a compelling discussion that high school students were able to relate to easily. Both groups I had associated one meaning of the piece with cliques in high school and both even mentioned the movie Mean Girls. Because of its relevance, The Captains Congress provided the most interesting conversation. It also allowed some funny insights. Why were some figures fit with pot bellies and some were not? “Well, this one is pregnant. That one isn’t.” And why, perhaps, are the figures in the circle arguing? Simply, “They’re fighting over a candy bar.” The students also came to realize on their own how all three artists in our exhibition were connected in a theme.

After the tour the high school students then participated in our Drop-in Studio, focusing around Lia Cook’s work which they also viewed upstairs. Students were able to incorporate their own black and white photographs in our workshop, which involved paper weaving. Cook’s work depicts actual black and white weavings of portraits that balances between abstract and recognizable. There’s one more chance to participate in our workshop relating to the current exhibit, taking place this Sunday (10/23). Don’t miss the exhibition closing along with our workshop featuring metalsmith Mariko Kusumoto!

Twice in One Year?!

2011-10-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

Handmade Arcade is BACK for the holidays!

Pittsburgh's largest indie craft fair will return to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday, November 12, 2012, from 11am till 7pm.

Early Bird tickets are now available. These are great and I highly recommend them, even though the fair has free admission. Why? Because you get in at 10am, before the crowds and before your favorite, one-of-a-kind thing is snatched up! Also, you get a fancy bag full of goodies, and who doesn't like goodies? The Early Bird tickets are $15 and can be purchased on the HA website or at WildCard in Lawrenceville.

What is so great about this event?

Free from 11am - 7pm.
Easy to get to.
Over 150 Vendors!!
Hands-on activities for kids and grown-ups ( I made a giant Jackalope print for free last year!)
They have food so you could spend the whole day there!

Wanna get more involved? HA needs volunteers to make these events successful. YOU could be one of them. Jobs include being a greeter, running the welcome table, assisting vendors, helping with hands-on activities and more. Shifts are only 2 hours. Visit their website for more info and to sign up.

Ceramic Artist of the Year!

2011-10-05T15:03:00.001-04:00

Ayumi Horie is. Awesome.

I first got turned onto her work at NCECA, I can't remember which one, but I want to say Baltimore. Her work is unselfconscious and delicate. It draws on imagery that is both historic and contemporary. In addition to her ceramic work, Ayumi is a pioneer in utilizing the web for marketing her work, something that the ceramics world has been very resistant to. For these reasons and more, Ayumi was named Ceramic Artist of the Year by Ceramics Monthly!

Ayumi is a studio potter in upstate New York. She creates well-crafted, simplistic functional pottery that comes alive with curious illustrations featuring animals and letters. Her subject matter is sweet and her execution is very well developed.

I am fascinated by the "Dry" throwing technique she uses and can not wait to try it! Check out this video she made which demonstrates the technique.

And, perhaps most impressive, is her commitment to humanitarianism. The day after the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in 2011, Ayumi co-founded Handmade for Japan. This amazing project has raised almost $100,000 GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

Read all about Ayumi and her Ceramic Artist of the Year award here.

Parallels between graffiti and antique jewelry

2011-09-27T14:42:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to artist Amy Tavern for making the cover of Metalsmith Magazine. What an honor for her!

We love Amy Tavern here at SCC. Not only do we represent her work in our store (in-store only) , but she has recently been juried, as a finalist, into our upcoming biennial Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder's Prize Exhibition, Transformation 8: Contemporary Works in Small Metals. This competition awards one finalist a $5,000 cash prize and purchase award. All 33 finalists from the first round of jurying are included in a published catalogue and exhibition at SCC's main gallery space.

Brooch in Light Blue and Hot Pink, 2010
Oxidized sterling silver, light blue, hot pink, and white spray paint, cotton string
Fabricated with sgraffito, knotted string, 4” x 5” x 2”

Amy holds a BFA in Metals from the University of Washington and a BA in Arts Administration from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. Working with formal art elements such as line, shape, repetition, and rhythm Tavern creates light, gestural pieces which are often reminiscent of maps, arial landscape views, and simple line drawings.

Necklace Arrangement, Oxidized silver

Her current work draws parallels between graffiti and antique jewelry. Amy explains, "I am intrigued by the accumulated history graffiti conveys via layers of marks and how antique jewelry depicts specific time periods. In both cases evidence of the individual remains whether as graffiti artist, maker, or wearer. Although my work does not resemble graffiti in its purest form, I reference it by the way I manipulate the spray painted surfaces of each piece. I further reference graffiti by purposefully covering precious metal with paint like an irreverent tag on a statue. I show reverence also for the past by creating work that alludes both to traditional adornment, such as the teardrop, as well as jewelry that once belonged to my grandmother."

Bow Cluster Brooch with Teardrop, 2010
Sterling silver, light blue, navy, yellow, and white spray paint
Fabricated with sgraffito, 8.5” x 4” x 1.75”

Street Kings’ Bling Series now available!

2011-09-20T11:11:00.000-04:00

Check out this sweet street bling by Tara Locklear, now available at our Store! In this series the artist is repurposing broken skateboards and turning them into artful adornment. Tara Locklear is currently pursuing her BFA at East Carolina University. "Costume, bling, urban, humor and remembrance are just a few of the words that describe the work that I make. Watching people and being in different environments give me inspiration," she explains.

Your New Aesthetic

2011-09-14T10:54:00.000-04:00

Your New Aesthetic, a solo show featuring local artist Brian Ferrell, will open at our satellite gallery on October 14th. Perhaps best known for his woodworking, Ferrell is an exceptional metalsmith as well. Born in southwestern Pennsylvania, Ferrell was strongly influenced by his father, who enlisted his two sons in the construction, renovation and repair of the family’s homes. This early exposure to making led Ferrell to pursue a BFA in jewelry and metals at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (my alma mater!) in 2001. Following this educational path led him to the University of Massachusettes, Darthmouth where Brian pursued an MFA in jewelry and metals. During his time at UMass, the graduate student began exploring furniture making and the combining of his skills in woodworking and metals.

Scotch Cups

Returning to Pennsylvania in 2006, he opened his own studio -- Brian Ferrell Designs. Now fully engaged in the creation of furniture and tableware, his work is exhibited in group and solo exhibits on a national level, was published in “500 Tables” by Lark Books, and can be found in private collections in the US and Europe.

Water Set

Easy Chair

Ferrell’s furniture plays off subtle contours, daring construction, and hidden details. He incorporates a variety of exotic hardwoods along with native woods such as maple and walnut. His tabletops are carved underneath to meet spider-like legs and carved upward on top to indicate the presence of legs below.

Sideboard Table

Cabled Coffee Table

Shadowy gradations of color ingeniously disguise the carved plywood Ferrell uses for strength in sweepingly organic chair and table legs. This material allows him to stretch expectations for furniture and create adventurous forms such as chairs with only two legs. Steel cables add stability without adding bulk and contribute to precarious-appearing designs.

Cabled Sideboard

Like his furniture, Ferrell’s shelving reaches beyond the functional. These shelves are elegant contours simultaneously attached to the wall and escaping from it. They succeed as sculpture, particularly in groupings.

Shelving System

Shelf Cluster

Ferrell’s custom tableware and hollowware relates most closely to his training as a jeweler, incorporating single or double-walled pewter shapes often emerging from wooden bodies. Like his furniture designs, these traditional objects surprise with the interaction of square and circular forms, and force one to be aware of the object’s function and use.

Cordial Set

Don't miss this amazing exhibition and be sure to visit The Store at SCC to see more of his work!

Take a class with Mariko Kusumoto!

2011-09-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

Photopolymer Etching

date & time: Saturday, October 22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (one-hour lunch break)

visiting instructor: Mariko Kusumoto, Massachusetts

Etch your own images onto metal using a biodegradable photopolymer film to create jewelry or sculpture. Using this technique Kusumoto, a Japanese born artist working in the US, creates intimate metal environments that evoke the rich, sensual Japanese culture of her childhood and subtly reflect on east-west

cultural differences. Her MFA (printmaking) is from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco and BFA (painting/printmaking) from Musashino Art College, Tokyo.

Tuition: $100 (includes $5 lab fee)

Materials Fee: $20 (payable to SCC)

City Unseen Revealed!

2011-08-23T13:14:00.002-04:00

I finished installing Scott Goss's new solo exhibition, City Unseen, at our Satellite Gallery on Friday. It was a harrowing experience negotiating giant glass panels from the loading dock, through the bowels of BNY Mellon Center and into the gallery. Not to mention the horrific thunderstorms and the fact that I ended up locking my keys in my car and getting stranded for an hour. BUT, I was successful and it looks incredible! I already loved Scott's work, but seeing it all together as a large body in a gallery setting just made it sing even more. I wish these exhibition shots were better for you, they make most of the show look over or under-lit, but it really isn't. I blame the strange light effect on the thunderstorms rather than my shoddy camera work. However, if you really want to see what this show looks like you're better off going directly to the gallery. It is located in downtown Pittsburgh, on the intersection Grant and Oliver Street, in the T-Station lobby. DO IT!

See the full exhibition here!

From the the upper deck

From the upper deck

Rail Bridge IV

Rail Bridge V

Cityscape #125

Late Shift

Animated pottery by Mel Griffin

2011-08-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

Mel's work can be purchased on our website!

"My work is an investigation of the manner in which physicality, understanding, memory, and mood combine to create meaning in both everyday and imagined environments. I believe that the capacity to empathize can be developed through attentive engagement with daily landscape, and that the health of that landscape can affect the health of our minds. In my work, animals serve as both playful and solemn metaphors for my own interactions with the environment, as well as those of society as a whole.

Through imagery and metaphor, line and clay, my work seeks to capture the viewer's emotional interest and to rekindle her sense of wonder and discovery. Functional pottery is unique in the depth of its participation in its owner’s life, becoming a part of her personal and intimate sense of place and home. My drawings endeavor to inspire this same familiarity and are approachable, nostalgic, playful, and open to emotional participation."

-Mel Griffin

The Thin Line of Embodiment

2011-07-28T11:18:00.001-04:00

The Captain's Congress, an installation by artist Anne Drew Potter, is currently on view at the Society for Contemporary Craft. This 25 foot installation consists of 16 distorted figures. All but one of the figures are placed in a circle, each wearing a jaunty sailor-style hat made from newspaper. The 15 “Captains” are depicted talking at once, in an animated manner, and the lone figure seated outside of the circle—ironically larger, more naturally rendered—is at the mercy of these shorter and more distorted figures. Her face betrays a hidden voice, a desire to share and an interest in being included in the group. The installation explores concepts of self-appointed authority, ineffective communication, bullying and victimization.

With an interest in the complex and contradictory nature of the human experience, Potter creates “performative” clay figures and unsettling installations that address the ways in which social meaning is projected onto forms of the body. By creating a tension between physical forms and exaggerated expressions Potter highlights signifiers of gender, race, and age and encourages viewers to confront their feelings about normalcy and difference. The artist explains, “I am interested in the moment when the self-evidence of our own experiences is challenged by confrontation with the other, the infinity of realities that exist outside of our own.”

In his essay for this exhibition, The Thin Line of Embodiment, Professor Colin R. Johnson explains, "From a conceptual perspective, of course, Potter’s intention is never to misrepresent stone cold ambiguity as a solution to the sexism, racism, ageism, and homophobia she abhors. That would be easy, but it would also be naïve. Rather, the point of Potter’s work is to lure viewers into the position of having to be explicit and suddenly aware of the manner in which they make sense through and around bodies and, by doing so, to force some recognition that historically loaded characteristics such as age, race and sex always define our relation to one another in advance, no matter how sincerely we might wish to disavow their significance. "

Potter was born and grew up in Berkeley, California, and her childhood and education were permeated with an activist social awareness. The artist attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania for her undergraduate education. Her studies in history and dance at Swarthmore both directly informed the content and form of her developing artwork and helped her contextualize her experiences and observations in terms of larger historical-social-political narratives.

Potter went on to earn two MFA degrees, the first from the New York Academy of Art in New York, and the second from Indiana University, Bloomington. Upon finishing her second MFA, she was awarded the Matsutani Fellowship at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT, where she was a resident artist until 2009. Potter was honored in 2009 by the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) with the Emerging Artist award. She recently completed a resident artist at Pottery Northwest. The artist currenty resides in Germany as a recipient of the German Chancellor Fellowship in order to complete a yearlong project at the Zentrum Für Keramik in Berlin.

To see more views of this installation visit SCC's Flickr page.

Urban Core

2011-07-22T11:08:00.003-04:00

Opening on August 14th at our Satellite Gallery in Downtown Pittsburgh, we are proud to present the amazing work of Scott Goss!

Steel Mill (Cityscape Series #74),2009

Glass, enamel, copper

18" x 27"

Highlighting his Glass Panel Series, this show will delve into Goss's interest in deteriorating industrial cities. Currently a resident of Ohio, the artist earned his BFA in glass at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2006.This series involves glass painting, engraving, fusing, and slumping; all to a piece of copper.

Cityscape Series #119, 2010

Glass, enamel, copper

7" x 10.5"

The theme of decaying urban centers and industrial detritus is fodder for many young artists these days. I am truly interested in in the appeal, because I myself find the subject matter beautiful in a sort of Western/Urban Wabi Sabi kind of way. Is it the stark contract between the colorful setting sun and the cold black silhouette of power lines? Is it weighing the differences and similarities between all that is natural and healthy vs all that is dangerous and cold?

Caitie Sellers, an SCC LEAP Award finalist, is another artist who has felt compelled to reveal the beauty of her urban environment through her jewelry designs. After spending 4 months teaching in Xela, Guatemala, Sellers was taken by the city. She explains, "The architectural forms of this city, in particular the wrought-ironwork, has inspired my art both in imagery and concept. I draw upon patterns from window bars and wall tiles, made for the purpose of securing houses and businesses in a city where robbery is epidemic. It intrigues me that such beautiful and intricate work is dedicated to such an ugly purpose with potentially violent implications." For her, the work is autobiographical - "protection of the delicate systems of our psyches, as their large-scale counterparts are physical protection from the threats of a dangerous street."

Dan Kuhn, who was recently featured in our satellite gallery and is also a LEAP Award finalist, is inspired by the melding of the natural and industrial landscapes that define Western Pennsylvania. The rust-colored decals fired onto ceramic forms reveal “engineered images of the Allegheny River… combined with photographs of Allegheny Ludlum and the surrounding towns, inferring a private connection and adaptation to the landscapes, “ explains Kuhn.

2nd Avenue

These are only three examples of artists whose work is inspired by the urban/industrial landscape, but there are many, many more. I would love to read about artist you like who are working within this concept. Email me your suggestions!

On Collecting

2011-07-12T14:30:00.002-04:00

Almost one year ago to the day I bought a house and since that day I have been remodeling, repairing and reclaiming the space to make it my own. After living a year with out anything on the walls or shelves, because of renovations, I'm finally ready to decorate. Not as simple a process as one might expect. After more than a decade spent collecting everything from old cameras to bottle openers, I have more than I can display. This has led me to ask myself, 'Why do I collect these? Do they still have great value to me? Is it something that is aesthetically appealing? What is it's story?' To help me through it all is not a tv program called Hoarders, but one of the very collections that is in question. That would be my collection of books about collecting. Re-visiting them is helping me to shed light on my habits, their importance, and how to organize, prioritize and let go of my artifacts. Below is a selection of these books that I particularly enjoy. I would love to hear any other book suggestions you might have, or tell me about your collections! You can email me at kati@contemporarycraft.org

Taking Things Seriously: 75 Objects with Unexpected Significance by Joshua Glenn.


Cover of Book

As a collector of stories and tchotchkes, I was drawn to this very beautifully designed book that highlights 75 things and the narratives those objects carry. It is often difficult for a non-collector to understand or appreciate the draw certain objects have, or the way in which a story or some abstract idea can imbue a worthless item with enough worth to make it priceless - or at least worth more than nothing.


"I gathered the red earth just outside the teepee at sunrise, still vibrating from all that had happened the night before. I took it to remind me what I'm made of." -Marilyn Berlin Snell, Taking Things Seriously

After all, isn't that why we collect the strange things that we do? To have a memento of a memory or of a moment, like a ticket stub, or a wine bottle label, or even a petrified piece of cake.

In Flagrante Collecto: Caught in the Act of Collecting by Marilynn Gelfman Karp is another book that captures the joy of collecting. Here is an excerpt:

"The Act of Collecting takes a broad look at objects and prototypical collectors, who fall into three precise categories. Silas Marner exemplifies those who collect goods of intrinsic value (ex: gold, gems), universally coveted substances that have been desirable through the ages. Lorenzo De’Medici represents those who collect commodities of extrinsic value (ex: art, stamps, baseball cards, comic books) with a competing collectorship and limited availability. Tom Sawyer typifies those who collect items without intrinsic or extrinsic value (ex: a thread spool, a blue glass shard, an orphaned key), which convey satisfaction and confer serenity upon the collectors who accumulate them. These objects and their ilk (ex: cigar rings, do not disturb signs and air sickness bags) are devalued, undervalued or simply not valued beyond their limited functionality by most people. Collections of the discarded, the unloved, inspire and fulfill those who have dominion over them."

I won't go into great detail about the rest of these books, you can find them all on amazon with reviews. Some of them are philosophical, some try to be, some are just fun, but they're all interesting, maybe even fascinating.

Evocative Objects: Things We Think With by Sherry Turkle

Collections of Nothing by William Davies King

On Longing: Narratives of the Miniature, the Gigantic, the Souvenir, the Collection by Susan Stewart

Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Forty

Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology by Lawrence Weschler

To Have and To Hold: An Intimate History of Collectors and Collecting by Phillip Blom

Worlds of Delight

2011-07-07T12:25:00.000-04:00

Japanese-born metalsmith, Mariko Kusumoto, creates intimate metal environments that evoke the rich, sensual Japanese culture of her childhood. A brilliant technician, she masterfully fabricates and embellishes boxes using a variety of techniques including etching, electroforming, and patination. With astounding attention to detail she explores interior spaces, deftly transforming each compartment into interactive miniature theaters, revealing figures and objects with dozens of movable parts, rotating gears, and musical mechanisms.

She comments, “In my work, I am striving to create a world of shadows, light, silence, spirituality, and my personal memories. My father is a Buddhist priest, and I grew up in a temple that was founded four hundred years ago. While living in the temple, I took the place for granted and didn't think anything special of it. However, the more time that I spend living in the United States—with its diverse cultures and varied ethnic groups, the more conscious I become of my identity as a Japanese. As the yearning for my temple grows, I gain a greater sense of appreciation of it, as well as of Japanese culture in general. As time goes by, my memories become stronger and more vivid. This feeling is the inspiration of my artwork today.” Complex in their assembly, each of Kusumoto’s featured works are made up of nearly 100 individual pieces.

To see more of Mariko's work, visit our Galleries at 2100 Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's Strip District, or check it out on our website!

The Justified Sinner comes to teach at SCC

2011-06-30T11:33:00.003-04:00

The JUSTIFIED SINNER, renowned Scottish artist DAUVITALEXANDER, is bringing his Cabinet of Curiosities to the Society for Contemporary Craft.

Influenced by musician John Cage, architect Frank Gehry, metalsmith Bob Ebendorf, jewelry worn by Renaissance men, and children's TV shows from the 70's, this eccentric award-winning artist has been a finalist in the PMC Studio Open Competition and exhibited as part of the Goldsmith’s Hall Craftsmanship and Design Awards, as well as exhibiting this year in the Landfill Art Project here in Pennsylvania and Beneath The Skin at the Sheffield Institute of Arts in Sheffield, UK. The work shown here is The Four Cocktail Rings of the Apocalypse. More information and other examples of the artist’s work can be found at Dauvit Alexander’s website. He also has a great Etsy Site with really affordable work.

hymn to amun-ra, found brake pad from a light aircraft,silver, blue topaz, custom-cut citrine, lapis-lazuli, acrylic enamel, rare-earth magnets, kevlar from a bullet-proof vest, 3d print of a scarab beetle

Dauvit Alexander will be teaching NEW JUNK JEWELRY at the Society of Contemporary Craft. The class is a tutorial in combining found and discarded objects by traditional fine jewelry techniques. Participants will create their own personal, wearable, environmental apocalypse.

The Four Cocktail Rings Of The Apocalypse: Pestilence

NEW JUNK JEWELRY runs from Monday July 11th to Friday, July 15th, and there are still a few spaces. The tuition for the class is $425.00 (some partial-tuition scholarships are available.) Please call: Sherrard Bostwick, SCC Director of Education, at phone number: 412.261.7003 extension 25 or email: thestudio@contemporarycraft.org for more information or to register.

Post-Apocalyptic Cocktail Rings

atavism, found, corroded hand-made nail, silver, found washers, spring washers, file tang, key, natural sapphire crystal, sapphires and carnelians

I Put A Spell On You

There's a new restaurant in town

2011-06-27T15:00:00.001-04:00

It feels like over the past 2-3 years Pittsburgh has welcomed a gaggle of exciting new restaurants. Ranging in specialties such as tacos, burgers, "American", and exotic fusions, and with a strong overall trend of using locally-sourced ingredients, there is something to delight every pallet! Pittsburgh has never tasted so good.

Jeff Swensen for The New York Times

Kevin Sousa, chef and owner of Salt of the Earth in Pittsburgh, finishes a plate of local legumes and farm-raised rabbit.

Places like Salt of the Earth and Legume both emphasize the importance of serving local and seasonally appropriate foods in an unpretentious and comfortable atmosphere.

Legume

Getting into the foodie spirit, I've been trying to test all of the new places I can. As an Upper Lawrenceville resident I was super excited that a new restaurant was opening a short walk from my house on the 5100 block of Butler Street. If you’re familiar with Lawrenceville you'll know that while Central L-ville is hopin', there isn't much going on after 47th street. The new restaurant is called Alchemy N'Ale - a name that, I assume, playfully adopts the Pittsburghese "N'at". "Alchemy N’ Ale will bring a rustic, yet modern sensibility to the old world charm and hospitality of classic English-style, countryside pubs," the eatery's Facebook page claims. They had a VIP opening on Thursday, June 24^th, which was actually open to anyone - sort of a pre-opening opening. My boyfriend and I walked down to check out the new décor and the food and drink menus. Formerly the location of Geno's Restaurant and Big Belly Deli, the distinctive sign of the previous restaurant still hung on the exterior, repainted in butter yellow with dark lettering spelling out the new name. While I’m all for reuse/recycle, the shape and color of the sign immediately seemed out of place with our expectation of a rustic, yet modern English-style pub.

Old Geno's sign.

Entering the front door we sidled up to the bar and inquired about the complementary specials for the evening, which included warmish Coors Light bottles (there were lots of other beers available - good beers, we just went with what was free for the event). After we got our drinks we wandered over to the seating area to check out the atmosphere and look over the food menu. Because this was a special event, we didn't order dinner, but partook of several very tasty Hors d'œuvres of muscles and steak tartar that were being served by tattooed waitresses. The menu looks promising with an interesting sounding Lobster Deviled Eggs appetizer and hearty meals in the $10-18 price range, designed by an executive chef formerly of NYC’s Tribeca Grill, which is co-owned by legendary actor Robert De Niro.

While certainly not a pretentious atmosphere, it also isn't a pleasing one. They had exposed the brick in the walls, as well as the dark brown, rough-hewn wooden joists in the central wall that divides the bar from the seating area – both of which were done beautifully and is a style I’m fond of. What wasn’t great was that the beautiful rose-colored brick is dulled by a dusty rose-colored paint on the walls. Without any contrast or complement, the colors run together and make the whole wall look blah - despite strategically placed spotlights on the brick. Further muting the environment is the overly polyurethaned, honey-colored, wooden tables and chairs that, while designed to look rough and practical, looked plastic. Following the legs of the blocky chairs down I was very disappointed to see flecked and polished concrete floors that seemed to be leftover from Geno's. The creamy-brown colors of the floor, mauvish color of the brick and walls, and shiny burlap color of the furniture all come together to create an very bland space whose pallet was reminiscent of my grandmothers house. The only splash of color came from the kitschy fake ivy that was worked into the dividing wall between the tables and the bar, and the wall between the bathrooms. Bright, plastic green vines that made me wonder if the plants hanging from the ceiling we fake as well. A lone shelf on the back wall seemed to hold random knick-knacks, looking much like an after thought. If only the fake ivy were a real indoor, vertical garden I could have ignored the rest of the decor, but it was not. It also appears that they are planning to have DJs on the weekends, which is just another odd and ill-fitting part of this new place. Of course, I will reserve my final judgment until after I go there for a real meal, on a weeknight, but at this time I'm not too optimistic that I can ignore the atmosphere.