Podcasts about American craft

It's the height of summer in North America, making it the perfect time for a getaway. If you're planning a trip, consider this episode your friendly travel guide! Scott “Sourdough” Power recently embarked on an inspiring journey to Asheville, North Carolina, which we at Not Real Art proudly call the Capital of American Craft. Whether you're an artist, an art lover, or simply a curious explorer, you'll be captivated by the pristine natural beauty and the impressive array of contemporary American art and craft in this region. In today's episode, we offer a sneak peek into what makes this part of the country so unique. You'll learn what to expect when you visit, gain insight into the history of craft-making in the area, and find out who to contact to learn more about the artists and artisans that make it so special. For more information, you can also tune into the Artsville USA Podcast to celebrate the vibrant contemporary arts and crafts scene from Asheville and beyond!Key Points From This Episode:The valuable partnerships that made the Artsville USA Podcast possible.Natural and manmade beauty you can expect in Asheville, North Carolina.Insight into the history and provenance of art and craft-making in the area.Why we suggest you visit Asheville (and who we recommend to show you around!)Challenges that the region is facing and how your support can help.For more information, please visit http://notrealart.com/asheville-capital-of-american-craft

What you'll learn in this episode: Jennifer's unique process of layering acrylic and art images, and how she discovered her signature technique. Why the most important thing a young artist can do is find their voice. Why Jennifer rarely uses images her customers request in her jewelry. How Jennifer's work ties into the history of pop and op art. Why Jennifer sees other art jewelers as inspiration, not competition. About Jennifer Merchant: Jennifer Merchant is a studio t based in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated with a BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She is a full-time artist showcasing her work in galleries, museums and exhibitions. Her work has been published in several national magazines such as American Craft, Ornament and Delta Sky Magazine. Merchant is best known for her innovative layered acrylic process in which images and prints are layered between solid acrylic. Her work is graphic with clean lines and modern aesthetic. Pieces confound viewers, appearing transparent from one angle of view while showcasing bold patterns and colors from another. Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Additional resources: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Transcript: Like the op and pop art that inspires it, Jennifer Merchant's jewelry challenges your eye. Clear from some angles and bold and colorful from others, the jewelry is created by layering acrylic with images from art books. Jennifer joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about how she developed her technique; how she chooses the images in her jewelry; and why art jewelers need to work together to push the discipline forward. Read the episode transcript here. Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the second part of a two-part episode. If you haven't heard part one, please head to TheJewelryJourney.com. Today, my guest is Jennifer Merchant. Jennifer was also a guest several years ago. She thought she would be a metalsmith but segued to acrylic jewelry, which is what she has become known for: creative and innovative acrylic jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches. They have eye-catching graphics embedded in them. I was also surprised to learn that hand carving is sometimes involved. Welcome back. When you left college, did you know you were going to have your own business? Jennifer: Not right away. I think it took me about five years to really get the confidence together to start my own business. I definitely spent that first five years after graduation very lost and not really sure what in the heck I was going to do with my jewelry degree, especially because I went to school in Savannah, Georgia. That's where I made all my art connections and jewelry connections. Moving back to Minneapolis, I was off on my own. I didn't have a community at that point. It definitely was a number of years of wondering, “How am I going to end up using this degree that cost me so much money?” I had been waiting tables and was increasingly unhappy because I knew I had something different to offer the world. I ended up getting fired from a job. I had been speaking with a friend at work who had another friend that was putting on an art show. She had told me about it because she knew I was an artist. I remember getting fired from the job and calling her up right away, like, “I think I want to do that art show because I need to try to make some money.” It went okay, and it inspired me to say, “Jewelry is something you can do and make a living with. Let's give this a shot.” I had to move back home with my mom for a couple of years and cut my expenses way down, because I wasn't going to take out another loan to start a business. I built it very small, very scrappy. I had a second bedroom in my mom's house where I had my workshop, and I started from there doing little local events. That's where it all started. Sharon: Wow. What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to somebody who's just starting out? Jennifer: I would say when you're just starting out, really try to find your voice. Sharon: What do you do? What does one do when they find their voice? For instance, some people have found the voice, but they're homemakers or they work in an office. What do you do when you find your voice? Jennifer: I think once you know what you want to say, the next step is finding out who wants to hear it. And that is a very hard step, finding your niche and finding your people that resonate with your voice. I think the only way to really do that is to get yourself out there, get your work out there. I think with the Internet now and how accessible online stuff is, it might be a little easier to get yourself out there through social media, through the Internet, than maybe it was years ago when you had to have a physical presence out in the world. People can start by getting their work out there online and hopefully seeing who is interested, who connects with it, and then finding places in the real, outside world to continue that process and eventually find your market. Sharon: Do you have people who come to you with the image they want to include already? Jennifer: Not very often. I've had people ask me about that, but I think ultimately, I have to be drawn to the image specifically in order to be able to incorporate it in a piece. I did have a client that had a specific art piece she wanted in a bracelet for her daughter. That I was able to do because I resonated with the work and it was something that worked well within the form of jewelry. I've also had requests where someone wants family mementos or something encased in the acrylic. That's a very cool, sentimental thing, but visually, it doesn't really work with my aesthetic as well. I'm not going to do something just because I get asked for it. I also have to be drawn to it enough in order to go through with it, because it is a labor-intensive process and it is an art of passion. If I'm not super excited about the thing I'm making, it's probably not going to turn out that great either. I have tried to do things early on in my career specifically for a client that just didn't quite work out. We weren't on the same page. I think as you get more into it, you figure out the types of things you can push the boundaries on and the types of things that you can't. When someone's request is something that you can do and make them happy with, and when it's just not something that'll work out, you know. Sharon: That's interesting. So if somebody brought you their wedding photo, it depends on whether you like the wedding dress or something like that. Jennifer: Or if it has enough visual interest. I think the thing that makes my work successful is the images that I do use are interesting within a small scale of jewelry, and not all images can do that. I work with a lot of op art and pop art, and there's a lot of visual interest going on in a small space. With a photograph or something more sentimental, that's not always the case. It just wouldn't look as cool as they think it's going to. Sharon: I've seen comic books used in your work. How did you come to that? Jennifer: All of the things in my work that look like comic books are actually Roy Lichtenstein pieces. His pop art was inspired by comics, and he reimagined them into huge canvases and paintings. My jewelry does something similar, where I take Roy Lichtenstein's work and images and collect tons of books and rip out those pages and put that in my jewelry. It feels kind of meta. I've actually met some of his descendants and collectors and friends over the years, and a lot of them assure me that he would really appreciate what I'm doing with his work. It's a very similar idea as to how he repurposed art and things that he saw into something new and different. Sharon: That's interesting. I didn't know that. Did you study art history in college as you were studying jewelry and metal and all that? Jennifer: Yeah, art history is definitely part of your Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. It wasn't always my favorite class because the art history classes were about art that was ancient and a lot of religious art and that sort of thing. I think I had one class where it was modern art in the 20th century, which, of course, is the most interesting to me. But that art history background definitely sparked some interest in different art movements and art periods. Art Deco is a very favorite design motif of mine. As I was talking about earlier, I'm very inspired by pop art and op art. I think art history plays a huge role. I never thought at the time when I was in school that I would end up studying more about art history and specific artists and doing that kind of research, but it is really important to my work now. Sharon: Can you explain what the difference between pop art and op art is? Jennifer: Sure. With pop art, everyone knows Roy Lichtenstein and Warhol. They took popular things or everyday objects like a soup can and made them stylized and put them in the context of fine art as this kind of ridiculous thing. Op art deals with optical properties. A lot of op art is very linear. It kind of tricks your eye. It looks like it's moving, but it's a static image. Funny enough, when I started working with op art, I was actually collecting those optical illusions books for kids. There'd be very few usable images in there, but there'd be a few black and white, scintillating-looking, squiggly-lined spirals or something like that. That sparked my interest in optical art and looking it up outside of the context of those silly books for kids. I found out this is a whole art movement, and there are artists like Richard Anuszkiewicz and Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley that pioneered this in the 60s, when it really became a thing. I just find it so fascinating. But it's kind of funny that my two art movements that I use a lot in my work are pop and op. Like, who knew? Sharon: Do you ever use any other kind besides those? You say you like Art Deco. I don't know what you'd use for an image, but I guess you could use an Art Deco image. Jennifer: I think with Art Deco I am more inspired by the overall forms of pieces or the shapes. I like the ideas. I like the repetitive nature of Art Deco. They went from Art Nouveau, where it was all crazy and ornate, and then Art Deco kind of simplified things. It was a little more streamlined. I really like that. I think I carry those design principles through my work, not as much the direct visuals. Although if I could find great books with Art Deco prints of patterns or wallpapers or whatever, I'd love to use those. I just haven't quite found the right image sources yet for that. Finding pop art and op art books has been pretty easy for me, and the images are just so striking, so that's why I've gravitated towards those. I'm open to other types of art and other artists. I just haven't moved on yet from the things I am working on. I can only focus on so many things at a time, but I could see myself doing some collections using Rothko paintings or Gerhard Richter with those interesting images, Jackson Pollock with the splashes. Those kinds of things I could see being very interesting within the context of layered acrylic. It just depends on where my book collection takes me. Sharon: So, if we're looking at used books at a used bookstore, we should keep our eyes open for interesting things that could be used as interesting prints. Jennifer: Yeah. I actually buy so many of my books online because physical shops only have so many things, and what I'm looking for is so specific. The art sections are usually kind of small, so I've ended up finding a lot of online retailers. I've gotten pretty good at being able to figure out whether a book is going to be visually interesting based on the online listing. I will even look at the size of the book, if they list dimensions, to give me ideas. If it seems like a good coffee table art book with lots of pictures, that's what I'm trying to find. Something with lots of great images. Sharon: It sounds like people would be very interested in your leftovers. Jennifer: I have a whole shelf of these books that are like little skeletons. You can see the sections where I've really gone to town ripping pages out, and then other sections that are left. There's plenty of things I leave in the book that I think are amazing, but they just aren't going to work for jewelry. Yeah, I've got a lot of skeleton books on my shelf. I keep them. I can't get rid of them. Sharon: I like that, skeleton books. Once again, it's a Herculean task, the whole thing of starting your own business. Would you say that there is somebody that inspired you and keeps inspiring you? Jennifer: I wouldn't say it's a specific person. I think after that initial, tiny show that I did trying to sell my work, I think the most inspiring thing was seeing the other artists and seeing people that were making a living doing their work. I think that's what's really inspiring to me, finally meeting other people that were already doing what I wanted to do and realizing, “Wow, this is a viable career path.” There's not a lot of artists in my family, so no one really had any advice to give me back in the day. They weren't necessarily unsupportive, but they didn't really know how to encourage my art, either. It's been very helpful getting out there and seeing people that are doing things and just being inspired. Different artists and different people inspire me for very different reasons. Some artists, their work is the thing that inspires you, and other artists have such a great work ethic or a really creative way of marketing. I try to keep my eyes and ears open all the time, and I let inspirations muddle around in my brain. And then one day some other thing will trigger an idea. You just never know. I try to always be open. Sharon: I'm surprised; I usually see you at shows where there are a lot of other art jewelers, which is what I categorize you as. I see art jewelers, makers a lot. I'm thinking of New York City Jewelry Week, which is where I saw you once or twice. The last time I saw you, I wasn't able to say hello. I would think you'd be more—well, maybe it's the way I am, but I'd be more envious or competitive seeing all the other art jewelers, as opposed to finding inspiration. Jennifer: I don't know. I don't think of it as a competition in any way. I think it helps me a lot because my work is so different from everyone else's, so there isn't a super direct comparison. I think maybe for some other types of jewelers it might be a little different because there is more of a direct comparison with their aesthetic or their materials. In that respect, there isn't really competition. I used to be a lot more of a competitive person, but as I've gotten older and been in the business long enough and met all different artists, you just see that it's so much more about passion and drive. You can be successful doing just about anything if you're willing to put the work in. I've met so many different people with so many different types of jewelry and art, and they're successful in radically different ways. Even if some other artist is successful in a way that will never work for me, I still love learning about what they're doing. Even if it doesn't directly apply to me, there's something in that lesson, in listening to them and their story that might click something for me in an indirect manner. So, I really do try to be open and inspired by everyone, and I definitely don't see it as competition. I think it's great seeing more and more art jewelers getting work out there, making things that are big and bold and wild and weird materials. The more of it that's out there, the better for all of us, because then the consumer or the client is seeing more of it out in the world. Then when they come across my work, it might not seem as weird or as off putting. They might get it a little bit faster and a little bit easier because of all the other people that came before me and all the people that are alongside me. I think working together as a community, being inspired by each other, helping each other be successful, that can only help all of us. Sharon: Do you think when people first see your art, they don't think of it as jewelry because it doesn't have diamonds or emeralds? Do they think of it as a throw away, in a way? Jennifer: Oh, yeah. I've had the gamut of reactions to my work, and it really depends on the setting it's in as well as how people respond to it. There are definitely people out there that, to them, jewelry is diamonds and gold, and that's fine. I might not be able to change their mind. Other people see the work and, right away, think it looks cool. Maybe they didn't even know it was a bracelet, but they were drawn to it. Then when they find out it's an actual wearable piece, they're even more blown away. You never know what kind of reaction you're going to get from people. I've definitely had to do a lot of educating on my process and the materials because when someone sees a plastic necklace that costs $2,000, they kind of scratch their heads, like, “What is going on here?” And then I tell them all about the process and all the different steps and all the different things that went into it. Sometimes you win people over, and sometimes they're like, “Why bother?” I just try to pay more attention to the people that are won over and interested. If they're not, that's fine. I know my work is not for everyone, and I'm okay with that. Sharon: That's an interesting philosophy. You've given me a different perspective as well on your jewelry. Thank you for being here today, Jennifer. Jennifer: Yes. Thank you so much for having me. It's been a pleasure. We will have photos posted on the website. Please head to TheJewelryJourney.com to check them out. Thank you again for listening. Please leave us a rating and review so we can help others start their own jewelry journey.

What you'll learn in this episode: Jennifer's unique process of layering acrylic and art images, and how she discovered her signature technique. Why the most important thing a young artist can do is find their voice. Why Jennifer rarely uses images her customers request in her jewelry. How Jennifer's work ties into the history of pop and op art. Why Jennifer sees other art jewelers as inspiration, not competition. About Jennifer Merchant: Jennifer Merchant is a studio t based in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated with a BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She is a full-time artist showcasing her work in galleries, museums and exhibitions. Her work has been published in several national magazines such as American Craft, Ornament and Delta Sky Magazine. Merchant is best known for her innovative layered acrylic process in which images and prints are layered between solid acrylic. Her work is graphic with clean lines and modern aesthetic. Pieces confound viewers, appearing transparent from one angle of view while showcasing bold patterns and colors from another. Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Additional resources: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Transcript: Like the op and pop art that inspires it, Jennifer Merchant's jewelry challenges your eye. Clear from some angles and bold and colorful from others, the jewelry is created by layering acrylic with images from art books. Jennifer joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about how she developed her technique; how she chooses the images in her jewelry; and why art jewelers need to work together to push the discipline forward. Read the episode transcript here. Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the first part of a two-part episode. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it's released later this week. Today, my guest is Jennifer Merchant. Jennifer was also a guest several years ago. She thought she would be a metalsmith but segued to acrylic jewelry, which is what she has become known for: creative and innovative acrylic jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches. They have eye-catching graphics embedded in them. I was also surprised to learn that hand carving is sometimes involved. Jennifer exhibits all over the country. She's been an active member of SNAG, the Society of North American Goldsmiths. She is also a member of other major jewelry organizations. Jennifer is going to tell us all about why she has chosen this route and her process in general. Jennifer, welcome to the program. Jennifer: Thank you so much for having me, Sharon. Sharon: I'm glad to have you. Why did you start working with acrylics? Jennifer: I actually started working with acrylic while I was still in college at the Savannah College of Art and Design studying metalsmithing and jewelry. Our professor gave us little chunks of acrylic one day, probably with the thought of using it for die forms. But I decided, “Hey, you can cut and sculpt this very similarly to working with waxes for lost wax casting.” I liked the immediacy of the acrylic, that once you carved it and sculpted it and polished it, it was a finished piece. It had a lot of really cool optical properties. So, I always kept it on the back burner as an interesting material. Then when I graduated from college and I moved back to my hometown of Minneapolis, I didn't have the tools and equipment to keep working with metal. So, I kind of fell into, “Hey, there was that acrylic I worked with a couple of times in school. It was very interesting. Let's see what we can do with that,” because it was cheap, and I could cut it with simple tools. I started experimenting with it from there. Sharon: And you make all sorts of jewelry with it. Do you know when you start out that you'll be making a necklace or a bracelet with the pieces you have, or do they talk to you as you put them together? Jennifer: I make pieces both ways. Sometimes I'll design a piece very specifically and have an idea and a picture in my mind of what I'm making. But then there's other times, especially when I'm working with the scraps that are left over from pieces that I've made in the past. A lot of those scraps are still very interesting, and they'll be in weird shapes. Those will speak to me, and I'll create something new and different with some of those. I kind of work both ways. Sharon: I know you're in a lot of stores and galleries. Do stores tell you what to do, or do you just say, “Here it is, do you like it”? Jennifer: I'm more of a, “Here's what I've been making. Let me know which ones you like.” I think sometimes it's important to follow your own inspirations. People tend to be drawn to the things that I'm most excited to make. That being said, some galleries have different clientele bases with different price points, so they'll tell me, “Hey, these pieces were working really well.” I'll take some feedback. But ultimately, I focus on making the things that I'm drawn to. Sharon: Do you have a studio inside your home or do you have a place that you go? Jennifer: For years I did have a studio outside of my home that I really loved, but a few years ago my husband and I bought a home, and I decided to move my jewelry practice into my home. So, now I work from home. But who knows, maybe in the future I'll expand a little bit and have another space in addition outside the home. It can be kind of a challenge working at home sometimes, but I've done both. I like working both ways, so we'll see what the future has for me. Sharon: Do you have assistants who work with you? Jennifer: I've had assistants in the past. I don't anymore. I scaled my business way back during COVID and took a breather to reevaluate what I'm doing and where my motivations are. I'm only just beginning to build it back. At this point, I don't work with anyone, but hopefully in the future I can find someone to help out with some of the production. It's a little challenging to find an assistant because my process is very unique. It's not something that people know how to do, so there's a lot of training involved. When I do work with people, it takes quite a while to get somebody that can help finish pieces to the quality standards that my galleries and clients expect. Sharon: When you were reevaluating things, what did you decide? Did your method change during COVID? Jennifer: I think things just slowed way down during COVID. 2020, honestly, it was going to be my year. I had a couple of really big events planned, one of which I got to do because it was in February, but the rest all moved online. There was such a lull in events and things to participate in. I had started questioning what my motivations are, because you really have to love what you're doing in order to be an artist as a profession. We had bought a house and were settling in. I've just been taking the last few years to figure out life so I can bring my A-game to my business again. Sharon: Did you stop production because you were doing it yourself during COVID? Jennifer: I did slow way down on production. If I had a client that was interested in something, or if I had an online event or that kind of thing, that would motivate me to produce some new pieces. But there were just fewer things going on to spark that creation. I have a harder time making things just because. I like to have an outside influence, like a show that's coming up or events that are going to happen and people are going to see my pieces. When I don't know when those things are going on, I have a little bit of a harder time. I think that is why during COVID, everything slowed down for me especially. But it also gave me a lot of time to think about what I want out of my business and where I want to go. And in May, I'll be launching my first web shop where you can actually buy my pieces directly from me. Sharon: Wow. I know that's a Herculean task. Jennifer: For me personally, the web shop is an extra big step because all of my pieces, even my production work, is one of a kind because of the images I'm using within my jewelry. They're all found images from art books and other sources. So, even if it's the same shape, like the marquee hoop earring, no two are going to be the exact same. So, every time I list a piece online for sale, I have to photograph each and every single one of them. It's taken a long time to get some of those things down where I could do it quickly enough and efficiently enough to be able to post all of these pieces with the right listings. It's a lot more work than having a design where you can put a picture of it and sell 25 of them. It's been a daunting thing to tackle. Sharon: Did you have to wait until you were efficient at photographing and making them so you could just churn them out? Jennifer: My work is very difficult to photograph because it is clear and transparent from some angles, and then it's bright and colorful from others. It's also very reflective. So, trying to photograph it cleanly and communicate the piece in a single image is very difficult. My work tends to resonate more from multiple angles. It has taken years to figure out the best way to represent these pieces in an image or two. Sharon: The online shop, do you think it's your most valuable social media outlet? Is there one? What do you think that is? Jennifer: For me, I'm not huge on social media. Instagram, I think, is the most fun. It's very image forward, which is something I really enjoy. Definitely, as I launch my website, I will be on social media a lot more to market. I think up until now I've mostly worked with galleries and shops or done specific events, so I haven't cultivated my online audience as much. I'm excited to explore that new chapter and get more into it and see what I can do from my home. That way in the future, when something happens where in-person events may not be happening as much, I can still have a connection to my audience. I've been getting asked for years, “Where can I find your pieces?” Because everything is one of a kind, if it's at a gallery in California, someone in Georgia is going to have a hard time getting their hands on it. I think it'll be really nice having my own shop so that people can have one destination to go, as well as all of the others, to be able to have that access. Sharon: How did you start getting galleries and stores interested in you? Jennifer: I have been contacted by most of the places that I work with. Earlier in my career, I did a lot more events and shows and I was able to meet gallery owners. Also, early on in my career, I met some of the people that work for the American Craft Council, which is based in Minneapolis. When they saw a local Minneapolis artist at a show in Chicago and met me and thought my work was cool, they were like, “You're in our city. Let's invite her to some events.” They really took me under their wing and wrote about my work and got me out there. I got a lot of contacts just from people seeing the articles that they had posted. For me, it's been a lot of just doing what I do, and because my work is so unique and different, people that it resonates with will remember and contact me, like, “Hey, we've never seen anything like this. Let's try it out at our gallery.” I've been very fortunate in that way, where I haven't really had to go out on my own, cold calling and trying to get appointments and that sort of thing. I just try to make really interesting work, get it out there as much as I can, and then hope that it snowballs from there. So far, that's been working for me. Sharon: Wow. I think it's great that you didn't have to cold call and that people were interested in your stuff, which is very unusual. I don't know anybody who does anything like that. So, you're very lucky. Jennifer: I'm very lucky that it worked out for me because I can be a little socially awkward with the cold calling and things like that. That was never my favorite part of the business. I am fortunate that my work speaks for itself. It's kind of a love it or hate it thing, which can be its own challenge, but it's definitely unique enough where when people see it, if they're interested, they will hunt me down and ask me about it. That's been very nice. Sharon: If an outlet wants more than one, maybe they want five bracelets, do you tell them right away that you can make the five bracelets, but they'll all have different graphics? Jennifer: Yeah. I did a couple wholesale shows a while ago where it was that challenge of, “Well, here's a design, but they're all going to be different, and you're not really going to know until you get them.” I think most people that are interested in my work like that one-of-a-kind nature of it. That's part of the interest, so they trust me. If they get pieces that maybe that imagery doesn't speak to them or their clientele, we'll talk about it and I can swap it out, get them some prints and patterns that they like better. It's kind of a back-and-forth process. And the longer I work with a gallery or a person, the more I get to know what works there. Then I can tailor my offerings to them for what works. Sharon: Where do you find your images and the pictures that you put in your jewelry? Jennifer: When I first started, I was using magazines because they were readily available, fairly inexpensive, and that's how I started this whole process of layered acrylic. But the paper in those is not very good quality and the pictures fade. It's also a challenge to find enough usable content. So, then I started purchasing art books. I would become interested in a specific artist and start collecting books about their work, and those books always had a lot of really amazing images. They're printed on really nice paper with good quality inks, and they're much more successful layering than magazines. Now I exclusively use books. I've become somewhat of a rare and vintage book collector. It's a really fun part of my job, hunting down these different books, figuring out artists that inspire me to start collecting things about their work and then finding really cool images. If there's a particular book that has a lot of really great images that I like, I will start looking for other copies of it. There are certain books about Roy Lichtenstein's work. There's one about posters that has a catalog in the back with all these smaller thumbnail images, and they're so great for making earrings, things like that. I must've bought that book like 10 times. So, that's where I get my images. It's all purchased materials like books that I then rip up and cut up and put in between the acrylic. Sharon: Well, you answered the question. I was going to ask you if you cut the books up or what you do. You also mentioned that magazines got you going with layered acrylic. Can you tell us about that? Jennifer: When I was younger, I subscribed to all kinds of fashion magazines and fun things, and I would keep them after reading them. I had shelves and shelves of magazines. When I first started working with acrylic, I had this idea that acrylic has pretty cool visual properties, optical properties, and when you put images underneath it, it looks so interesting. That's when I started going through my fashion magazines, lots of issues of Vogue. I would see cool prints on dresses and things like that, and I would rip those pages out and try to fit the prints and things that were in there within my jewelry designs. That's how I got started with the whole thing. It was just cheap materials I already had. Sharon: What are your sales policies? Do you accept returns? If I'm a client and you give me something and I say, “No, that's not what I want,” do you accept returns? What do you do? Jennifer: Yeah, I do accept returns. I think it depends. If it's a piece that already existed and they buy it and it just didn't work out, or it doesn't fit quite right or it wasn't what they were expecting, absolutely. It becomes a little more of a gray area when it's a custom piece, when someone wants specific imagery and this and that. That tends to be a little more delicate. That being said, I want people to keep my jewelry because they love it, not because they're trapped. So, even a custom order, if it doesn't come out quite as they were expecting, I try to work with people to either make it right or try something new. Some of the events that I do, it's a museum show where they're handling the sales and they're getting a commission, I'm getting a commission from the sale. Even though I'm selling to the customer directly, because it goes through the museum, usually it's an all-sales-are-final type situation, just because of the nature of the commissions and if they've already paid me and then the person changes their mind. It depends on the venue through which I'm selling the work. I would say most times, yes, returns are acceptable within a certain time frame, but there are certain instances where they are final sale. But even in that situation—I had a client come a couple of years later to a show, and she had this ring. I decided, “You know what? It's a really cool ring. Let's swap it out.” She wanted a pendant. I like to be a little flexible. Like I said, I want people to have my jewelry because they love it, not because they're forced to keep it. Sharon: I'm curious; in your studio, do you have pets that keep you company? Jennifer: I do. I've got a dog and a cat. My cat, Shackleton, likes to work with me. I have two workspaces in my home. Downstairs is the shop, the studio, and then upstairs I have an office where I do the bonding and the image gathering and looking through layouts. The cat, Shackleton, likes to hang out upstairs in the office and sit on all my papers and be in the way, but be very cute. Then my dog, her name's Sophia. She tends to stay out of the studio because it's loud and dusty. She'll come in the office and hang out, too, sometimes. But I don't know. She kind of does her own thing. She lets me work. Sharon: Well, it sounds like nice company. Do you make more than one piece at a time? All the pieces and extras, let's say, do you put them in a closet and then pull them out if somebody wants them? What do you do? Jennifer: I definitely always have some inventory on hand. I think as far as when I'm making pieces, as I was saying earlier, I tend to make when I have an event or I'm preparing for something coming up. Then I'll usually go above and beyond and make extra just to have. Also, because my pieces are one of a kind and the imagery is different on each earring, each ring, each bracelet, I will make more than I know I'm going to need or sell at a specific time, mostly to have options for my clients, because all the pieces are different and have different images. You never know what someone's going to be drawn to. It's especially difficult with things that have a size, like a ring or a bracelet. Then I make tons of them because you have to have lots of options. With those kinds of things, I'll take a lot more custom orders because someone will see something in person that they love, but it's not their size. I do my best to recreate things for people. I don't generally remake things with the exact same images because usually it's impossible, but I will do my best to get something with a similar aesthetic or feeling for people. We will have photos posted on the website. Please head to TheJewelryJourney.com to check them out. Thank you again for listening. Please leave us a rating and review so we can help others start their own jewelry journey.

Heather Knight opened Element Clay Studio in Asheville, NC in 2007, after running a retail studio in Asheville's popular River Arts District, Heather moved her growing family to Savannah, Georgia.Though the business has grown greatly over the years, the backbone of the studio has remained the same. Heather is committed to remaining a craft based business, and all of the porcelain dishes, tiles, vases, and decorative objects are 100% handmade and don't use any means of mass production. Adhering to these values allows Element Clay Studio to continue to produce only the finest, heirloom quality work. Heather's work has been featured in many art & design publications, including Interior Design, Elle Decoration, Rue Magazine and American Craft. She works with designers across the globe to place custom art installations, and provides custom tableware for celebrity chefs like Eric Ripert, Jose Andres and Gordon Ramsey. http://ThePottersCast.com/1021

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about buttons with my guest Beau McCall. Proclaimed by American Craft magazine as “The Button Man,” Beau McCall creates wearable and visual art by applying clothing buttons onto mostly upcycled fabrics, materials, and objects. His artworks offer commentary on topics such as pop culture and social justice. On March 30th his first-ever retrospective exhibition debuts at Fuller Craft Museum titled, Beau McCall: Buttons On!  +++++ Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. March is National Craft Month. Take advantage of this special promotion! For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership! +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Ben Bell of Origami Sake gives James a tour of the tasting tent at the annual gathering of the North American sake industry.

Our guests are Brandon Doughan and Brian Polen, co-owners of Brooklyn Kura, the very first sake brewery in New York, which opened in 2017 at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York.Brandon and Brian joined us on episode #105 in December 2017 and episode #178 in November 2018, where they discussed the unique concept of Brooklyn Kura and how they naturally incorporated the spirit of traditional sake-making into their craft-style sake.Since then, Brooklyn Kura has been growing exponentially, and you may have seen its sake labels at Japanese and non-Japanese restaurants and local retailers. Brian and Brandon join us today to discuss their newly expanded sake brewery, along with what has and hasn't changed about their sake production since they opened the brewery 6 years ago. They also discuss their collaborations with Japanese sake breweries, including the premier brand Hakkaisan, the future of the American craft sake industry, and much, much more!!!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Japan Eats by becoming a member!Japan Eats is Powered by Simplecast.

Episode 157. For our final episode recorded live at this year's American Craft Sake Festival, we are happy to bring you another U.S. sake brewer interview. This time, we visit with our pal Byron Stithem, owner and brewer at Nashville's Proper Sake Co., and the owner at Rice Vice, the attached sake bar and restaurant. Byron has lots to celebrate… as he sat down with us, he had just stepped off the stage after receiving the Silver Medal Audience Choice Award at the American Craft Sake Festival for the second year in a row. This comes on the heels of Rice Vice being named one of the 2023 Best Bars in America by Esquire Magazine. When it comes to our tasting, we were lucky enough to sip on “The Diplomat”, Proper Sake's flagship sake. By tasting this sake with Byron, we happily sailed way to “Yamahai Island”, where flavor, aroma and umami are hard earned, but absolutely delicious. What is that Yamahai aroma all about? Well – you'll know it when you smell it! Kanpai, and congratulations Byron! Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 156. Again this week, we revisit our field trip to the American Craft Sake Festival held this year in Charlottesville VA and bring you another U.S. sake brewer interview. This time, we get a two-for-one as we interview Blake Richardson and Nick Lowry of Moto-i Sake Brewery, which is based in Minneapolis, MN. Founded by Blake in 2008, Moto-i has been creating delicious sakes that are served locally and super fresh on tap. Blake works as Toji and Nick tells us how he graduated from customer to Lead Brewer, following his passion for making great sake. It's a fun and friendly conversation culminating in a tasting of their delicious flagship Junmai Ginjo “Another Dalliance”. Listen in and be sure to visit the Moto-i Brewery, taproom and restaurant if you are anywhere near Minneapolis – it's not to be missed! Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location. Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 155. Our visit to the American Craft Sake Festival was awash with brewers, but one non-sake booth in particular caught our eye.  Without rice, there is no sake and we had the chance to sit down with Whitney Isbell Jones of the world famous Isbell Rice Farm in England, Arkansas.  Whitney grew up on the farm and tells us the story of how her family discovered Japanese rice varieties and how they eventually became global experts in growing premium sake rice varieties in particular. While us city boys think of space in terms of square feet, Whitney explains how the Isbell rice fields are expansive in size - the largest being up to 90 acres each! In addition to growing specialty sake rice strains for the U.S. market, Isbell Farms will soon have a hand in milling sake rice as well.  It's exciting times for rice and sake in the States and we enjoyed our chat with Whitney about all things short, medium and long grain!   Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Episode 153. Listen in as we continue our series of live interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival 2023! This week it's all about SAKE Y'ALL, as the T-shirt of our interviewee says.  We welcome Co-founder and Head Brewer of The Void Sake Company, Justin LeVaughn. Justin runs Kentucky's only sake brewery founded in 2020.  He talks to us about his road to discovering sake as well as the styles of sake that are popular at his taproom. Orange Creamsicle Nigori anyone? We also discuss how the local water impacts the fermentation and finish on his brews. If you are in Kentucky, this taproom is really worth a visit, as they often feature live music and an array of events.  Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  Look for other interviews from the American Craft Sake Festival in coming weeks. Kanpai, Y'all!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

Woodworker, furniture-maker, artist and educator Aspen Golann trained at the renowned North Bennet Street School in Boston and specializes in building furniture with the techniques of 18th and 19th century American fine woodworking. Her pieces aren't mere modern iterations of a centuries-old tradition, however. They also often exhibit very modern feminist touches that acknowledge and subvert the power and function of furniture, traditionally made by men, that is created for domestic spaces, historically the domain of women. Aspen's work has earned her the admiration of the arts-and-crafts establishment. Her work has been featured in American Craft magazine, Fine Woodworking magazine and Architectural Digest. In 2020 she was the recipient of the Mineck Furniture Fellowship from the Society of Arts and Crafts, and this year The Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation gave her one of its prestigious $100,000 unrestricted Awards in Craft. She teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design and in national and international craft workshops.Three years ago, thanks in part to the Minreck Fellowship, Aspen created The Chairmaker's Toolbox, a three-pronged project that provides free tools, education and mentorship for BIPOC, gender-expansive and female chair- and toolmakers seeking to build sustainable businesses. Here Aspen describes how she herself homed in on her exact passion and explains the inventive ways in which The Chairmaker's Toolbox makes a career in woodworking a little less daunting for craftspeople who have traditionally been excluded from the field. https://www.aspengolann.com/

Art and technology share a symbiotic grace in the glass spacecraft, rockets, and scientific apparatus of Rik Allen. Most of his work is made primarily of glass and metal, which expresses a paradoxical symbiosis. The relationship between the rigid strength of metal with the inherent fragility of glass creates an alluring tension. While many of his pieces reference his curiosity about science, they also convey humor, simple narratives, and a lightheartedness that is embodied in much of science fiction's antiquated vision of the future. The theme of “futuristic antiquity” reflects Allen's interest in the literary fictional worlds of Jules Vern, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clark, and Isaac Asimov and their influence on the scientific community. His sculpture is also inspired by the accounts of early scientific pioneers of the 19 and 20th centuries, such as Nicola Tesla, Robert Goddard, Wernher von Braun, and other great scientific minds. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Allen earned a BA in Anthropology from Franklin Pierce University, New Hampshire. His earliest and formative glass studio experiences and education came as a studio assistant in Providence, working with a number of wonderful artists to include Daniel Clayman, James Watkins, and Michael Scheiner. Allen relocated to Washington in 1994, where he joined the William Morris team at the Pilchuck Glass School for 13 years, specializing in engraving, cutting, and finishing glass sculpture. Allen has had numerous solo exhibitions of his sculptures throughout the country, including at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the Museum of Northwest Art, Traver Gallery, Blue Rain Gallery, Schantz Gallery, and Duncan McClellan Gallery. His sculptures have been acquired for a number of public and private collections, including Glass Museum in Tacoma, Imagine Museum, Toyoma Institute of Glass, Blue Origin, Boeing, Amazon and SpaceX. In 2016, his work appeared in a feature cover story published by American Craft magazine and in 2018, he was awarded “Grand Artist of the future” by Imagine Museum. In 2005, Allen established a glass and sculpture studio with his wife, artist Shelley Muzylowski Allen at their property in Skagit County, Washington. In addition to being artists, the couple has taught internationally at the Toyama Institute of Glass in Toyama, Japan, and the International Glass Festival in Stourbridge, England. They have also taught nationally, including the Penland School of Craft, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and at Pilchuck Glass School. A lifelong Star Trek devotee – whose earliest memories of creation involved making scotch tape and cardboard phasers and communicators – Allen was contacted by Eugene (Rod) Roddenberry, son of Star Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry and current spokesman for Trekkies everywhere. Intrigued by Allen's work after seeing a piece one of his friends owned, Roddenberry commissioned a sculpture of the original series' Starship Enterprise. The sculpture was to reflect the basic design of the original Enterprise, but also incorporate Allen's personality into a sculpture that was of his own original design and overall interpretation. Allen, in collaboration with wife Shelley, has created and will install two large public sculptures, Sticken (the Orchard Octopus) in September, and Heronious One in November in Bellevue, Washington. He will have an exhibition of new work in spring 2024 at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and will collaborate with Dave Walters this fall.   

Episode 152. This week, we take Sake Revolution on the road!  John and Timothy recently attended the 3rd annual American Craft Sake Festival in Charlottesville, VA.  Sake Revolution hosted a live podcast recording of a "brewers roundtable" on stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd of sake lovers at the Festival.  We were lucky enough to interview Blake Richardson from Moto-i in Minneapolis MN and Todd Bellomy from Farthest Star Brewery in Boston, MA.  It was our first time recording in front of an audience, so you may notice some differences in our audio along with some background noise, but it was worth it to be able to connect with many fantastic U.S. Sake Brewers and sake fans all in one place. Special thanks to SBANA, the Sake Brewers Association of North America, for organizing the festival and to North American Sake Brewery for hosting the event location.  In addition to our roundtable with Todd and Blake, we recorded many other interviews at the festival, so look for them in coming weeks!#SakeRevolutionSupport the show

In Episode 235 we go live again on Facebook, and in this episode we are discussing the situation leading to Anchor Brewing closing. We also have an article provided by a listener discussing the decline of attendance and potential death of beer festivals. Now grab a beer and enjoy the show! If you would like to contact the show you can reach the hosts through email at tapthecraft@gmail.com, or follow us on twitter @tapthecraft, interact with us on Facebook at facebook.com/tapthecraft. We have a voicemail number...you can call 208-536-3359 (208-53ODDLY) to leave feedback or questions and have your voice heard on the show. We invite you to visit our website at tapthecraft.com for more craft beer content. If you enjoy our content and want to Toast Your Hosts, then please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/tapthecraft Visit our sponsor tintackers.com who have the biggest selection of embossed aluminum beer signs with the best prices. Use TAPTHECRAFT at checkout and you will save 10% on your entire order. You can follow Denny on Twitter, Instagram and Untappd @lucescrew. You can follow Kris on Twitter @kris_mckenzie82 or Untappd at @mck1345 and on our Facebook page. Find more links at Linktr.ee/tapthecraft. Discord server at tapthecraft.com/discord BEERS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:Fremont Brewing Coconut Cacao Barrel aged Dark Star (2022)Fort George Brewery 3-Way IPA (2023)Angry Chair Brewing Futile Confession (2020)Leaven Brewing The Vanilla Goat Barriehaus Beer Co Here's your F***ing Hefe! Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic Cantillon Rose' de Gambrinus Framboise Lambic Drekker Brewing Co There Will Be PRRRT - Jules Deluxe Pastry SourDrekker Brewing Co CHONK ‘Merica Cake Pastry Sour Jim Dandy Brewing 5 Year Beer NE IPALINKS TO ARTICLES DISCUSSED:DESPERATE TIMES: ANCHOR BREWING EXITS NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION, ENDS CHRISTMAS ALE found on the American Craft beer websiteAnchor Employees Launch Bid to Rescue Iconic Brewery from Liquidation written by Dave Infante found on VinePair websiteOur friends at It's All Beer Podcast just released an episode with some good history and detail about Anchor Brewing. Link to the episode Farewell to Anchor

Laura Splan is a transdisciplinary artist working at the intersections of science, technology, and culture. She creates conceptually layered and carefully crafted artworks that explore the sublime complexity of the biological world while unraveling entanglements of natural and built systems. Her research-driven projects connect hidden artifacts of biotechnology to everyday lives through embodied interactions and sensory experiences. Recent exhibitions have included immersive installations, networked devices, and tactile sculptures. Splan often engages audiences with themes in her work through companion programming, including participatory workshops covering laboratory techniques, specialized software, and textiles methods that she uses in her own studio practice. Her artworks exploring biomedical imaginaries have been commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control Foundation and the Bruges Triennial. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts & Design, Pioneer Works, and New York Hall of Science and is represented in the collections of the Thoma Art Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, NYU's Langone Art Collection, and the Berkeley Art Museum. Reviews and articles including her work have appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Discover, designboom, American Craft, and Frieze. Splan's research and residencies have been supported by the Jerome Foundation, Institute for Electronic Arts, Harvestworks, the Knight Foundation, and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. In this episode, Laura and I discuss where art and science meet, Sticky settings in software and DNA, the relationship between learning and teaching, the presence of sound, early memories of where her art practice began and where it stands now. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ongoingness/support

This month on the City Brew Tours Beer Club Podcast, host Brian Hatheway and co-host Glenn Stoops explore Grand Rapids, Michigan! This week, Brian and Glenn try Brewery Nyx's Stout.  In this episode, Brian & Glenn dive into discussion about Food & Wine's "Top 25 Most Important American Craft Beers". The duo discusses notable omissions and debates the rankings of certain beers. They shine a spotlight on the influential Heady Topper, widely regarded as the originator of the Hazy IPA style. You can drink along with us from the comfort of home! Join the City Brew Tours Beer Club, get delicious beers delivered monthly, then tune into our weekly interactive virtual beer tastings on Tuesday evenings. Visit shop.citybrewtours.com to join! Cheers! Subscribe to the most well-traveled beer podcast in the nation! Follow us as we travel the country finding America's BEST undiscovered craft beer! Alex Kidd's Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-alex-kidds-family-with-medical-bills?fbclid=IwAR1enOk9v4_ND3TCkXLxI8yJ8vUMvfSzFWSkzCyGRQnsaWjMPTNNJbyvVns&mibextid=Zxz2cZ Food & Wine's Article: https://www.foodandwine.com/beer/craft-beer/25-most-important-american-craft-beers-ever-brewed Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/citybrewtours Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/citybrewtours Brewery Nyx - www.brewerynyx.com

Once upon a time, American brewers traveled to Europe, rediscovered beer, and became inspired. They came home and started the craft beer revolution, disrupting the homogenous macro brew industry. Approximately 30 years later they returned the favor. My next guest tells his story of infusing American Craft into the Dutch beer culture.  It never ceases to amaze me that beer culture is a global thing. As different as we are, we're still very much alike. But, while trends spread across the planet, those differences inspire us to keep beer interesting and new. I would argue that it's these differences that connect us together.  We find great experiences at the intersection of craft and culture. These are the stories of us, of great food and the beer that brings it all together.   For the Craft and Culture of Beer, this is episode 127 of Good Beer Matters with Michiel Anema of All Kinds of Beers. Show Links All Kinds Of Beers ⁠Subscribe to the Good Beer Matters Monthly Newsletter for practical beer education.⁠⁠⁠⁠ The ⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Beer Matters Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ comes to you with support from ⁠⁠⁠⁠BreweryDB.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, your digital destination for brewery experiences! In Partnership with The Beer Scholar T-shirt from ⁠⁠Shirts On Tap⁠⁠. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jeremy-storton/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jeremy-storton/support

If Marianna, Arkansas looks like the kind of place that Walker Evans would've photographed, that's because it is. And it was in that cotton belt town in 1936 that William Paschal Hopkins came to be. _____ Born to Charles, a cotton merchant, and Martha, young Will Hopkins was on a path to follow his father into the cotton business. But thanks to the intervention of a distant aunt, a fashion illustrator in New York City, Hopkins' parents were persuaded into shipping their creatively-inclined boy off to the celebrated Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit. _____ Hopkins became the “Arkansas Traveler.” After school, he took a job at Chess Records in Chicago, designing for the likes of Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, and Bo Diddley. But soon the road was calling again. _____ “One Sunday afternoon, I'm walking down the street in Chicago. I said to this friend of mine that I was walking with, I said, you know, ‘I'm gonna go to Germany.'” _____ Through a friend, Hopkins discovered Willy Fleckhaus, one of the most innovative, creative, and influential graphic designers in postwar Germany. He knew he had to go. _____ Through his revolutionary work at the magazine Twen, Fleckhaus taught Hopkins everything about the business, including the “12-Part Grid,” his layout innovation that transformed the way magazines were designed. _____ After three years in Munich, Hopkins moved to New York to take the helm at Look magazine. Look enjoyed a spirited rivalry with the more conservative Life magazine, and published hard-hitting stories on civil rights, racism, gay marriage, and the environment. It featured the more cutting-edge design of the two, which Hopkins credits to his implementation of Fleckhaus's grid system. _____ After Look closed in 1971 (followed by Life in 1972), Hopkins would go on to open his own studio where he continues to run a thriving design business, Hopkins/Baumann, in Minneapolis. _____ After a non-stop, 65-year career in magazine publishing, Hopkins' memory is rich, but not quite what it used to be. But thanks to his partner in work and in life, Mary K Baumann, who helped to fill in the gaps, we learned why Hopkins seemed to attract magazines with “American” in the title (American Photographer, American Health, American Craft), how to drive a Volkswagen from Chicago to Germany, and about the good old days when art directors got wined and dined by French publishers.

Your boy JBarber got to see the show Declaration and Resistance at the Reynolda House and immediately had to get the artist Stephen Towns to come on the show! Stephen has had a crazy busy couple of years but he had some time to talk to the Noize about his show. He has paintings in the National Museum of African American History & Culture and this show has been touring for a couple of years. We talk about his vibrant, beautiful paintings and his wonderful quilts from the show. Stephen talks about his process of research and adding life to his archived photography, how artists get to tour a show, and how teaching yourself a medium changes how you make art. More of that good art talk that we love over here. Listen, subscribe, and share!Episode 163 topics include:Declaration and Resistance at the Reynolda House through May 14, 2023researching stories as inspirationbreathing life into archive photographyswitching between painting and quiltingmagical elements in artvibrant color of Black peoplemaking work about life in the SouthStephen Towns was born in 1980 in Lincolnville, SC, and lives and works in Baltimore, MD. He trained as a painter with a BFA in studio art from the University of South Carolina and has also developed a rigorous, self-taught quilting practice. In 2018 the Baltimore Museum of Art presented his first museum exhibition, Stephen Towns: Rumination and a Reckoning. His work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Artforum, the Washington Post, Hyperallergic, Cultured, Forbes, AFROPUNK, and American Craft. Towns was honored as the inaugural recipient of the 2016 Municipal Art Society of Baltimore Travel Prize, and in 2021, Towns was the first Black artist-in-residence at the Fallingwater Institute, located at Frank Lloyd Wrights' renowned Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania. In 2021 Towns was also awarded the Maryland State Arts Council's Individual Artist Award.See more: www.stephentowns.com/ + Stephen Towns IG @stephentownsPresented by: Black Art In AmericaFollow us:StudioNoizePodcast.comIG: @studionoizepodcastJamaal Barber: @JBarberStudioSupport the podcast www.patreon.com/studionoizepodcast

WOW it's been a long time hasn't it? We're back with what's likely to be the final season of the Just Asian Things Podcast and we're happy to start off this final season with an interview with Kevin Wong, one of the co-founders of Lunar, the first Asian-American craft hard seltzer made with real fruit juice and premium ingredients from Asia. Whether you're a seltzer fan, interested in starting your own business, or just looking for a few cool dudes to hangout with on your commute to work, this episode has something for you. Tune in and let us know what you think! You can find Lunar at https://www.drinklunar.com and follow them @drinklunar across IG, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Here's the IG link if you're lazy like us :) https://www.instagram.com/drinklunar If you're on the east coast in the US, you can also find Lunar at your local Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Costco!

On this episode of The Spirited Advocate Podcast, our host Chris Swonger is joined by Master Distiller, Bruce Joseph.  Bruce is an industry veteran who has been instrumental in putting American whiskey on the map.  In this episode we'll be talking to Bruce about his amazing career, where he sees the spirits industry moving in the future, and the incredible work he is doing at Hotaling & Co., including  championing the return of pot-distilled whiskey through the launch of Old Potrero.  Don't miss this episode of The Spirited Advocate Podcast, brought to you by The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.Follow UsTwitter: @DistilledSpirit Facebook: @DistilledSpiritsCouncilUSInstagram: @distilledspiritscouncilLinkedIn: @DistilledSpirtsCouncilPresented by Distilled Spirits Council of the United Stateswww.distilledspirits.org

Today we'll be talking about the importance of crafting and what it provides for the community.Joining us are Judith Carr, owner of Bumbershoots sleep sacks, Amy Blair, owner of Sun Ah Blair jewelry, and Nicole Stokes, owner of HGE Designs. You're all from the Baltimore/Anne Arundel County area and will be exhibiting your crafts at the 46th annual American Craft Council Craft Made Marketplace- Baltimore Convention Center, March 3-5, where 350 artists will be showcasing their creations.Each crafter discusses why and how they got started in crafting along with their connections to the community. Problem solving and giving back are two of the main reasons the crafters turned a passion into a business.The best crafters in the country will be at the American Craft show in Baltimore.

A few months ago Devin from American Mash and Grain reached out to David from Whiskey Ring and myself about doing an American Craft roundtable. Not one to shy away from running with someone else's great idea we jumped into it and created a list of people that we thought needed to be here. We had representation from a blog turned retailer, a small distiller with a big name, an independent bottler of “craft” distillers and a website turned blending team. The conversation ranges around all things “craft” or small distillery for a couple of hours. There's obviously so much more for us to talk over so maybe…just maybe there's a whole other discussion waiting to be had. Co-Host:Wedding Ring Podcast@whiskeyinmyweddingring@whiskeyringpodcastDavid Levinewww.whiskeyinmyweddingring.com/Guests:American Mash and Grain/Borrowed Page American Whiskey@mashngrainChase and Devinwww.mashngrain.com Lost Lantern Whiskey@lostlanternwhiskeyNora Ganley-Roperwww.lostlanternwhiskey.comSeelbachs and BourbonrBlake Riberwww.bourbonr.com@bourbonrwww.seelbachs.com Kings CountyColin Spoelman@kingscountydistillerywww.kingscountydistillery.com

Hello America!!! Join us for our first ever American brewery Q&A. During this episode we sit down with Dr Pete Oates, founder of Equilibrium Brewery from New York, to discuss the great work they're doing across the pond. Throughout this episode we dive into the American Craft beer scene, discuss Pete's background in Science & beer and talk about the inspiration behind lots of Equilibrium beers. Plus much more.The beer we drank tonight was The Final Vortex - 7.7% DDH IPA (Northern Monk x EQ x Other Half).As always you can find us on IG @Acraftbrewwithaview & @Violentbeers or on Twitter @MoreCraftViews. We also have lots of exclusive content available on patreon at the link below:

Luke and Andrew sit down with Em Sauter, illustrator, cicerone, and OG beer celebrity. They drink some Russian River beers while discussing Catholic radio stations, the clarinet, sour porters and how Charlie Brown Christmas album is the greatest Christmas album of all time.Beers include:Russian River Brewing - Propitiation (Sour Porter) paired with Tom Tom Club – Genius of LoveRussian River Brewing - Sanctification (Blonde) paired with The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Strange Meadow LarkRussian River Brewing - Pliny the Elder (Double IPA) paired with  Atmosphere - SunshineShow notesPints and Panels - Website and shopEm on TwitterBeer Is For EveryoneHooray For Craft BeerFox Farm BreweryWJMJ Radio is available on various online radio sites such as this oneTheme tune is I Can Hew by Mawkin, from their album The Ties That Bind. 

What you'll learn in this episode: Why the best modernist pieces are fetching record prices at auction today How “Messengers of Modernism” helped legitimize modernist jewelry as an art form The difference between modern jewelry and modernist jewelry Who the most influential modernist jewelers were and where they drew their inspiration from Why modernist jewelry was a source of empowerment for women About Toni Greenbaum Toni Greenbaum is a New York-based art historian specializing in twentieth and twenty-first century jewelry and metalwork. She wrote Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry 1940-1960 (Montréal: Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Flammarion, 1996), Sam Kramer: Jeweler on the Edge (Stuttgart: Arnoldsche Art Publishers, 2019) and “Jewelers in Wonderland,” an essay on Sam Kramer and Karl Fritsch for Jewelry Stories: Highlights from the Collection 1947-2019 (New York: Museum of Arts and Design and Arnoldsche, 2021), along with numerous book chapters, exhibition catalogues, and essays for arts publications. Greenbaum has lectured internationally at institutions such as the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven; Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and Savannah College of Art and Design Museum of Art, Savannah. She has worked on exhibitions for several museums, including the Victoria and Albert in London, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, and Bard Graduate Center Gallery, New York. Additional Resources: Link to Purchase Books Toni's Instagram The Jewelry Library  Photos Available on TheJewelryJourney.com Transcript: Once misunderstood as an illegitimate art form, modernist jewelry has come into its own, now fetching five and six-figure prices at auction. Modernist jewelry likely wouldn't have come this far without the work of Toni Greenbaum, an art historian, professor and author of “Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry, 1940 to 1960.” She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about the history of modernist jewelry; why it sets the women who wear it apart; and where collectors should start if they want to add modernist pieces to their collections. Read the episode transcript here.   Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is a two-part Jewelry Journey Podcast. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it comes out later this week.    Today my guest is art historian, professor and author Toni Greenbaum. She is the author of the iconic tome, “Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry, 1940 to 1960,” which analyzes the output of America's modernist jewelers. Most recently, she authored “Sam Kramer: Jeweler on the Edge,” a biography of the jeweler Sam Kramer. Every time I say jeweler I think I'm using the world a little loosely, but we're so glad to have you here today. Thank you so much.   Toni: I am so glad to be here, Sharon. Thank you so much for inviting me. It's been many years coming.   Sharon: I'm glad we connected. Tell me about your jewelry journey. It sounds very interesting.   Toni: Well, there's a lot you don't know about my jewelry journey. My jewelry journey began when I was a preteen. I just became fascinated with Native American, particularly Navajo, jewelry that I would see in museum gift shops. I started to buy it when I was a teenager, what I could afford. In those days, I have to say museum gift shops were fabulous, particularly the Museum of Natural History gift shop, the Brooklyn Museum gift shop. They had a lot of ethnographic material of very high quality. So, I continued to buy Native American jewelry. My mother used to love handcrafted jewelry, and she would buy it in whatever craft shops or galleries she could find.    Then eventually in my 20s and 30s, I got outpriced. Native American jewelry was becoming very, very fashionable, particularly in the late 60s, 1970s. I started to see something that looked, to me, very much like Native American jewelry, but it was signed. It had names on it, and some of them sounded kind of Mexican—in fact, they were Mexican. So, I started to buy Mexican jewelry because I could afford it. Then that became very popular when names like William Spratling and Los Castillo and Hector Aguilar became known. I saw something that looked like Mexican jewelry and Navajo jewelry, but it wasn't; it was made by Americans. In fact, it would come to be known as modernist jewelry. Then I got outpriced with that, but that's the start of my jewelry journey.   Sharon: So, you liked jewelry from when you were a youth.    Toni: Oh, from when I was a child. I was one of these little three, four-year-olds that was all decked out. My mother loved jewelry. I was an only child, and I was, at that time, the only grandchild. My grandparents spoiled me, and my parents spoiled me, and I loved jewelry, so I got a lot of jewelry. That and Frankie Avalon records.   Sharon: Do you still collect modernist? You said you were getting outpriced. You write about it. Do you still collect it?   Toni: Not really. The best of the modernist jewelry is extraordinarily expensive, and unfortunately, I want the best. If I see something when my husband and I are antiquing or at a flea market or at a show that has style and that's affordable, occasionally I'll buy it, but I would not say that I can buy the kind of jewelry I want in the modernist category any longer. I did buy several pieces in the early 1980s from Fifty/50 Gallery, when they were first putting modernist jewelry on the map in the commercial aspect. I was writing about it; they were selling it. They were always and still are. Mark McDonald still is so generous with me as far as getting images and aiding my research immeasurably. Back then, the modernist jewelry was affordable, and luckily I did buy some major pieces for a tenth of what they would get today.   Sharon: Wow! When you say the best of modernist jewelry today, Calder was just astronomical. We'll put that aside.   Toni: Even more astronomical: there's a Harry Bertoia necklace that somebody called my attention to that is coming up at an auction at Christie's. If they don't put that in their jewelry auctions, they'll put it in their design auctions. I think it's coming up at the end of June; I forget the exact day. The estimate on the Harry Bertoia necklace is $200,000 to $300,000—and this is a Harry Bertoia necklace. I'm just chomping at the bit to find out what it, in fact, is going to bring, but that's the estimate they put, at $200,000 to $300,000.   Sharon: That's a lot of money. What holds your interest in modernist jewelry?   Toni: The incredible but very subtle design aspect of it. Actually, tomorrow I'm going to be giving a talk on Art Smith for GemEx. Because my background is art history, one of the things I always do when I talk about these objects is to show how they were inspired by the modern art movements. This is, I think, what sets modernist jewelry apart from other categories of modern and contemporary jewelry. There are many inspirations, but it is that they are very much inspired by Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Biomorphism, etc., depending on the artist. Some are influenced by all of the above, and I think I saw that. I saw it implicitly before I began to analyze it in the jewelry.    This jewelry is extraordinarily well-conceived. A lot of the craftsmanship is not pristine, but I have never been one for pristine craftsmanship. I love rough surfaces, and I love the process to show in the jewelry. Much of the modernist jewelry is irreverent—I use the word irreverent instead of sloppy—as far as the process is concerned. It was that hands-on, very direct approach, in addition to this wonderful design sense, which, again, came from the modern art movements. Most of the jewelers—not all of them, but most of them—lived either in New York or in Northern or Southern California and had access to museums, and these people were aesthetes. They would go to museums. They would see Miro's work; they would see Picasso's work, and they would definitely infuse their designs with that sensibility.   Sharon: Do you think that jumped out at you, the fact that they were inspired by different art movements, because you studied art history? You teach it, or you did teach it at one time?    Toni: No, just history of jewelry. I majored in art history, but I've never taught art history. I've taught history of jewelry. We can argue about whether jewelry is art or not, but history of jewelry is what I've taught.   Sharon: I've taken basic art history, but I couldn't tell you some of the movements you're talking about. I can't identify the different movements. Do you think it jumped out at you because you're knowledgeable?   Toni: Yes, definitely, because I would look at Art Smith and I would say, “That's Biomorphism.” I would see it. It was obvious. I would look at Sam Kramer and I would say, “This is Surrealism.” He was called a surrealist jeweler back in his day, when he was practicing and when he had his shop on 8th Street. I would look at Rebajes and I would see Cubism. Of course, it was because I was well-versed in those movements, because what I was always most interested in when I was studying art history were the more modern movements.   Sharon: Did you think you would segue to jewelry in general? Was that something on your radar?   Toni: That's a very interesting question because when I was in college, I had a nucleus of professors who happened to have come from Cranbrook.   Sharon: I'm sorry, from where?   Toni: Cranbrook School of Art.   Sharon: O.K., Cranbrook.   Toni: I actually took a metalsmithing class as an elective, just to see what it was because I was so interested in jewelry, although I was studying what I call legitimate art history. I was so interested in jewelry that I wanted to see what the process was. I probably was the worst jeweler that ever tried to make jewelry, but I learned what it is to make. I will tell you something else, Sharon, it is what has given me such respect for the jewelers, because when you try to do it yourself and you see how challenging it is, you really respect the people who do it miraculously even more.    So, I took this class just to see what it was, and the teacher—I still remember his name. His name was Cunningham; I don't remember his first name. He was from Cranbrook, and he sent the class to a retail store in New York on 53rd Street, right opposite MOMA, called America House.   Sharon: Called American House?   Toni: America House. America House was the retail enterprise of the American Craft Council. They had the museum, which was then called the Museum of Contemporary Crafts; now it's called MAD, Museum of Arts and Design. They had the museum, and they had a magazine, Craft Horizons, which then became American Craft, and then they had this retail store. I went into America House—and this was the late 1960s—and I knew I had found my calling. I looked at this jewelry, which was really fine studio jewelry. It was done by Ronald Pearson; it was done by Jack Kripp. These were the people that America House carried. I couldn't afford to buy it. I did buy some of the jewelry when they went out of business and had a big sale in the early 1970s. At that time I couldn't, but I looked at the jewelry and the holloware, and I had never seen anything like it. Yes, I had seen Native American that I loved, and I had seen Mexican that I loved. I hadn't yet seen modernist; that wasn't going to come until the early 1980s. But here I saw this second generation of studio jewelers, and I said, “I don't know what I'm going to do with this professionally, but I know I've got to do something with it because this is who I am. This is what I love.”    Back in the late 1960s, it was called applied arts. Anything that was not painting and sculpture was applied art. Ceramics was applied art; furniture was applied art; textiles, jewelry, any kind of metalwork was applied art. Nobody took it seriously as an academic discipline in America, here in this country. Then I went on to graduate school, still in art history. I was specializing in what was then contemporary art, particularly color field painting, but I just loved what was called the crafts, particularly the metalwork. I started to go to the library and research books on jewelry. I found books on jewelry, but they were all published in Europe, mostly England. There were things in other languages other than French, which I could read with a dictionary. There were books on jewelry history, but they were not written in America; everything was in Europe. So, I started to read voraciously about the history of jewelry, mostly the books that came out of the Victoria & Albert Museum. I read all about ancient jewelry and medieval jewelry and Renaissance jewelry. Graham Hughes, who was then the director of the V&A, had written a book, “Modern Jewelry,” and it had jewelry by artists, designed by Picasso and Max Ernst and Brach, including things that were handmade in England and all over Europe. I think even some of the early jewelers in our discipline were in that book. If I remember correctly, I think Friedrich Becker, for example, might have been in Graham Hughes' “Modern Jewelry,” because that was published, I believe, in the late 1960s.    So, I saw there was a literature in studio jewelry; it just wasn't in America. Then I found a book on William Spratling, this Mexican jeweler whose work I had collected. It was not a book about his jewelry; it was an autobiography about himself that obviously he had written, but it was so rich in talking about the metalsmithing community in Taxco, Mexico, which is where he, as an American, went to study the colonial architecture. He wound up staying and renovating the silver mines that had been dormant since the 18th century. It was such a great story, and I said, “There's something here,” but no graduate advisor at that time, in the early 70s, was going to support you in wanting to do a thesis on applied art, no matter what the medium. But in the back of my mind, I always said, “I'm going to do something with this at some point.”    Honestly, Sharon, I never thought I would live to see the day that this discipline is as rich as it is, with so much literature, with our publishers publishing all of these fantastic jewelry books, and other publishers, like Flammarion in Paris, which published “Messengers of Modernism.” Then there's the interest in Montreal at the Museum of Fine Arts, which is the museum that has the “Messengers of Modernism” collection. It has filtered into the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, obviously MAD. So many museums are welcoming. I never thought I would live to see the day. It really is so heartening. I don't have words to express how important this is, but I just started to do it. In the early 1970s or mid-1970s—I don't think my daughter was born yet. My son was a toddler. I would sit in my free moments and write an article about William Spratling, because he was American. He went to Mexico, but he was American. He was the only American I knew of that I could write about. Not that that article was published at that time, but I was doing the research and I was writing it.   Sharon: That's interesting. If there had been a discipline of jewelry history or something in the applied arts, if an advisor had said, “Yes, I'll support you,” or “Why don't you go ahead and get your doctorate or your master's,” that's something you would have done?   Toni: Totally, without even a thought, yes. Because when I was studying art history, I would look at Hans Holbein's paintings of Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More, and all I would do was look at the jewelry they were wearing, the chains and the badges on their berets. I said, “Oh my god, that is so spectacular.” Then I learned that Holbein actually designed the jewelry, which a lot of people don't know. I said, “There is something to this.” I would look at 18th century paintings with women, with their pearls and rings and bracelets, and all I would do was look at the jewelry. I would have in a heartbeat. If I could have had a graduate advisor, I would have definitely pursued that.   Sharon: When you say you never thought you'd live to see the day when modernist jewelry is so popular—not that it's so surprising, but you are one of the leaders of the movement. When I mentioned to somebody, “Oh, I like modernist jewelry,” the first thing they said was, “Well, have you read ‘Messengers of Modernism?'” As soon as I came home—I was on a trip—I got it. So, you are one of the leaders.   Toni: Well, it is interesting. It is sort of the standard text, but people will say, “Well, why isn't Claire Falkenstein in the book? She's so important,” and I say, “It's looked upon as a standard text, but the fact is it's a catalogue to an exhibition. That was the collection.” Fifty/50 Gallery had a private collection. As I said before, they were at the forefront of promoting and selling modernist jewelry, but they did have a private collection. That collection went to Montreal in the 1990s because at that time, there wasn't an American museum that was interested in taking that collection. That book is the catalogue of that finite collection. So, there are people who are major modernist jewelers—Claire Falkenstein is one that comes to mind—that are not in that collection, so they're not in the book. There's a lot more to be said and written about that movement.   Sharon: I'm sure you've been asked this a million times: What's the difference between modern and modernist jewelry?   Toni: Modern is something that's up to date at a point in time, but modernist jewelry is—this is a word we adopted. The word existed, but we adopted it to define the mid-20th century studio jewelry, the post-war jewelry. It really goes from 1940 to the 1960s. That's it; that's the time limit of modernist jewelry. Again, it's a word we appropriated. We took that word and said, “We're going to call this category modernist jewelry because we have to call it something, so that's the term.” Modern means up to date. That's just a general word.   Sharon: When you go to a show and see things that are in the modernist style, it's not truly modernist if it was done today, it wasn't done before 1960.   Toni: Right, no. Modernist jewelry is work that's done in that particular timeframe and that also subscribes to what I was saying, this appropriation of motifs from the modern art movement. There was plenty of costume jewelry and fine jewelry being done post-war, and that is jewelry that is mid-20th century. You can call it mid-20th century modern, which confuses the issue even more, but it's not modernist jewelry. Modernist jewelry is jewelry that was done in the studio by a silversmith and was inspired by the great movements in modern art and some other inspirations. Art Smith was extremely motivated by African motifs, but also by Calder and by Biomorphism. It's not religious. There are certainly gray areas, but in general, that's modernist jewelry.    Sharon: I feel envious when you talk about everything that was going in on New York. I have a passion, but there's no place on the West Coast that I would go to look at some of this stuff.   Toni: I'll tell you one of the ironies, Sharon. Post-war, definitely through the 1950s and early 1960s, there must have been 13 to 15 studio shops by modernist jewelers. You had Sam Kramer on 8th Street and Art Smith on 4th Street and Polo Bell, who was on 4th Street and then he was on 8th Street, and Bill Tendler, and you had Jules Brenner, and Henry Steig was Uptown. Ed Wiener was all over the place. There were so many jewelers in New York, and I never knew about them. I never went to any of their shops. I used to hang out in the Village when I was a young teenager, walked on 4th Street; never saw Art Smith's shop. He was there from 1949 until 1977. I used to walk on 8th Street, and Sam Kramer was on the second floor. I never looked up, and I didn't know this kind of jewelry existed. In those days, like I said, I was still collecting Navajo.

Today I'm reviewing a peculiar bourbon whiskey from Trader Joes that was bottled at barrel entry proof, talking about a new TTB label for single barrel picks of Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey from Heaven Hill, as well as doing a deep dive into why Amburana casks from Brazil and South America are the latest craze in whiskey finishing, featured by iconic brands such as Nulu, Rare Character, WhistlePig, Teeling, and Starlight Distillery, as well as several American Craft breweries. 

Our guest is Blake Richardson who is the president and owner of Moto-i in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Moto-i opened as a sake brewery and brewpub in 2008. There are around 20 craft sake breweries in the U.S. now, but when Blake started Moto-i, there was not much information available about Japanese sake in English, not to mention other craft breweries to learn from. Blake also runs a sake rice milling company called Minnesota Rice and Milling, which is important for American sake brewers, considering difficulties in getting premium sake rice in the U.S. In this episode, we will discuss why Blake decided to open a sake brewery in Minneapolis, how he studied sake production, his sake-making philosophy, why he started the sake rice milling business, and much, much more!!!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Japan Eats by becoming a member!Japan Eats is Powered by Simplecast.

Over the past year Sarah Rachel Brown has been collaborating with American Craft Magazine to bring the Object As... Project from the pages of the magazine to your podcast feeds. The first episode launches APRIL 15th through the American Craft Podcast feed. Enjoy this sneak peak into what the project entails and subscribe now to American Craft Podcast. Object As... Objects speak to our current cultural, political, societal, environmental, and social climates. Objects can serve as a form of resistance, as commentary on today's world's issues. Objects can be acts of rebellion, civic disruption, and speak to the future. Objects can create new conversations. Six artists were commissioned to create an object to carry ideas that are relevant to them today. Through one-on-one interviews with host Sarah Rachel Brown, you will hear each artist speak to how these objects came into being and what they mean to the maker. This project is just one part of a larger effort to use our organization's platforms and channels of communication to help illuminate and dismantle systemic racism, oppression, global warming, political issues, and continue exploring how the practices of craft can help build a better world for everyone. Let the conversations begin!

American Craft is excited to announce the launch of the American Craft Podcast through 6 episodes featuring one-on-one interviews with the artists of our Object As…project. Produced and hosted by Sarah Rachel Brown of the Perceived Value Podcast, find the American Craft Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen.

What you'll learn in this episode: How New York City Jewelry Week supports the jewelry industry year-round Why the best way to reach potential jewelry consumers is through education, not through a hard sell How the pandemic helped Bella and other jewelry educators get their message out to more people Why Bella and her partner JB wanted New York City Jewelry Week to feel like opening a jewelry box How you can support the upcoming 2022 New York City Jewelry Week About Bella Neyman Bella Neyman is the co-founder of New York City Jewelry Week. She is also an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Most recently she was on the Curatorial Advisory Committee for 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1947 to Now at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Since graduating with a Master's Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons, The New School for Design in 2008, she has worked for some of New York City's leading design galleries. Bella's articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft, and the Magazine Antiques. She is also a frequent contributor to Metalsmith magazine. Bella is on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. She resides with her family in Brooklyn.  Additional Resources: Bella's Instagram NYC Jewelry Week website NYC Jewelry Week Instagram Links for two of Bella's upcoming classes:   Studio Jewelry: From Mid-century to the Present starting Monday, March 14th!! https://education.christies.com/courses/continuing-education/short-courses/studio-jewelry-from-mid-century-to-present Jewelry Jaunts- Mondays, April 25th - May 23rd  11am-12:30pm For this class, registrants can sign-up with code 'EARLY' to receive a 10% discount.  https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eiy0iu2pe3f8ecba&oseq=&c=&ch= Transcript: Now in its fifth year, New York City Jewelry Week has changed the American jewelry landscape for good. The annual jewelry show is much more than just shopping—with workshops, educational opportunities, and showcases of every type of jewelry imaginable, there is something for every jewelry lover. NYC Jewelry Week co-founder Bella Neyman joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about what she and her partner JB Jones have in store for 2022; why they want the week to feel like opening up a jewelry box; and how you can support NYC Jewelry Week's programs. Read the episode transcript here.  Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. Here at the Jewelry Journey, we're about all things jewelry. With that in mind, I wanted to let you know about an upcoming jewelry conference, which is “Beyond Boundaries: Jewelry of the Americas.” It's sponsored by the Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, or, as it's otherwise known, ASJRA. The conference takes place virtually on Saturday and Sunday May 21 and May 22, which is around the corner. For details on the program and the speakers, go to www.jewelryconference.com. Non-members are welcome. I have to say that I attended this conference in person for several years, and it's one of my favorite conferences. It's a real treat to be able to sit in your pajamas or in comfies in your living room and listen to some extraordinary speakers. So, check it out. Register at www.jewelryconference.com. See you there.   This is the second part of a two-part episode. Today, my guest is Bella Neyman, a woman who wears many hats in the world of jewelry. The primary one is as a mover and shaker among jewelry professionals. Her other hats include jewelry curator, historian, author, educator and cofounder of New York City Jewelry Week, or NYCJW as it's known. If you haven't heard part one, go to TheJewelryJourney.com.    Welcome back. As a curator, I know you curated a glass jewelry exhibit several years ago. Are you thinking about anything else right now? Is there anything on the horizon?   Bella: At some point, I started working at a jewelry gallery—this was prior to Jewelry Week—and I had the opportunity there to curate many shows. That was essentially my role there. Since then, Jewelry Week takes up so much of my time. The lectures are great because I can do them in spurts, but I don't really have the time that curating an exhibition requires. I was part of the curatorial committee for “45 Stories in Jewelry.”   Sharon: At MAD, the Museum of Art and Design.   Bella: MAD, yeah. I was part of that, and that was incredible. It was an incredible experience and I loved it. I have been asked to curate some exhibitions, some gallery shows outside Jewelry Week. It's a bit hard because Jewelry Week takes about 10 months to put together, so it becomes too challenging to focus on.   Sharon: Just to make sure everybody knows, it's November 18 or 14 to 20.   Bella: November 14.   Sharon: Mark your calendars. It's in November, and that's around the corner when you think of all the work that has to go into it. Are you partnering with anybody this year? I know you have in the past. Are you doing it yourself? How is that working?   Bella: We are going into our fifth year, and JB Jones is my partner. She's the other half of New York City Jewelry Week, and we're really excited about this year. As I said, it's our fifth year, so it's a big deal for us. This is the time of year when we start thinking about what the program will look like. We're already having conversations with some of our previous sponsors and partners who come in on some of the different initiatives we work on throughout the year.    I think what most people don't recognize or realize, I should say, is that New York City Jewelry Week, while we have this one week in November, we work year-round, not just on planning the week, but on supporting the industry in ways that are meaningful to us. We have two platforms. One is called Here We Are, which is our platform dedicated to equity and inclusivity in the jewelry industry. We have another platform called One for the Future, which focuses on mentorship for emerging creatives in the jewelry industry. We spend a lot of time focused on both of those platforms. Education is also incredibly important to us, so we partner with the 92nd Street Y, for example, on educating youth about opportunities in jewelry post-high school graduation. There are lot of things we work on even before we get to November.   Now is when we are starting to have conversations with jewelers, with artists, with curators. This is really exciting for us because everything is fresh and everybody's buzzing with ideas. It's really great to see how important and meaningful Jewelry Week has become, especially to independent jewelers. So many of them plan for it throughout the year. Last year, so many jewelers approached us and said, “O.K., for 2022, this is what I'm doing.” It's great to start having these conversations with them now because, yes, it's around the corner, but at the same time, there are so many things that can still happen between now and then. So, it's really exciting for us.   Sharon: I'm in awe and amazed that it's your fifth year. I can't believe you created this and kept it going. It's amazing. What made you and JB decide to start it?   Bella: We didn't realize how much work it was going to be. I think if we knew back then what we know now, we might have reconsidered. In all seriousness, the reason we did it is, first, I know this sounds cliche, but we love jewelry. We really love and value the independent voices and creatives that make this industry what it is. It's not easy. Being a jeweler is not easy, so we wanted to create a platform that would celebrate jewelers, that would make it a little bit easier for them to reach a consumer. There's a lot of competition. There's a lot of jewelry out there, so we wanted to make sure we did something that would support them.    There are other examples of jewelry weeks around the world. We're not the first ones, certainly. My exposure to jewelry weeks came from the European model, going to SCHMUCK, going to HOYA, going to Paris for Cours de Bijoux. I saw their festivals and the energy, and that to me was so wonderful. We wanted to do it in New York, but again, we wanted to do something that included all different types of jewelry, because we really believe in providing something for everyone. That's important. We all come to jewelry from different places. Jewelry's a powerful thing. We all adorn our bodies in different, meaningful ways, and we wanted to create something that was for everyone. Our motto is “Jewelry for All,” and we really believe that. That's why Jewelry Week, as we curated it, is very different from other jewelry weeks, because it's fine jewelry; it's costume jewelry; it's antique. It's jewelry from non-precious materials.    If you open up a jewelry box, most of the time you have different things in there. You have things you've picked up on the street. You have things that were given to you by your partner, something passed down from your grandmother, some things you love, some things you don't, some things you want to recreate into something you're going to wear every day. That's what we wanted. We wanted it to be like a jewelry box. You open it up, and there's this explosion of different things and a sense of discovery.   The last five years have been incredibly difficult, to be honest with you, because we're very grassroots. We fundraise. Every year, in the beginning of the year, we start fundraising for the year ahead. JB and I don't take a salary. I've talked about this before, but we don't take a salary. We have an incredible group of volunteers and consultants we work with. Most people volunteer their time. That has been one of the most beautiful things about this week, and we hope it's made a difference. I think it has, because, as I said, I have jewelers reaching out to me a year in advance saying, “Next year, I'm doing a solo show during Jewelry Week.” That has been really special for both JB and me.   Sharon: That's exciting. I don't have all the experience you have in terms of going to different shows, but the ones I have gone to, the way New York City Jewelry Week is different is like you were saying. You cover equity and diversity and all these things. To me, everything else is a show. It's like, “How much can I sell? Here's my table of wares.”    Bella: Yes, absolutely. We believe to reach a consumer, you have to do it through education first and foremost. For us, it's not about the hard sell. It has never been about how many trunk shows we can pad this one week with. It has always been about beautifully curated moments. It's been about intimate settings. It's been about exhibitions. It's been about access. It's been about giving people an up-close look into work that maybe they weren't familiar with. It's about opening the doors to a museum collection. It's about having lectures and talks and workshops, and it's really meant to be a discovery.    Yes, it's in New York, but it's more than that. New York is home to so many different voices and different cultures, and that's what we want to celebrate. Everybody says to us, even if they're coming from another part of the world, “Oh my god, I want to do this in New York,” because New York has always been the pinnacle. It's this city. If you've made it in New York, then that's it; you can make it anywhere. As cliche as that sounds, it's really true. We do have a lot of New York-based designers who participate, but we also have artists coming from all over the world. We help them do pop-up spaces, and they do exhibitions and talks and panels. It's a great week for discovery.    Sharon: Wow! It sounds like it. I'm thinking about how hard it must be trying to find even one space to put on a panel. How about sponsors? Do you find more sponsors now by saying, “This is real. It's not just a flash in the pan.” Do you find more are coming to you?   Bella: Yes and no, absolutely. We still have to send a deck, but we do have a lot of returning sponsors, which has been wonderful. We really believe in building relationships, and we've been fortunate to have some great sponsors over the years who keep coming back: 1stDibs, eBay. They've been wonderful.    It's also been great to find new partners and sponsors to work with every year. We welcome that, just like every year we want to work with new and different designers and creatives and retailers, but the last two years have been incredibly difficult because of the pandemic. Like other small business, we've obviously felt it. Budgets aren't what they were, marketing budgets and production budgets and event budgets. Events were cut and, essentially, we're an event. In some cases, it's been easier; in some cases, it's been very difficult. We're optimistic and we're still here, but the only way we can continue growing and continue existing is if we continue getting sponsorship dollars. So, if you're listening and you're interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to us. You can always reach out to us on Instagram, or you can email me. We'd be happy to have a conversation.   Sharon: There's a lot of exposure for your sponsor, so it's definitely something to consider. You're doing it virtually and in person.   Bella: Yes. Last year we did a hybrid model, and we're going to be doing it again. It's a wonderful way to reach a broader audience. It's also a wonderful way for us to include artists and designers who might not be able to participate otherwise. Some of my favorite moments of the last two years were from the virtual programing. We did this incredible program of jewelers from South Africa two years ago. They recorded a fashion jewelry show for us. Last year we also did a presentation with Wallace Chan. Wallace Chan released a new book last year. There were, I think, five different authors for that book, and they're all in different parts of the world. What a great way to have Wallace do an intro and be present and to have these authors be present. Again, we reach a much broader audience that way, too.   Sharon: It's such an entrepreneurial endeavor, Jewelry Week. It's creating something out of nothing. Is this something that runs in your blood? Is it in your family?   Bella: Not at all, absolutely not at all. I think JB and I were so excited and so passionate about this, and we thought, “Let's just do it.” But no, no entrepreneurs in my immediate family.   Sharon: I realize it's a lot of work, but you must be so proud of what you've done going into your fifth year. That is amazing and awe-inspiring.    Bella: Yes, I guess. I never think about it until it's over, until that Sunday in November when I look around and think, “Oh my god, that was magic. We did that.” Until I get to that point, it's a lot of hard work.   Sharon: Watching your posts on Instagram, it seems like it's never over. You have a lot of after-marketing, too.   Bella: Yeah, it's never over. Again, our goal is to support the industry year-round. It's never over because, for the jewelers who we partner with and are part of Jewelry Week, it doesn't end for them. Jewelry Week is just one week. They're making work, they're selling work, and we want to be there to keep shining a light on them. Our work is never done.   Sharon: Let's say you go to SCHMUCK or to another gallery and you see a jeweler you've never seen before, do you say, “Hey, would you like to be part of Jewelry Week?” Has that happened?   Bella: Absolutely, all the time. That's actually how year one happened, because nobody knew about us. Now we have people who apply and are participating. We also curate a large portion of it. We invite people, but people can also apply to participate. I think for me, that's also been one of the most challenging things with the pandemic. I haven't had the opportunity to travel to see someone's studio. I haven't had the chance to be inspired in the way I would be otherwise. But yes, all the time, we see work we love. JB is always searching and researching on social media, discovering new voices, new work. We try to make sure the program is different from year to year. If somebody showed last year, we probably wouldn't invite them back unless there was a real good reason to. So yes, we're always looking, always discovering, always inviting.   Sharon: It's a great calling card in so many ways. I'm imagining how it was the first year. Potential sponsors were probably saying, “Yeah, come back to me when it's bigger."   Bella: Yeah, absolutely. People always want to see you prove yourself, especially when it comes to giving their time and money. They always want to make sure you're serious about what you're doing. To be honest with you, we won part of the jewelry industry. Most people in the jewelry industry didn't know us unless they were in the contemporary jewelry world, and then they already had a sense of who we were. Otherwise, it was like, “Who are these two women? What is this they're trying to do? What's a jewelry week? Why do we need it?” There are some partners who—for example, Bergdorf Goodman has always been this bastion of cool, chic, New York glamor. They've been with us from the beginning as a partner. There are some individuals who believed in us and have been with us for five years. Other people were like, “Yeah, let me see how it goes and come back to me,” and that's fine too. We get it. We understand.   Sharon: Can somebody be a real member of the jewelry industry without being in New York or London or Paris? We're in Los Angeles. Not that there aren't great jewelers out here, it's just not New York. What do you think?   Bella: I think you can find success no matter where you are, especially in this day and age, with everything being done virtually, with business being conducted over Instagram. I know designers living in New York who don't produce their jewelry in New York; they produce it in L.A. I think you absolutely can if you're passionate about what you're doing, if you have a vision, if you have a business you build right. Everything takes time, but I think if you love it, if you believe in what you are doing and if it drives you, then you can be successful no matter where you are.   Sharon: You certainly have been successful. Have we covered everything? You have such a wide variety. Is there something else you want to mention?   Bella: I would say that if you're interested in what we're doing, you should follow us on Instagram. It's @NYCJewelryWeek. That's also our website. Over the last five years, we've grown quite a bit. We have a wonderful blog—it's really interesting and informative—called Future Heirloom. Even when there isn't a program up on our website, there's always great content. I encourage everyone to check out our Instagram and to go to our website.   If you're interested to know what classes I'm teaching, you can follow me on Instagram. It's just my name, @BellaNeyman. I'll always share what I'm up to. And just reach out. We're not a large corporation. We are two individuals who love what we do, so we hope people feel comfortable being in touch, and I should say most people do. They tell us what they love, what they hate, if they need help, even if they've never meet us. Most people feel comfortable chatting with us, so stay in touch.   Sharon: We'll have links to your social media on the website when we post the podcast. I do have to say that I've discovered a lot of your courses and other things you do because I follow you. I'll say, “Oh, she's teaching that,” or “She's doing that.” That's great.    Bella: Thank you.   Sharon: Thank you so much for being with us today.   Bella: My pleasure.   Sharon: It's been great. Thank you.   Thank you again for listening. Please leave us a rating and review so we can help others start their own jewelry journey.  

What you'll learn in this episode: How New York City Jewelry Week supports the jewelry industry year-round Why the best way to reach potential jewelry consumers is through education, not through a hard sell How the pandemic helped Bella and other jewelry educators get their message out to more people Why Bella and her partner JB wanted New York City Jewelry Week to feel like opening a jewelry box How you can support the upcoming 2022 New York City Jewelry Week About Bella Neyman Bella Neyman is the co-founder of New York City Jewelry Week. She is also an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Most recently she was on the Curatorial Advisory Committee for 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1947 to Now at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Since graduating with a Master's Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons, The New School for Design in 2008, she has worked for some of New York City's leading design galleries. Bella's articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft, and the Magazine Antiques. She is also a frequent contributor to Metalsmith magazine. Bella is on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. She resides with her family in Brooklyn.  Additional Resources: Bella's Instagram NYC Jewelry Week website NYC Jewelry Week Instagram Links for two of Bella's upcoming classes:   Studio Jewelry: From Mid-century to the Present starting Monday, March 14th!! https://education.christies.com/courses/continuing-education/short-courses/studio-jewelry-from-mid-century-to-present Jewelry Jaunts- Mondays, April 25th - May 23rd  11am-12:30pm For this class, registrants can sign-up with code 'EARLY' to receive a 10% discount.  https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eiy0iu2pe3f8ecba&oseq=&c=&ch= Transcript: Now in its fifth year, New York City Jewelry Week has changed the American jewelry landscape for good. The annual jewelry show is much more than just shopping—with workshops, educational opportunities, and showcases of every type of jewelry imaginable, there is something for every jewelry lover. NYC Jewelry Week co-founder Bella Neyman joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about what she and her partner JB Jones have in store for 2022; why they want the week to feel like opening up a jewelry box; and how you can support NYC Jewelry Week's programs. Read the episode transcript here.    Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. Here at the Jewelry Journey, we're about all things jewelry. With that in mind, I wanted to let you know about an upcoming jewelry conference, which is “Beyond Boundaries: Jewelry of the Americas.” It's sponsored by the Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, or, as it's otherwise known, ASJRA. The conference takes place virtually on Saturday and Sunday May 21 and May 22, which is around the corner. For details on the program and the speakers, go to www.jewelryconference.com. Non-members are welcome. I have to say that I attended this conference in person for several years, and it's one of my favorite conferences. It's a real treat to be able to sit in your pajamas or in comfies in your living room and listen to some extraordinary speakers. So, check it out. Register at www.jewelryconference.com. See you there.   This is a two-part Jewelry Journey Podcast. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it comes out later this week. Today, my guest is Bella Neyman, a woman who wears many hats in the world of jewelry. The primary one is as a mover and shaker among jewelry professionals. Her other hats include jewelry curator, historian, author, educator and cofounder of New York City Jewelry Week, or NYCJW as it's known. Bella joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast several years ago talking about NYCJW when it was in its infancy. Today, we'll hear more about her own jewelry journey, what's in store for NYCJW this year, and more about her background. Bella, welcome to the program.   Bella: Thank you so much, Sharon. Thank you for having me back again. It's exciting to be here. Thank you.   Sharon: You're involved in so many things, it was so difficult to write an intro.    Bella: When I hear that, it makes me think, “Wow, is she talking about me?” I don't know. I do the things I love. Sometimes I forget I do so many things.   Sharon: Did you set out to do that? Did you know that when you became a jewelry professional? I'm sort of backing into this, but did you know that you were going to be involved in so many things when you became a jewelry professional? Or did you have one specific thing in mind?   Bella: I had no idea. To be honest with you, I didn't really know that I would end up in jewelry. I went to Cooper Hewitt/Parsons for their Decorative Arts and Design master's program. I never took the jewelry course. I was interested in design and decorative arts. Getting ready to have this conversation with you, what I realized is that I didn't find jewelry; jewelry found me. I'm glad it did, obviously, because I love what I'm doing, but I did not think jewelry was going to be my focus at all, actually.   Sharon: Were you a designer? Were you artistic as a kid?   Bella: No, not at all, and I'm still not. I can sew a button. I can draw a straight line, but I'm completely not artistic. I've always loved art. I grew up around it. I was actually born in Russia—geographically, I should say I was born in Ukraine, but I'm Russian. I moved here when I was seven years old. I moved to America; I moved to New York.    My parents were always interested in the arts. My mother was a librarian at an art museum in Odessa, which is the city where I was born. I am an only kid, so my parents always took me with them to wherever they were going. My father is a collector, so I always grew up around it. When we came to this country, because my parents didn't have anyone to leave me with, I always went with them everywhere. That's how I'm raising my daughter now. She goes with me everywhere, and we try to expose her to so many different things.    So, I was always interested in the arts, but I never thought I would have a career in the arts. My parents, while they were always really encouraging, I don't think they thought I was going to end up in the arts either.    Sharon: Did they support you if you wanted, or were they more like “Be an engineer”?   Bella: Basically, yes. They were like, “You should do the thing that's going to make you money,” because we came to this country and didn't have much. I went to a public school. The college I went to is a city college. So, they really wanted me to do something that was going to make me a good living, but they also believed I should follow my heart and do what is going to make me happy.    Even when I went to college, I didn't know what I was going to do. I was thinking, “Well, maybe psychology.” That was a popular thing at the time, but I took an art history course, and I was hooked. My bachelor's was in arts administration. I knew that I wanted to remain in the arts, but I wanted to do something where I was able to approach the art world with a sense of practicality, with a sense of having some knowledge of business skills, marketing, finance, because I always knew I wasn't going to be an artist. As I said, I'm not creative. So, I wanted to approach it from a place where I could support myself and support others.   Sharon: Arts administration, that sounds intriguing. That sounds like a great foundation for what you're talking about.   Bella: Exactly, something practical. Then, of course, for my master's degree, I decided that I wanted to go into the decorative arts, not into the fine arts. Again, thinking about what I could do to contribute to this thing I'm going to be embarking on studying. I just felt like the fine arts were saturated. There aren't any work opportunities. I thought, “What am I going to contribute to this field that hasn't already been done? There are so many other voices. Why do I need to do this? Why should I pursue this?”   I always loved the decorative arts and I thought, “You know what? This seems like more of a niche, and maybe I can do something that would be more worthwhile.” I was thinking about, “O.K., can I be a curator? Can I be a writer? Can I work in a gallery? Can I work in an auction house?” Always thinking practically about how I could make a living doing this thing I love, I ended up in this master's program, which I absolutely loved. I chose it because I can work with objects. The two years that I spent there—we were at the Cooper Hewitt—were an incredible experience, but I never took a jewelry class.   As I said, jewelry found me, because when I finished my master's degree, I was incredibly fortunate to find a job right away. I started working in a decorative arts gallery called Primavera Gallery. They had just moved to Chelsea. This was 2007, so Chelsea was really developing. Audrey and Haim, who owned the gallery, had an incredible collection. At that point, it had been in business for about 30 years, and they have an incredible collection not just of furniture and glass and ceramics and metalwork spanning the 20th century, but they also had an incredible collection of jewelry. Again, 20th century was the focus. They had really important signed pieces by many prominent European makers and designers. They also had great Georgian jewelry and Victorian jewelry because Audrey was always so passionate about jewelry. It was something she really loved. So, that was the first time I got to handle jewelry and start to appreciate it and look at it as an art form.   Sharon: That's a great way to start out. Is Primavera still in business?   Bella: At this point, Audrey and Haim have retired. I think they're probably still open by appointment. They still have a collection, but they're no longer in Chelsea.   Sharon: I've never been, but I've always heard they were a fabulous gallery.   Bella: Yeah, it was a great place to work. They were one of the first to sell Art Deco. When they were starting out, a lot of the pieces were still coming out of the original homes, the families that purchased these pieces. They were collecting them in the 70s, when there was a huge revival of Art Deco. So, it was a great place to work.   Sharon: Wow! I'm always envious of people who got into the Cooper Hewitt in that program. I wish they had something out here like that. Tell us, were you hooked on jewelry from there?   Bella: Yes, absolutely, I became hooked on jewelry there. As I said, it was the first time I was able to handle it and start to appreciate it. I think Audrey's stories about the pieces in their collection sparked an interest in me. I was always thinking about what else I could be doing. It's funny, because when you're in school, you're so busy trying to keep up with the curriculum. Once you graduate, you almost feel at a loss, like, “I have all this free time on my hands.” I really wanted to start writing, and I came upon a piece in their collection that I absolutely fell in love with. It was a necklace by the jeweler Sah Oved, and I wanted to investigate who this woman was.   Sharon: I have to interrupt you—who was the piece by?   Bella: Sah Oved.   Sharon: Oh, Sah Oved, wow!   Bella: I had started keeping a blog because, as I said, this is like 2007, 2008. Blogs were quite popular. I started a blog so I could write and have something to present should I ever find myself ready to pitch an editor, because I really wanted to write.   I found this piece by Sah Oved in Audrey's collection. I wanted to know more about it, and that was the first time I wanted to explore somebody's jewelry story. Who was this woman? Why was this piece made? Why is it so different from anything I had seen? That really is what started it for me. I wrote this article. It was my first publication in a magazine, and I was hooked. I was really, really hooked and, as I said, I think jewelry found me.    Sharon: I'm curious because so much of Moshe's work, you can't tell the difference. How did you know this was Sah Oved versus Moshe?   Bella: Yeah, Sah was the jeweler. Moshe, his contribution to jewelry has been the animal rings that come on the auction scene every once in a while. Sah was really the jeweler. He was this eccentric businessman. He was a great supporter of the arts, but he didn't make that much jewelry. She was his partner. She worked with him at the Cameo Corner, which was his shop. She did a lot of repairs for him; she did custom work, but she had been interested in jewelry prior to working for him. She had her own little studio in London. So, part of the challenge was to find out who this woman was, because not much had been written about her.   Sharon: There's still not much about her.   Bella: There still isn't. I'm hoping to change that, but yes, there still isn't.   Sharon: I know you gave a talk last year to the Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, which was fabulous because nobody ever talks about them, really.   Bella: No, they don't.   Sharon: The last time I saw a piece by you, it was in an antiques magazine. You also teach. How did you start teaching? Tell us about that.   Bella: The teaching is something that is pretty recent. That's been a product of the pandemic. What happened between leaving Primavera Gallery and finding my way to where I am today is that I also discovered contemporary studio jewelry, which is how you and I know each other through Art Jewelry Forum. I was always interested in finding work and artists whose work speaks to me and sharing their stories, whether it be through writing, through lecturing, through New York City Jewelry Week, which I know we'll get to later on. That's what I've always been interested in, sharing those stories.    I teach at two institutions. I lecture at the 92nd Street Y and at Christie's. I love jewelry, so for me, it has been wonderful—especially during the pandemic, when everybody was doing everything virtually and we were glued to our computer screens—to not only my share my jewelry knowledge, but also to broaden my jewelry knowledge. I teach a wide variety of courses. For example, next week, I'm starting a class at the Y on costume jewelry. In the past, I've taught classes on women designers in the 20th century. I've done an overview of jewelry history in the 20th century. For me, it's always been about sharing my knowledge, but also broadening my own knowledge. There's so much information out there, and to be able to take that information, make it digestible for my students and to hopefully inspire them and pass on my love of jewelry to them has been really special, especially during the pandemic, when it's been hard to be out and do things that we love.   Sharon: I'm really looking forward to this class on costume jewelry because nobody talks about costume except Bakelite maybe once in a while. Tell us about it. How did you decide to do that?   Bella: Absolutely. I've taught this class covering 100 years of jewelry and this other class on women designers, and when I put my courses together, I want to make sure I present the full scope of jewelry, all different types of jewelry. As I mentioned, while I worked for Audrey and Haim and worked with these important signed pieces and fine jewelry, in my personal life, I'm much more interested in contemporary studio jewelry and jewelry made from non-precious materials. So, when I teach these classes, I make sure I include all different types of jewelry because, to be quite honest with you, I think jewelry, regardless of what it's made from, it all informs. It informs each other, whether it's fine or studio or costume. So, when I put these classes together, I always want to make sure I cover a broad span of different types of jewelry.    When I was working on the women designers course, I realized that a lot of women designers started out in costume jewelry, much more so than in fine jewelry, which has traditionally been a very male-dominated industry. But in costume jewelry there were a lot of female designers, and that sparked my interest. I've also been interested in fashion jewelry and fashion designers like Coco Chanel or Elsa Schiaparelli, who used costume jewelry historically to build their own image or to embellish their own collections. I was interested in that relationship as well, and that's how that class came about. You're right; not much has been done on costume jewelry. There are some publications, of course, but I haven't seen any classes. It was of interest to me, so I assumed it would be of interest to others.   Sharon: It's unusual, because you can find other courses on jewelry history which are great—it's refreshing, I guess is the word.   Bella: Good. I hope everyone signs up. The class starts next Thursday, February 24 at the 92nd Street Y. It's a virtual class. It's a six-week course. It's a little bit longer than my usual courses because the other thing I've enjoyed is having guest speakers join me in my classes. With everything being virtual, that's something that's easy. So, I have some fun speakers lined up as well. I'm really excited for it.   Sharon: I'm sure it's going to be great. Do you think you'll continue at the Y with jewelry classes?   Bella: Yeah, I think so. This is now my third course for them, and it's great. I love it. I enjoy meeting all the different individuals who sign up for the courses. I feel like we end up becoming friends. They're always so eager to reach out, and the class is really wonderful. They're virtual, so we can reach more students.   Then, of course, at Christie's, we've also been able to do classes. I do virtual classes at Christie's, but I have recently started doing an in-person course called Jewelry Jaunts. It's really nice to be among other jewelry lovers, to be out looking at jewelry, trying it on and picking it up, investigating.   Sharon: That sounds great. What are you teaching virtually at Christie's? I didn't know you were teaching virtually for them.   Bella: At Christie's, I teach two courses. One of them is starting in March, and that's on the history of studio jewelry. Then the second course I've taught there is on artist jewelers. All these classes inform each other, as jewelry does. I look at a lot of the classes I teach as a part one and a part two, so, if you're interested in studio jewelry, there's a little bit of an overlap. That's why I wanted to add this other class focusing on artist jewelers. The virtual studio course is going to run in March, and the class I'm teaching now, as I said, is in person. It's fun. We'll hopefully do that in the spring again.   Sharon: Wow! You're busy.   Bella: I'm busy, but at the same time, it's been such a challenging couple of years, so it's a nice way to distract yourself.   Sharon: It sounds like they're things you might not have been able to do or focus on. From my perspective, you cover everything from antique to art jewelry, but you're saying you like contemporary jewelry. I call it art jewelry. That's what you like, but you teach everything it seems. Is that what you're saying?   Bella: I love jewelry. When it comes to the things I collect or the things I covet, most of that is contemporary studio jewelry or art jewelry, absolutely, but I love all jewelry.   Sharon: I like that word, covet.    This is a two-part Jewelry Journey Podcast. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it comes out later this week.

This episode kicks off a Good Beer Matters mini-series exploring the ingredients that go into the liquid we love. The four main ingredients in beer have different roles, but work synergistically to build something worth drinking. My next guests and I begin by taking a look at the very foundation of beer flavor … malt. The Good Beer Matters Podcast comes to you with support from BreweryDB.com, your digital destination for brewery experiences! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-storton/message

American craft sake is creeping on a come up This isn't the first time we've talked about sake on the show, but it is the first time we've talked to a sake brewer.  Josh Hembree of Setting Sun Sake Brewing Co. is one of a small handful of American craft sake brewers.  A few short years ago there were only 5ish in the states but that number has grown to over 20. Although sake is usually referred to as a rice wine the brewing process is more closely related to beer.  Hembree tells us about the different types of sake, the differences in brewing beer and sake, what Americans get wrong about sake, and how American brewers put their own, beautiful spin on the process.  We also talk about good pairing and get some tips on how to pair outside of the typical sushi and other Asian cuisine. Kanpai!  Sampling sake The traditional Japanese toast is Kanpai!  Which, literally translated is "dry sake cup."  More than likely the translation would be approximately "drink your cup dry."  OK, if you insist.  We sample a few sakes (including one American brewed version) and give our 100% uneducated opinions on each one. The Sake List Kiku-Masamune Junmai Taru Sake We Sake (Junmai Ginjo) Sake One Joy (Junmai Ginjo Genshu) Choya Umeshu (Japanese plum wine, which we thought was sake when we bought it.)

We had the great opportunity to sit down with Stephen Towns in August. We talked about his artistic practice, his residency at Falling Water, and his upcoming show at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art curated by Kilolo Luckett. Tune in!! - Stephen Towns was born in 1980 in Lincolnville, South Carolina and lives and works in Baltimore. He trained as a painter with a BFA in studio art from the University of South Carolina, and has also developed a rigorous, self-taught quilting practice. In 2018, The Baltimore Museum of Art presented his first museum exhibition, Stephen Towns: Rumination and a Reckoning. His work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Artforum, The Washington Post, Hyperallergic, Cultured, AFROPUNK, HYPEBEAST and American Craft. Towns was honored as the inaugural recipient of the 2016 Municipal Art Society of Baltimore Travel Prize, and in 2021, Towns was awarded a Maryland State Arts Council's Individual Artist Award. Towns' work is in the collections of The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Art + Practice, Artist Mark Bradford's nonprofit based in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, The Petrucci Family Foundation, The Baltimore Museum of Art, the City of Charleston, South Carolina, The Nelson Atkins Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, and is held in private collections nationally and abroad. . More about Stephen Towns: @ The Westmoreland Museum of American Art https://thewestmoreland.org/exhibitions/declaration-and-resistance/ https://thewestmoreland.org/blog/baltimore-artist-stephen-towns-on-declaration-resistance-and-fallingwater-residency/ https://www.debuckgallery.com/the-westmoreland-museum-acquires-work-by-tina-williams-brewer-and-stephen-towns/ https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/westmoreland-museum-gets-grant-for-2022-exhibit/ @ Fallingwater: https://www.golaurelhighlands.com/articles/post/artist-stephen-towns-in-residency-at-fallingwaters-high-meadow-for-june-2021/ https://fallingwater.org/webinars/live-from-fallingwater-stephen-towns-and-kilolo-luckett-in-conversation/ A fantastic video: https://youtu.be/iokg6uTJSpE His website (under re-construction) http://stephentowns.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/otherborderwall/message

In this episode of To the Xth Degree, we will find a connection between the American Craft Brewery, a refuge for flannel, beard balm, and mesh-backed hats, and the Worlds Fair, a celebration of all the cool stuff people all over the world can make and do. Follow us on Instagram @ToTheXthDegree You can DM suggestions for future connections for you can email us at XthDegreePod@gmail.com

July 4, 1776.  America is born.  There are high fives all around.  Samuel Adams breaks out his homebrew to celebrate.  Life is good. This week we take a look at some classic American craft beers.  American craft is fairly young in the grand scheme of things.  Where many European countries have hundreds of years of tradition, we've got 40ish years - with maybe a couple of exceptions.  A little thing called Prohibition threw us off for a while but when we got back in the game, we went all out.  Anchor Steam hit the scene in 1971, Sierra Nevada in 1980, Sam Adams in 1984.  The 90s gave us bold beers from Dogfish Head and saw the brewpub boom where you could always find a Blonde Ale, a Pale Ale a Porter, and in Irish Red.  There were 90 craft breweries in American in 1978 and today there are over 8,800. Our crafty pioneers brought hoppy beers that not everyone took a shine to.  Many people that were used to their American lagers thought the beers were flawed.  But the brewers pushed on and the people developed a taste for hops and bitterness in their beers.  This led to the IBU Wars with 1,000 IBU beers, the soft NEIPAs, and the fruited glitter milkshake DDH I-can't-even-taste-beer beers we have today.  What a ride. To celebrate this journey we sat down with our friend (and show sponsor!) Adam Silverberg from The Nest Kennesaw.  We talk some about the beers that introduced us to craft, dive into the history of these classic brews, and discuss some of the trendy phases we've seen. Whatever you choose to pack your cooler with this 4th of July there's no shortage of amazing American beer to celebrate with.  I'll drink to that.

Episode 30 of Why Make? is a Bonus Make! We discuss with Michael Puryear the evolution and creation of his Dan chair, now a part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. From the harvesting of the wood to the markings on the legs every inch of this chair is a narrative embedded with deep historical and cultural meaning. An excellent article about this piece came out in the April 2019 issue of American Craft. Lets take a deep dive into the Dan chair Micheal's interpretation of a classic African low chair

In 1933, the Twenty-First Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, the amendment that mandated a nationwide prohibition on alcohol. In this Cutting Room Floor episode, we feature author and historian Garrett Peck, who was featured in our film, “American Craft: What Beer Can Teach Us About Well-Crafted Laws,” on the Twenty-first Amendment. We've saved this history of the Twenty-First Amendment from the cutting room floor for the second episode of the Cutting Room Floor edition of the FedSoc Films Podcast. Thanks again for listening to the FedSoc Films Podcast! Be sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform.Watch the full film, American Craft: What Beer Can Teach Us About Well-Crafted Laws, here:https://youtu.be/shcEv3k_NZgLearn more about Garrett Peck at: https://garrettpeck.comAs always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.Visit https://fedsoc.org/ to learn more!Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter:https://www.instagram.com/fedsoc/https://www.youtube.com/thefederalistsocietyhttps://twitter.com/FedSoc

One century ago, a national prohibition was legalized, lasting for 13 years. This episode is inspired by our film, American Craft: What Beer Can Teach Us About Well-Crafted Laws, a documentary short that explores the story behind the craft beer renaissance and the importance of well-crafted legislation. What, legally speaking, was prohibition, anyway? Here to provide us with a history of America's most sober legal moment is Garrett Peck, author, historian, and tour guide, who has written numerous books on American alcohol consumption (or lack thereof), including Prohibition in Washington, D.C.: How Dry We Weren't, The Prohibition Hangover: Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet, Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C, and, most recently, a chapter in Prohibition's Greatest Myths: The Distilled Truth about America's Anti-Alcohol Crusade.Thanks again for listening to the FedSoc Films Podcast! Be sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform.Watch the full film, American Craft: What Beer Can Teach Us About Well-Crafted Laws, here:https://youtu.be/shcEv3k_NZgLearn more about Garrett Peck here:https://garrettpeck.comAs always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.Visit https://fedsoc.org/ to learn more!Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter:https://www.instagram.com/fedsoc/https://www.youtube.com/thefederalistsocietyhttps://twitter.com/FedSoc

Erica Spitzer Rasmussen is an artist who creates handmade paper garments and small editions of hand-bound books. Her current work explores family stories and issues of identity. Her work has been featured in such magazines as FiberArts, Surface Design Journal, American Craft and Hand Papermaking. Rasmussen teaches studio arts as a full professor at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota (USA). Her artwork is exhibited and collected internationally.

On this episode, I spent an afternoon in December virtually chatting with Jesse Bussard! Besides being my first international guest Jesse is also an incredible badass. Jesse is the Executive Director of the North American Craft Maltsters Guild. Additionally, she is Co-Founder of Fermentana, a Montana-based events promotions company focused on using fermented craft beverages to create positive change in communities through unique and educational experiences. She started the first Craft Beer week for Bozeman, Montana, was the president of her local homebrewers club for 4 years, and was the chapter leader for Pink Boots Montana for 2 years. Oh, and did I mention she also has a graduate degree. No big deal or anything. We discussed how important it is to support local which includes local farmers and breweries along with knowing where your gain comes from and minimizing your carbon footprint. Follow Jesse on Instagram @ as well as North American Craft Maltsters Guild on Instagram @craftmalting and Fermentana @fermentana.llc. 

Glenn Adamson makes his second appearance on Curious Objects to discuss his new book, Craft: An American History. As his research shows, artisans from Paul Revere and Betsy Ross to Patrocino Barela and George Barris played a crucial and under-examined role in the formation of the United States’ national character. And what’s more, he tells us, the communal-slash-individual nature of craftwork could represent an antidote to the country’s current polarization.

This week we are speaking with William Storms from New York. William is a professional weaver in both the industrial and artistic realm. Through his industrial work he is working with Jacquard looms and designing intricate repeat designs that will be translated for use in the public realm. His artistic work explores materials and hand manipulation to create dynamic pieces of art. One of his ongoing pieces is a rug that was woven with bullets collection within a respective country to weave a ballistic map. Each of the bullet casing’s headstand reveals the country and manufacturer of origin. These maps were woven during his residencies at the Museum of Art and Design in NYC, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, Massachusetts, and the Governors Island Residency in NYC. A new project where his artistic vision and industrial knowledge have blended together is working in conjunction with Crosby Street Studios to create a collection of handwoven custom rugs. These rugs explore the tradition of American Craft through a modern lens. It is his first collaboration of this kind and the rugs are available in four colorways, as well as fully custom colors and sized to order. We hope you enjoy our conversation as we talk to William about how he found his way to weaving, how his art and industrial practices feed into each other, and where he sees his working moving to in the future. Find William Storms Online : Website | Instagram William Storms x Crosby Street Studios : Website - - Sponsored by : Comfortcloth Weaving LLC Read full show notes and resources at : http://proweaverpod.com/episode-31 - - Sponsor the Podcast : Become A Sponsor Support the Podcast : Become A Patron (Shop on Amazon) Music by Rawhead The Wreckloose : https://rawheadthewreckloose.bandcamp.com/ Rawhead the Wreckloose's new album 'Cold Bill' : https://rawheadthewreckloose.bandcamp.com/album/cold-bill Intro music : Guesthouse

An American craft wine, road trip across the USA, and interview with Bryan Parker, winemaker, Terlato Wines. ON THE ROAD with Chuck Cramer, is about CA’s cool aspirational lifestyle, and awesome wines. Hosted by Chuck Cramer, a CA native, living in London and is the Director of European sales & marketing, Terlato Wines. This is a wine journey covering the hottest topics in the world of wine, chatting along the way with key influencers in the trade who make it all happen. This weeks’ episode includes an interview with winemaker, Bryan Parker.

On episode 140 of The Quarantine Tapes, guest host Naomi Shihab Nye is joined by Helen Drutt English. Helen is a longtime champion of the contemporary craft movement. She and Naomi discuss her history with crafts and collecting, digging into the tension between mechanization and handmade objects in the twentieth century.Helen and Naomi lift up the value of rituals in these months of quarantine. They talk about the positives of isolation, from improved concentration to time to connect more deeply with friends. Finally, Helen shares a fascinating recent discovery found sorting through the materials in her own basement. Helen W. Drutt English (Helen Drutt) was Founder/Director of her eponymous gallery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1973–2002), which was among the first galleries in the United States to make a commitment to the modern and contemporary craft movement. In 1979, American Craft magazine stated that the gallery was to crafts, what Alfred Stieglitz’s Gallery 291 was to photography, earlier in the twentieth century. Drutt developed the first syllabus for a college-level course in the history of the field in 1973. She has published numerous essays; conceived many exhibitions, e.g., Brooching It Diplomatically: A Tribute to Madeleine K. Albright (1998), Poetics of Clay: An International Perspective (2001–03), Challenging the Châtelaine! (2007–09); and curated American studio jewelry for the Museo del Gioiello, Vicenza, Italy (2016–18). The Helen Williams Drutt Collection of international studio jewelry has been exhibited internationally. In 2002, 800 works entered the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Drutt has built a permanent collection of contemporary crafts for The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia (2014), and is currently building a collection of American crafts for the National Museum of Sweden and a collection for the Ilias LaLaounis Museum of Jewelry, Athens, Greece. In 1984 Drutt established the Maurice English Poetry Award (MEPA), which has supported a yearly award for a distinguished book of poetry (1985–2005) and annual poetry readings (2006–present). In 2012 she established the H. Peter Stern Lecture under the auspices of the World Monuments Fund, given semi-annually. In 2020, Drutt announced that she is donating her expansive collection of art books to Temple University. Drutt has received numerous awards and three honorary degrees. She is a trustee of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution; Fellow of the American Craft Council; and a recipient of the Distinguished Educator’s Award 2018, James Renwick Alliance, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Drutt is currently researching a book that documents activities central to the craft field from 1960 to the present.

Jeff sits down with artist Anita Fields to hear her perspective about the intersection of indigenous art, culture, and language. She also reflects about the significance of Speak: Speak While You Can, the recently closed exhibit at Living Arts.To learn more about Anita and her art, visit https://www.anitafieldsart.comBorn in Oklahoma, artist Anita Fields creates works of clay and textile that reflect the worldview of her Native Osage culture. Her practice explores the complexities of cultural influences and the intersections of balance and chaos found within our lives. The early Osage notions of duality, such as earth and sky, male and female, are represented in her work. Heavily textured layers and distorted writing are elements found in both her clay and textile works. These reference the complex layers and distortion of truths found in the written history of indigenous cultures. Fields creates narratives that asks viewers to consider other ways of seeing and being in an effort to understand our shared existence.The power of transformation and transformative actions are realized by creating various forms of clothing, coverings, and figurative forms. The works become indicators of how we understand our surroundings and visualize our place within the world.Landscapes, environment, and the influences of nature are themes found throughout the work of Anita Fields. They reflect time, place, and how the earth holds the memory of cultures who once called a specific terrain home. Fields is currently a 2017-2020 fellow with the Kaiser Foundation Tulsa Artist Fellowship. Fields' work has been featured in American Craft, Ms Magazine, American Style, and First American Art. Her work can be found in several collections, such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Museum of Art and Design, New York City, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, and the National Museum of American Indian, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.

Jeff sits down with artist Anita Fields to hear her perspective about the intersection of indigenous art, culture, and language.She also reflects about the significance of Speak: Speak While You Can, the recently closed exhibit at Living Arts.To learn more about Anita and her art, visithttps://www.anitafieldsart.comBorn in Oklahoma, artist Anita Fields creates works of clay and textile that reflect the worldview of her Native Osage culture. Her practice explores the complexities of cultural influences and the intersections of balance and chaos found within our lives. The early Osage notions of duality, such as earth and sky, male and female, are represented in her work. Heavily textured layers and distorted writing are elements found in both her clay and textile works. These reference the complex layers and distortion of truths found in the written history of indigenous cultures. Fields creates narratives that asks viewers to consider other ways of seeing and being in an effort to understand our shared existence.The power of transformation and transformative actions are realized by creating various forms of clothing, coverings, and figurative forms. The works become indicators of how we understand our surroundings and visualize our place within the world.Landscapes, environment, and the influences of nature are themes found throughout the work of Anita Fields. They reflect time, place, and how the earth holds the memory of cultures who once called a specific terrain home. Fields is currently a 2017-2020 fellow with the Kaiser Foundation Tulsa Artist Fellowship. Fields’ work has been featured in American Craft, Ms Magazine, American Style, and First American Art. Her work can be found in several collections, such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Museum of Art and Design, New York City, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, and the National Museum of American Indian, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.

This week we chat with Lydia from @clevergirlcraftings to discuss her thoughts on American Craft mishap and correction plus her feature in The New York Times. We also discuss the latest Erin Condren x Hello Kitty release, Cindy Guentert-Baldo's leaving instagram video, and of course your five star reviews ! Be sure to follow Lydia on IG @clevergirlcraftings and check out The New York Times article she was featured in: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/style/scrapbooking-blm-black-lives-matter.html Instagramers Lydia mentioned in this episode: @readlikearockstar, @craftsofadifferentshade Cindy Guentert-Baldo's YT video discussed in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsf6huqtGYs REGISTER TO VOTE! https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote Don't forget to leave us a 5 star rating and review on iTunes for a shoutout on the next episode! Would you like to advertise on Planners and Wine? Send us an inquiry from the link in our IG bio. We are so grateful to you guys for tuning in every week and that's honestly payment enough. BUT if you would like to financially contribute to our podcast and its production, our cash app is $plannersandwine and our Paypal is paypal.me/plannersandwine. Be sure to send us a message letting us know you contributed so we can thank you personally! Meg is about to start her first year of teaching! If you would like to contribute to her classroom, click the link in our IG bio! Follow us on IG: @plannersandwine Megan's IG and Youtube channel: @Megsgotaplan Myra's IG and Youtube channel: @myraplansit --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/planners-and-wine/support

Nowhere in the world celebrates Modernism better than Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California.  Every February, they have a huge architecture and design festival and for the last five years, USModernist has been there interviewing nearly all Modernism Week’s keynote speakers plus special guests at the USModernist compound, aka poolside at the hip Hotel Skylark. In our second Modernism Week show on interiors, George Smart meets with two experts on what makes the Modernist vibe so wonderfully livable:  Sarah Archer is a contributing editor at American Craft magazine and the author of The Midcentury Kitchen: America’s Favorite Room, from Workspace to Dreamscape.  She spoke at Modernism week on The Kitchen of Tomorrow: Space Age Design in the High Tech Modern Home.  Later on, George talks wth Laura Ackerman-Shaw who established Ackerman Modern and worked with her father, Jerome Ackerman, and Design Within Reach to re-release a collection of iconic Jenev ceramic vessels first produced in 1953, with new pieces produced based on the original plaster molds.

Deeply informed, passionately committed and always invested in the truth, Seph Rodney's writings about art and culture have earned him a broad following among those who like their criticism not to soothe and tranquilize but to invigorate the mind, eyes, ears, and soul. Rodney is a staff writer and editor for Hyperallergic and has written for CNN, MSNBC, American Craft magazine, and other publications. He is featured on the podcast The American Age. His book, The Personalization of the Museum Visit, was published by Routledge in 2019. In 2020 he was awarded the Rabkin Arts Journalism Prize. Find him at sephrodney.com. /////////////// Follow us: TWITTER - @ulibaer / @corklinedRoom INSTAGRAM - @ulinyc / @carolineweber2020 (PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE PODCAST) - @proust.questionnaire SEPH RODNEY - @sephsees //////////////// Listen to the Podcast on: APPLE PODCASTS - Proust Questionnaire Podcast SPOTIFY - Proust Questionnaire Podcast YOUTUBE: Ulrich Baer  //////////////// Thanks for listening! :) Uli Baer & Caroline Weber.

Welcome to Side Projects, a space dedicated to interesting essays and thoughts, and also a place where we share current happenings at craft schools for those looking for classes or scholarship opportunities. Our first project is dedicated to reading an excerpt from Bruce Metcalf's essay, “The Hand: at the Heart of Craft.” We reflect on the essay, but mostly just wanted to give y’all some food for thought. We hope you enjoy it!.Our source for the episode is Bruce Metcalf’s article “The Hand: At the Heart of Craft”, American Craft, August/September 2000, Volume 60, Number 4Support the show (http://www.patreon.com/cutthecraftpodcast)

 We've all responded to Spring 2020 differently than our New Years' resolution planned for — but one thing that has been undeniable is the increase in our consumption of 'core beers'.  The 15 packs, and 24-packs of beers.  The purchases normally reserved for a weekend camp trip, or tailgate.  This episode we dive into some of the earliest of American Craft and re-visit the beers that paved the way for over 8000 Craft Breweries in the US.  As you may expect, they're both amazing examples, and worth picking up the next time you're shopping to stock your fridge. Correction: In this episode Jon talks about a baseball game between the Cleveland Indians and The Texas Texans.  ⚾️   This was a swing and a miss -- the Texas Rangers actually played the Cleveland Indians during the game we reference.  (Thanks Chad!) What We’re Drinking:Samuel Adams Boston Lager by Boston Beerhttps://untappd.com/b/boston-beer-company-samuel-adams-boston-lager/3914ABV: 5%IBU: 30Notes: Samuel Adams Boston Lager® is the best example of the fundamental characteristics of a great beer, offering a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex. It is brewed using a decoration mash, a time consuming, traditional four vessel brewing process discarded by many contemporary brewers. This process brings forth a rich sweetness from the malt that makes it well worth the effort. Samuel Adams Boston Lager® also uses only the finest of ingredients including two-row barley, as well as German Noble aroma hops.Pale Ale by Sierra Nevada Brewing Cohttps://untappd.com/b/sierra-nevada-brewing-co-pale-ale/6284ABV: 5.6%IBU: 38Notes: Our most popular beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor.SponsorShow off your love of Untappd. Check out our online store and pick up Untappd branded glassware, shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and more! Go to http://store.untappd.com and enter the coupon code “PODCAST” at checkout to get 20% off all ordersUntappd UpdateDrinking Socially Badge: Most popular beer Lagunitas Daytime IPAUntappd @ Home hits 10,000,000 Checkins!!!All Month Long in June is Pride Month!Editorial Notes:Beer 101   - We'll be launching a 10-part series focusing on the basics of beer & brewing.       - Have a question you want to be answered? Share it with us in the Facebook group, or email us @ podcasts@untappd.comWould You Rather:What's your grocery store shelf hero? Harrison and I discuss ours, but submit your own in the Facebook Group!Next Episode:We begin our Beer 101 Series!ConnectJon On UntappdHarrison On UntappdSeason 3 on YoutubeFacebook GroupEmail Drinking Socially 

This week we talk with Lilly Marsh from Queensbury, New York. Lilly is a production weaver whose work is directly connected with her active role in the fiber shed community. She views the weaving and textile world through the lens of her PhD in American Cultural Studies at Purdue University, with a focus on American Craft in the 20th Century. Out of her studios in Queensbury and Glens Falls, New York, she produces fine scarves, shawls, and simple garments, as well as throws and blankets. Her work primarily showcases the beautiful qualities of naturally colored, regionally sourced wool, but she also has used silk, tencel, and cotton in her work. Find Lilly Marsh : Website | Instagram | Facebook Visit the Show Notes to see links to all of the organizations, businesses, software, and weavers we mentioned : workingweaverpod.com/episode-4 Submit your Weaving Question : Ask a Weaving Question! Sponsor the Podcast : Become A Sponsor Support the Podcast : Become A Patron (Shop on Amazon) Music by Rawhead The Wreckloose : https://rawheadthewreckloose.bandcamp.com/

In this episode we highlight owner of Great American Craft Spirits and Reform member, Jarrett Gamarra. He has a wealth of knowledge of small batch and unique spirits. We Talk about booze and how he balances being a business owner with his focus on fitness.Website: https://gacraftspirits.com/

Our guest, Author and Educator Robin Robinson, got his start in whisk(e)y when he was hired to play a fake Scotsman (true story!) What began as a $300 gig at a party turned into a love affair with the brown spirit. Let him tell you all about it on this podcast!--Follow us:spiritguidesocietypodcast.comfacebook.com/spiritguidesoctwitter.com/spiritguidesocinstagram.com/spiritguidesocyoutube.com/c/SpiritGuideSociety/?sub_confirmation=1--About Robin:Robin Robinson is a renowned whiskey educator who created the popular Whiskey Smackdown series at the Astor Center in New York City. He has taught at the Culinary Institute of America and the Institute for Culinary Education, and given lectures and seminars at the American Distilling Institute, Bar Institute, and Tales of the Cocktail, among others. He has been featured in the pages of AlcoholProfessor.com, Chicago Sun Times, Playboy.com, VinePair.com, WhiskeyWash.com, and other publications. Whisky magazine awarded him a 2014 Icon of Whisky Award, their highest commendation for brand ambassadors.About the book:Renowned whiskey educator Robin Robinson demystifies the “water of life” in a definitive, heavily illustrated tome designed to take readers on a global tour of the ever-expanding world of whiskey. Across ten robust “classes,” Robinson explains whiskey history, how it defined the way whiskey is made in different countries and regions, the myriad styles, how aging and finishing works, and the basics of “nosing” and tasting whiskey. In chapters dedicated to American whiskey (including bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, and rye), American Craft whiskey, Scotch, Irish, Canadian, Japanese, and world whiskies, Robinson presents the best offerings from new and historic producers, how to choose among them, and how to build a collection of your own. Each “class” is a journey into a country's whiskies and makers, including recommended bottles and styles, as well as insider information on how distilleries make their unique offerings. Each chapter includes themed tastings organized by bargain, value, special occasion, and splurge price categories. This thoroughly up-to-date and wide-ranging guide also offers helpful recommendations on how to lead your own tasting, a glossary of terms, food pairings, and tips on everything from glassware to whiskey festivals and how to read a label.--Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

For our season finale we’re focusing our attention on what the future holds for cider. We’ll dive into co-ferments, collaborations, and cider culture abroad. We’ll also look to adjacent industries as a model for craft cider and explore how the cider industry can empower its community as it grows. Considering input from leaders across this industry, we’ll return to the agricultural roots of this craft beverage and conclude with what makes cider unique.Hard Core is powered by Simplecast.

Jessica Carey of the Hook Nook is BACK. Her original episode, episode #8 aired over a year ago. Do not miss this gem where she fills us in on how she founded the Hook Nook. In today's episode she guides us through the next stages of growing her business which includes designing her first line of yarn in partnership with American Craft as well as building out her team. I am so excited for you to hear about this journey! Show notes here. 

NYC Jewelry Week (NYCJW) is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the world of jewelry through educational and innovative focused programming. Last year’s inaugural NYCJW welcomed over 10,000 attendees who explored the multifaceted jewelry industry. This year’s event, happening November 18-24, will include groundbreaking exhibitions, panel discussions led by industry experts, exclusive workshops, heritage-house tours, innovative retail collaborations and other one-of-a-kind programs created by founders Bella Neyman and JB Jones. Bella Neyman is an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. She, along with Ruta Reifen, started Platforma, a contemporary jewelry-focused initiative whose exhibitions have been on view in the United States and Europe. Bella’s articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft and Antique magazine, and she is a frequent contributor to MODERN Magazine and Metalsmith magazines. Bella also serves on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. JB Jones co-curated the first street art x art jewelry exhibition, PLACEMENT, with Bella Neyman. The duo launched a digital contemporary jewelry platform of the same name designed to promote the concept of “wearing your art.” Her work has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Wear Daily, Juxtapoz, Obey, and Work magazines and more. What you’ll learn in this episode: What inspired Bella and JB to launch NYC Jewelry Week. What exciting new programs will be debuting at this year’s NYCJW. How Bella and JB have incorporated public education, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability and ethical practices initiatives into the programming. Why American artists are a primary focus of NYC Jewelry Week despite its growing international influence. How you can follow NYC Jewelry Week events even if you’re unable to attend. Additional resources: NYC Jewelry Week – November 18 – 24, 2019 Instagram Facebook Twitter

This week on the show, Felicia is talking with Cameron Taylor-Brown: an artist, weaver, and educator. Cameron studied fibre arts at the University of California, Berkeley with Ed Rossbach and then textile design at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. Since 1985 she's lived in Los Angeles where she's still active in arts and education. Her work is widely exhibited and has been featured in many publications including Fibre Art Now, American Craft, Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot. She teaches design and colour workshops at schools, guilds, museums, and conferences throughout the United States and at ARTSgarage: a teaching studio in Los Angeles. Cameron recently curated the exhibit Material Meaning: A Living Legacy of Anni Albers, which was on view at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles. Join Felicia and Cameron as they discuss Cameron's past and present in the arts.   "... I always felt confident that I knew... the material well, but initially I was afraid of public speaking... that was my most nervous thing was standing up in front of a group of people... but what I realized was... when you're teaching... a visual medium the people that you're talking to are focusing on the medium that you're talking about, they're not focusing on you and so I began to realize I was the narrator, but they were looking at something else. The minute I figured that out... it was a lot less scary for me to talk to people... and then it's just about sharing something that you love and figuring out to explain it to people so that they own it, not you... one of the really important things when you're teaching is I don't want to create clones of myself. I want people to discover who they are and what their journey is and help them in their particular journey, and I think that's the art of teaching.  " -  Cameron Taylor-Brown on her transition from maker to educator   In this episode, we talk about: 1:36 Felicia and Cameron chat about how Cameron used to be a sales rep for SweetGeorgia Yarns 2:35 Cameron talks about her "retirement" 3:56 How Cameron got into the fibre arts, specifically weaving 9:00 How Cameron made the jump from maker to educator 12:43 Cameron chats about her teaching studio: ARTSgarage 19:45 Felicia and Cameron chat about the difficulty of knowing where to start when you want to pursue a new fibre arts skill 23:00 Felicia asks Cameron if she has any suggestions for anyone wanting to turn their textile art into a business 35:50 Felicia and Cameron chat about the exhibit she recently curated called: Material Meaning: A Living Legacy of Anni Albers 46:18 Felicia's Final Notes   Here's Where You Can Find Cameron: Website: www.camerontaylor-brown.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/CameronTaylorBrownStudio Instagram: @camerontaylorbrown   Thanks for Listening! Thank you so much for joining us this episode! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your fellow fibre art friends. And if you like what we're doing here, please leave a rating and review on iTunes for the show. We read each and every email and bit of feedback, whether it's on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, so we welcome your comments. Thank you all so much for your continued support of our show! Until next time, enjoy colour!   Music Credits: Playbook of Happiness – by RimskyMusic Click to subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Stitcher Radio Subscribe on Spotify

Nancy Semerdjian, co-chair of the American Craft Exposition (ACE) this year joins Lauren and Rafer to discuss the great assortment available at one of the nation’s premier fine craft shows, The American Craft Exposition at the Chicago Botanic Garden is this weekend. More information: http://americancraftexpo.org/

Jennifer Merchant is a studio jewelry artist and sculptor based in Minneapolis. She is best known for her innovative, layered acrylic process in which she layers images and prints between solid acrylic. Her work is graphic with clean lines and an ultra-modern aesthetic. Pieces confound viewers by appearing transparent from one angle of view and showcasing bold patterns and colors from another. Jennifer graduated with a BFA in Metals and Jewelry from Savannah College of Art and Design. She is a full-time maker exhibiting her work across the country at galleries, museums and art fairs. Her work has also been published in several national magazines, such as American Craft, Ornament and Delta Sky Magazine. What you’ll learn in this episode: How Jennifer uses traditional woodworking and metalsmithing tools to create remarkable, vibrant-yet-transparent designs by hand. How her pieces go beyond precious materials and inspire people to wear something fun and personal. How the jewelry community has supported and impacted her work. What’s next for her jewelry, including more complex forms and sculptures. Additional resources: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

Colin Spoelman, founder Kings County Distillery, used to bring moonshine back from his home state of Kentucky to his friends in New York.  Eventually, he started making his own whiskey in his apartment in Brooklyn before expanding the operation. Colin and I discuss the history of the distillery, the craft whisky movement and market, what separates it from the major distilleries and conglomerates, and what regionalization means to the future of American Whiskey.

As part of Juxtapoz's 25th anniversary, the magazine created a special pop-up exhibition and bookstore at the Vault by Vans store in NYC at 219 Bowery for the month of May 2019. For the takeover, Juxtapoz invited San Francisco-based textile artist, Ben Venom, famous for his unique reinterpretations of quilt-making and the reimagining of American craft art, to showcase some of his newer works for the occasion, celebrating the spirit of originality and uniqueness that Vault by Vans represents, and the Outsider Art history of Juxtapoz Magazine. In episode 015 of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, hosts Evan Pricco (editor, Juxtapoz Magazine) and Doug Gillen (Fifth Wall TV) sat down with Ben Venom at the Vault store in front of a gathered audience, to learn more about not only the tradition of textile and fiber arts, but how Venom was able to take a love of heavy metal, skateboarding and lowbrow culture and transcend it into a fine art practice. Vault by Vans will showcase Juxtapoz and Ben Venom's work until early June 19, 2019, at 219 Bowery, NYC.

Bella Neyman is an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Since graduating with a Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons The New School for Design in 2008, she has worked for some of New York City’s leading design galleries. Her most ambitious project to date was the launch of New York City Jewelry Week. For three years prior to this, she was the Director of New York’s only contemporary jewelry gallery. In 2014, Bella, along with Ruta Reifen, Bella started Platforma, a contemporary jewelry-focused initiative whose exhibitions have been on view in the U.S. and Europe. Bella’s articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft and Antique magazine and she is a frequent contributor to Modern and Metalsmith magazines. Bella also serves on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. JB Jones, co-founder of NYC Jewelry Week, began her career as a Design Director and Fashion Editor in Los Angeles. In 2008, JB switched gears and launched The Site Unscene, a street art gallery and artists’ platform. She curated the first West Coast exhibition of the NYC based graffiti crew TC-5, which included the work of Doze Green and Lady Pink, and was a leader in helping establish street art as a legitimate force in the LA gallery scene. Upon moving to NYC in 2014, JB returned to fashion in a retail development capacity with a focus on jewelry. She co-curated the first street art x art jewelry exhibition, PLACEMENT, with Bella Neyman. In 2017, the duo launched a digital contemporary jewelry platform of the same name designed to promote the concept of “wearing your art.” Her work has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, WWD, Juxtapoz, Obey, Work magazine and more. What you’ll learn in this episode: What inspired the founding of NYC Jewelry Week and its objectives. How Bella and JB brought in different types of jewelry to make the event all-encompassing. Why jewelry education and the jewelry industry are important aspects of NYC Jewelry Week. How the City of New York worked to support NYC Jewelry Week. What plans Bella and JB have for the long-term future of NYC Jewelry Week, and what areas they want to focus on. Why 47th Street in New York City is an important hub for the jewelry industry in the U.S. Additional resources: NYC Jewelry Week 2019: November 18 – 24 Website: www.nycjewelryweek.com NYC Jewelry Week Instagram: @nycjewelryweek Interested in supporting their One For The Future initiative to support emerging creative sin the jewelry industry? Contact them at hello@nycjewelryweek.com

The ladies talk about the Craft Spirits scene in the Twin Cities and Steph Hansen goes live on location at the American Craft Spirit Awards held in Minneapolis.

Don't forget to Rate AND Review us on iTunes!Bella Neyman is the co-founder of New York City Jewelry Week. She is also an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Since graduating with a Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons, The New School for Design in 2008, she has worked for some of New York City’s leading design galleries. For the last three years, she was the Director of New York’s only contemporary jewelry gallery. In addition to this, in 2014, along with Ruta Reifen, Bella founded Platforma, a contemporary jewelry-focused initiative whose exhibitions have been on view in the U.S. and Europe. Bella’s articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft, and the magazine Antiques. She is also a frequent contributor Modern magazine and Metalsmith. Bella is on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum. She resides with her family in Brooklyn.www.objectsnotpaintings.comInstagram: @bellaneymanPerceived Value is an Official Partner of NYC Jewelry Week! Nov. 12th – 18th 2018www.nycjewelryweek.com@nycjewelryweekSUPPORT PERCEIVED VALUE!www.patreon.com/perceivedvaluewww.perceivedvaluepodcast.com/how-to-support-donate/Instagram + Facebook: @perceivedvalueFind your Host:sarahrachelbrown.comInstagram: @sarahrachelbrownThe music you hear on Perceived Value is by the Seattle group Song Sparrow Research.All You Need to Know off of their album Sympathetic Buzz.Find them on Spotify!

Erin M. Riley is a visual artist who lives and works in Brooklyn and received a MFA from Tyler School of Art and BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Erin’s work has been exhibited at Vancouver Art Gallery, Hashimoto Contemporary, Dovecot Gallery, Freize London and many others. Erin is represented by P.P.O.W. Gallery, and Erin’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, Used Tape, runs through June 30. Erin is also a two time MacDowell Fellow, a past resident at Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, the Vermont Studio Center, the McColl Center for Visual Art, VCCA and others. Erin’s work has been published in magazines such as Cultured magazine, American Craft, Wall Street Journal, and New American Painting. Brian met Erin at the studio where they talked about punks, straight edge, Wawa, and looms. And much more. Sound & Vision is brought to you by Charter Coffeehouse located on Graham Avenue in East Williamsburg. Find out more at www.chartercoffee.com or follow them on Instagram at @charter_bk and check out their soon to be released collaborative coffee blend with Middle State Coffee roasters, coming soon. Sound & Vision is also sponsored by Kensington Stretchers & Panels. Check them out at kensingtonpanels.com or email them at info@kensingtonpanels.com. You can also see some of their work on Instagram @kensingtonpanels

In this episode we’ll be discussing American Craft Pilsner. So crack open your beer, uncork that wine, and let’s get drinking. Cheers my podcast drinking friends and welcome to happy hour 171 of the We Like Drinking Show! The podcast that reminds people that drinking beer and wine is supposed to be fun, and that even through the laughs, you can still learn about your favorite beverages. Please take a moment to go rate and review our show on Apple Podcasts aka iTunes. Panel Introductions Tonight we’re joined by our usual panel members, first we have our wine blogger, Jeff Solomon, our commercial brewer, John Ruyak, and finally, I’m your host, Jeff Eckles. G, H, PCR Junga John’s Got A Story What’s up? What do you have your eyes on or what do you have coming up. John - Headed to the NM Bootheel. About 5 miles from the Mexican border to look for a very rare Rattlesnake. So this might be my last episode, ya never know... Solomon -  Salsa Bowl Eckles - Next week, join us for an extra brambly episode as we welcome Don Morton to the show. Don is the founder of Shrub District, A company that makes shelf stable, perfectly balanced, real fruit cocktail vinegars for all your drinking needs. Last call Time to clean house and lock the doors, so you know the drill; follows, reviews, and Patreon hat's a lot of information to absorb, hence it’s time for Wait, Who Subscribed You can also find the show notes for this episode with all the links to the stories or mentions we had at http://welikedrinking.com/podcast It's that time, so now I'll say, OK panel, let’s take one last trip around the table and get some final thoughts before we shut off the lights. John Solomon Eckles - QOTW - Who wins the Stanley Cup? Thanks again for joining us at the We Like Drinking Podcast….where you’ll never drink alone.

The boys are back live from the new Breakside brewpub in the Slabtown neighborhood. They are joined by the legendary Patrick Harris of The Hot Corner on 1080 the fan. The boys map out a one day beer trip for a first timer in PDX. Then they talk about the marketing scam that is “American Craft Mexican” lagers.

Brent Manning from Riverbend Malthouse and Jen Blair Executive Director of the North American Craft Maltsters Guild. What’s a craft malthouse? There are guidelines to malt just like beer. Listen in to this week’s episode to learn all about this essential beer ingredients. The post Episode 208 – North American Craft Maltsters Guild and Riverbend Malthouse appeared first on Cheers Charlotte Radio | Craft Beer and Homebrew Podcast.

Andrew and Luke chat to beer god Pete Brown about how he got into writing, the history behind beer and music matching and how rubbish Andrew's taste in music is, while also matching music to Buxton's Axe Edge, Mike Hess' 8 West, Beavertown's Smog Rocket and Chimay Blue Beers matched in this episode: Buxton - Axe Edge - Traditional style IPA Mike Hess - 8 West - Orange Honey Wheat Pale Ale Beavertown - Smog Rocket - Smoked Porter Chimay Blue - Trappist Strong Dark Ale

On this episode of the Ale Evangelist Show, the Scotsman and Drew get to try a special 20th Anniversary edition of Dogfish Head's Higher Math, a 17% abv Golden Ale with Sour Cherries and Chocolate! They talk about the Brewer's Association's list, Top 50 Craft Breweries in the US, as well as they discuss some stupid beer laws around the US, some of which are changing. Don't miss this boozy episode of the Ale Evangelist Show!

Today, we're testing the classic Oktoberfest Märzen style beer. We're using the BJCP judging sheet used at The Great American Beer Festival to pit two groups of beer against each other and see, taste, and smell what the differences are. There will be six German beers and six American Craft beers (see list).

Yoko Sekino-Bové was born in Osaka, Japan. She graduated from Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in graphic design before moving to the United States. She worked as a commercial designer in Los Angeles before her passion for ceramic art took her onto a new path. She received a Master of Fine Art degree in Ceramics from the University of Oklahoma in 2004. After working as an apprentice at Rowantrees Pottery in Blue Hill, Maine, to study tableware production, Yoko served as an artist-in-residence in the ceramic department of the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida from 2004 to 2005. Her ceramic works are featured in “500 cups”, “500 platters and chargers”, “500 teapot volume 2”, “Humor in Craft” and “Surface decoration techniques for potters” as well as other craft books and a wide variety of periodicals including “American Craft” and “Ceramics Monthly” magazines. Her technical articles are featured on “Ceramics Monthly” and “The Pottery Making Illustrated” magazines occasionally. Yoko was selected as one of the “emerging artists 2011” by the Ceramic Arts Daily Council.

This program made possible by the James Renwick Alliance. The James Renwick Alliance's annual symposium features four panelists: artist and designer Jack Lenor Larsen, ceramicist and professor Judith Schwartz, wood artist and professor Wendy Maruyama, and metal artist and jeweler Donald Friedlich. Join them for a discussion addressing American craft and the influence of Japanese art and culture on their work. Moderated by ceramics collector Halsey North, this program is part of the National Cherry Blossom centennial celebration.

Are you ready to wholesale your fine art or fine craft? Do you have handmade goods that you'd like to see in galleries and gift shops?  Guests are: Paul Willsea, who along with his partner Carol O'Brien, has worked as a glass artist for over 20 years. They sell their work through the wholesale marketplace as well as at retail art fairs. In addition, Paul has been on the Board of advisors for the Buyers Market of American Craft and is well acquainted with the business aspects of wholesale shows. John Terry, owner of the Avalon Gallery in Del Ray Beach, FL, ventured into the gallery business in 1993. He not only attends the wholesale markets looking for new artists to showcase you'll also find him at street art fairs searching for the perfect work for his enterprises. Stacey Miller, a jeweler for 27 years who is brand new to wholesaling shares her experiences as a first time exhibitor as she prepares for her the BMAC in February. Join us as we learn about best wholesale marketplaces what a wholesale buyer is looking for, price points, inventory, presentation the ups and downs of the gallery business is wholesale for you? ideas for longevity in the business how to prepare for your first show John, Paul and Stacey share their best tips for success in wholesaling one of a kind fine art and craft.    

Welcome: Nicholas R. Bell, the Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator of American Craft and Decorative Art, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum Keynote Address: “Goodbye Craft” Glenn Adamson, Deputy Head of Research and Head of Graduate Studies, Victoria and Albert Museum

This week: This week we talk with artist, writer, and WhiteWalls co-founder Buzz Spector! Buzz Spector is an artist and critical writer whose artwork has been shown in such museums and galleries as the Art Institute of Chicago, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and the Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA. Spector's work makes frequent use of the book, both as subject and object, and is concerned with relationships between public history, individual memory, and perception. He has issued a number of artists' books and editions since the mid-1970s, including, most recently, Time Square, a limited edition letterpress book hand altered by the artist and published in 2007 by Pyracantha Press and ABBA at Arizona State University in Tempe. Among his previous publications are Between the Sheets, a limited edition book of images and text published in 2004 by The Ink Shop Printmaking Center in Ithaca, NY, Details: closed to open, an artists’ book of photographic details from images in the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, (List Art Gallery, Swarthmore College, 2001) and Beautiful Scenes: selections from the Cranbrook Archives (Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 1998). Spector was a co-founder of WhiteWalls, a magazine of writings by artists, in Chicago in 1978, and served as the publication's editor until 1987.  Since then he has written extensively on topics in contemporary art and culture, and has contributed reviews and essays to a number of publications, including American Craft, Artforum, Art Issues, Art on Paper, Exposure, and New Art Examiner.  He is the author of The Book Maker's Desire, critical essays on topics in contemporary art and artists' books (Umbrella Editions, 1995), and numerous exhibition catalogue essays, including Conrad Bakker: untitled mail order catalogue (Creative Capital, Inc., 2002) and Dieter Roth (University of Iowa Museum of Art, 1999). Spector’s most recent recognition is a 2005 New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA Fellowship. In 1991 he was awarded a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Fellowship, and in 1982, 1985, and 1991 he received National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Awards.  He is Dean of the College and Graduate School of Art in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis.

We’re going to dispel the myth that you can’t live is style and share your life with a pack of BIG Dogs… Tune in to this episode of Decorating Tails as host and Interior Design Hound Cynthia Waldenmaier discusses living with Bulls in a china shop with her guest Susie Wilber. Susie is an Interior Designer, Artistic Hound, Dog lover and the founder of The Laughing Dog Gallery in Vero Beach, Florida. Her gallery was awarded the prestigious Top Retailer of American Craft by NICHE magazine, and as a licensed Interior Designer in Florida Susie has completed numerous commercial and residential projects, several having received national publication. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Living in Style with the BIG Dogs & Artistic Hounds on Pet Life Radio. Enter the code: DECORATE and get 10% off your order + Free shipping at Shoebuy.com!