January 1, 2019
Experience Fine Contemporary Craft from
Around the World without Leaving the Main Line
Depending on your own experiences, the word “crafting” might conjure a multitude of images. Perhaps you remember the holiday ornaments you made as a child, or the first macaroni necklace your son brought home from preschool. Both are valid works of art with indeterminable value. But fine crafters take a naked piece of wood, a tattered sheet of metal or even a collection of discarded plastic toys, and after hours, weeks or even years or manipulation, create fine works worthy of international recognition.
For the 24th year, Wayne Art Center brings Craft Forms, one of the premier contemporary fine craft exhibits in the United States, to the Main Line. This eagerly anticipated exhibition is dedicated to enhancing the public’s awareness of fine contemporary craft while providing a venue for established and emerging artists to share their creative endeavors. Featuring 109 works in ceramic, wood, fiber, metal, glass, mixed media and 3D printing, Craft Forms, attracts nearly 5,000 visitors each year.
Craft Forms’ status as a fine craft exhibition continues to grow, in large part, under the expertise of the acclaimed jurors aligned with the show. This year, Wayne Art Center welcomes Perry Allen Price, Executive Director, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, as Craft Forms juror. With an extensive background in contemporary craft, serving first as curator of exhibitions and collections for Fuller Craft Museum in Massachusetts, then as director of education for the American Craft Council, Mr. Price was well positioned to select the pieces that comprise this year’s Craft Forms exhibit. More than 400 artists submitted works to be juried, from as far away as New Zealand and close to home as Radnor, Pennsylvania.
“We are honored to welcome Mr. Price’s participation this year. His passion for and deep connection to the world of contemporary craft were evident throughout his thoughtful and extensive jurying process and have resulted in what we believe is one of the most unique collections to date. In addition to highlighting artists’ talent, Craft Forms 2018 easily reminds guests of the beauty that transpires when individuals from many backgrounds come together,” said Nancy Campbell, Executive Director and Founder of Craft Forms.
In 2014, Wayne Art Center began adding a second exhibition to run concurrently with Craft Forms. Companion shows have featured functional craft used in everyday life, works of fiber and textile, pieces that incorporate digital and technical processes, and glass. This year’s companion show, CAST: Art & Objects, highlights the omnipresence of cast objects in the world around us and includes more than 80 original works.
Curated by Jen Townsend and Renée Zettle-Sterling, authors of CAST: Art & Objects Made Using Humanity’s Most Transformational Process, the show includes work from 86 contemporary artists who contributed to the book. “We’ve been looking at photos of this work for the past four years, so it was a real thrill to open the boxes and see it in person,” says Townsend, a jeweler and metalsmith originally from Radnor. “Casting has given us everything from statuary to toilets, from bricks to wedding rings – its influence on our world is hard to overstate.”
Three additional exhibits are on display through January 26th at Wayne Art Center. The Vidinghoff Lobby features Geometry in Color, large geometric abstract paintings by local artists; a small works exhibit adorns the walls of the Kitchen Gallery, and WAC faculty member Marlene Adler student prints hang in the Ethel Lobby.
“We are tremendously grateful to the sponsors and patrons for their generosity and support of this year’s Craft Forms exhibit,” says Campbell. “The positive impact of art on people’s lives could not be accomplished at Wayne Art Center without the continued community support of all our sponsors, especially our presenting sponsors, West Laurel Hill Cemetery and Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.”
