FRIDAY TOP FIVE: MARCH 20, 2020

​Craft News during the Coronavirus Closures.
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1. Despite people’s hesitance to travel during this time. Glass artist (and DC native), Cheryl Derricotte, was in town from San Francisco last week and visiting the Washington Glass School. Here is a selfie from glass artist Michael Janis.

2. As Universities close their campus and classes go online, educators are considering how to move craft classes to the digital, and the Critical Craft Forum Facebook group has been filled with interesting ideas. There are posts about furniture-making taught from branch foraging, jewelry from basic supplies found in any home, and ceramics that could use locally self-mined clays.​​ The Director of the Furniture Society, Monica Hampton, mentioned centralizing ideas about teaching furniture online as an organizational resource. And the Ethical Metalsmiths just posted that they are putting together an online exhibition called “Academics in Pandemic.”
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3. As many of us know, NCECA had to cancel their March conference in Richmond, and the Glass Art Society canceled their May conference in Sweden. However, the Studio Art Quilt Associates have been able to make their conference completely virtual, and you can join them online this weekend!

4. What are some other things to do while you are at home? NCECA has over 500 hours of video content online free. Booooooom put out a great resource for artists (including some Coronavirus freebies). A personal favorite - binge-watch our 2020 Distinguished Educator, Craft in America online free.

5. In all seriousness - arts organizations and museums around the world are concerned about the increasing financial threat of the Corona Virus pandemic. GoFundMe pages have been created to assist laid-off staff, ARTnews reported that the Metropolitan Museum of Art is preparing for a $100 million loss through July and many of the craft organizations are closing until further notice. However, William Smith, Editor of Art in America, published an interesting article yesterday, “The Cultural Bailout we Need has Been a Long Time Coming,” and Americans for the Arts have a survey out for Arts Organizations. What does all of this mean? It means that it’s going to be a rough road, but we all continue to support craft organizations and craft artists. Consider donating to an organization in these uncertain times. 

Donations to the JRA can be made here.