Blog Posts

NEW MEXICO TREASURES

6/3/2022

SANTA FE AND ABIQUIU
JUNE 3 - 10, 2022
$1,975 CAUCUS MEMBERS ONLY
IN-person Event

Enjoy New Mexico Treasures with JRACraft and get exclusive access to the region's top galleries, private artists studio tours, meet the curators of ground-breaking exhibitions, experience the local culture and some enjoy of the finest cuisine New Mexico offers.

Questions about this trip can be sent to info@jra.org

Included: transportation to all planned events, some meals, all museum entry fees
Not included: transportation to and from New Mexico and during free times, some meals, lodging

Cancellation policy: All trips are subject to cancellation or rescheduling at JRACraft's discretion based on local or national conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. If a trip is cancelled or rescheduled, all participants will be notified promptly and offered the choice of a full refund of the trip cost or the opportunity to participate on the new dates (if the trip is rescheduled).

tentative itinerary

friday, june 3: arrival day

Arrive to Inn on the Almeda
5 pm Dinner reservations at Chef’s Degustacion at Sazon

saturday, june 4: santa fe downtown

BREAKFAST at hotel

9:00 am Intro & history with Peter Weiss. Peter is one of the most experienced guides in Santa Fe and he will walk you from your hotel across the plaza to Patina Gallery.
Patina Gallery, the best contemporary craft and jewelry gallery in Santa Fe. Under the expert direction of Ivan and Alison Barnett, you will see contemporary jewelry and hear a short lecture by Bruce Bernstein. Dr Bernstein is a leading expert on contemporary Indian ceramics which are undergoing an amazing renaissance with the emergence of male potters..in a tradition which was previously all female. You will see some of the works by one of the super stars, Lonnie Vigil.

Lunch at Patina

BUS to Railyard
Tai Gallery, short discussion from Rob Coffland, Tai founder who discovered Japanese basket weaving, brought some of the masters to the United States.

Site Santa Fe, short discussion from Louis Grachos, the director. SITE is a Kunsthalle, dedicated to the modern aesthetic.

Form & Concept Gallery small reception. This galley has two artists who are in Renwick Collection Robert Ebbendorf and Deborah Baxter who may join us.

sunday, june 5: santa fe artist day

Visit the studio of Geoffery Gorman, who works with found material, the flotsam and jetsum of the human world. His work is widely represented in museums and private collections.

Studio visit to Gail & Zacharia Rieke, work in collage, assemblage and installation. Their work is represented in many museums and private collections.

Private reception at Gerald Peters Gallery to see Tom Joyce’s work and Karen LaMonte’s work. Tom Joyce is a sculptor and MacArthur Fellow known for his work in forged steel and cast iron. Using skills and technology acquired through early training as a blacksmith, Joyce addresses the environmental, political, and social implications of using iron in his work. Karen LaMonte works in glass and bronze, known for her life-size sculptures in ceramic, bronze, marble, and cast glass.

monday, june 6: chimayo/taos day

Santuario at Chimayo. The Santuario is a Catholic church built over a shrine which has miraculous healing dirt. It is noted for the large altar pieces showing the Hispanic painting traditions. It is a National Historic Landmark and contemporary pilgrimage site.

Centenella Weavers Studio, Irving & Lisa Trujillo have taken the traditional craft of weaving and made into an art. They have won almost every award possible.

Larry Bell’s studio in Taos.
Throughout his long and illustrious career, Larry Bell has made investigations into the properties of light on surface. By experimenting with the nature of surface and its relationship to space, Bell has devised a methodology characterized by spontaneity, intuition and improvisation. In 1963 he began to explore the passing of light through cube sculptures, challenging notions of mass, volume and gravity.

Harwood Museum
The Harwood Museum of Art is one of the best kept secrets in the Southwest. Founded in 1923 in Taos, New Mexico, the museum’s collections and exhibitions tell a comprehensive story of art in Taos and Northern New Mexico. You will explore notable art from contemporary to traditional in a historic adobe building.

Stop at Tower Gallery for Roxanne Swentzel, a potter and ceramic artist whose work is sculptural and innovative. She is a member of the pueblo of Santa Clara.

tuesday, june 7: jacona day

Visit Claire Kahn studio including lunch. Claire does crochet beadwork combining precious and semi-precious stones into necklaces and bracelets that take many forms. She will also cook a special lunch for the group. 2-1/2 hours for this event

Stop at Bulls Eye Glass to have a brief look at the raw materials and processes used in making glass art.

Private tour of the de la Pena house with suburb examples of early Navajo weaving, early Spanish woodwork. This house is being staged so is very much in process but a rare opportunity to visit a very famous house.

wednesday, june 8: museum hill day

Explore Museum Hill at the International Folk Art Museum, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and take a tour by Leticia Chambers, curator of the glass show at the Museum of Indian Art and Culture, to discuss the glass show. There is also large exhibit of jewelry and ceramics. We will run two shuttles back to the hotel to stagger return times if some people want to stay longer.

Free time in downtown, which can include the O’Keeffe Museum, New Mexico History Museum, the New Mexico Museum of Art, and IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

thursday, june 9: Abiqiui Day

Tour the O’Keeffe House and visit to the cliffs, an area above Abiquiu which O’Keeffe loved to paint.

Enjoy dinner at Gerald Peters Gallery for with members from the Art Alliance of Contemporary Glass

friday, june 10: departure day

Travel Day
Good bye (or local Spanglish: Bueno Bye)

Mixed Media artwork by Geoffrey Gorman

Patina Gallery

TERMS & CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
All cancellations must be made in writing to the James Renwick Alliance at admin@jra.org. Refunds, less a cancellation fee of $100 and the non-refundable JRA contribution of $300, are made if your notification is received at least one month in advance. No refunds will be made after this date except in the case of a medical emergency.

RESPONSIBILITY
Neither the James Renwick Alliance or any of the participating partners accepts liability for any expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for the tour. We require that all participants be in good health. If you have a medical condition needing special medical attention, you must report it when filling out your application form by sending an email to admin@jra.org. We retain the right to refuse any applicant whose health, in our sole judgment, would negatively affect their full participation in the trip. Regardless of your health condition, we strongly recommend that if your current insurance does not cover medical costs while you are traveling, you insure yourself for the costs of medical care including, but not limited to: medical evacuation, baggage damage or loss, accident, and sickness. While we take every precaution, neither the participating partners, nor the James Renwick Alliance shall be responsible or liable for any loss, death, injury, illness or damage to or loss of property suffered or incurred by any person in connection with this trip.

ANNIVERSARY BRUNCH

5/15/2022

Anniversary brunch
Sunday, May 15 | 11:00am – 1:30pm
11Am, Cocktails | 11:30AM, BRunch served
PER PERSON $205
free for patrons
kimpton HOTEL MONACO
700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

Join us for brunch in the elegant Paris Room of the Hotel Monaco as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the James Renwick Alliance for Craft (JRACraft). The bar will open
for select cocktails at 11:00am. Brunch service will commence at 11:30am. While we eat we will be treated to a special screening of the new documentary, Lloyd Herman: the Accidental Curator, a part of the Living Treasures project of Northwest Design Craftsmen. After learning more about a man who was instrumental in the founding of the JRACraft, we will hear from Nora Atkinson, the Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge for the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Nora will highlight some of the many gifts presented to the Renwick Gallery in honor of the 50th Anniversary year. One of these gifts, among others underwritten by the Alliance, is a commissioned piece by our 2021 Chrysalis Awardee, Rachel David, who will share
some of the efforts involved in creating this special work. There will be a few surprises sprinkled throughout the program, including introductions of our 2022 Distinguished
Educators and other special guests. And, this year the JRACraft is honored to present our One of a Kind Award to our own Barbara and Arnold Berlin.

ONE-OF-A-KIND: BARBARA AND ARNOLD BERLIN

Barbara Berlin and her husband Arnold, "Arnie", have been generous contributors and long time arts supporters for over four decades. Barbara and Arnold Berlin joined JRACraft in the early 90s and have served in a number of roles since then. Barbara served as President from 1995 to 1997 and is currently the co-chair of Spring Craft Weekend and of Caucus Membership. They are well known for their quirky, fun and joyful collection of Staffordshire figurines, contemporary craft and Arnold's collection of artist-made canes.

SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDE

Anne Wilson, 2022 Distinguished Educator
Janet Koplos, 2022 Distinguished Educator
Che Rhodes, 2022 Distinguished Educator
Rachel David, 2021 Chrysalis Awardee
David Harper Clemons, 2021 Master of the Medium
Wendy Maruyama, 2021 Master of the Medium
Preston Singletary, 2021 Master of the Medium
Consuelo Jiminez Underwood, 2021 Master of the Medium
Mary Savig and/or Nora Atkinson, Renwick Gallery Curators

Additional information

Valet parking available ($25)
Wheelchair accessibility located to right of building entrance at corner of F St. and 8th St. NW (upon arrival let bellman or front desk know you need the lift)
If stairs are an issue, use the carriage way entrance on the 8th St. side of the building near the Dirty Habit DC restaurant at 555 8th St. NW. Walk through the courtyard to access this entrance.

CHEERS TO 40 YEARS! GALA

5/14/2022

Cheers to 40 Years! Spring Craft Weekend Gala
Saturday May 14 | 6:30pm – 9:30pm
PER PERSON $355 | $100 AFTER HOURS
national Museum of THE American Indian
4th St & Independence Ave SW, Washington DC 20560

Cheers to 40 Years of the James Renwick Alliance for Craft at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian and join us in an unforgettable evening including trivia, an auction of adventures, and a special viewing of Raven and the Box of Daylight by Preston Singletary, 2021 Master of the Medium.

Patrons and dinner guests are invited for a festive and fabulous sit-down dinner at 6:30pm including an entertaining gameshow style trivia, and an adventures auction. "After hour" guests join us for a buffet of delectable deserts at 8:30pm, along with a toast and talk by Preston Singletary.

Preston Singletary: Raven and the box of daylight

Journey through an immersive, multisensory experience, in the exhibition Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight. The exhibit explores the transformation of darkness into light, following the story of Raven, the creator of the world and giver of the stars, moon, and sun. You will hear Singletary speak about his work and see his striking glass pieces, paired with storytelling, original music, coastal Pacific Northwest soundscapes, and projected images.

Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight is on view at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2022, through Jan. 29, 2023.

Photos by Matailong Du for the National Museum of the American Indian

SYMPOSIUM

5/14/2022

Forging the Future of Craft Education
Distinguished Educator Symposium & Awards
Saturday, May 14 | 10:30am – 12:00pm
free to the public
SMITHSONIaN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
nan tucker MCEvoy Auditorium
G Street NW, 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
METERED STREET PARKING ; PARKING GARAGES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD; METRO STATION (GALLERY PLACE)

The James Renwick Alliance for Craft celebrates 40 years as a champion of American Craft. Forging the Future of Craft Education will award three notable educators: Anne Wilson, international fiber and materials artist, and Professor Emeritus at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Che’ Rhodes, renowned glass artist and professor at the Hite Institute of Art and Design, University of Louisville; and Janet Koplos author of numerous craft books, including the quintessential American craft history book, Makers: A History of American Studio Craft, co-authored with Bruce Metcalf. Enjoy hearing three dynamic craft leaders discuss their own work and share who they see as the next generation of makers, educators, and arts scholars.

anne wilson

Anne Wilson is a Chicago-based visual artist who creates sculpture, drawings, and performances based in a textile language. She was named a United States Artists Distinguished Fellow and is the recipient of awards from the Textile Society of America, the American Craft Council (College of Fellows), the Driehaus Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Wilson’s artwork is represented by Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago and she is currently a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Fiber and Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

ché rhodes

Ché Rhodes received his MFA from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.A. from Centre College where he began his career under the mentorship of Stephen Rolfe Powell. Rhodes has demonstrated at the 2006, 2010, and 2015 Glass Art Society Conferences and has been an instructor at various institutions including the Penland School of Crafts, Pilchuck Glass School, and The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass. Currently he is an Associate Professor and Head of Studio Glass at the University of Louisville, Allen R. Hite Art Institute.

janet koplos

Janet Koplos is the author of What Makes a Potter: Traditional Pottery in America Today (2019) and co-author of Makers: A History of American Studio Craft (2010). She was editor of Art in America from (1990-2009) and has written numerous catalog essays and thousands of reviews over the last 40 years, focusing on crafts and American, Japanese and Dutch contemporary art. Koplos received a National Endowment for the Arts critic’s grant early on, and in 2010 was named an Honorary Fellow of the American Craft Council. In addition, she was awarded an Art Writers Grant from the Warhol Foundation in 2015.

Left to right: Janet Koplos, Ché Rhodes, and Anne Wilson

CAUCUS & PATRON DAY

5/13/2022

CAUCUS & PATRON DAY: "the luxurY of clay: porcelain past and present"
Friday, May 13 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
$155 PER caucus member | FREE FOR PATRONS
HILLWOOD MUSEUM & GARDENS
4155 Linnean Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
CAUCUS AND PATRONS MEMBERS ONLY; space is limited; Comfortable walking shoes recommended

Enter a world of spring elegance and reinvention at the exhibition, The Luxury of Clay: Porcelain Past and Present at Hillwood Museum and Gardens, featuring artists Chris Antemann, Roberto Lugo and others. Arrive at the gate at 10am to check in at the Visitor’s Center, then at 10:30am be ready to immerse yourself in a wonderful afternoon. The program will include a lecture by Rebecca Tilles, Hillwood’s Curator of 18th Century Western European Art, and Leslie Ferrin, Director of Ferrin Contemporary, who has over 30 years of experience with contemporary ceramic art, sculpture, design and studio pottery. Then be sure to don your comfy shoes to stroll down to the Dacha, and the main house to view the exhibits on your own. At 12:30pm, we will meet under the tented Merriweather Courtyard to enjoy a lovely three-course seated luncheon, after which you are invited to wander through Hillwood’s famous gardens which will be at their spring peak. You are welcome to stay until closing time at 5pm. Perhaps the orchid house will be on your agenda, or the gift shop, or a return visit to the Dacha, if you wish.

RENWICK GALLERY OPEN HOUSE

5/13/2022

RENWICK GALLERY OPEN HOUSE
Friday, May 13 | 10:30am – 3:00pm
Renwick Gallery OF THE SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

Experience American craft like never before during this in-person open house at SAAM’s Renwick Gallery. Be one of the first to see the newest exhibition, This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, which activates both floors of gallery space with artworks that honor the history of studio craft while also introducing progressive contemporary narratives.

Featuring artists like Bisa Butler, Sonya Clark, Sharon Kerry-Harlan, Preston Singletary, and Wanxin Zhang, this exhibition highlights the role that artists play in our world to spark essential conversations, stories of resilience, and methods of activism —showing us a more relational and empathetic world.

Join Nora Atkinson, the Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge, and Mary Savig, the Lloyd Herman Curator of Craft, for special gallery talks about the exhibition and the history of the Renwick Gallery, as the nation's preeminent center for the enjoyment of American craft. Discover more than 100 new artworks, never before seen at the Renwick Gallery, including several purchased by the James Renwick Alliance for Craft.

Gallery Talk Schedule:
11 a.m. Tour with Mary Savig
1:30 p.m. Tour with Nora Atkinson

HOUSTON CRAFT TRIP

5/2/2022

HOUSTON, TX JRACRAFT STUDY TOUR
MAY 2-5, 2022 | HOUSTON, TX
$1,250 MEMBER | $1,350 NON-MEMBER
in-person event

Learn all Houston has to offer with its cultural institutions, public art and more. Visit the premier Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; tour local artist studios; and have exclusive access to the region's top private craft collections.

Questions about this trip can be sent to info@jra.org

Not included: transportation to and from Houston, lodging, some meals

Cancellation policy: All trips are subject to cancellation or rescheduling at JRACraft's discretion based on local or national conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. If a trip is cancelled or rescheduled, all participants will be notified promptly and offered the choice of a full refund of the trip cost or the opportunity to participate on the new dates (if the trip is rescheduled).

TENTATIVE ITINERARY

Monday, May 2, 2022

11:00am Collector’s visit
12:00pm Lunch, La Griglia
1:30pm Studio visit with Edward McCartney (Metal smithing/ jewelry)
2:30pm Studio visit with Tracye Wear (Ceramics/Vessels)
3:30pm Studio visit with Anna Mavromatis (Paper)
6:30pm Dinner at Bludorn Restaurant

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

10:00am Tour Houston Center for Contemporary Craft with Perry Price, executive director, and Curator Kathryn Hall
11:30am Lunch at Hugo’s
1:15pm Collector’s visit
2:30pm Collector’s visit
6:00pm Dinner—Lucille’s

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

10:45am Walk to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH)
11:00am Tour of craft galleries and collection in the Kinder Building, MFAH, with Cindi Strauss, Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
12:30pm Lunch
2:00pm Finish tour of Kinder Building
3:00pm Tour of jewelry exhibition in the Beck Building, MFAH, with Christine Gervais and Fredricka Crain, Director, and Rienzi Curator of Decorative Arts
4:00pm Explore museum collections, other exhibitions and gift store on your own, then walk back to the hotel
6:00pm Dinner

Thursday, May 5, 2022
11:30am Crafting a Legacy Spring Luncheon special event hosted by the Houston Center for Craft with lunch, program and an auction.
1:30pm Guests arrive back at hotel for departures

TERMS & CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
All cancellations must be made in writing to the James Renwick Alliance at admin@jra.org. Refunds, less the cancellation fee of $50 and the non-refundable JRA contribution of $170, are made if your notification is received at least one month in advance. No refunds will be made after this date except in the case of a medical emergency.

RESPONSIBILITY
Neither the James Renwick Alliance or any of the participating partners accepts liability for any expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for the tour. We require that all participants be in good health. If you have a medical condition needing special medical attention, you must report it when filling out your application form by sending an email to admin@jra.org. We retain the right to refuse any applicant whose health, in our sole judgment, would negatively affect their full participation in the trip. Regardless of your health condition, we strongly recommend that if your current insurance does not cover medical costs while you are traveling, you insure yourself for the costs of medical care including, but not limited to: medical evacuation, baggage damage or loss, accident, and sickness. While we take every precaution, neither the participating partners, nor the James Renwick Alliance shall be responsible or liable for any loss, death, injury, illness or damage to or loss of property suffered or incurred by any person in connection with this trip.