​​Learn about craft exhibitions and events by receiving the James Renwick Alliance eNewsletter or by visiting our Community Craft Calendar. ​

​JRA 2023 Spring Craft Weekend, May 5-7
Honorees: Roberto Lugo, Kristina Madsen, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, Wm. Gudenrath and Amy Schwartz
Sponsored by the James Renwick Alliance
Washington, DC, www.jra.org 

Sharing Honors and Burdens, Renwick Invitational 2023, May 26 – March 31, 2024
Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC, www.americanart.si.edu 
 
Anne Lindberg: what color is divine light?
February 4 – July 1
Textile Museum, Washington, DC, www.museum.gwu.edu 

​In honor of one of the founders of the James Renwick Alliance for Craft and the founder of the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, we announce the creation of the Founders Fund. This fund will be dedicated to securing the future of JRACraft, providing opportunities for further organizational growth and advancement in support of our mission. "Like Lloyd, JRACraft is dedicated to the education and appreciation of American Craft. It is with this fund that we hope to pursue new initiatives and further support our role in these efforts nationally." says Executive Director, Jaimianne Jacobin.

In Lloyd's last email to the Alliance, he said "I’m very proud of what is now the James Renwick Alliance for Craft, and its importance nationally." Today, you can help us further support what Lloyd and our esteemed founders began over 40 years ago by making a contribution to this new fund.

Lloyd Herman (1936 - 2023) was one of the founders of JRACraft and the founder of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. ​Lloyd received our One-of-A-Kind award in 2009. He was elected as an honorary fellow by the American Craft Council in 1988. Additionally, he was an Honorary Lifetime Member of Northwest Designer Craftartists. 

See the story of how the Alliance grew from a small collectors group to a nationally recognized organization, promoting the advancement of American craft on our new JRACraft history timeline. 

Lloyd Herman speaking at Gala with fellow JRACraft co-founders Paul and Elmerina Parkman.

Expo Chicago, April 13-17
Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, www.expochicago.com
 
2023 Smithsonian Craft Show, May 4-7
Honorees: Chunghi Choo, Mary Lee Hu, Amber Cowan
Sponsored by Smithsonian Women’s Committee
National Building Museum, Washington, DC, www.smithsoniancraftshow.org
 
JRACraft 2023 Spring Craft Weekend, May 5-7
Honorees: Roberto Lugo, Kristina Madsen, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, Wm. Gudenrath and Amy Schwartz
Sponsored by the James Renwick Alliance
Washington, DC, www.jra.org
​

This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, May 13 – April 22, 2023
Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC, www.americanart.si.edu 
 
Anne Lindberg: what color is divine light? February 4 – July 1
Textile Museum, Washington, DC, www.museum.gwu.edu 

Black Like Me, thru April 15
1111 Gallery, Washington, DC, www.zenithgallery.com 

Nia Alexander Campbell, Josh Berer, Patricia Daher, March 3 – April 2
Hillyer Art Space, Washington, DC, https://athillyer.org 

Determined Women: collectors, artists & designers at Hillwood, Feb. 18 – June 18 Hillwood Museum, Washington, DC, www.hillwoodmuseum.org

Madayin: Bark Painting from Yirrkala, February 4 – May 14
Curated by Rebecca Cross, American University Museum, Washington, DC, www.american.edu/cas/museum/ 

Joan Dreyer: Score, January 14 – April 30
Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA, www.workhousearts.org 

Jewel Tones, March 14 – April 16
Sparkles and Iridescence, February 8 – March 12
Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery, Alexandria, VA, www.torpedofactory.org 

Green Madness, March 2 – April 5
Enamelists Gallery, Alexandria, VA, www.torpedofactory.org 

A Cheery Charry Jubilee, March 27 – April 23
Departures, February 27 – March 26
Scope Gallery, Alexandria, VA, www.torpedofactory.org 

Kay Thompson Sumitt, and
Helen Joyce Burroughs, January 17 – February 23
McLean Textile Gallery, McLean, VA, www.themcleantextilegallery.com  

​Annual Black History Month Exhibition,
​January 28 – March 26
Montpelier Arts Center, Laurel, MD, Art Centers | MNCPPC, MD
www.pgparks.com/2893/Exhibitions

2023 Annual Members’ Exhibition, March 31 – April 23
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Hyattsville, MD, www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org 

Freedom, February 6 – April 23
Brentwood Arts Exchange, Brentwood, MD, Art Centers | MNCPPC, MD https://www.pgparks.com/1810/Exhibitions​​

Unfettered, February 11 – March 18
Portico Gallery, Brentwood, MD, https://www.portico3807.com 

Otis Street Arts Project, and
Deborah Reichmann, February 25 – March 26
Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD, www.glenechopark.org 

Gallery Artists
Waverly Street Gallery, Bethesda, MD, www.waverlystreetgallery.com  

Heatworks 3.0, February 15 – April 23
Visarts, Rockville, MD, www.visartscenter.org  

Karin Birch: Surface Tension, March 3-26
NOMA Gallery, Frederick, MD, www.nomagalleryfrederick.com 

Wayman Scott: Earth and Life,
Gerald A. Brown: Care·ful/less, 
Lunar New Year, curated by Adam Chau,
January 14 – March 25
Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD, www.baltimoreclayworks.org 

Arctic Artistry, July 17 – May 4
Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD, www.artbma.org

Katja Toporski: Meet Me, February 17 – March 31
Baltimore Jewelry Center, Baltimore, MD, www.baltimorejewelrycenter.org 

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lloyd Herman (1936 - 2023), JRACraft founder and founder of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

As founding director of the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in 1972, Lloyd’s dream was to have craft, art, and design join its rightful place among the Smithsonian’s family of museums in the heart of the nation’s capital for all to learn and enjoy.

In the early eighties, Lloyd and a number of frequent visitors to the Renwick Gallery were invited to the home of Charles and Ann Gailis for a get-together. From this meeting, the James Renwick Collector Alliance was founded in 1982, later known as the James Renwick Alliance for Craft. In our most recent communication with Loyd this fall, he had this to say "I’m very proud of what is now the James Renwick Alliance for Craft, and its importance nationally."
​
Lloyd received our One-of-A-Kind award in 2009. He was elected as an honorary fellow by the American Craft Council in 1988. Additionally, he was an Honorary Lifetime Member of Northwest Designer Craftartists, a member of the American Alliance of Museums, an honorary member of the American Society of Interior Designers, and was decorated by the monarchs of Denmark and Belgium for exhibitions that he organized on the crafts of their countries.

WE INVITE JRACRAFT MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TO LEAVE TRIBUTES AND RECOLLECTIONS OF LLOYD HERMAN BELOW.
​

Lloyd was preceded in death by his life partner Dick Wilson who passed away in 2021. Further details including his obituary and any memorial details will be added to this page as they are made available.

LLOYD HERMAN THE ACCIDENTAL CURATOR
In 2021, the Northwest Designer Craftartists released "Lloyd Herman, The Accidental Curator," a film about his life and accomplishments. The Living Treasures Project is an ongoing series of video profiles documenting the Northwest's most important and influential craft professionals. JRACraft was a proud sponsor of the film.

LLOYD HERMAN ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW
In 2010 Lloyd Herman was interviewed by Paul Smith for the Archives of American Art as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America. From 2000 to 2012, the project recorded and transcribed 235 oral history interviews with key figures in American craft. The American Art Archives started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators, including Lloyd Herman. 

Rebecca and Gary Stevens are partners in life and in the arts. These high-school sweethearts have been friends for sixty plus years. They have shared interests in many things including contemporary and ethnic crafts and have both been members of the same organizations for decades. Although they each have their own individual hobbies, their joint interest in collecting art, which was initially started by Rebecca, has resulted in an extensive collection. I had tons of questions about their collection and they had answers for me. Let’s meet The Stevens. 

CN: Can you give us a little background about who you are?
The Stevens: Gary and I [Rebecca] are high school sweethearts from Oklahoma. We met in ninth grade Latin class in 1961 in Tulsa. We have been married for 54 years. The Latin has faded but not our relationship. We are still best friends.  
​

JRACraft thanks J.G. Harrington for his service as Board President and welcomes Rebecca Ravenal! 

"As President for the last two years, I am very proud of the commitment that our members and friends made to helping build the Renwick Gallery's collection for the 21st century through our acquisitions fund and of how well JRACraft responded to the pandemic, bringing programs online and reaching audiences around the country and the world. I'm excited by the possibilities for JRACraft to match the evolution and innovation of the world of craft going forward." says J.G.

During his time as President, J.G. led JRACraft's efforts to provide over $157,000 in contributions and direct donations to the Renwick Gallery to purchase works primarily from women artists and artists of color. He also led the organization through a transition to online programs during the pandemic and oversaw new efforts for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. 

"I’m thrilled to be the new President of JRACraft. Thanks to the efforts of the outgoing President, the Executive Director and other hard-working members, we’ve maintained a high level of engagement in our wonderful programs over the past few years, despite having to pivot to mostly online events. I hope to continue growing our national presence in that virtual sphere while also reviving the valuable in-person community that is the heart of JRACraft. I look forward to seeing many of you at a JRACraft event soon!" says Rebecca.

Rebecca Ravenal is an artist, businessperson and long-time member of JRACraft. As a studio artist, Rebecca works in ceramics and mixed media. She has exhibited in galleries and shows across the country and has taught in several schools and art centers in the DC area. She splits her time between the studio and running her family’s commercial real estate business. Rebecca is a longtime resident of the DC area and supporter of many art organizations, most significantly JRACraft.

Welcome Rebecca at President@jra.org.

JRACraft welcomes new full-time staff member, Lila Stone as Programs and Operations Coordinator. 

Lila holds a master's degree in Art History and her research focuses on Modern & Contemporary fiber arts practices. In addition to her position at the Alliance, she also is an Adjunct Professor of Art History at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). "I am thrilled to be joining the Alliance at this very exciting time in the craft world" says Lila "and I am very much looking forward to connecting with you all."

As part of her position at the Alliance, members will be able to rely on Lila as a source of help with membership and information about upcoming events. Her interest in craft and strong nonprofit skills makes her a welcome addition to JRACraft.

​Question and warm welcomes for Lila can be sent to Lila@jra.org.