FRIDAY TOP 5: CRAFT NEWS MAY 15, 2020

A new series from the American Craft Council, new digital platforms from galleries, and more!

1. The most significant #craftnews this week is the stunning generosity of an anonymous donor to give nearly $1,000,000 to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (TN),  Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (ME), Penland School of Craft (NC),  Peters Valley School of Craft (NJ), and Pilchuck Glass School (WA). In total, over 550 people will benefit from this support, which is intended to replace lost wages for artists whose workshops have been canceled as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
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2. Also this week, the American Craft Council announced the second series of its online American Craft Forum. The first one takes place Friday, 15 at 2pm and focuses on "Craft for care and well being". See the full line-up in the announcement.

3. Many craft galleries are adapting to the new normal. Duane Reed Gallery has taken this time to launch a new website; Lucy Lacoste Gallery has moved a notable exhibition of Warren McKenzie online; and Habatat Gallery has launched an entirely new platform called Glass 48 which includes an exhibition, online artist talks and studio tours. 
4. You can also get to know artists more intimately, with "Social Distancing Studio Visits" written by the curator of Contemporary Art at the GW Textile Museum, Caroline Kipp. Here she asks artists about their experience in these uncertain times and how they are coping. Most recently she featured textile artist Lia Cook.
5. Lastly, we thought we would share some ways you can be creative. Dye paper, print on paper, write or paper, and more with Pyramid Atlantic's series of demos for #PyramidAtHome. And speaking of paper, have you ever thought about paper and clay together? Well, the godmother of paperclay, Rebecca Hutchinson, is doing an online workshop May 23-25 with District Clay and there are only a few seats left.  Register online at DistrictClayCenter.com