An Interview with the CraftTexas Jurors, Part III

CraftTexas 2010 is the sixth in a series of juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. To give our audiences a better understanding of the jury process, our three jurors have agreed to answer a few questions.

Below is an interview with Paula Owen. Paula is the president of the Southwest School of Arts and Crafts in San Antonio and a practicing artist. She has also chaired the Cultural Alliance of San Antonio, and served as project director for the Women and the Craft Arts National Conference at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.

Were you familiar with the exhibit CraftTexas Series from Houston Center for Contemporary Craft before being asked to be a juror?

Oh yes! You can’t be a craft aficionado in Texas without knowing about CraftTexas. I know many of the artists who have been selected in the past and have always been impressed with the range and quality of the work.

When reviewing CraftTexas 2010 entries, did you see any common themes in the works submitted?

In my experience as an educator, curator and writer, I have found that there tend to be trends within disciplines. A certain style or technique will dominate for a while in fiber or painting or ceramics, etc. However, in an exhibition that includes a broad array of art forms and materials, it is less common to see similar themes. Having said that…works of art in general are very often drawn from personal experience and nature.

How did you choose what entries received the highest marks?

Judging is not an exact science, of course. One must use both cognitive and intuitive knowledge and draw from one’s own experience. In my case, as an artist myself, I have preferences for works that convey ideas, originality, command of the medium, and something that’s hard to describe – eccentricity, perhaps? It’s that unexpected element that stops you in your tracks.

What advice would you give artists wanting to enter CraftTexas 2012, or juried exhibits in general?

Naturally, your images need to be superb. Good lighting can make or break your chances of being selected. I suggest that you find a professional photographer. Also, most artists are too close to their own work to see it clearly and should invite critique from other artists. This step can help in one’s overall evolution as an artist and in deciding on which works to submit.

An Interview with the CraftTexas Jurors, Part II

This Friday is the opening of CraftTexas 2010, the sixth in a series of juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. To give our audiences a better understanding of the jury process, our three jurors have agreed to answer a few questions.

Below is an interview with Cindy Hickok. Cindy is an internationally acclaimed fiber artist who ingeniously borrows from the “Old Masters” of art history for her clever, embroidered works. Her work has been exhibited in museums throughout Europe, Asia and North America, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Were you familiar with the CraftTexas exhibit series from Houston Center for Contemporary Craft before being asked to be a juror?

Yes. I entered all the CraftTexas and CraftHouston shows. My work was rejected from CraftHouston 2002 and 2004, but accepted in CraftHouston 2006 and CraftTexas 2008.

When reviewing CraftTexas 2010 entries, did you see any common themes in the works submitted?

I saw more combinations of materials. One can no longer say "fiber" or "metal" etc., because artists are combining materials and techniques and defying any one category. Imagination has no boundaries.

How did you choose what entries received the highest marks?

Most of those who entered work are experienced and accomplished artists, so I know their work is good. A juror has to look beyond, to find the really exceptional pieces, especially when only a small percentage will be placed in the exhibition. I look for, first, honesty and integrity in design (which eliminated a lot of gimmicks), then quality construction, and finally, innovation. I wanted each piece to draw me in for a closer look and then to reward me when I did. I also read the artist's titles and explanations for further clarification, as each piece was unique and deserved thorough consideration.

What advice would you give artists wanting to enter CraftTexas 2012, or juried exhibits in general?

An artist will never achieve recognition unless he enters juried shows, and the greater the competition the greater the rewards. The very best artists have all experienced the disappointment of rejection, and one must learn from it. When I receive a rejection notice I mope about it for awhile, then I go through an I'll-show-them attitude, and finally I take a hard look at my work and ask myself how I could have made it better. One learns much more from rejections than from successes.

An Interview with the CraftTexas Jurors, Part I

This Friday is the opening of CraftTexas 2010, the sixth in a series of juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. To give our audiences a better understanding of the jury process, our jurors have agreed to answer a few questions.

Below is an interview with Gail M. Brown. Gail is an independent curator of contemporary craft whose focus is to enhance visibility and education about contemporary craft in the larger visual arts community. She trained as a print maker at the Philadelphia College of Art, and she has been watching the contemporary crafts movement since the early 1970s. Her recent exhibitions have been hosted at Baltimore Clayworks, the Hoffman Gallery of Oregon College of Art and Craft, the Fuller Craft Museum, the Woodturning Center and many more.

Were you familiar with the exhibit CraftTexas Series from Houston Center for Contemporary Craft before being asked to be a juror?
 
Yes, I have several catalogues from previous CraftTexas shows in my library. I know the work of certain artists quite well.

When reviewing CraftTexas 2010 entries, did you see any common themes in the works submitted?
 
I recall some trends to large forms.

How did you choose what entries received the highest marks?
 
I respond to tactile work with thoughtful, arresting and often provocative content, to ideas and personal narrative. I look for passionate exploration of the chosen media. I look for a sustained personal visual vocabulary.

What advice would you give artists wanting to enter CraftTexas 2012, or juried exhibits in general?

Be personally self-critical: edit your work before you send it out in the world. Is the work you are sending out truly your ideas: that’s what I want to see. Make the juror eager to do her homework to see more of your work after this “introduction.” Make the images work their very best for you- you know best what you want to convey. Do the images do that for you?

Who's Making the Glasses for Martini Madness?

HCCC will kick off its 10th Anniversary Year with the third annual Martini Madness! event tonight, Thursday, September 16, from 7 - 10 p.m. At the beginning of the evening, guests select a one-of-a-kind artisan martini glass to use and take home. Eileen Braun is one of the 18 artists who has created these special martini glasses. (Note: this event has sold out.)

Eileen Braun is a ceramic artist who has exhibited at HCCC and has work available in Asher Gallery. She received her B.A. from Indiana University, in Sculpture and Art Education, and currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA. Below she shares about her experience making martini glasses for Martini Madness!

Above are Eileen Braun's martini glasses.

When Susanne Sippel of Asher Gallery invited me to contribute glasses for the annual Martini Madness! fundraiser, I admit, I was a bit flummoxed and excited at the same time. I love the challenge of creating a completely new project. Designing a new project occupies my mind, as I spend what seems endless time stippling and slip trailing texture to my porcelain vessel surfaces.

I spent two months just pondering what my glasses should feel like in my hand and to my lips. I admit to being partial to a Dirty Martini, extra olives please. Through vigorous sampling, I decided the container needed to be glass. A jeweler and glass artist friend, Pattie Appleby, came to my rescue, cutting the stemware down to fit my thrown porcelain stems, which I carved stippled and slip trailed.

The martini stems are an updated homage to Baroque silverwork, which I admire. Indeed, sipping a martini is a very civilized affair and should be treated with great respect. Each of my black and white glasses have different colored center stems, so you can keep track of your drink--hands off, you poachers!

I hope you enjoy drinking from my martini glasses! HCCC is an awesome contribution to Houston and the world of contemporary craft. I am delighted to have been asked to participate in Martini Madness!. Drink up! You can see more of my ceramic work on my website and, come September, a shipment of new work will be arriving at Asher Gallery.

Eileen Braun stipples and slip trails texture on her stemware.

Sneak Peek - CHH Sale This Weekend!

Visit HCCC tonight from 6 - 9 p.m. for the opening of the Contemporary Handweavers of Houston (CHH) Annual Sale. Scroll below for a sneak peek of all the hand-crafted works that will be for sale.

On left: Hand-spun Yarn by Sky Loom Weavers, $16-$30;
Top Right: Rag Rugs by Donna Rae Harris, $40-$48;
Bottom Right: Autumn Kumihimo with Semi-Precious Stones by Christine Clark, $65

On left: image of sale floor, including some of Linda Sura's baskets;
On right: close up of Caribbean Curl Basket by Linda Sura, $350

Don't worry, if you can't make it this evening the sale is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

September's Hands-On Houston

Everyone has heard paper comes from trees, but do you know how a tree is made into paper? If you want to find out, join us this Saturday, September 4, for Hands-On Houston! On the first Saturday of every month, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., HCCC hosts Hands-On Houston, a free craft-making activity that people of all ages can enjoy. This Saturday, visitors will be up to their elbows in paper pulp and water, making their own sheets of handmade paper. Papermaking artist Kathy Gurwell will be leading the activity.


Kathy is an instructor at the Museum of Printing History and has had years of experience in the fields of both papermaking and printmaking. Below she shares about her experiences as a papermaker:


I found my way to papermaking through printmaking. As a curator at Tamarind Lithography Institute in Albuquerque, NM, from 1971-1973, I had to know and work with fine quality paper. Later, in California, I had the opportunity to hand make paper, and, eventually, in 1976, I bought the equipment and set up my studio.


I create paper by deconstructing clothing from natural fibers, such as cotton, linen and silk. Then, after beating the fibers to a pulp, I reform them into sheets of hand-pulled paper. Besides making papers from natural fibers, I have also made Japanese paper out of the inner bark of the kozo and gampi trees. When created, Japanese papers are amazingly thin. Working with fiber and water is such a pleasure.

Kathy pulling paper at Museo della Carta in Fabriano, Italy.

Kathy "kooching," or pressing, the wet paper against a felt.