What are the current AIRs up to?

This week, we stopped by the Artist-in-Residence studios to find out what they’re working on. Next time you visit us, make sure to stop by to meet the artists and learn about their current and upcoming projects! 


After a great feature in the Houston Chronicle last month and the jewelry she displayed at our Martini Madness! Kickoff Party at ROAK, metalsmith and mixed-media artist, Kristi Rae Wilson, has been very busy.  Recently, we caught her carefully soldering an armature for the piece pictured below.

Kristi Rae Wilson working in her studio at HCCC.




Kristi Rae Wilson soldering silver.


Part of Kristi Rae Wilson’s studio at HCCC.

The soldered armatures above are attached to the pink piece in the
middle.

Ceramic artists, Marcia Erickson and Jamie Diaz, have been with us for just a couple of months, but they have jumped on board quickly and are busy making martini glasses for our upcoming Martini Madness! 10th Birthday Bash on September 22! Marcia told us she has been implementing new patterns and colorful glazes into her work, and every time we walk by Jamie’s studio, she’s working on the wheel!

Ceramic artist Marcia Erickson 
in her studio at HCCC,
showing us 
her handmade martini glasses.
Look at the colors and textures!

Jamie Diaz in her studio at HCCC, working on the wheel…




Jamie Diaz making martini glasses for Martini Madness!
We’re looking forward to seeing the finished pieces!

We found metalsmith and jewelry designer, Lisa Wilson, working on one of her latest pieces outside, in the Craft Garden.

Lisa Wilson finishing up a commissioned 
piece made of copper.




Jessica Dupuis has been working on a new piece for this fall’s Artist Hall show, In Residence 2010, in which 2010 artists-in-residence will display new works.  Join us on September 30 for the opening reception, where you’ll see all of our new fall exhibitions, including Beyond Useful and Beautiful: Rethinking Domestic Craft and Soundforge.

Jessica Dupuis working on her latest piece.

To learn more about our current Artists-in-Residence and the AIR Program, click here. To find out more about our Martini Madness! 10th Birthday Bash, follow this link.

All photos courtesy of HCCC.

Jeff Forster, Helen Drutt Studio Fellow, Reflects on Year at HCCC

Forster in his studio

Former artist-in-residence and Helen Drutt Studio Fellow, Jeff Forster, recently completed his residency last month. Forster is a ceramic artist and often uses modern packing materials, such as Styrofoam, as molds. The resulting works are textured, handmade ceramic objects that reference the mass production of our current consumer culture. Below he shares more about his time at HCCC.

Soon after beginning my residency at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC), I realized it had more to offer than simply a space in which to work. In fact, HCCC is a hub for artists and other like-minded individuals working with craft mediums. During my time at HCCC, I’ve had the opportunity to meet artists from across the state of Texas and art enthusiasts from other parts of the country and abroad. These interactions have led to strong community contacts in addition to several invitations to exhibit outside of HCCC itself.

There are three galleries at HCCC that offer rotating exhibitions. Having multiple galleries provides high-caliber, accessible exhibitions on a regular basis. Often, as a working artist and educator, it is hard to find time to go out and see all the shows I want. Having these exhibitions "in house" made it easy to see the diversity of approaches within the field of contemporary craft.

From top to bottom:
Three stages of The Remediation of Empire,Images courtesy of the artists.

One of the most unique, but unfortunately underutilized, features of HCCC is the Craft Garden. The garden boasts a wide variety of plants, all of which can be used in various craft processes. It is the only garden of its type that I know of. While I only found time to complete one project in the garden with fellow artist-in-residence, Gabriel Craig, I see the garden as a viable venue for future project proposals and would encourage others to do the same.

I think the most rewarding experience for me at HCCC was just the day-to-day interaction with the staff and other artists-in-residence. I have always enjoyed the synergy created in an environment of serious art professionals. While there were many times I was preoccupied with what I needed to get done, I believe even then I absorbed inspiration from the creative people around me. This attribute offers a continued dialogue of happenings within contemporary craft.

Through this interaction, not only has my knowledge of other craft mediums grown, but I had plentiful opportunities to work collaboratively with other artists. In addition to "The Remediation of Empire," the aforementioned installation with Gabriel Craig, I also completed two collaborative sculptures with Kelley Eggert. I always enjoy working collaboratively as it forces one to work outside of his comfort zone, taking on new challenges. Whether successful or not, I see it as a means of individual growth.

Detail of "Object Reclamation" by Jeff Forster and Kelley Eggert.
Image courtesy of the artists.