Craft in America

Craft in America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Carol Sauvion{{Cite web |title=» Staff |url=https://www.craftinamerica.org/about/staff/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=www.craftinamerica.org}} in 2004. It is based in Los Angeles, California. The organization documents and promotes contemporary American and traditional craft practices through educational programs across various media. It aims to promote and advance original handcrafted work through programs in all media.

Craft in America's television series began in 2007.{{Cite web |title=About Craft in America |url=https://www.craftinamerica.org/page/about |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=www.craftinamerica.org}} It is shown on PBS,{{cite web |title=Craft in America: Episodes |url=http://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/tv-series/ |accessdate=4 October 2017 |website=PBS.org}} and won a Peabody Award in the same year. In 2020, Craft in America was awarded the inaugural Decorative Arts Trust Prize for Excellence and Innovation for its plan to create a video dictionary of decorative arts tools, techniques, and materials.{{cite web |title=Craft in America Awarded Inaugural Prize for Excellence and Innovation |url=https://decorativeartstrust.org/craft-in-america-prize-announcement-post/ |website=The Decorative Arts Trust |access-date=December 3, 2021|date=Dec 14, 2020}}

The organization's projects include establishing the [https://www.craftinamerica.org/center Craft in America Center] in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web |title=Craft in America Study Center |url=http://www.craftinamerica.org/center/ |accessdate=29 September 2017 |website=Craft in America.org}} The Center is used for hosting artist talks, curating exhibitions, authoring books and maintaining an archival library of books, magazines, DVDs and video footage on crafts.

The Craft in Schools educational outreach program connects students to professional artists with workshops and talks to underserved public schools in the greater Los Angeles area. The program offers pre-recorded educational guides and various other resources for use in classrooms.{{cite web |title=Education Guides |url=http://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/education/ |accessdate=29 September 2017 |website=PBS.org: Craft in America}}{{cite web |title=Craft in America Center |url=http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramics-monthly/gallery-posts/craft-in-america-center/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325184901/http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramics-monthly/gallery-posts/craft-in-america-center/ |archivedate=25 March 2015 |accessdate=12 March 2015 |publisher=Ceramics Monthly}}{{cite book |last1=Lauria |first1=Jo |title=Craft in America: Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects |publisher=Clarkson Potter |year=2007 |isbn=978-0307346476 |edition=2007}}

File:Carol Sauvion and the crew of Craft in America at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards.jpg and the crew of Craft in America at the 67th Annual Peabody Awards]]

The organization received funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and additional support from private donors in 2005. It then began production for three one-hour television documentaries on American craft.{{cite news|last1=Balzar|first1=John|title=America's story crafted in passion|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-15-et-craft15-story.html|access-date=28 September 2017|issue=Style & Culture|work=LA Times|date=April 15, 2005}} Craft in America, the Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning{{cite web|title=Peabody Award|url=http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/craft-in-america|website=Peabody Award|accessdate=26 March 2015}} PBS television documentary series premiered in 2007.

Each episode takes viewers inside the homes and studios of makers who talk about the process of crafting handmade works. Around two hundred artists have been filmed so far, including MacArthur Fellows bead worker Joyce J. Scott,{{cite web|title=MacArthur Fellow: Joyce J. Scott|url=https://www.macfound.org/fellows/971/|website=MacArthur Foundation|accessdate=4 October 2017}} woodworker Sam Maloof,{{cite web|title=MacArthur Fellow: Sam Maloof|url=https://www.macfound.org/fellows/255/|website=MacArthur Foundation|accessdate=4 October 2017}} and blacksmith Tom Joyce.{{cite web|title=MacArthur Fellow: Tom Joyce|url=https://www.macfound.org/fellows/712/|website=MacArthur Foundation|accessdate=4 October 2017}} Other artists include birch bark basket maker Dona Look,{{cite web|title=Dona Look|url=http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists/dona-look/|website=Craft in America|accessdate=4 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004085801/http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists/dona-look/|archive-date=4 October 2017|url-status=dead}} and Mira Nakashima,{{cite web|title=Mira Nakashima|url=http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists/mira-nakashima-yarnall/|website=Craft in America|accessdate=4 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004085935/http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists/mira-nakashima-yarnall/|archive-date=4 October 2017|url-status=dead}} daughter of furniture maker George Nakashima. Episodes have highlighted numerous schools and craft institutions such as Pilchuck Glass School, Pewabic Pottery, Penland School of Craft, North Bennet Street School, Renwick Gallery, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The series is notable for its diversity of native and multi-cultural craft artists and more widely recognized practitioners.{{cite journal|last1=Lovelace|first1=Joyce|title=The Journey So Far|journal=American Craft Magazine|issue=April/May 2014}}

The episodes "Borders" and "Neighbors" cross the southern border of the United States to focus on the United States and Mexico's shared history and influences. The project came about through Craft in America's participation in Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA,{{cite web|title=LA/LA: A Celebration Beyond Borders|url=http://www.pacificstandardtime.org|website=PacificStandardTime.org|accessdate=29 September 2017}} the Getty's exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with the city of Los Angeles, California. Producer and director Carol Sauvion described the episodes as carrying a message of international relatedness and cross-cultural exchange, affirming that there are no borders in art.{{cite web|title=Borders and Neighbors|url=http://www.craftinamerica.org/press/craft-in-america-borders-and-neighbors-premieres-sept-29/|website=Craft in America|accessdate=29 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929135256/http://www.craftinamerica.org/press/craft-in-america-borders-and-neighbors-premieres-sept-29/|archive-date=29 September 2017|url-status=dead}} The episode "Borders" features Mexican altar maker Ofelia Esparza, Mexican celebration Day of the Dead, American artist Kiff Slemmons, and other artists focusing on cultural exchange between Mexico and the United States.{{cite web|title=Episode: Borders|url=https://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/tv-series/borders/|website=PBS.org|access-date=28 September 2017}}

"Neighbors," also set in Mexico, features ceramic artists Carlomagno Pedro Martínez and Magdalena Pedro Martínez, and also the work of American silver designer William Spratling. Its focus is the dialogue between Mexican craft artists and their American counterparts, including Judy Baca and the Social and Public Art Resource Center in Venice, California.{{cite web|title=Episode: Neighbors|url=http://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/tv-series/neighbors/|website=PBS.org|accessdate=29 September 2017}}

• {{cite book|last1=Lauria|first1=Jo|last2=Fenton|first2=Steve|title=Craft in America : celebrating two centuries of artists and objects : [... companion to the Craft in America PBS television series and to the traveling museum exhibition of the same name] |date=2007|publisher=Clarkson Potter|location=New York|isbn=978-0307346476|edition=1st}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.craftinamerica.org Official website]

{{PBS}}

Category:Arts organizations based in Los Angeles

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles

Category:2003 establishments in California

Category:Arts organizations established in 2003

Category:2007 American television series debuts

Category:PBS original programming