The American Craft Council to Present 15 Searchlight Artists at The American Craft Show in Baltimore

Furniture World Magazine

The American Craft Council is announced that fifteen (15) Searchlight Artists – a category newly created by the Council to feature emerging artists – have been juried into The American Craft Show in Baltimore. They will join more than 700 professional craft artists who will present their latest high-quality, handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, home décor and more, to the public. The work of the Searchlight Artists will be presented together in a special gallery section of the show, February 23-25, 2007, at the Baltimore Convention Center. “Recognizing and encouraging emerging talent is part of the Council’s core mission,” said Carmine Branagan, executive director of the American Craft Council. “Collectors, curators, gallery owners – everyone looks to the Council to identify new trends in the field. Our investment in bringing these striving artists from across the country and their work to market – some for the very first time – is a means to further promote the understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. We look forward to the contributions this particular group of artists will make in years to come.” The Searchlight Artists: Vivian Beer, Metal Furniture, Penland, NC Karin Birch, Decorative Fiber, Brunswick, MD Allyn Cantor, Decorative Fiber, Portland, OR Heather Mae Erickson, Ceramics, Thorofare, NJ Arthur Hash, Metal Jewelry, Richmond, VA Thomas Huang, Furniture, Lawrence, KS Meg Oliver, Ceramics, Woodstock, NY Kiara Pelissier, Glass, Richmond, VA Brian David Reid, Furniture, Rockport, ME Rowland Ricketts, Textiles, Bloomington, IN Anne Selden, Clothing, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Kyla Toomey, Ceramics, Bronx, NY Derek Weisberg, Ceramics, Benicia, CA Reneé Zettle-Sterling, Metal, Allendale, MI Valerie Zimany, Ceramics, Appleton, WI Nominations for Searchlight Artists were received by department chairs of the country’s most prestigious schools teaching craft (Alfred University, California College of Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Virginia Commonwealth University), past Council jurors, and the editorial team of AMERICAN CRAFT. The Council is grateful for the support of Sheila and David Meredith, whose generosity has made the Searchlight Artists initiative possible. About the American Craft Council The American Craft Council is a national, nonprofit public educational organization founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. The mission of the Council is to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. Programs include the bimonthly magazine American Craft, annual juried shows presenting artists and their work, a 2006 leadership conference, the Aileen Osborn Webb Awards honoring excellence, a specialized library, workshops and seminars. www.craftcouncil.org