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Archive for December, 2006

Wednesday, December 27th, 2006

I am taking a blog break this week. Peace, joy, and happiness to you and your loved ones in the new year.

A Gift to CERF Sustains Joy and Creativity

Wednesday, December 20th, 2006

Imagine a world without artists. What a sad and dreary world it would be. No jazz on the radio; no Broadway shows; no sculpture in our parks; and no paintings on our walls.

Artists fill our lives with joy and creativity, and, at this time of year, provide us with unique and wonderful gifts to tell someone special just how special they really are.

It is incredibly gratifying to represent so many talented artists, and by doing so, help them earn a living through their chosen art form.

But, in the holiday season, The Guild goes one extra step to support an organization devoted to assisting artists in a time of need. Every year, The Guild donates a portion of our holiday catalog sales to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). CERF has been around for 20 years providing grants and loans to artists who have suffered from natural disasters, illnesses, studio fires, and other career-threatening problems.

In this season of giving and generosity, we invite you to learn more about CERF (www.craftemergency.org) and consider making an additional direct gift of your own to this wonderful organization that helps sustain joy and creativity in the world.

Happy holidays!

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Rearranging Objects is Like Seating a Dinner Party

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006

Ceramic Jars by Carol Green and Sprout by Whitney Smith

“Ceramic Jars”
Carol Green

Some people are addicted to food or shopping; my own personal addiction is for objects, the way they relate to other objects in a room. The way I relate to them.

An object that is wonderful alone becomes even more so when juxtaposed with something else – objects gain power from one another. As I arrange and rearrange my objects (a favorite hobby of mine), I imagine the conversations taking place between and among them. It’s like seating people at a dinner party, with the complex interactions of many characters.

These objects remind me, again and again, of the joy we can find every day in the sanctuaries of our own artful homes.

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Craft Artists Touch Our Lives With Their Mission

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006

In October, I attended a leadership conference in Houston sponsored by the American Craft Council. Titled “Shaping the Future of Craft,” the conference brought together directors of craft organizations, museum directors, publishers, leading educators, and others influential in the craft field.

It was a large, “messy” three days, filled with disparate voices and ideas about what role craft plays in the contemporary world. Given the intersection of craft and fine art and design, it is no wonder that there is confusion and disagreement about what that role should be.

I left Houston with more questions than answers, but, as is often the case, questions lead to further contemplation. I find myself coming back to the thought that, in this time of devouring consumerism and materialistic mindset, craft artists have an important mission.

The mission is much more than the beautiful and expressive objects that craft artists make. It is about the interrelationship of beautiful things and the creative forces behind them with the homes and lives where they end up. Craft artists, with their strong connection to the hand and the heart, help us understand that everything we touch also touches us.

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