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Tuesday-Saturday: 11-6
L E T T E R S
SEPTEMBER
S U S A N TA Y LO R G L A S G O W ▼
OCTOBER
G R E G O R Y G R E N O N
Tuning
In.
..
Penny Pinching
Andy Bray n u n Finds
a New I- unci ion for
Your Spare Change.
Andy Brayman’s Change Dish on
our June/July cover.
Kathryn Panncpackcr and the
IVall
o f Rugs
on our April/M ay cover.
The Fabric of Society
I thoroughly enjoyed the
April/May cover article,
“Urban Fabric.” It is very
refreshing to see an artist pro-
ducing work that not only
pushes the edges of creativity
(how cool to mix textile and
wall mural art) but creates
space for tolerance, under-
standing and appreciation of
different cultures and points
of view.This is art that creates
real change in the fabric of
society and it doesn’t get any
better than that! Thanks for
such an inspiring piece.
K IL K E N N Y T R E M B L A Y
Atlanta, Georgia
W hat Function?
It is never fair to characterize
a publication, or an organiza-
tion, based on the content of a
single article, but “Making the
Most of the Margins,” June/
July, illustrates the cause of
much frustration with both
American Craft and the Amer-
ican Craft Council: an ambigu-
ous aesthetic perspective. In
this issue, purportedly dedi-
cated to exploring the role of
function, according to the Edi-
tor’s Letter, this topic is more
often dismissed (“I’ll spare
you any sentimental tangents
about the way it feels.
..”) than
discussed. Perhaps it’s hard
to find words to describe the
emotional complexity of a
beautifully useful object, or
maybe it’s just more titillating
to deal with the novelty of a
“sparkling younger sibling.”
The Council’s erratic
relationship with traditional,
functional craft is clearly
channeled in [Andy] Bray-
man’s own description of his
commitment to making func-
tional pottery: “I don’t want
to say I’m devoted to it be-
cause I’m not afraid to do other
work, but it is important. And
I find the constraints tolerable,
even inspiring.” That this
commentary on an artist’s un-
certain position is part of the
lead article in an issue devoted
to function reveals confusion
at the core of the Council.
While avoiding serious
analysis of the aesthetic merit
of functional art forms, the
a c c
languishes for want of an
aesthetic mandate more point-
ed than material identification.
Continuing down the path of
self-deprecation could end in
self-destruction.
Might it help to dispense
with the overburdened termi-
nology of past discussions—
“craft” and “functional”—and
start afresh with “useful”?
That may encourage a more
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