It has become routine to be
confused as our culture and the
arts march through time. Lau-
ren Kalman’s work makes that
point very well. A young, cre-
ative talent chooses forms of
body embellishment, or assault
on herself, as her art. Always
open to new ideas, I took some
tentative looks at Kalman’s
work. But the challenge was
too great. It looks like mutila-
tion to me. Perhaps a recent
move from the Northeast to
California fueled my reaction.
Here I’ve seen young people
with piercings, tattoos and
even “plugs” inserted to
stretch their earlobes. They
have produced a notable sub-
culture whose mantra must
be: “If I make myself so ex-
otic, I will never have a job.”
Kalman adds an intellectual
front to this trend, but I’m
afraid that, to my art- and
craft-loving eyes, it still looks
like self-loathing gone public.
DAVID BRYANT
Rancho Mirage, CA
I have to say that you take
more than your share of harsh
criticism for your articles and
format (if the published letters
to the editor are any indica-
tion). Personally, I have noth-
ing but compliments for you.
For example, I loved your ar-
ticle on Lauren Kalman, and
have re-read it several times.
I found it to be provocative,
engaging and challenging. And
since your change in format,
I’ve allowed only a few issues
to make it to the recycle bin.
As the owner of a mainstream
design firm, I use American
Craft as my escape into a
world of unadulterated cre-
ativity. I applaud your vision
and your efforts.
RUSSELL BABCOCK
Seattle, WA
I have treasured my subscrip-
tion to
Craft Horizons,
now
American Craft, for 40 years.
The work you have featured
has been an inspiration to me
and I have saved issues to re-
view again and again.
But I am very disappointed
with the new content of the
last 2 Vi years. The October/
November issue featured a
wonderful full color spread
on gilded grotesquely, surreal
but painful to the eye.
I do not anticipate receipt
of American Craft with the
same joy as in the past. I am
renewing my subscription
with grave reservations. I hate
to let it go. Please refocus on
the essentials of American
studio crafts. Show die work—
don’t make the home interior
more prominent than the art-
works or show them in small
photos or juxtaposed against
cluttered backgrounds. I sub-
scribe to American Craft to
be inspired by beautiful hand-
made works of art.
CATHY COVERLEY
San Diego, ca
Ceramics 1940—1980
For an in-depth look at Ameri-
can studio ceramics, 1940 to
1980, which will examine the
makers, their teachers and
influential societal currents,
I would like to hear from those
who were working at that
time, to learn about what and
who influenced them. The
thoughts can be captured in
personal memories, letters
or articles. Martha Drexler
Lynn, Ph.D., marthalynn®
mac.com or 189 Upper Walden
Road, Carmel, CA 93923.
W rite to us:
1 etters®craftcouncil .org
American Craft magazine
72 Spring Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Letters are subject to editing.
Anonymous letters will not
be printed.
.
M IH t HEM
H
VALENTINE BENEFIT
сл
Studio Jewelry
•
January 29 - February 21
_i
2010
----
O
PATINA GALLERY
2010 EXHIBITIONS
CO
February Valentine Benefit
Jewelry
May New Gallery Artists
Mixed Media
June Merete Larsen
Wood
3
July John Iversen
Jewelry
\—
August Atelier Zobel
Jewelry
October Nicholas Bernard
Cloy
^
December Ivan Barnett
Mobiles
O
PATI N A
GALLERY
131 West Palace Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87501
505.986.3432
877.877 0827
Explore Patina online at patina-gallery.com
www.journal-plaza.net & www.freedowns.net
