R E V I E W E D
T h e G r e e n M o u n t a i n S t a t e h a s b e e n o n e
o f t h e e s s e n t i a l p l a c e s i n A m e r i c a n S t u d io c r a f t .
A la n d m a r k e x h i b i t i o n c e le b r a t e s i t s p r e s e n c e
a t flo e c r e a t i o n a n d b e y o n d .
T h e y e a r i9 6 0 w a s a w a te rs h e d fo r c ra fts
in V e rm o n t, th e h igh q u ality o f w o r k at-
tested to b y a sh o w o rg a n ize d th at y e a r b y
th e A llie d C ra ftsm e n o f V e r m o n t and
ju d g e d b y D a v id C a m p b e ll, th e n -p resid e n t
o f th e A m e ric a n C ra fts C o u n cil and d ire c-
to r o f its fo u r-ye ar-o ld M u seu m o f C o n te m -
p o ra ry C ra fts. T h a t sam e y e a r sa w a m edia
c o n fe re n c e p ro m o tin g V e r m o n t cra fts, a
d esig n c o n fe re n c e and a m ajo r w o o d w o r k -
in g e x h ib itio n at th e F le m in g M u seu m in
B u rlin g to n . S o th e V e rm o n t C ra fts C o u n cil
c h o se i9 6 0 as a m a rk e r w o r th c e le b ra t-
in g—5 ° y e a rs o f th e stu d io c ra ft m o v e m e n t
in th e G re e n M o u n ta in sta te . “ S ta te o f
C r a ft,” e n co m p a ssin g e v e n ts th is y e a r at
d iffe r e n t v e n u e s aro u n d V e r m o n t, is an -
ch o re d b y th e am b itio u s e x h ib itio n at th e
B en n in g to n M u seu m .
T h e fiv e m a jo r m ed iu m s—c la y , g la ss,
fib e r, m etal and w o o d —are re p re se n te d in
m o re than 120 o b jects b y som e 90 c ra ftsp e o -
ple. T h e o rg a n ize rs, Jam ie F ra n k lin , cu ra-
to r o f c o lle ctio n s at th e m u seu m , and A n n e
M a ju sia k , g u e st cu ra to r, h a ve arran ged
o b je cts a cco rd in g to th e th em es L iv in g b y
“ M a k in g ,” C o m m u n itie s & C o n n e c tio n s ,
and In sp iratio n s, and su b ca te g o ries such
as T ra ilb la z e rs and V e r m o n t as In sp iration
to p ro v id e ad d ed c o n te x t.
E n te rin g th e s h o w , a v is ito r en co u n ters
th e w o o d scu lp tu re and fu rn itu re o f M i-
c h e lle and D a v id H o lz a p fe l, r e s p e c tiv e ly .
A lth o u g h th e w a ll te x t re fe rs to th e in sp ir-
in g q u alities o f V e r m o n t w o o d , in fa c t the
ch arm o f M ic h e lle ’s w o r k is th a t it u n d e r-
m in es th e m o st o b v io u s q u a litie s o f th e
m a terial—stre n g th , h a rd n e ss, w e ig h t. S h e
h as fa sh io n e d p ie c e s to lo o k lik e a q u ilt
(Baby Blocks)
o r a b o d y organ
(Lockheart).
In
Vermont Spoons,
she p lays w ith th e n o tio n
Left:
JoAnne Russo
She's Come Unraveled,
2006,
black ash, beads,
hooks and eyes, waxed
linen, wire, thread,
35 x 12 x 12 in.
S
t a t e o
f C
r a f t :
E
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l o r i n
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f h e S t u
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i o C
r a f t
M
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i n V
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1 9 6 0 - 2 0 1 0
B e n n in g to n M u se u m
M a y 22 - O c t . 31,2010
B e n n in g to n , V T
b en n in g to n m u seu m .o rg
B y A r le n e D istle r
032 american craft oct/nov io
