Ornament Magazine The Art And Craft of Personal Adornment

Baltimore Fine Craft Show


Jan Mayer Ben Gallaway

The final weekend in February marks the thirtieth anniversary for American Craft Council’s Baltimore Fine Craft Show. The Craft Show is the largest indoor, juried craft show in the United States exclusively featuring American contemporary art. The craft show draws over twenty-three thousand art and craft enthusiasts annually. There are over seven hundred craft artists who are at the top of their field with artwork in categories ranging from jewelry, wearable fashion, decorative

Etienne Perret & Nania Perret Shea as seen in Ornament Magazine

Etienne Perret
Nania Perret Shea

fiber to wood, furniture and home accessories, ceramics, glass, paper and mixed media. A jury selected these artists nationwide to demonstrate their talent by judging their artwork through a rigorous process prior to the show. At the show, artists are also encouraged to mingle with visitors and sell their artwork.

Natalie Blake as seen in Ornament Magazine

Natalie Blake

The craft show is the perfect venue for all to view and purchase finely crafted artwork created by established artists and emerging artists in one location.Veteran artists attending the craft show in February include Wayne Wichern, Marcia Hammond, Roxanna Ahlborn, Michael Mode, Judith Kaufman, Petra Class, Hongsock Lee, Eric Silva, Biba Schutz, Valerie Hector, Juanita Girardin, Cornelia Goldsmith, Todd Reed, Cal Breed, Michael Murphy, Randall Darwall and Amy Kahn Russell. The executive director of the American Craft Council, Carmine Branagan states: “The Baltimore show is a premiere event in the world of craft—the largest and most respected juried show of its kind. The work is extraordinary and the artists are extremely well trained and talented. Their use of materials combined with technical virtuosity, is inspiring.”


Daniel Grant Ingela Noren

In addition to viewing the multitude of artwork, visitors can attend educational lectures on a variety of subjects, such as trends in collecting, home décor with fiber art, and fashion. The program features Bennett Bean, speaking on the process of creating public vignettes or work from the show and from his own collection. Don Friedlich, former president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and a talented jewelry artist, leads a forum on new technologies to make handmade art affordably. Bruce Hoffman, artist, curator and director of Philadelphia’s Snyderman/Works Galleries, speaks on starting a craft collection

Marcia Hammond as seen in Ornament Magazine

Marcia Hammond

without breaking the bank. Founder of the American Visionary Art Museum, Rebecca Hoffberger, talks about collecting artwork and her own four thousand plus collected works. Patricia Burling, fiber artist and owner of Willow Weave Studio, discusses incorporating fiber arts into home design. Baltimore Clayworks, Deborah Bedwell and Leigh Taylor Mickelson, give students a candid look at their two recent exhibitions Living Dishes and Porcelain Three Ways. These lectures are scheduled each day during the show.

Elise Winters as seen in Ornament Magazine

Elise Winters

The Baltimore Fine Craft Show takes place February 24 through February 26, at the Baltimore Convention Center, One West Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland. The American Craft Council is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting the understanding and appreciation of American contemporary art. For more information on the Baltimore Fine Craft Show and the American Craft Council, please visit www.craftcouncil.org or call 800.836.3470.

Published in Ornament Magazine, Volume 29, No. 2, 2005.
—Author A. Jennifer Dong is Editorial Assistant of Ornament.
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