CraftTexas 2016

CraftTexas 2016 is the ninth in a series of biennial juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. Featuring 53 works by 38 artists, the exhibition includes everything from sculpture, jewelry, installation, and cut paper to works that explore diverse subject matter, including genetics, upcycling, and process.

The CraftTexas series provides a unique opportunity for Texas artists to have their work viewed by three established jurors and to display their work in an exhibition that strives to broaden the understanding of contemporary craft. The show features exceptional work in clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and mixed media. HCCC Curator, Kathryn Hall, says, “This year’s selection of work pushes the boundaries of traditional craft media, placing craft as a field into a broader contemporary context. Displaying an impressive selection of forward-thinking makers residing in Texas, this exhibition is meant to provoke conversation and educate the public about media, technique, and skill.”

Hall finds that three pieces in the show exemplify a unique approach to craft practice and use of material. In Glaze Discard Trough, Jeff Forster uses a press mold from an old satellite dish, clay sludge, and discarded glaze found in the bucket of his shared studio to create a beautiful abstract composition. His process of experimentation and material exploration allows for surprising and unexpected results, as the combination of glazes reacts differently when fired in the kiln. By stretching animal intestine over a delicate metal framework to create insect-like forms, Masumi Kataoka breathes new life into the once-living material of her brooches. The use of this organic material teases out the metaphorical connection between one’s emotions and gut, while referencing a fascination with anthropomorphism. In Plastic Planet Raccoon, Calder Kamin exhibits a novel approach to traditional fiber techniques in her cartoonish sculpture of a raccoon made from recycled plastic bags. As a scavenger herself, Kamin collects a variety of colored plastic bags that she weaves together to inspire conversation about the role mankind plays in caring for the environment.

CraftTexas 2016 was juried by Paul Sacaridiz, Executive Director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts; Nicole Burisch, Core Fellow Critic-in-Residence at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Glassell School of Art; and HCCC Texas Master, Sandie Zilker, Department Chair of Jewelry and Enamel and Three-Dimensional Design at the MFAH Glassell School of Art. The jurors were tasked with selecting the finest works from a pool of 210 applicants and 556 pieces.

Exhibition overview from museum website

Click here for a list of participating artists.