2013 ACC Baltimore Show Invitational Artists

For the second year in a row, the American Craft Council has partnered with two associations – the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) and the Surface Design Association (SDA) – to invite a handful of outstanding artists to exhibit at the American Craft Council Baltimore Show. Both SNAG and SDA selected artists who show extraordinary skill and creativity that would complement and expand the level of artistry and craftsmanship that will be on display at the Baltimore Convention Center on February 22-24. Here's a preview of the invited artists and their work:

Alicia Jane Boswell
For her display in Baltimore, Alicia Jane Boswell will be showing off some of her recent work that incorporates the enamel technique of Champlevé. This procedure, which involves etching into metal and filling the gaps with enamel, allows Boswell to explore “rich tactile qualities to expose a more ordered or complete pattern in some pieces and an almost unrecognizable pattern in others.” Her new jewelry, which she describes as “wearable tactile maps of pattern, color, structure, and line that relate to my past bodies of work,” has allowed Boswell to take her art into a new direction - investigating three-dimensional techniques that she has not done before. Her presence at the Baltimore show is supported by a nomination from SNAG, which Boswell considers a great honor and recognition from a community she has long respected.   

Lisa Call
The textiles produced by Lisa Call reveal the inspiration she takes from both open spaces and delimiting construction. As Lisa says, “my love of nature, most notably the colors and geological forms of the Southwest, and my attraction to human-made structures for containment, such as fences, stone walls and really big buildings, inspire my designs.” These themes can be seen in the two new lines she is bringing to the show: “Postcards from New York,” both an impression of and homage to New York City, and “Portals,” which Lisa describes as “an exploration of openings and possibilities.” Both lines make use of hand-painted and stamped fabric, which is a new direction for Lisa’s art. Her invitation from the SDA “means that I want to do my best to display my work as professionally as possible, to do SDA proud, and show the world that textiles rock!”

Sarah Holden
An invitation from SNAG is an acknowledgement of the hard work that Sarah Holden has done since earning her MFA two years ago. Says Sarah, “My commitment to my practice has produced sculpture, one-of-a-kind jewelry, and a limited production jewelry line that I have proudly presented in exhibitions and galleries across the country … people really are watching what I’m doing!” Her most recent work focuses on role reversals, taking the expected qualities of materials and presenting them in an unpredicted manner – for example, “making steel pretty and nylon stockings strong.” She is particularly excited to exhibit her wall-mounted sculptural piece entitled “Generations” in Baltimore. The ideas that inspired “Generations” – which Sarah describes as “the dynasty of labor of running a family while remaining perfectly perky” – can be seen throughout her custom and limited production jewelry.

Mary Jaeger
It was during a residency in Japan, working in kimono and obi studios in Kyoto and designing apparel in Tokyo, that Mary Jaeger says she “further developed [her] sensitivity for the interrelationships between color, texture, pattern, and form” in textiles. Using shibori along with inspiration from modern design, her work is a fascinating mix of ancient and contemporary techniques and cultures. This communion of different styles and traditions will be in Baltimore, particularly through her "Molten Steel and Smoke" collection of silk scarves. As Mary explains, “I photographed a white wool shawl constructed of my iconic, geometrically stitched, 3D, sculpted 'Mountain Tucked Squares' and printed it on lightweight, translucent silk scarves. The trompe l’oeil scarves are alluring….” Mary is honored to be recognized by her peers and is grateful for the SDA’s invitation to join fellow artists and designers in Baltimore.
 
Tara Locklear
Being a member of SNAG from the beginning of her metalsmithing and jewelry career, Tara Locklear was extremely honored to be invited by the organization to exhibit in Baltimore. “It’s almost like your family watching you grow up and spread your wings,” says Tara. Exhibiting at the ACC show allows her to show off new directions for her jewelry. As Tara states, the new “influences and inspirations stem from my love of iconic costume jewelry of the mid-century design era,” a style that she appreciates for the materials used and the brilliant design aspects. This new direction has resulted in a line that Tara says “is a much more formal attempt to re-create a cohesive interpretation of preciousness through materials.” In Baltimore, she is particularly excited to showcase a new brooch and earrings from her “Pop Roxx” series, as well as discovering new ways to combine and display her collection to appeal to a new audience.

Katya Taylor
An invitation from the SDA is allowing Katya Taylor to follow the advice of artists who, says Taylor, told her that in “furthering my career it is unanimous that the ACC shows are a must-do.” She can now take the next step in her craft, which she started at a young age and developed through her work in theatre costume design. Taylor says that, throughout her clothing line, her inspiration comes from color and light and the play between the two in the natural world. “I spend as much time as I can in nature experiencing the dynamics of light and shadow, the subtlety of color at dusk …” Some of the clothing that Taylor is bringing to Baltimore will represent new directions for her, including jackets that are her first collaborative projects and incorporate handwoven yardage from a fellow fiber artist. She will also display an item from her “Blessing Robes” series, proceeds of which will go to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.

Rachel Timmins
The current jewelry of Rachel Timmins, like the rest of her work, plays with established norms by using humor and looking to otherness to critique traditionally valuable objects and claim preciousness for “lesser” materials. In her “Rapid Produce” jewelry production line, Rachel states that she is “interested in questioning the value that is often asserted in traditional jewelry, combining hand work with 3D printing technologies and sneaking a little bit of hip-hop into my vibrant line of wearable adornments.” She is looking forward to bringing her dynamic and quirky works to the show and considers the invitation from SNAG a huge honor. As she says, “I owe what career I have so far to SNAG and am thankful for their support and the personal and professional connections they have allowed me to make. I am currently living in Baltimore and I'm really excited to represent my city at this ACC show!”

Katja Toporski
In Katja Toporski’s opinion, a nomination by SNAG is recognition of her work by her fellow jewelry makers and she sees her presence in Baltimore as “a privilege to be one of the chosen few and a chance to show jewelry that may differ somewhat from the kind usually shown at ACC.” These somewhat different works are influenced by Toporski’s research into objects that have been historically used as jewelry, including Venus figurines and pilgrim flasks. Toporski makes sure to pay careful attention to the materials she uses, which range from silver and porcelain, to gelatin and concrete. These historical influences and mixing of varied materials can be seen in one of Toporski’s necklaces, made of stamped gold beads, frankincense beads, and an amphora constructed from linen and myrrh. This prized piece, says Toporski, “takes a look at what has been considered precious through the ages.”