Congratulations to Amara Hark-Weber, the recipient of the 2017 American Craft Council Rare Craft Fellowship Award in association with The Balvenie. Each year, we recognize four finalists and one Fellow, who contribute to the "maintenance and revival of traditional or rare crafts in America."

In an evening event at The Wythe Hotel on April 18, all the honorees were celebrated and the Fellowship was awarded to Hark-Weber. She is a shoemaker from St. Paul, Minnesota. You can see and learn more about her work in a forthcoming feature in American Craft magazine – keep your eye out for the June/July issue.

This year's finalists were furniture makers, Abir Ali and Andre Sandifer (Detroit, Michigan), fiber artist Janice Arnold (Olympia, Washington), painter and weaver (respectively) Sandra and Wence Martinez (Jacksonport, Wisconsin), and glass and installation artist Emily Nachison (Portland, Oregon).

This year's jurors were author and television producer Anthony Bourdain (lead juror), ACC’s director of education Michael Radyk, The Balvenie’s malt master David Stewart, and curator Jennifer Zwilling of the Clay Studio in Philadelphia.

Congratulations to all of our honorees! You can read more about them in this press release.

Two pairs of Amara Hark-Weber's fantastic footwear, both made with Nubuck, oiled horse, calf, and kip. Photo: Courtesy of the artist