Hand-made, Heart-felt: Over 60 Artists Featured in Holiday Festival of Crafts

WORCESTER, MA - The Worcester Center for Crafts in Worcester announces that their annual Holiday Festival of Crafts will be held at their 25 Sagamore Road facility on Friday, November 25, Saturday, November 27, and Sunday, November 28, 2016.  Featuring over sixty fine craft artists and their work, the Festival is held indoors and includes free parking and an on-site cafe provided by Bushel N Peck.  The Festival is open on Friday and Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM, and on Sunday 11 AM - 4 PM.  Admission is a $5 donation to the Crafts Center with children 12 and under free.

The craft artists in the Festival represent each of the New England States and more, including New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.  Although some of the artists are new to the business of making craft, together they represent over 650 years of craft experience—all under one roof!

The Holiday Festival is a true alternative and antidote to the Black Friday shopping madness that invades malls and big box stores during the weekend after Thanksgiving: it features hand-made work in an environment where you can meet the maker, you can take your time, and the artist can personally assist you.  The Festival is part of the Craft Center’s mission to sustain craft as an important part of the community by showcasing craft and artisan gifts for purchase - ceramics, wearable art (including scarves, shawls, and hats), photography, hand-printed stationery, glass work, jewelry and metalwork, work by woodworkers, and much more.  Many of the artists are new to the Festival this year.

Sponsored by UniBank, the Festival continues the tradition of the Worcester Center for Crafts as an economic engine for artists.  Additional support is provided by the Worcester Regional Transit Authority.

“As a young person, my Mom would take me once a year to a gallery and let me pick out one piece of handmade jewelry,” said Candace Casey, the organizer of the show.  “There would be music in the background and I would pick.  My memory is one of being surrounded by a sense of peace and the array of beauty overwhelming my senses.  It is one of my favorite memories and those fond experiences sparked a life of loving hand craft.”

“Candace and all of the artists bring a great passion to the work of making and selling handmade goods,” said Honee Hess, Executive Director of the Craft Center. “Wandering through our holiday marketplace gives you a chance to see what happens when creativity meets clay and wood and glass and all manner of materials!”  An assortment of gift ideas will be featured at the Festival including mobiles, puzzles for adults and children, ornaments, wind chimes, leather belts, photography, kitchen utensils, soap and candles, photography, as well as clothing, jewelry, scarves, and creative dolls among other things.

The Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery Store will also be open during the Festival making work available by over 200 other artisans from all over the country including fine glass work by Simon Pearce.  

The Festival is also an opportunity to give the Gift of Craft:  Festival goers can buy gift cards for use in the Gallery Store and to sign up for a variety of classes and workshops. The Craft Center offers instruction for adults and for youth in both six-week classes and shorter workshops where you can learn the skills of making with glass, metal, enamels, clay and more.  

The Festival coincides with Shop Small Business Saturday and accentuates the “Buy American/Buy Local” theme of hand crafts.  

About the Worcester Center for Crafts

The Worcester Center for Crafts (WCC) is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States.  Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved over the past 155 years into New England’s leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship.  In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio – an off-campus, 8,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility.  The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass studio program in New England available to the public.  In 2009, WCC became partners with Worcester State University and now hosts WSU visual arts program in its studios. The Craft Center’s mission is “to sustain craft as a vital part of our community” by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public education initiatives including adult education classes and workshops, youth education and outreach programs, exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, and major events.  The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and its WOO Pass program, and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Honee A. Hess, Executive Director of the Crafts Center at hhess@worcester.edu or 508.753.8183, x. 302 or 508-579-8564.

_________________________________________________________________________

(Left to Right) Wooden Puzzle by Barbara Bitgood, Jewelry by Liz Ryan - Looka Jewelry, Silk Scarf by Brooke Stanton

(Left to Right) Capes by Linda Williams, Beverage Server by Fresh Cut Glass, Felted Ornament by Smith Drygoods

Worcester Center for Crafts focuses on youth creativity

The Worcester Center for Crafts has long been a bastion for creativity and making, but on Oct. 25 the center will roll out a new youth craft and creativity program for ages 6-17 that will run through Dec. 9. The Craft Center hopes this program can imbue participants with both an appreciation for creating and an inherent knowledge or science, technology, math, critical thinking and more.

While kids will have fun crafting and creating, Honee Hess, executive director of the Craft Center, and Joyce Kressler, educational consultant, hope their programs will offer much more than that.

To read more Click Here.

(Worcester Magazine- Oct 20, 2016) 

PRESS RELEASE: Final Call for Fall

For Immediate Release
October 11, 2016

Media contacts:

Steve Jones-D'Agostino

508-930-8675

bestrateofclimb@icloud.com

Susan Wagner

978.852.8563

susanwagnerpr@gmail.com

Final Call for Fall

Worcester Center for Crafts's New, Innovative 

Fall 2016 Youth Craft + Creativity Program Classes 

Start October 25

Six-week sessions take a new approach to craft education offering youth and teens a window into creative 3-D thinking, knowledge of materials, and the habits of mind and skills needed for the 21st  century

Fall classes include Fantastic Fibers, Clay Creations, Discovering Paper, Shaped by Hand, Ceramics by Wheel and Hand, Flameworking: Glass Beads, and Adorn Yourself: Jewelry 101

 

October 11, 2016 – Worcester, MA – The Worcester Center for Crafts will launch their new, innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program on October 25 with the Fall 2016 semester, which consists of six-week sessions running through December 9. The classes, which cost $200 per six-week session, are designed with an integrated, multi-disciplined approach to youth education for ages 6 through 17 that is creative, fun and hands-on. Register online at worcestercraftcenter.org.

Here are the Fall 2016 Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes, by age group:

6 to 9 years:

• Fantastic Fibers with Instructor Diane Seiler, Tuesdays, October 25 through December 6, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Get those fingers nimble working in new and old ways with cloth, yarn, and other fibers! Weave, stencil, sew and more while experiencing creativity, learning fun, new vocabulary and how to talk craft.
• Clay Creations with Instructor Lori Mader, Thursdays, October 27 through December 8, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Play with clay and learn to make! This beginner’s clay class will explore simple shaping techniques to create a variety of projects through hand-building such as cups, creatures, bowls, and dishes. Imagination and a willingness to get dirty are a must.

8 to 11 years:

• Discovering Paper with Instructor Bayda Asbridge, Tuesdays, October 25 through December 6, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: The ancient Egyptians made paper - now it’s your turn! Make paper from pulp and other materials, explore marbling, try your hand at making a journal, and perhaps even go 3-D with paper!

10 to 13 years:

• Shaped by Hand with Instructor Laura Marotta, Thursdays, October 27 through December 8, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Imagine a form and then build it! In this class, you will create a variety of real and abstract forms and sculptures while learning essential hand-building techniques.

14 to 17 years:

• Ceramics by Wheel and Hand with Instructor Ian Petrie, Fridays, October 28 through December 9, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Learn a variety of essential clay techniques while developing your creative process and starting a sculptural portfolio of your own. Explore a history of craft as well as representational and abstract forms.
• Flameworking: Glass Beads with Instructor Beth Mellor, Fridays, October 28 through December 9, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Work with a bench-mounted torch and learn the contemporary art of flameworking - melting “soft” glass and shaping and decorating beads.
• Adorn Yourself: Jewelry 101 with Instructor Keenan Cassidy, Fridays, October 28 through December 9, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.: Create your own decorative adornment while gaining introductory knowledge of jewelry-making techniques such as soldering, wire work, and forming.

About Us

The Worcester Center for Crafts is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States. Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Craft Center has evolved over the past 160 years into New England's leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship. In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio - an off-campus, 8,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility - in Worcester. The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass-studio program in New England available to the public. Through an affiliation begun in 2009, the Craft Center is home to the Worcester State University visual arts-studios and partners in community outreach.

The Craft Center's mission is "to sustain craft as a vital part of our community" by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public-education initiatives, including adult-education classes and workshops, youth-education and outreach programs, exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, and major events. The Craft Center is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and its WOO PASS program, and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. In addition, the Craft Center has an affiliation with Worcester State University.

For more information, contact Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts, at 508.753.8183 ext. 302 or hhess@worcester.edu.

PRESS RELEASE: Worcester Center for Crafts To Kick Off New, Innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program With Hands-On Event This Saturday

This new approach to craft education offers youth & teens a window into creative 3-D thinking, knowledge of materials, and the habits of mind and skills needed for the 21st  century

Mayor Joe Petty, State Rep. Mary Keefe, Eric Batiste of the City Manager's Office, and Craft Center President Kim Cutler to launch the celebration at 1 p.m.

September 21, 2016 – Worcester, MA – The Worcester Center for Crafts will introduce their new, innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program at a free event this Saturday, September 24 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Craft Center, located at 25 Sagamore Rd. in Worcester. Classes in the new program are designed with an integrated, multi-disciplined approach to youth education for ages 6 through 17 that is creative, fun and hands-on. Mayor Joe Petty, State Rep. Mary Keefe (D-Worcester), Eric Batiste of the City Manager's Office, and Craft Center President Kim Cutler will launch the celebration at 1:00 in the front lobby of the Craft Center.

The September 24 event is designed as a sneak peek into the Youth Craft + Creativity Program and will provide information, demonstrations, and hands-on activities – plus an opportunity for advanced registration at a discount. To RSVP for this free event, visit http://bit.ly/2aLBDUw.

The Craft Center has developed the Youth Craft + Creativity Program in response to parents, artists, educators and community members who have said it is needed - and needed now. “We’ve identified a void in Greater Worcester that we are trying to fill,” said Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts. “This new approach to craft education offers youth & teens a window into creative 3-D thinking, knowledge of materials, and the habits of mind and skills needed for the 21st  century.” The Youth Craft + Creativity Program is distinct from other classes or programs because it is designed to teach the skills of craft while using it as a window that takes students beyond the book and the screen to actually “think” and “do.” Classes introduce skills to be makers as well as to the art, aesthetics, science, math, engineering, and design that are fundamental in learning and making crafts. In this way, students are not only taught to work with tools, but also to understand more about skills that transfer from classroom to the world beyond.

According to a 2012 by Michigan State University researchers, arts-and crafts-trainable skills have been proven to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics success in K-12 classroom. Like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei, modern-day innovators in science and engineering are artists and craftsmen as well. The Michigan State research shows that significant arts and crafts experience is highly correlated with professional success in science and engineering as measured by outcomes such as major prizes and honors, patents, or the founding of new high-tech companies. The notable factor is not the type of art or craft, but the early introduction to arts and crafts in elementary and middle-school years followed by persistent practice of that art or craft into adulthood.

Craft education nurtures the 21^st-century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving and resilience that are prized by employers across the economy. As explained by Honee Hess of the Craft Center, “Craft enriches our society and economy in many ways, from master goldsmiths to makers who build film sets and props, from the small-batch production of designer makers and industrial designers to one-off ceramic masterpieces, and from centuries-old traditions to cutting-edge digital making and new product development. Makers contribute to sectors as diverse as engineering, manufacturing, medicine, technology, architecture, fashion and design.”

Throughout the year, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will be offered for youth and teens, ages 6 through 17.  Beginning October 24, 2016, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will be six-week sessions for students in age-appropriate groupings. The classes will meet once a week for two to three hours, depending on the class and age group.  After-school and on weekends, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will allow youth and teens access to hands-on making: ceramics, bookmaking, architecture, stained glass, glassblowing, jewelry-making, enameling, sculpture, 2-D to 3-D, puppetry, paper-making, fiber and textile arts, and much more!

Funding to create the Worcester Center for Crafts Center’s new Youth Craft + Creativity Program was provided by the Stoddard Charitable Trust, the Fletcher Family Foundation, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Southbridge Savings Bank, United Bank, Webster Five, Millbury Savings Bank, and individual donors. Bay State Parent is a sponsor of the September 24 sneak preview of the Youth Craft + Creativity Program.

About Us

The Worcester Center for Crafts  is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States. Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Craft Center has evolved over the past 160 years into New England's leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship. In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio - an off-campus, 8,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility - in Worcester. The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass-studio program in New England available to the public. Through an affiliation begun in 2009, the Craft Center is home to the Worcester State University visual arts-studios and partners in community outreach.

The Craft Center's mission is "to sustain craft as a vital part of our community" by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public-education initiatives, including adult-education classes and workshops, youth-education and outreach programs, exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, and major events. The Craft Center is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and its WOO PASS program, and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. In addition, the Craft Center has an affiliation with Worcester State University.

For more information, contact Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts, at 508.753.8183 ext. 302 or hhess@worcester.edu.

Art of a different stripe

Multimedia artist John Hyden of Worcester will be exhibiting works at his show "plywood Tiger," opening Sept 22 at the Worcester Center for Crafts. Photo/ Paul Connors

WORCESTER - Worcester artist John Hyden has a tiger by the tail and no way of knowing exactly how big the beautiful beast might turn out to be. In a new show at the Worcester Center for Crafts, “Plywood Tiger,” Hyden will unveil for the first time the full scope of his striped wooden creation - so far.

One hundred and four 8-inch by 8-inch plywood panels, their wood grain painted in tiger-like yellow and black, make up the signature piece in the show, which also includes nine large collages, some drawings and a sculpture. The exhibition kicks off with a reception, which is free, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the center’s Krikorian Gallery, 25 Sagamore Road, and runs through Nov. 5.

To read more click here.

(From the Telegram and Gazette) 

Center for Crafts Offers New Program

WORCESTER — For a generation raised on electronic gadgets and television, the idea of pursuing crafts might seem novel, or quaint. The Worcester Center for Crafts aims to change all that, as they introduce their new, innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program at a free event from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Craft Center, located at 25 Sagamore Road in Worcester.

Classes in the new program are designed with an integrated, multi-disciplined approach to youth education for ages 6 through 17 that is creative, fun and hands-on. This event is designed as a sneak peek into the Youth Craft + Creativity Program and will provide information, demonstrations, and hands-on activities — plus an opportunity for advanced registration at a discount. For more information, contact Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts, at (508) 753-8183, ext. 302, or email hhess@worcester.edu.

To read more click here.

(From the Telegram & Gazette)

Plywood Tiger to be Unleashed at Worcester Center for Craft: Exhibit features work by John Hyden

Worcester, MA—An exhibit of paintings and constructions created by John Hyden of Worcester, MA entitled Plywood Tiger will go on view in the Krikorian Gallery of the Worcester Center for Crafts beginning September 22, 2016. The show will open with a reception honoring the artist from 5:30-7:30 pm on Thursday, September 22. The exhibit and reception is free to the public. The show is on view through November 5.

(L) Detail of Plywood Tiger by John Hyden     (R) The artist, John Hyden, pictured at the Worcester Art Museum

Plywood Tiger is the first solo show of Hyden’s work since 2005 and will reflect his most current thinking about art and the medium of painting. “Sometimes, there are no words that can express a thought or feeling; only a visual image can open the chambers of our hearts,” explains Hyden. “Art is the way I discover myself, the way I see what’s in those chambers.” The work on display has not been exhibited before.

“I’m not even sure what it will look like,” said Hyden. The work is made up of 104 8 inch x 8 inch plywood tiger constructions and the exhibit will be the first time they are seen together.

John Hyden has traversed from west to east, growing up in Texas and now residing in Worcester where he works at the Worcester Art Museum as a Museum Preparator with a specialty in mount making. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from Southwest Texas State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

Hyden has exhibited widely in the west and on the east coast. He was an adjunct professor at Worcester State College from 2005-2011 where he taught visual design (three-dimensional design) and figure drawing.

“I think visitors will be intrigued by the variety in John’s work,” said Candace Casey, Krikorian Gallery Director. “His painted surfaces, the scale he chooses, the dynamic stresses between color and form—it will speak to you!” The show includes one painting: the Plywood Tiger; two optical drawings (each 34 x 32); 9 collages; and one sculpture, made up of 9 individual sculptures, the Blake Blocks. The Blake Blocks are beautiful wooden constructions in which an origami bird with a quote from William Blake the poet on it is hidden. The conundrum of Hyden’s Blake Blocks (in order to access the message of Blake’s poetry one must destroy the Block and the bird) is like the conundrum of life. Hyden will speak about these Blocks and more at an artist’s talk will be held on Thursday, October 13 at 5:30 pm in the Krikorian Gallery.

“The title Plywood Tiger refers to work featured in the exhibit that references the pattern of a tiger’s coat,” said Honee Hess, Craft Center Executive Director. “Or is that the reference? Visitors will decide.”

Gallery admission is free of charge, as is the artist’s talk and reception. Krikorian Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.

About the Worcester Center for Crafts:

The Worcester Center for Crafts (WCC) is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States. Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved over the past 155 years into New England's leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship. In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio - an off-campus, 8,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility. The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass studio program in New England available to the public. Through an affiliation begun in 2009, the WCC is home to the Worcester State University visual arts studios and partners in community outreach.

The Craft Center's mission is "to sustain craft as a vital part of our community" by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public education initiatives including adult education classes and workshops, , exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, and major events. It is premiering its new Youth Craft + Creativity program in October, 2016. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and its WOO Pass program, and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

YOUTH Craft + Creativity Program Featured in Worcester Sun

We are excited to share that the Worcester Center for Crafts' upcoming YOUTH Craft + Creativity Program was featured in the Worcester Sun!  See below for feature, or use the following link to view.

PRESS RELEASE: Worcester Center for Crafts To Kick Off New, Innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program With Hands-On Event On September 24

 Media Contacts:

Steve Jones-D’Agostino
508.930.8675
bestrateofclimb@icloud.com

Susan Wagner
978.852.8563

susanwagnerpr@gmail.com

New approach to craft education to be unveiled, offering youth 6-17 a window into creative 3-D thinking, knowledge of materials, and the mind skills and habits needed for the 21st century

August 24, 2016 – Worcester, MA – The Worcester Center for Crafts will introduce their new, innovative Youth Craft + Creativity Program at a free event on Saturday, September 24 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Craft Center, located at 25 Sagamore Rd. in Worcester. Classes in the new program are designed with an integrated, multi-disciplined approach to youth education for ages 6 through 17 that is creative, fun and hands-on. The September 24 event is designed as a sneak peek into the Youth Craft + Creativity Program and will provide information, demonstrations, and hands-on activities – plus an opportunity for advanced registration at a discount. 

The Craft Center has developed the Youth Craft + Creativity Program in response to parents, artists, educators and community members who have said it is needed - and needed now. “We’ve identified a void in Greater Worcester that we are trying to fill,” said Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts. “This new approach to craft education offers youth 6 to 17 a window into creative 3-D thinking, knowledge of materials, and the mind skills and habits needed for the 21st century.”

The Youth Craft + Creativity Program is distinct from other classes or programs because it is designed to teach the skills of craft while using it as a window, which takes students beyond the book and the screen to actually “think” and “do.” Classes introduce skills to be makers as well as to the art, aesthetics, science, math, engineering, and design that are fundamental in learning and making crafts. In this way, students are not only taught to work with tools, but also to understand more about skills that transfer from classroom to the world beyond. 

According to a 2012 white paper by Michigan State University researchers, arts-and crafts-trainable skills have been proven to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics success in K-12 classroom. Like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei, modern-day innovators in science and engineering are artists and craftsmen as well. The Michigan State research shows that significant arts and crafts experience is highly correlated with professional success in science and engineering as measured by outcomes such as major prizes and honors, patents, or the founding of new high-tech companies. The notable factor is not the type of art or craft, but the early introduction to arts and crafts in elementary and middle-school years followed by persistent practice of that art or craft into adulthood.

Craft education nurtures the 21st-century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving and resilience that are prized by employers across the economy. As explained by Honee Hess of the Craft Center, “Craft enriches our society and economy in many ways, from master goldsmiths to makers who build film sets and props, from the small-batch production of designer makers and industrial designers to one-off ceramic masterpieces, and from centuries-old traditions to cutting-edge digital making and new product development. Makers contribute to sectors as diverse as engineering, manufacturing, medicine, technology, architecture, fashion and design.” 

Throughout the year, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will be offered for youth and teens, ages 6 through 17. Beginning October 24, 2016, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will be six-week sessions for students in age-appropriate groupings. The classes will meet once a week for two to three hours, depending on the class and age group. After-school and on weekends, the Youth Craft + Creativity Program classes will allow youth and teens access to hands-on making: ceramics, bookmaking, architecture, stained glass, glassblowing, jewelry-making, enameling, sculpture, 2-D to 3-D, puppetry, paper-making, fiber and textile arts, and much more!

Funding to create the Worcester Center for Crafts Center’s new Youth Craft + Creativity Program was provided by the Stoddard Charitable Trust, the Fletcher Family Foundation, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Southbridge Savings Bank, United Bank, Webster Five, Millbury Savings Bank, and individual donors. Bay State Parent is a sponsor of the September 24 sneak preview of the Youth Craft + Creativity Program.

About Us

The Worcester Center for Crafts is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States. Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Craft Center has evolved over the past 160 years into New England's leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship. In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio - an off-campus, 8,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility - in Worcester. The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass-studio program in New England available to the public. Through an affiliation begun in 2009, the Craft Center is home to the Worcester State University visual arts-studios and partners in community outreach.

The Craft Center's mission is "to sustain craft as a vital part of our community" by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public-education initiatives, including adult-education classes and workshops, youth-education and outreach programs, exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, and major events. The Craft Center is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and its WOO PASS program, and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. In addition, the Craft Center has an affiliation with Worcester State University.

For more information, contact Honee Hess, executive director of the Worcester Center for Crafts, at 508.753.8183 ext. 302 or hhess@worcester.edu.

PRESS RELEASE: Mother Daughter Journey Featured in Exhibit at Worcester Center for Crafts

Worcester, MA—The journey of a mother and daughter can be filled with rebellion and many road-bumps along the way as well as overflowing with love and admiration. The latter is what we see in an exhibition opening at the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Krikorian Gallery on July 22. Two artists, who happen to be mother and daughter, are featured: Rosalie Olds and Claudia Olds Goldie. The exhibition A Mother Daughter Journey: Rosalie Olds & Claudia Olds Goldie will be on view through September 10, 2016. Both artists make ceramic sculpture and figures dominate their work.

There are 15 works by each artist in the show. Rosalie Olds, in her late eighties, is showing work from many periods of her life; Claudia Olds Goldie is showing more recent work. Although the show opens to public view at HOT NIGHT IN THE CITY, July 22, an Artists’ Celebration will also be held on Thursday, August 4 from 5:30-7:30pm. The public is invited to both events, free of charge.

“I found the Worcester Center for Craft and it changed my life,” said Rosalie. “I had always wanted to do sculpture and was a student with Leon Nigrosh, gradually working my way up.” Although she had no plans to become a teacher, Rosalie taught aspiring ceramicists for over 20 years at the Craft Center. She periodically still teaches private students and at the Willows where she currently resides.

“My mom— my mentor, teacher, friend, and cheerleader. She has been all these things to me throughout my life. We are creative souls, artists, easily distracted, quick to be wonderstruck, easily pulled into our own worlds of private imaginings, terrible at remembering names,” said Claudia. “For all these reasons, I have loved my mother and pushed mightily against her.” In 1978, however, securing her first teaching position, Claudia found herself needing to teach her mother’s artistic material—ceramics. Her mother coached her in her new job and slowly Claudia found she couldn’t escape the allure of clay.

“I was hooked,” Claudia reminisces. “With no formal education in ceramics other than the valuable tutelage of my mother, I began to experiment with techniques to create my own personal figurative style and alternative, non-glazed surfaces.”

Showing the two artists together gives the viewer an opportunity to explore influences but also to see how each artist’s own time is reflected in her work and the individual skills and techniques that give each work respectively its power. Speaking of Claudia in American Craft magazine, Holly Walker writes, “Goldie portrays mature women with candor.” Rosalie’s sculptures are figurative, as well, but are often of animals as well as humans, and the sculptures sometimes also function as vessels.

On the closing day of the exhibit, September 10 from 10am-5pm, Claudia Olds Goldie will present a Sculpture Demonstration Workshop at the Craft Center where she will demonstrate a variety of approaches to her process of creating a hollow built, standing ceramic figure and a proportional, expressive head. This workshop is by registration only. Registration can be done online at Worcestercraftcenter.org (class #171CW006A) or by phone, 508-753-8183 ext.301. Claudia Olds Goldie received her BFA from Boston University College of Visual Arts and teaches sculpture and ceramics at Dexter Southfield School in Brookline. Represented by Boston Sculptors Gallery, her awards include the Society of Arts and Crafts Artist Award and a Kiln God Residency from Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts. She has shown her work nationally. Her work can be seen in numerous publications including 500 Figures in Clay (2004) and 500 Figures in Clay 2 (2012) by Lark Books Publishing.