Wednesday, December 11, 2019
12/11/2019 - Craft Center - Delayed Opening
12/11/2019 - The Craft Center will be opening at 10:00AM today due to weather conditions and in adherence with WSU inclement weather protocol for Wednesday, December 11th.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
12/3/2019 - Worcester Center for Crafts - Delayed Opening
The Worcester Center for Crafts studios and offices will open at 10AM on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. All classes and programs scheduled to begin at that time or later will run on schedule.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
INCLEMENT WEATHER CLOSURE | Worcester Center for Crafts - Monday, December 2, 2019
Monday, December 2, 2019
ALL MONDAY Worcester Center for Craft classes are CANCELLED for December 2, 2019 due to inclement weather.
Please stay warm and stay safe!
ALL MONDAY Worcester Center for Craft classes are CANCELLED for December 2, 2019 due to inclement weather.
Please stay warm and stay safe!
Friday, November 8, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: A Sparkling Tradition & Big-Box Shopping Antidote, Worcester Center for Crafts Unveils Line-Up for Annual Holiday Festival of Crafts
Worcester, MA- The Worcester Center for Crafts will be hosting its annual Holiday Festival of Crafts in celebration of the best of American handmade craft on Friday, November 29, Saturday, November 30, and Sunday, December 1, 2019 at their 25 Sagamore Road facility. Featuring over fifty-nine 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.
This year’s line-up features an exciting mix of returning and newcomer artists with a wide variety of works ranging from ceramics to jewelry, to soaps and candles. “We love to give new artists a chance to expose our Festival audiences to their work” said Candace Casey, WCC Gallery/Gallery Store Director and organizer of the Holiday Festival. “The creative energy is alive and well at the Craft Center. Our artists and guests alike can expect to be regaled with work representing the finest of handmade American Craft and they will not be disappointed!”
Artists participating this year include: Carol Tripp Martens (Ioka Pottery), Andy Osborne (Beaded Dragon Artisans), Virginia Stevens (Virginia Stevens Designs), Ann Szerlip (Ann Szerlip Glass Designs), Mary Risley (Mary Risley Jewelry), Aaron Slater (Aaron Slater Glass), Betty Barrett (B.Barrett Jewelry), Laura Pierce (Iris Designs), Samir Dhamija (My Mez), Sibel Alpaslan (Ceramics by Sibel), Jan Franco (JMF Dezigns Exquisite Jewelry), Kathy Litchfield (Firecrow Handwovens), Libby Boss (Teesies), Nancy Marland Wolinski (Nancy Marland Jewelry), Allison Glick (Allison Glick Ceramics), Trish Kozub (Idazz Custom Designs), Frank Dobai (The Shade Tree, LLC), Michelle & Bill Champitto (Fresh Cut Glass), Reid Gilmore (Central New England Woodturners), Marcy Schepker (Pear Tree Studio), Peter Jones (Mountain Street Pottery), Doug Burritt (Harbor Sweets), J.Ann Eldridge, Betsy Keeney (Centre Village Studio), Lauren Beaudoin (Creative Dexterity), Sarah Michalik & Noah Weinert (Charged Glassworks), Erica Walker (Erica Walker Jewelry), Marian Ives (Ives Ornaments & Weathervanes), Carol Joannidi & Dana Hunt (Little Cat Metals), Michael Gadsby (Custom Wood Works), Linda Williams (Country Weaver Designs), Vartus Varadian (Vartus Designs), Ania Davis (EPOCA), Melissa Rioux (DAFNI Greek Gourmet), David Pollack (Maggie’s Farm), Elizabeth Ryan (Looka Jewelry), Renee Mallett (Amaranth & Rue), Joshua Swalec (Ferromorphics Blacksmithing), Carole Michelfelder (Taproot Threads), Nancy E. Burke (Quicksilver Glass), Kim Cutler (Kim Cutler Ceramics), Alison Cargill (Alison Designs LLC), Heather Bevilacqua (Grinns), Aisling Colleary (Horizon Line Ceramics), Lauren Blais (Lauren Blais Design), Tracy Levesque (Tracy Levesque Fine Art), Hillary Hutton (Hutton Handwovens), Suzanne & Steven Rosendahl (Teagan & Ash), Marcia Press (Meshugenah Hat Company), Marianne Janik (Calli B), Mark Hutton (Hutton Studios), Patrick Zephyr (Patrick Zephyr Nature Photography), Jennifer Moran (Gracies Gunnies), Nancy Engle (Goodness Remedies), Susan Swift (Swfit Farms), Caroline Golden Kirkland (c.e. golden), Kristin Kearns & Len Keeler (AnglerFish Jewelry), Heather Kidson (Heather Bell Designs).
Sponsored by UniBank and Patrick Motors, the Festival continues the tradition of the Worcester Center for Crafts as an economic engine for artists and helps advance the Craft Center’s mission to inspire and build a creative community. The Festival also serves as a logical partner in the Buy Local and Eat Local movements of the last decade, by featuring hand-made decorative and functional works exclusively in an environment where you can meet the maker, you can take your time, and the artist can personally assist you.
2018
“The Festival has become a Worcester-wide tradition for folks,” says Candace Casey. “It is our pleasure to promote the best of American handmade craft.”
Open year round, the Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery Store will also be open during the Festival to further showcase and represent more than 400 artisans from all over the country.
Festival goers are encouraged to give the Gift of Craft this season. Gift cards purchased in the Gallery Store are eligible for purchases in the Store as well as for registration for a variety of classes and workshops. The Craft Center offers educational programming for adults and for youth in both multi-week classes and short-term workshops, through which you can learn and develop the essential skills of making with glass, metal, enamels, clay, and more.
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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
This year’s line-up features an exciting mix of returning and newcomer artists with a wide variety of works ranging from ceramics to jewelry, to soaps and candles. “We love to give new artists a chance to expose our Festival audiences to their work” said Candace Casey, WCC Gallery/Gallery Store Director and organizer of the Holiday Festival. “The creative energy is alive and well at the Craft Center. Our artists and guests alike can expect to be regaled with work representing the finest of handmade American Craft and they will not be disappointed!”
Artists participating this year include: Carol Tripp Martens (Ioka Pottery), Andy Osborne (Beaded Dragon Artisans), Virginia Stevens (Virginia Stevens Designs), Ann Szerlip (Ann Szerlip Glass Designs), Mary Risley (Mary Risley Jewelry), Aaron Slater (Aaron Slater Glass), Betty Barrett (B.Barrett Jewelry), Laura Pierce (Iris Designs), Samir Dhamija (My Mez), Sibel Alpaslan (Ceramics by Sibel), Jan Franco (JMF Dezigns Exquisite Jewelry), Kathy Litchfield (Firecrow Handwovens), Libby Boss (Teesies), Nancy Marland Wolinski (Nancy Marland Jewelry), Allison Glick (Allison Glick Ceramics), Trish Kozub (Idazz Custom Designs), Frank Dobai (The Shade Tree, LLC), Michelle & Bill Champitto (Fresh Cut Glass), Reid Gilmore (Central New England Woodturners), Marcy Schepker (Pear Tree Studio), Peter Jones (Mountain Street Pottery), Doug Burritt (Harbor Sweets), J.Ann Eldridge, Betsy Keeney (Centre Village Studio), Lauren Beaudoin (Creative Dexterity), Sarah Michalik & Noah Weinert (Charged Glassworks), Erica Walker (Erica Walker Jewelry), Marian Ives (Ives Ornaments & Weathervanes), Carol Joannidi & Dana Hunt (Little Cat Metals), Michael Gadsby (Custom Wood Works), Linda Williams (Country Weaver Designs), Vartus Varadian (Vartus Designs), Ania Davis (EPOCA), Melissa Rioux (DAFNI Greek Gourmet), David Pollack (Maggie’s Farm), Elizabeth Ryan (Looka Jewelry), Renee Mallett (Amaranth & Rue), Joshua Swalec (Ferromorphics Blacksmithing), Carole Michelfelder (Taproot Threads), Nancy E. Burke (Quicksilver Glass), Kim Cutler (Kim Cutler Ceramics), Alison Cargill (Alison Designs LLC), Heather Bevilacqua (Grinns), Aisling Colleary (Horizon Line Ceramics), Lauren Blais (Lauren Blais Design), Tracy Levesque (Tracy Levesque Fine Art), Hillary Hutton (Hutton Handwovens), Suzanne & Steven Rosendahl (Teagan & Ash), Marcia Press (Meshugenah Hat Company), Marianne Janik (Calli B), Mark Hutton (Hutton Studios), Patrick Zephyr (Patrick Zephyr Nature Photography), Jennifer Moran (Gracies Gunnies), Nancy Engle (Goodness Remedies), Susan Swift (Swfit Farms), Caroline Golden Kirkland (c.e. golden), Kristin Kearns & Len Keeler (AnglerFish Jewelry), Heather Kidson (Heather Bell Designs).
Sponsored by UniBank and Patrick Motors, the Festival continues the tradition of the Worcester Center for Crafts as an economic engine for artists and helps advance the Craft Center’s mission to inspire and build a creative community. The Festival also serves as a logical partner in the Buy Local and Eat Local movements of the last decade, by featuring hand-made decorative and functional works exclusively in an environment where you can meet the maker, you can take your time, and the artist can personally assist you.
2018
“The Festival has become a Worcester-wide tradition for folks,” says Candace Casey. “It is our pleasure to promote the best of American handmade craft.”
Open year round, the Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery Store will also be open during the Festival to further showcase and represent more than 400 artisans from all over the country.
Festival goers are encouraged to give the Gift of Craft this season. Gift cards purchased in the Gallery Store are eligible for purchases in the Store as well as for registration for a variety of classes and workshops. The Craft Center offers educational programming for adults and for youth in both multi-week classes and short-term workshops, through which you can learn and develop the essential skills of making with glass, metal, enamels, clay, and more.
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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: New Glass / New England Opening at the Worcester Center for Crafts
Worcester, MA—Thirty-six talented glass artists will be showcased in New Glass / New England, a new exhibition opening at the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Krikorian Gallery on Thursday, September 26th. Curated by Jim Schantz of Schantz Galleries,
the show’s evening reception will be held that day from 5:30-7:30 pm,
and will continue to be on view through November 7th. Gallery hours are
Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5pm, and admission is free and open to
the public.
“Showcasing a wide range of technique and background, balanced with diversity and imagination,” New Glass / New England represents the work of both emerging and established glass artists who all hail from the New England area.
Featured
in the show are: Melissa Ayotte, Emmett Barnacle, Josh Bernbaum,
William Carlson, Dan Clayman, Shaun Conroy, Eric Cruze & Tomo
Sakai, Dan Dailey, Owen Dailey, Robert Dane, Martin & Erik Demaine,
Bernie D’Onofrio, Robin Grebe, Peter Houk, Sidney Hutter, Claire
Kelly, Aron Leaman, K. William LeQuier, Susan Shapiro & Andy
Magdanz, Martin Rosol, Thomas Scoon, Gale Scott, Josh Simpson, Randi
Solin, Debbie Tarsitano, Natalie Tyler, Jennifer Violette, Adam Waimon,
James Watkins, Steven Weinberg, Mark & Michiko Weiner, and Toots
Zynsky.
“We
have a vast wealth of talent and ability in New England,” says
curator, Jim Schantz, “which clearly identifies the quality of our
academic and technical programs, as well as establishing this part of
the country as a region for creative growth. This artistic vigor
reflects the strength of such programs at RISD, Mass Art, MIT, Salem
State, and the Worcester Center for Crafts, as well as the numerous
private glass studios. I hope this exhibition will continue the
dialogue about the identity of a region that has great sources in
education and environment for artists.”
In
further celebration of the glass arts, the Worcester Center for
Crafts’ New Street Glass Studio will host a special demo and slideshow
talk by featured and visiting artist, Jen Violette on Friday, September
27th from 6:00-9:30 pm. This event will also be free and open to the
public, and is located at 35 B New Street, Worcester, MA.
“It
has been an honor to work with Jim Schantz, and to share in his
enthusiasm and commitment to the arts,” says Candace Casey, the
Krikorian Gallery director. “We are delighted to celebrate work of such
caliber and we hope to share with the community our appreciation for
the complexities of glasswork.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Candace Casey, ccasey4@worcester.edu.
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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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved
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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The
Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and
build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity
program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural
Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural
Council.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: “Life as it Happens” Photography by Scott Erb & Uday Khambadkone Opening at the Worcester Center for Crafts
Worcester, MA—An exhibit and sale of photography, by Scott Erb and Uday Khambadkone, is opening at the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Krikorian Gallery, July 19, 5:30-9pm. The show will be on view from July 19 through September 7. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5pm. The show’s opening takes place in conjunction with the Worcester Center for Crafts’ annual event, Hot Night in the City.
The photographs in Life as it Happens represent the observations of two photographers capturing street scenes from very different points of view. Uday’s images are colorfully vibrant and complex in their content, while by contrast, Scott’s black and white images sharply reflect a keen sense of “lines and light, [which play] an integral part in his images.”
“We are very excited about this show,” says Candace Casey, the Krikorian Gallery director. “Studying Scott and Uday’s photos, their excitement and their clear technical capabilities are evident. The viewer is left with an incredible sense of watching a story unfold and of being there just at the right time.”
Scott Erb is a professional advertising photographer, yet this exhibition shows a different side to his usual work. Commercial photography utilizes an entirely different skill set and has to be “deliberate”. Scott’s street photography is anything but that. Of this work Scott says, “Allowing myself to be absorbed in my surroundings, I watch life unfold through the lens; making no distinction between the grand or the trivial.”
Uday Khambadkone, born and raised in Mumbai, moved to the United States to pursue a degree in engineering. Uday’s exhibited works are a series from his yearlong travel in India and of his rediscovery of the country as his birth place. “Life as it Happens,” says Uday “is about fleeting moments that I love to gather as I walk past alleyways, busy streets, airports and other public spaces.”
In conjunction with the exhibit, a free artist talk with Scott and Uday is scheduled for Thursday, July 25 at 6pm at the Worcester Center for Crafts. A special workshop with both photographers is also scheduled on September 21 called, “Life as it Happens – Hitting the Streets of Boston.” Meet them on the streets of Boston and capture “life as it happens” during a photo walk where unexpected moments are welcome. Using their exhibition of the same name in the Krikorian Gallery of the Worcester Center for Crafts as a touchstone, Scott and Uday will offer their perspectives on and their approach to street photography as they share tips and tricks to finding and capturing the candid moments that surround you. For more information on the workshop, go to the Worcester Center for Crafts’ website, worcestercraftcenter.org. Pre-registration is required.
The Krikorian Gallery charges no admission and is open to the public.
__________________________________________
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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The photographs in Life as it Happens represent the observations of two photographers capturing street scenes from very different points of view. Uday’s images are colorfully vibrant and complex in their content, while by contrast, Scott’s black and white images sharply reflect a keen sense of “lines and light, [which play] an integral part in his images.”
“We are very excited about this show,” says Candace Casey, the Krikorian Gallery director. “Studying Scott and Uday’s photos, their excitement and their clear technical capabilities are evident. The viewer is left with an incredible sense of watching a story unfold and of being there just at the right time.”
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| Photo by Scott Erb |
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| Photo by Uday Khambadkone |
Scott Erb is a professional advertising photographer, yet this exhibition shows a different side to his usual work. Commercial photography utilizes an entirely different skill set and has to be “deliberate”. Scott’s street photography is anything but that. Of this work Scott says, “Allowing myself to be absorbed in my surroundings, I watch life unfold through the lens; making no distinction between the grand or the trivial.”
Uday Khambadkone, born and raised in Mumbai, moved to the United States to pursue a degree in engineering. Uday’s exhibited works are a series from his yearlong travel in India and of his rediscovery of the country as his birth place. “Life as it Happens,” says Uday “is about fleeting moments that I love to gather as I walk past alleyways, busy streets, airports and other public spaces.”
In conjunction with the exhibit, a free artist talk with Scott and Uday is scheduled for Thursday, July 25 at 6pm at the Worcester Center for Crafts. A special workshop with both photographers is also scheduled on September 21 called, “Life as it Happens – Hitting the Streets of Boston.” Meet them on the streets of Boston and capture “life as it happens” during a photo walk where unexpected moments are welcome. Using their exhibition of the same name in the Krikorian Gallery of the Worcester Center for Crafts as a touchstone, Scott and Uday will offer their perspectives on and their approach to street photography as they share tips and tricks to finding and capturing the candid moments that surround you. For more information on the workshop, go to the Worcester Center for Crafts’ website, worcestercraftcenter.org. Pre-registration is required.
The Krikorian Gallery charges no admission and is open to the public.
__________________________________________
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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: From Our Studios: An Exhibition of Student Work at the Worcester Center for Crafts
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Tuesday, April 30, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: Worcester Center for Crafts’ Artists-in-Residence 2019 Exhibition: FIRED|MOLTEN
Worcester MA – The Krikorian Gallery at Worcester Center for Crafts is pleased to announce FIRED|MOLTEN, a group exhibition of works from current Artist-in-Residence at the Craft Center that will be on display from Thursday, May 16 through June 6, 2019. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 16, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at Worcester Center for Crafts at 25 Sagamore Rd., and is free to the public. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday- Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
This year, the Artist-in-Residence Exhibition brings together ten artists whose diverse working methodologies, material explorations, and individual perspectives reflect their personal interests and goals for this one or two year residency. After a competitive application process, each resident is provided with a studio space, access to facilities, and a supportive community of makers. In exchange, resident artists play integral roles at the Craft Center by completing studio support hours, teaching classes and workshops, and volunteering at community-centered events. In this way, Worcester Center for Crafts works to cultivate creativity and foster creative exchange.
This year, the Artist-in-Residence Exhibition brings together ten artists whose diverse working methodologies, material explorations, and individual perspectives reflect their personal interests and goals for this one or two year residency. After a competitive application process, each resident is provided with a studio space, access to facilities, and a supportive community of makers. In exchange, resident artists play integral roles at the Craft Center by completing studio support hours, teaching classes and workshops, and volunteering at community-centered events. In this way, Worcester Center for Crafts works to cultivate creativity and foster creative exchange.
FIRED|MOLTEN presents the work of the largest group of resident artists thus far at the Craft Center and connects them with the Worcester community. From blown glass sculptures to mixed media collage, wheel thrown pottery to towering figures, the works in this exhibition are as diverse as the artists themselves.
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| Ceramic resident Phoebe Scott working on a torso in the studio. |
Featured Artists in Residence: Faith Connor (MA, ceramics); Meredith Collins (PA, glass); Michelle Grey (MA, ceramics); Angela McHale (MA, glass); Kym Gardner (RI, ceramics); Lindsy Marshall (MA, glass); Abby Nohai (NY, ceramics); Molly Roderick (MA, glass); Phoebe Scott (FL, ceramics); and Momoko Schafer (MA, glass).
The opening night will feature a pop-up by Fancheezical serving gourmet grilled cheeses and other snacks, as well as a live DJ providing a soundtrack for the evening! All the artists and their Craft Center advisors, Gale Scott (glass) and Tom O’Malley (ceramics) will be in attendance at the opening.
About the Artist in Residence Program:
The Worcester Center for Crafts’ Artist in Residence (AiR) Program is a way to sustain craft and insure the next generation of artists carrying on craft traditions. Open to aspiring artist in clay and glass (and those who might work across more one medium), the Worcester Center for Crafts AiR program is designed to support the growth of pre-professional artists. Residents are chosen through a competitive process and are with the Center for 1-2 years where they have access to our studios and their specialized equipment and help support the Centers programs.
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 163 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 – a satellite location, 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 visual arts studios and partners in community outreach.
The Craft Centers mission is to inspire and build a creative community through the promotion, appreciation, and teaching of craft. The Center’s advocacy and public education initiatives include 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 receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: Meet the Makers and Celebrate the Pottery Invitational 2019
Worcester, MA- Nineteen nationally known potters will be featured in the upcoming 2019 Pottery Invitational at the Worcester Center for Crafts, held May 3-5 at the Center on 25 Sagamore Rd. Admission to the Center and to the Pottery Invitational is free of charge all weekend with the exception of the opening event.
Meet the makers at this special exhibit and sale of handcrafted pottery on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Nineteen of the region’s most talented ceramic artists have been chosen by curators Jerilyn Virden (Vermont) and Sarah Heimann (New Hampshire) to display their work in the Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery in this pop-up style show. The artists accompany their work for the weekend so that visitors can discover the how’s and why’s of making incredible ceramic work and maybe start a collection of their own!
Included in this year’s Pottery Invitational are: Lisa Naples (Doylestown, PA); Ronan Kyle Peterson (Chapel Hill, NC) ; Kyla Toomey (Waltham, MA); Brenda Quinn (Ossining, NY); Tom O’Malley (Forestdale, RI); Jen Gandee (Fabius, NY) ; Brooke Millecchia (Fairport, NY); Todd Wahlstrom (Whitingham, VT); Autumn Cipala (Thomaston, ME); Michael McCarthy (Stockbridge, MA); Noel Bailey (Mad River Valley, VT); Martha Grover (Bethel, ME.); Tyler Gulden (Walpole, ME); Lindsay Oesterritter (Manassas, VA); Stuart Gair (Hudson, OH); Steve Théberge (Florence, MA); Ben Krupka (Great Barrington, MA); and curators Sarah Heimann (Lebanon, NH) and Jerilyn Virden (Greensboro, VT).
In their Curators’ statement, Heimann and Virden say, “Curating this show was a challenging privilege. Our goal was to create a dynamic group of ceramic artists whose work represents the diversity of approaches and aesthetics in our current field. The resulting mix of early career and established potters are linked in their mastery of craft and depth of investigation. We look forward to a weekend filled with remarkable work and stimulating conversation.”
Friday night, May 3 opens with an Epicurean Evening –benefit preview event from 5:30-7:00pm featuring a beer tasting by Castle Island Brewery co., tapas from Wooden Noodles and a handmade bowl made by our ceramic Artists-in-Residence. The cost of the ticketed event is $50.00 pp. At 7:00pm the doors open to everyone with Wooden Noodles serving their incredible food in our multimedia room. The exhibit/sale closes at 8:30pm.
On Saturday, the Invitational is open from 10am to 5pm. Demonstrations by the Craft Centers’ Artists in Residence happen at 11am and 2pm and will give the public insight into the process of creating functional pottery.
Pop-up talks by the artists will occur at regular intervals throughout the weekend to give the “inside” insights to participants. Artists will be commenting on OTHER artists’ work, giving you an additional perspective on what makes a good pot!
On Sunday morning, the doors open at 11:00am with delicious coffee donated to us by Acoustic Java and at noon, a flower arranging demonstration by Ari Phillippi, the owner of Sparkle! The show closes at 4:00pm.
The Pottery Invitational gives the Craft Center an opportunity to show the public some of the finest functional ceramic work by nationally known potters.
“It is as important as it is rewarding to host the 2019 Pottery Invitational at the Worcester Center for Crafts. The depth of knowledge and skill under one roof for one weekend is a joy to be shared with our community”, said Candace Casey, WCC Krikorian Gallery Director. “The beauty and aesthetics in functional pots has an important role in our everyday living.”
For more information or to arrange a photo opportunity, please contact Candace Casey, Krikorian Gallery Director of the Worcester Center for Crafts at ccasey4@worcester.edu
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Schedule:
FRIDAY, MAY 3
5:30pm - Show opens with a ticketed Epicurean Evening event. $50.00 pp gives the guests an opportunity for first dibs on the art, a handmade ceramic bowl by our Artists in Residence, a beer tasting with Castle Island Brewery co. and tapas from Wooden Noodles.
7:00pm - Show opens free to the public. Wooden Noodles will be selling their amazing food until 8:00
8:30pm - Show closes.
SATURDAY, MAY 4
10:00am - Show opens, free to the public
11:00am - 12:30pm - AIR demos in ceramic studio
2:00-3:30pm - AIR demos in ceramic studio
5:00pm - Show closes
SUNDAY, MAY 5
11:00am -Show opens, free to the public
Coffee donated by Acoustic Java
11:00am -12:30pm - AIR demos in ceramics studio
12:00pm - Ari Phillippe from Sparkle will be a flower display
2:00-3:30pm - AIR demos in ceramics studio
4:00pm - Show closes
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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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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Meet the makers at this special exhibit and sale of handcrafted pottery on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Nineteen of the region’s most talented ceramic artists have been chosen by curators Jerilyn Virden (Vermont) and Sarah Heimann (New Hampshire) to display their work in the Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery in this pop-up style show. The artists accompany their work for the weekend so that visitors can discover the how’s and why’s of making incredible ceramic work and maybe start a collection of their own!
Included in this year’s Pottery Invitational are: Lisa Naples (Doylestown, PA); Ronan Kyle Peterson (Chapel Hill, NC) ; Kyla Toomey (Waltham, MA); Brenda Quinn (Ossining, NY); Tom O’Malley (Forestdale, RI); Jen Gandee (Fabius, NY) ; Brooke Millecchia (Fairport, NY); Todd Wahlstrom (Whitingham, VT); Autumn Cipala (Thomaston, ME); Michael McCarthy (Stockbridge, MA); Noel Bailey (Mad River Valley, VT); Martha Grover (Bethel, ME.); Tyler Gulden (Walpole, ME); Lindsay Oesterritter (Manassas, VA); Stuart Gair (Hudson, OH); Steve Théberge (Florence, MA); Ben Krupka (Great Barrington, MA); and curators Sarah Heimann (Lebanon, NH) and Jerilyn Virden (Greensboro, VT).
In their Curators’ statement, Heimann and Virden say, “Curating this show was a challenging privilege. Our goal was to create a dynamic group of ceramic artists whose work represents the diversity of approaches and aesthetics in our current field. The resulting mix of early career and established potters are linked in their mastery of craft and depth of investigation. We look forward to a weekend filled with remarkable work and stimulating conversation.”
Friday night, May 3 opens with an Epicurean Evening –benefit preview event from 5:30-7:00pm featuring a beer tasting by Castle Island Brewery co., tapas from Wooden Noodles and a handmade bowl made by our ceramic Artists-in-Residence. The cost of the ticketed event is $50.00 pp. At 7:00pm the doors open to everyone with Wooden Noodles serving their incredible food in our multimedia room. The exhibit/sale closes at 8:30pm.
On Saturday, the Invitational is open from 10am to 5pm. Demonstrations by the Craft Centers’ Artists in Residence happen at 11am and 2pm and will give the public insight into the process of creating functional pottery.
Pop-up talks by the artists will occur at regular intervals throughout the weekend to give the “inside” insights to participants. Artists will be commenting on OTHER artists’ work, giving you an additional perspective on what makes a good pot!
On Sunday morning, the doors open at 11:00am with delicious coffee donated to us by Acoustic Java and at noon, a flower arranging demonstration by Ari Phillippi, the owner of Sparkle! The show closes at 4:00pm.
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| Work (L to R): Autumn Cipala, Lisa Naples, Martha Grover, Stuart Gair |
“It is as important as it is rewarding to host the 2019 Pottery Invitational at the Worcester Center for Crafts. The depth of knowledge and skill under one roof for one weekend is a joy to be shared with our community”, said Candace Casey, WCC Krikorian Gallery Director. “The beauty and aesthetics in functional pots has an important role in our everyday living.”
For more information or to arrange a photo opportunity, please contact Candace Casey, Krikorian Gallery Director of the Worcester Center for Crafts at ccasey4@worcester.edu
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Schedule:
FRIDAY, MAY 3
5:30pm - Show opens with a ticketed Epicurean Evening event. $50.00 pp gives the guests an opportunity for first dibs on the art, a handmade ceramic bowl by our Artists in Residence, a beer tasting with Castle Island Brewery co. and tapas from Wooden Noodles.
7:00pm - Show opens free to the public. Wooden Noodles will be selling their amazing food until 8:00
8:30pm - Show closes.
SATURDAY, MAY 4
10:00am - Show opens, free to the public
11:00am - 12:30pm - AIR demos in ceramic studio
2:00-3:30pm - AIR demos in ceramic studio
5:00pm - Show closes
SUNDAY, MAY 5
11:00am -Show opens, free to the public
Coffee donated by Acoustic Java
11:00am -12:30pm - AIR demos in ceramics studio
12:00pm - Ari Phillippe from Sparkle will be a flower display
2:00-3:30pm - AIR demos in ceramics studio
4:00pm - Show closes
__________________________________________________
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 handcrafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved 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, 8000 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’s visual arts studios.
The Craft Center’s mission: The Craft Center's mission is "to inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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Friday, March 8, 2019
Worcester Center for Crafts Pasta Dinner returns
Come for the company, leave with a plate. It’s a simple premise, but with the Worcester Center for Crafts’ annual Pasta Dinner event, returning Saturday, March 2, there is a lot more under the surface.
The event serves as a major fundraising tool for the center, with proceeds going to the various programs they offer throughout the year. The plates themselves are handcrafted by center students, artists-in-residence, faculty and more. While the pasta dinner is enjoyable, it’s in the selecting of a handcrafted plate that the real fun lies.....
(To Read More Click Here)
From the Worcester Magazine, By Joshua Lyford - Posted Feb 28, 2019
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
PRESS RELEASE : Worcester Center for Crafts presents ‘Patterns’, a group exhibition curated by Lisa Barthelson and Carrie Crane
Worcester, MA -- The Worcester Center for Crafts announces the upcoming opening of PATTERNS, a group exhibition curated by local artists Lisa Barthelson and Carrie Crane, which presents the work of ten contemporary artists: Sam Cape, Christiane Corcelle, Elizabeth Duffy, Judy Haberl, Nancy Hayes, Erica Licea-Kane, Julia Talcott, Lynda Schlosberg, Toby Sisson, and Jessica Straus.
The exhibit opens with a Reception, free to the public, on Friday, March 15th from 5 to 7pm at the the Worcester Center for Crafts’s Krikorian Gallery, 25 Sagamore Rd. In Worcester, MA. PATTERNS is on exhibit from March 15-April 27, 2019. The Exhibition closes with a Public Reception and Talks by Patterns’ artists, Toby Sisson, Elizabeth Duffy and Jessica Strauss, at 3pm, Saturday, April 27th, 2019. Krikorian Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10-5. Admission is free.
In early 2018, Gallery Director Candace Casey approached Crane and Barthelson with an invitation to curate an exhibition in the spring of 2019. Following an early brainstorming meeting with Craft Center staff, Barthelson and Crane decided on a show that would revolve around ‘patterns’ and different artists’ use of pattern in their work. As artists, Barthelson and Crane were especially excited to broaden the Worcester arts community’s reach and invite artists to participate who were from the surrounding area but who were not as familiar to the Worcester arts community. The curators selected artists whose work they knew or had discovered through research and who used ‘pattern’ in a multitude of innovative and engaging ways. “I was particularly interested in Lisa and Carrie doing this theme since their work is often about repeated images and patterns,” says Candace Casey, Krikorian Gallery Director.
“Using both the commonly recognized form of pattern, that of a repeated decorative design, and the broader form of pattern as a consistent identifiable system, the Patterns’ artists demonstrate the potential depth and breadth of pattern as a means of expression.” says Lisa Barthelson. “Each artist incorporates surface patterns to convey a viewpoint and capture our attention, to entice us to stop, look, and consider the source and the patterns’ structure and intent. The artists’ work opens the door, and asks the viewer to step in and explore the physical and the metaphysical, the visual and the conceptual, and beyond.”
The approximately thirty works in the exhibition range from single works to large scale installation pieces presenting a broad spectrum of method and means of the use of pattern.
Cape’s digitally manipulated video and sound compositions, Talcott’s woodcuts and linocuts with collage, and Hayes’s terra cotta, slip and glaze organic sculptures draw on the visual and environmental patterns of nature to provide structure and inspiration.
Corcelle’s mixed media multiple piece sculpture installation, Haberl’s photographs featuring the artist's cutting board marks, Duffy's installation of furnishings with wallpaper and textile images of Rhode Island’s correctional institution, and Straus’s wood, paint and found objects sculpture installation. employ pattern from everyday life, using materials and surfaces we see and often overlook, to tell a larger and sometimes more urgent story.
Through the creation of patterned surfaces and patterns of behavior, Licea-Kane’s acrylic medium and acrylic pigment object-paintings and pen and burning works on paper, Sisson’s 16-piece encaustic monoprint on paper installation and graphite and encaustic on wood pieces, and Schlosberg’s large energy charged acrylic paintings on panel, draw on personal narrative within the realm of larger questions explored.
The exhibit opens with a Reception, free to the public, on Friday, March 15th from 5 to 7pm at the the Worcester Center for Crafts’s Krikorian Gallery, 25 Sagamore Rd. In Worcester, MA. PATTERNS is on exhibit from March 15-April 27, 2019. The Exhibition closes with a Public Reception and Talks by Patterns’ artists, Toby Sisson, Elizabeth Duffy and Jessica Strauss, at 3pm, Saturday, April 27th, 2019. Krikorian Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10-5. Admission is free.
“Using both the commonly recognized form of pattern, that of a repeated decorative design, and the broader form of pattern as a consistent identifiable system, the Patterns’ artists demonstrate the potential depth and breadth of pattern as a means of expression.” says Lisa Barthelson. “Each artist incorporates surface patterns to convey a viewpoint and capture our attention, to entice us to stop, look, and consider the source and the patterns’ structure and intent. The artists’ work opens the door, and asks the viewer to step in and explore the physical and the metaphysical, the visual and the conceptual, and beyond.”
Cape’s digitally manipulated video and sound compositions, Talcott’s woodcuts and linocuts with collage, and Hayes’s terra cotta, slip and glaze organic sculptures draw on the visual and environmental patterns of nature to provide structure and inspiration.
Corcelle’s mixed media multiple piece sculpture installation, Haberl’s photographs featuring the artist's cutting board marks, Duffy's installation of furnishings with wallpaper and textile images of Rhode Island’s correctional institution, and Straus’s wood, paint and found objects sculpture installation. employ pattern from everyday life, using materials and surfaces we see and often overlook, to tell a larger and sometimes more urgent story.
Through the creation of patterned surfaces and patterns of behavior, Licea-Kane’s acrylic medium and acrylic pigment object-paintings and pen and burning works on paper, Sisson’s 16-piece encaustic monoprint on paper installation and graphite and encaustic on wood pieces, and Schlosberg’s large energy charged acrylic paintings on panel, draw on personal narrative within the realm of larger questions explored.
Curator Carrie Crane says, “We often think of pattern as something superficial or decorative but in the hands of these artists, it brings depth. It is the patterning that provides the energy, emotion and meaning of the work. Whether by referencing historical or nostalgic imagery or by creating metaphor, each artist is directing a response, telling a story by this use of this repetition of form.”
A closing reception and Artists Talks led by Toby Sisson, Elizabeth Duffy and Jessica Straus is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at 3pm. No admission fee.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Honee Hess, hhess@worcester.edu (through March 15) or Candace Casey, ccasey4@worcester.edu .
Pictures (from top to bottom) - Works by Jessica Straus, Nancy Hayes & Toby Sisson
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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 inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
PRESS RELEASE: The Pasta Dinner Returns! Hand-made Plates-to-Go Offered at Benefit for the Worcester Center for Crafts
Worcester, MA – HAND OVER THE PLATES! The Worcester Center for Crafts announces its Pasta Dinner, on Saturday, March 2, 2019. The event was so successful, selling out its VIP tickets, that it has been expanded.
The premise of the Pasta Dinner is simple: come for good food and good company and go home with a hand-crafted ceramic plate—all for a good cause. Pre-paid reservations are a must. A VIP Early Entrance ticket ($65) gives patrons the opportunity to enter at 5:30pm and get first choice of the handmade plates, festive appetizers and a libation. Regular admission commences at 6:15pm; tickets are $45 per person/plate and $10 per child/paper plate. Local Italian restaurant Ciao Bella is catering the dinner which will include pasta, sauce, meatballs and salad. Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are available 24/7 online at www.tinyurl.com/WCCPASTA19 or by calling 508-753-8183, x 301, Tues-Fri, 10-5.
All diners have the opportunity to bid on a selection of food and craft-related items in the Center’s NOT SO SILENT AUCTION which will be displayed in the Lobby. Included in the Not So Silent Auction will be a Pasta-Making class at Volturno’s, 72 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester; 2-tickets to the Worcester Wine Festival happening in September, 2019 along with a generous gift certificate from Julio’s Liquors in Westborough; a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Ecotarium for six; a basketful of Swedish delights including a Kosta Boda crystal candleholder; a handwoven bag by internationally known Saori weaver, Mihoko Wakabayashi with a complimentary guest pass to a weaving lesson; and a surprise cooking experience with Chef Alina Eisenhauer in your home.
Community committee members working on the 2019 event include Birgit Straehle, Tina Zlody, Tracy Dill, Scott Erb, Donna Dufault, Honee Hess, Candace Casey, and Tom O’Malley.
Diners can expect the unexpected after dinner, including handmade desserts and, well, who knows?! Also available this evening is the last viewing of the Worcester Center for Crafts’ current exhibit, PORTRAITS IN MASCULINITY (Photography by Eric Nichols) which closes after dinner is done. These larger than life portraits might have you thinking someone is looking over your shoulder at your plate selection!
“The Pasta Dinner is a way that we can show off the Center’s great Ceramic talent while providing a good time for a good cause,” says Candace Casey, Director of the Krikorian Gallery and Gallery Store. “Plates from the Pasta Dinner become collectible and prized possessions by the people who attend.”
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PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: The process that creates all of the plates is very photogenic and lends itself to video as well. Plates are being made on the potters’ wheel (“thrown”) and hand-built. For both, the clay first is wedged and made suitable for throwing or shaping. A thrown plate begins with a lump of clay centered on the potters’ wheel which is then pulled into a plate shape. It is dried slightly and trimmed—at this point it is called greenware (see photo of greenware plates drying). Hand-built plates are shaped by hand, sometimes through pinching, sometimes by rolling out the clay much like rolling out a pie crust. Once shaped, it is dried and decorated. Both thrown plates and hand-built plates are put into an electric kiln and fired to bisque stage—hard but not impervious to water. It is at the bisque stage that glazes and slips are applied. The glazed plates are then placed in the kiln again, but this time at a higher temperature and the glaze fuses with the clay producing the final plate. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH OR VIDEO THIS PROCESS, PLEASE CONTACT US.
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| Plates right out of the Glaze Kiln! |
All diners have the opportunity to bid on a selection of food and craft-related items in the Center’s NOT SO SILENT AUCTION which will be displayed in the Lobby. Included in the Not So Silent Auction will be a Pasta-Making class at Volturno’s, 72 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester; 2-tickets to the Worcester Wine Festival happening in September, 2019 along with a generous gift certificate from Julio’s Liquors in Westborough; a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Ecotarium for six; a basketful of Swedish delights including a Kosta Boda crystal candleholder; a handwoven bag by internationally known Saori weaver, Mihoko Wakabayashi with a complimentary guest pass to a weaving lesson; and a surprise cooking experience with Chef Alina Eisenhauer in your home.
Community committee members working on the 2019 event include Birgit Straehle, Tina Zlody, Tracy Dill, Scott Erb, Donna Dufault, Honee Hess, Candace Casey, and Tom O’Malley.
Diners can expect the unexpected after dinner, including handmade desserts and, well, who knows?! Also available this evening is the last viewing of the Worcester Center for Crafts’ current exhibit, PORTRAITS IN MASCULINITY (Photography by Eric Nichols) which closes after dinner is done. These larger than life portraits might have you thinking someone is looking over your shoulder at your plate selection!
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| Dynamy Intern, Amanda, color coordinates her plate selection. |
________________________________________________________________________
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: The process that creates all of the plates is very photogenic and lends itself to video as well. Plates are being made on the potters’ wheel (“thrown”) and hand-built. For both, the clay first is wedged and made suitable for throwing or shaping. A thrown plate begins with a lump of clay centered on the potters’ wheel which is then pulled into a plate shape. It is dried slightly and trimmed—at this point it is called greenware (see photo of greenware plates drying). Hand-built plates are shaped by hand, sometimes through pinching, sometimes by rolling out the clay much like rolling out a pie crust. Once shaped, it is dried and decorated. Both thrown plates and hand-built plates are put into an electric kiln and fired to bisque stage—hard but not impervious to water. It is at the bisque stage that glazes and slips are applied. The glazed plates are then placed in the kiln again, but this time at a higher temperature and the glaze fuses with the clay producing the final plate. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH OR VIDEO THIS PROCESS, PLEASE CONTACT US.
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| (Photo by Erb Photography) Making Pasta Dinner Plates |
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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 inspire and build a creative 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, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
WEATHER CLOSURE
February 12, 2019
Due to the snow, Worcester Center for Crafts' evening classes will be cancelled. Make ups will be scheduled next week same time, for Feb 19.
Due to the snow, Worcester Center for Crafts' evening classes will be cancelled. Make ups will be scheduled next week same time, for Feb 19.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Portraits in Masculinity Opens January 24 At Worcester Center for Crafts
Worcester, MA— An exhibit of large-scale photographs by Boylston resident Eric Nichols goes on view at the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Krikorian Gallery in PORTRAITS IN MASCULINITY beginning Thursday, January 24.The exhibit opens with a free public reception from 5:30-7:30pm that day and will continue through Saturday, March 2, 2019.
Measuring 40” x 50” in size, Nichols’ prints command a larger than life authority and power when viewed at a distance. Upon inspection, that authority gives way to a sense of vulnerability, exposing for the viewer an instantaneous understanding of flaws and aging that affect sense of identity. The camera in Nichol’s hands offers an objective, mechanical representation unobstructed by the artist’s personal bias but a representation that also reveals the paradoxical nature and fragility of masculinity.
2019
“The paradoxical nature of masculinity is an interesting one,” said Nichols. “Real men should be powerful and rugged, yet keep their hair trimmed and body hair groomed; men should not be vain but should be handsome; men should not spend time shopping but wear well-tailored suits.”
Like masculinity itself, PORTRAITS IN MASCULINITY invites the viewer to penetrate the thin veneer of confidence and power which we see from a distance. “The Krikorian Gallery is the perfect space for interacting with this body of Eric’s work,” says Candace Casey, Director of the Gallery and Gallery Store. “It gives the viewer the ability to move across the room to see up close but also to be simultaneously surrounded by these larger than life portraits.”
Eric Nichols is an artist, cinematographer, and photographer based out of Worcester, MA. He holds a MFA in studio arts from Maine College of Art and is a photo lab manager and faculty member at Worcester State University. His work has been shown nationally at the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, and the Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, ME).
Several programs are planned to accompany the show in addition to the opening reception.
“Photography is one of our craft disciplines and we are energized by the great amount of photographic talent in this area,” says Honee Hess, Craft Center Executive Director. “For us to help people appreciate the art and craft of photography, that is part of our mission; Eric Nichols’ work will help us generate conversation about what photography can do and be as an art and craft.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Honee Hess, hhess@worcester.edu.
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 immigrants 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 inspire and build a creative community through the promotion, appreciation and teaching of craft." This mission includes the public education initiatives adult education classes and workshops, , exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Measuring 40” x 50” in size, Nichols’ prints command a larger than life authority and power when viewed at a distance. Upon inspection, that authority gives way to a sense of vulnerability, exposing for the viewer an instantaneous understanding of flaws and aging that affect sense of identity. The camera in Nichol’s hands offers an objective, mechanical representation unobstructed by the artist’s personal bias but a representation that also reveals the paradoxical nature and fragility of masculinity.
2019
Like masculinity itself, PORTRAITS IN MASCULINITY invites the viewer to penetrate the thin veneer of confidence and power which we see from a distance. “The Krikorian Gallery is the perfect space for interacting with this body of Eric’s work,” says Candace Casey, Director of the Gallery and Gallery Store. “It gives the viewer the ability to move across the room to see up close but also to be simultaneously surrounded by these larger than life portraits.”
Eric Nichols is an artist, cinematographer, and photographer based out of Worcester, MA. He holds a MFA in studio arts from Maine College of Art and is a photo lab manager and faculty member at Worcester State University. His work has been shown nationally at the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, and the Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, ME).
Several programs are planned to accompany the show in addition to the opening reception.
- On Thursday, February 7 at 5:30pm, Eric Nichols will give an Artist’s Talk which is free and open to the public.
- On Saturday, February 16, Nichols will be joined by photographers, Matthew Gamber, Colleen Fitzgerald, Greer Muldowney, and Catherine Wilcox-Titus in “INSTA,” a social media and photography discussion. This discussion makes note of the fact that the cellphone camera and the popularity of social media platforms have changed photographic image-making forever and questions what photography is today. Free and open to the public.
- Studio Lighting & Portrait Photography Workshop: Seeing the Light will be held on Saturday, March 9 from 1-5pm. It will be led by Eric Nichols and will cover how to design your own lighting scenarios to create more interesting photos while exploring the use of modifiers, fills and reflectors. Pre-registration is required for this workshop by phone (508-753-8183, x 1) or online.
“Photography is one of our craft disciplines and we are energized by the great amount of photographic talent in this area,” says Honee Hess, Craft Center Executive Director. “For us to help people appreciate the art and craft of photography, that is part of our mission; Eric Nichols’ work will help us generate conversation about what photography can do and be as an art and craft.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Honee Hess, hhess@worcester.edu.
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 immigrants 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 inspire and build a creative community through the promotion, appreciation and teaching of craft." This mission includes the public education initiatives adult education classes and workshops, , exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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