ACC Names New Director: Sarah Shultz! Meet her at the Baltimore ACC Show!!

acc-social-logo-blueFor more than 75 years, the American Craft Council (ACC) has championed craft. Founder Aileen Osborn Webb recognized the significant impact craft has on individuals and communities, and established a nonprofit to preserve, cultivate, and celebrate this communal heritage. The ACC’s efforts span the nation, promoting the handmade through a resource-rich website and award-winning magazine, American Craft.

New Executive Director of the American Arts Council, Sarah Schultz. photo by Lightsey Darst

New Executive Director of the American Arts Council, Sarah Schultz. photo by Lightsey Dars

The American Craft Council has today announced that Sarah Schultz has been named its new executive director. Sarah, who has more than 25 years’ experience in arts leadership, fundraising, and education, succeeds Chris Amundsen, who left the organization in September. 

“The ACC has a remarkable history of celebrating and supporting craft in America,” Sarah says. “I am thrilled to be working with the board and staff as we expand the reach and engagement of the organization to the incredible diversity of practices and artists working today.”

Most recently, Sarah was interim vice president of public programs and education for the Friends of the High Line in New York City and a visiting curator for Mural Arts Philadelphia.

When Sarah begins as executive director April 2, it will be a homecoming of sorts: She spent more than 20 years at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, including 14 as director of education and curator of public practice. Sarah earned a BA in art history from Bucknell University, an MBA in arts administration from SUNY-Binghamton, and an MA from the University of Minnesota in art history and American studies. 

Sarah has been an outspoken proponent of innovation, networking, teamwork, and community building.

Sarah will be at this weeks Baltimore ACC show – a great opportunity to meet her!

The American Craft Show returns to the Baltimore Convention Center. This is the nation’s largest juried indoor craft show showcasing the work of more than 650 of the country’s leading contemporary artists.

Show Dates
February 23: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
February 24: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
February 25: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Erwin Timmers Featured in AAC Exhibit "Interwoven: Art. Craft. Design"

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Arlington Arts Center (AAC) hosts the national exhibit INTERWOVEN: Art.Craft.Design.

The AAC mounted this exhibition as a way to emphasize and expand the creative dialog around the ever-blurring boundaries between craft, design and fine art.

Juried by Melissa Messina, Senior Curator at the Savannah College of Art and Design and Kathryn Wat, Chief Curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the jurors were especially interested in artists who explore DIY practices, engage in the reclamation of craft-based materials, re-examine design aesthetics, and otherwise reinvent cross-disciplinary genres within the dialog of contemporary art.

Erwin Timmers “Indestructable Formation” cast recycled glass, 2012

Juried Artists: Erwin Timmers, Mt. Rainier MD; Jehanne Arslan, Oakton VA; Gertrude Berg, Brooklyn NY; Allison Bianco, Silver Spring MD; Ryan Brennan, Brooklyn NY; Caroline Wells Chandler, Long Island City NY; RL Croft, Manassas VA; Matthew de Leon, Brooklyn NY; Nikki Farrand, Richmond VA; Samantha Fields, Avon MA; Joe Fish, Fairfax VA; Maggie Gourlay, Rockville MD; Clarissa Gregory, Baltimore MD; Melanie Kehoss, Arlington VA; Lily Kuonen, Jacksonville FL; Heidi Leitzke, Lancaster PA; Shawne Major, Opelousas LA; Susannah Mira, Houston TX; Rebecca Mushtare, Oswego NY; Marc Robarge, Falls Church VA; Katie Shaw, Richmond VA; Kristin Skees, Hampton VA; Jessica Smith, Tybee Island GA; Olivia Valentine, Brooklyn NY; Saya Woolfalk, Brooklyn NY; Martine Workman, Washington DC.

An intriguing array of artwork with unusual subject matter and a surprising range of media—awesome glass work, video, window decals, fiber work, photography, books, light boxes, mixed media sculpture, and an original wall mural in the Tiffany Gallery–from artists working around the corner and as far away as Houston, TX.

Interwoven: Art Craft. Design.

Jan 18 – March 24, 2013

Opening Reception: Saturday, Jan 19, 2013, from 6 – 9 PM

Arlington Arts Center

3550 Wilson Blvd Arlington VA 22201

Metro : Orange Line : Virginia Square

Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Friday, 1 – 7 PM and Saturday – Sunday, 12 – 5 PM. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Arlington Arts Center Call for Entries that Engage Craft/Design/Art

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CALL FOR ENTRIES

JURIED EXHIBITION 2013

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 19, 2012

NOTIFICATION DATE: November 5, 2012

EXHIBITION DATES: January 18 – March 24, 2013

AAC is very pleased to announce two exciting jurors, Melissa 
Messina, Senior Curator at the Savannah College of Art and 
Design, and Kathryn Wat, Chief Curator at the National Museum
of Women in the Arts, who will select the artwork for Interwoven

This exhibition seeks to emphasize and expand the creative dialog
around the every-blurring boundaries between craft, design, and fine
art. The jurors are especially interested in artists who explore DIY
practices, engage in the reclamation of craft-based materials,
re-examine design aesthetics, and otherwise reinvent
cross-disciplinary genres within the dialog of contemporary art.

Artists may submit examples of up to three projects, completed in
the last three years, for consideration. The jurors will pick as many
projects from a given artist as they like.

The show is open to cutting edge contemporary artists working in
any/all media, and who live or work in Virginia, Washington DC,
Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, or Pennsylvania.