Gettin' crafty....

My mom and I went to a really fun and inspiring craft show this weekend in St. Paul put on by the American Craft Council. It was really fun to see so many different styles and mediums throughout the show. One of my favorites were these pieces (above and below) by Susan M. Hinkley, a wool artist. Here work is whimsical and fun and very detailed. She also has an enjoyable blog called Small Works in Wool.

Flinn Designs also had a bright whimsical style. She uses paper clay on canvas and builds up and etches away the scene she creates and then paints with acrylics on top. They were wonderful!

The woodwork and ceramics were spectacular, including artist Jan Bilek (above).
Other favorites were: Axiom glass
Nature's Creations
also OddestGoddess has some quirky little characters.

Danielle Desplan creates the most gorgeous mixed media collage on paper (above). They looked like old Italian paintings with the layers of depth and goldleafing on top. Stunning!

The American Craft Council is hosting a conference here in the twin cities in October called Creating a New Craft Culture. The goal of this conference is to investigate the inherent contradictions between craft as a lifestyle and craft as a business. These contradictions are not new to craft. For many, making is a meaningful way of life, but the question is—How can the core values of craft play a role in future marketplace models?

Sounds interesting!