by: Mary E. Petzak

In the world of crafts, as in all human endeavors, players continuously enter and exit the stage. This month’s moves are exceptional only because they involve some of the people who take leading roles.

The shows will go on for the American Craft Council, but JoAnn Brown will no longer be in the director’s seat. Brown retired in August after almost three decades of shepherding artists and ACC shows around the country. Her successor, Christine Crawfis, although new to this position has worked with the ACC since 1986. Fittingly, Crawfis holds a degree in theater arts and produced special events for Ringling Circus in one of her previous jobs.

In other news this month, we get to look in on the stellar turnout for the opening of the SOFA exhibit and sale in New York. SOFA, which stands for Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art, draws an international crowd of artists, collectors and gallery owners each year for high-stakes socializing and sales in New York. Prices for works snapped up during this Hollywood-like event topped $35,000 for ceramics and glass pieces by well-seasoned artists.

At the same time, however, a newcomer to the show discovered that one of her works also sold on opening night.

Meanwhile, the Fuller Museum of Art in Massachusetts, recognizing the growing success of “world-renown crafts artists” living in the New England region, has announced it will revamp its collection to focus primarily on contemporary craft works starting in January 2003. The Fuller joins two other well-known East Coast museums, the American Craft Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass, both in New York, which have collections devoted solely to crafts.

Success may seem distant and reserved for the extraordinary among us when we read about the presentations and receptions given to these singular craft artists and exhibits. But, as we show every month, success is not always measured in acclaim or five-figure sales.

Our pages are full of news from artists and galleries about their ability to develop and prosper in the crafts industry for decades. Fortunately, they are not stingy when it comes to sharing their secrets and their vision with our readers.

This month our staff is seeking to assist those in the marketplace by compiling and analyzing information supplied through our second annual Economic Survey of artists, retailers and show promoters. Has this been a profitable year for you? Has the stock market’s dizzying performance of recent months affected your customer traffic or your cushion for riding out a slump? Can you afford to stay in business if you get sick and do not have health insurance? Are wholesale shows the best venue for marketing your product?

Results from the Economic Survey will run in our January 2003 issue. Let us hear from you, so we can share options and ideas with everyone who helps support the crafts industry. TCR

OCTOBER 2002 : TABLE OF CONTENTS