ACE is the place!

ACE begins today!!!

After our preview party tonight, the artists, ACE staffers and volunteers are thrilled to kick off the 25th Annual American Craft Exposition Friday at Northwestern University’s Henry Crown Pavilion in Evanston, Illinois.

We’ve gotten great press leading up to the event, including this most recent plug from the Northwest Herald’s Kurt Begalka:

This juried indoor exposition of museum-quality items features one-of-a-kind baskets, ceramics, fiber decorative, fiber wearable, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media and wood crafts. Just 150 artists are gleaned from 1,000 applications each year. Exhibitors include whimsical whirligig aficionado James Eaton of Sleepy Hollow; metalsmiths Jack and Alice McLean of Johnsburg and fiber artist Chris Roberts-Antieau of Manchester, Mich. I promise, you are in for a treat.

To read more, click here.

We hope to see you at ACE this weekend! Tickets are $15 for adults at the door, $5 for children younger than 10. All proceeds benefit breast and ovarian cancer research.

P.S. ACE’s hours:

Friday, Aug. 28: 10am-8pm

Saturday, Aug. 29: 10am-6pm

Sunday, Aug. 30: 11am-5pm

ACE is located at The Henry Crown Sports Pavillion at Northwestern University, 2311 N. Campus Drive, Evanston, Illlinois.

American Craft Exposition founder creates a collector’s home — chicagotribune.com

Just one more day until the ACE preview party! Here’s a great Chicago Tribune profile of our founder, Chris Robb, to get you fired up for ACE, which officially begins this Friday, August 28th:

Chris Robb traces her love of art to an art course she and her future husband, Bill, took as seniors at Northwestern. It was, she says, the start of a commitment they have made to art.

“The opportunity to be involved with the people involved in crafts and their objects has really changed our lives,” she says.

Click here to read more…

Going beyond arts and crafts | Fine Arts | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle

Interesting attention being paid to fine craft in Houston. Not exactly what you’d find at ACE, but definitely different than your typical summer “craft” fair.

“I want to hear people say, ‘Oh, that’s a digital print. Why the heck is that in a craft center?’ or ‘That’s a video. Why is that in a craft center?’” she says. “I want to start hearing some of this conversation, because I just think it’s really important to challenge the viewers and always be pushing those boundaries and stretching those ideas.”

ACE Artist Cliff Lee chosen for Smithsonian’s Renwick Craft Invitational – Artdaily.org

WASHINGTON, DC. A panel of three distinguished experts in American crafts and decorative arts has selected ceramic artist Cliff Lee, furnituremaker Matthias Pliessnig, glass artist Judith Schaechter and silversmith Ubaldo Vitali for the Renwick Craft Invitational 2011. Each artist is a master of his or her selected medium and creates artworks that combine historical techniques with contemporary forms.

To read the rest of the article, click here:

Now Sparkling | ‘GlassWear’ Exhibition – The Moment Blog – NYTimes.com

ACE jewelry artist Karen Gilbert is featured in a new exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design in NYC… AND gets a shout-out in the New York Times:

Wall Brooches, by Karen Gilbert … dexterously combine traditional jewelry materials with tubular Pyrex elements straight out of a high school chemistry lab.

via Now Sparkling | ‘GlassWear’ Exhibition – The Moment Blog – NYTimes.com.

Dates Announced for 2010 Buyers Market of American Craft – 6/19/2009 10:51:00 AM – JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone

The 2010 Winter show of the Buyers Market of American Craft will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107. The jewelry preview will be held Thursday, February 11, 2010, and the show will be held Friday – Monday, February 12 – 15, 2010.

via Dates Announced for 2010 Buyers Market of American Craft – 6/19/2009 10:51:00 AM – JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone.

25 Years of Handcrafted Art

ACE recently published  “These Hands Tell a Story: 25 Years of Handcrafted Art.” This “coffee table” book  features original photos of 25 leading artists who have participated in the American Craft Exposition since its inception.

“These Hands” features award-winning artists Cliff Lee and Josh Simpson, whose work appears in the White House Collection of American Crafts, and MacArthur Foundation Fellow, or “genius grant” winner, Mary Jackson.

“The American Craft Exposition has been a highlight of the American craft scene for the last 25 years and represents the absolute pinnacle of craft shows,” states Simpson.

Through sales of “These Hands,” ACE hopes not only to broaden awareness about the tradition of fine craft, but also to further its charitable mission. Proceeds from this book and the funds raised by ACE will support of breast and ovarian cancer research programs at NorthShore University HealthSystem.

The book is available for $25. To reserve a copy, either visit the ACE Web site or  contact The Auxiliary of NorthShore University HealthSystem at Evanston & Glenbrook Hospitals by emailing craft@northshore.org or calling (847) 570-5095.

Welcome to the American Craft Exposition blog!

Welcome to the American Craft Exposition blog! The American Craft Exposition (ACE) is busy preparing for our event Aug. 28-30, 2009 in Evanston, Illinois.

ACE is one of the nation’s premier fine craft shows.

Robert Balsley, ACE 2009 Co-Chairs Barbara Balsley and Diane Pekow, and Jerry Pekow

Presented by the Auxiliary of North Shore University Health System, ACE is a major fundraiser supporting breast and ovarian cancer care and research.

This blog aims to celebrate ACE’s efforts throughout the year and highlight the work of fine-craft artisans all over the world.