Monarch Caterpillar pendant by Charity Hall
A coalescence of the past and present comes together to beg the question, how has craft changed? “Mastering Craft: Contemporary Concepts from Regional Makers,” at William King Museum of Arts, Abingdon, Virginia, features work from three previous instructors from Penland School of Crafts, and three previous instructors from Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
In “Mastering Craft,” ottomans are not used to elevate one’s feet, they are made to investigate the ways in which interior spaces shape our memories. Fabrics are not intended to be quilts, rather they are woven together to create a playful landscape. Whiskey jugs are not simply vessels for quenching one’s thirst, they are formed to contemplate the food industry. Art textbooks teach us that craft and fine art are two different things, but contemporary artists are challenging this notion. The work featured in “Mastering Craft” visually complements William King Museum of Art’s permanent collection, and ponders the question is contemporary craft blurring the lines between craft and fine art?
William King Museum of Art is open seven days a week: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is free. For information on exhibitions or events at William King Museum of Art, visit williamkingmuseum.org or call 276-628-5005. Register for classes and events on WKMA’s website.
The museum is located at 415 Academy Drive, off West Main Street or Russell Road, in Abingdon. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, William King Museum of Art is a partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Virginia Association of Museums, and is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
