Hometown Hall

Every year the American Craft Council receives more than 700 applications from artists across the country who are vying for the 227 spaces available at the annual American Craft Show in Atlanta, which rolls into Atlanta March 14-16 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. The artists, among the best working in America today, exhibit and sell their fine craft – wood turned furniture, hand-blown glass, hand woven clothing, jewelry, children’s room décor, bowls and decorative objects and much more. The jury process is a rigorous one; it guarantees a high level of quality which craft collectors seek.

Atlanta art curator and owner of ConsultArt Marianne Lambert is a regular attendee of the show.

For new collectors, she suggests the following:

Before the show: Take a look at American Craft magazine, www.americancraftmag.org, to get a feel for what is considered exceptional.

At the show: Talk with the artists. Ask them about their process, what inspires them, and where else they show their work (galleries, museums, etc.).

Finally: Buy a piece because you like it: choose one based on an emotional connection rather than for practical investment purposes.

Andrew Glasgow, executive director of the American Craft Council, adds, “Another secret to smart collecting is to visit the show twice. Some spend the first day strolling the aisles and making notes of which cherry wood desk or glass sculpture caught their eye, and then they sleep on it. The objects that reappear in their minds (and hearts!) the next day are the ones they tend to revisit and seriously consider purchasing.”

Artists like Ricky Frank, who lives in Marietta, appreciate the exposure the American Craft Show provides him to both long-time and new customers. “This show is a great way for me to meet art patrons, tell them firsthand about my work and the process of creating it. I’m grateful for the opportunity that the American Craft Council gives me to showcase my work and to exhibit with some of the best artists working in America today. It allows us to reach the discerning buyers who are truly interested in buying fine art and craft.”

Frank makes intricate cloisonné enamel jewelry, some pieces which take years to complete. He is one of 47 jewelers who were juried into the show, along with 5 basket makers, 29 ceramics artists, 24 wearable art/fabric artists, 16 fiber artists, 26 glass artists, 13 furniture makers, 12 leather crafts persons, 13 metal artists, 28 mixed media artists and 16 wood turners. 24 of the artists exhibiting at this year’s Atlanta show are exhibiting for the first time at the Atlanta show. Many are designated as GreenArtists, meaning that all or a portion of their work is made from recycled materials or from materials that would have been trash otherwise.

WSB Family 2 Family and Atlanta Home & Lifestyle Magazine are the official media sponsors for the American Craft Show.

The American Craft Show in Atlanta
March 14-16, 2008
Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm; Sunday: 10am-5pm
Cobb Galleria Centre – Free Parking. www.cobbgalleria.com

$12 for one day; $18 for a two-day pass
American Craft Council members and Children 12 and under admitted free.
To purchase tickets online, please visit: www.craftcouncil.org/atlanta.