Los Angeles, CA - Craft in America, a filmed journey to the history, artists and techniques of our nation’s rich craft culture, is currently in production on Season Three, to air in 2011.
Filming began with an April 2010 shoot in New Orleans for a segment on local metal artist and jeweler, THOMAS MANN. Tom will be featured in an all-new episode called Messages, which explores how craft artists go beyond skill to expose their personal and political expression and use craft to tell a story, prove a point, experiment, or bring attention to contemporary issues.
Thomas Mann is famous for his “Techno-Romantic” designs and made a series of wall panels with a piece of jewelry included in each to document his beloved New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. After the devastation, Tom spent weeks traversing the city, taking photographs and gathering pieces that spoke of the history and culture of New Orleans. He then used these items and experiences to create a body of work entitled Storm Cycle.
One of the Storm Cycle panels, Angel, is constructed of bronze, glow-in-the-dark acrylic, wood and roof scraps, and a photograph Tom took when he came upon a “collapsed neighborhood church at the corner of Peniston and Barrone streets. The shock of the storm winds literally blew it down. But, standing in the midst of the ruins was a statue of an angel, missing a wing, but upright. I found it inspirational.”
Through re-visiting the sites that inspired Storm Cycle, we explore some of the neighborhoods that have recovered and many still in the struggle of repairing and rebuilding their homes, schools and businesses. We speak with Tom, other artists, historians and musicians (including Paul Guerra, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, and the Loose Marbles band) about the unique community that is New Orleans and how it survives through adversity.
The four additional artists to be filmed for the Messages episode express different interests and points of view, but have this in common: their skill and creativity are of the highest level, and each conveys a personal message to the observer.
Central California fiber artist CONSUELO JIMENEZ UNDERWOOD spent her childhood as a migrant field worker and says, “With beauty, grace and traditional form, my work expresses the quiet rage that has permeated indigenous peoples of the Americas.” Wisconsin glass artist BETH LIPMAN explores the symbolism of 17th century still life paintings through glimmering creations. New Mexico santero CHARLES CARRILLO uses authentic materials to combine historic, religious subject matter with contemporary culture. Quilter, sculptor, and performance artist JOYCE SCOTT learned quilting and beading from her mother and draws from references as wide-ranging as Africa and comic books to focus on issues such as race and stereotyping.
Craft in America is the result of years of passion, advocacy, research and filmmaking by Carol Sauvion, the series creator and executive producer. “Craft is once again proving its relevance as people return to the handmade in these economic times and in our high-tech, drag and drop, outsourced world."
Ancillary projects, developed to expand upon the stories told in the television series, include traveling exhibitions, the Random House book Craft in America: Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects, an extensive website with hours of streaming video and learning materials, and a free-to-the-public Study Center in Los Angeles that offers monthly artist talks and a library of resources on the history and techniques of craft.
For more information about the Craft in America project:
www.craftinamerica.org
www.pbs.org/craftinamerica
PBS Video
Youtube
Flickr
