THE OHIO CRAFT MUSEUM Presents:
National Treasures: Art in the Making and Boxes and Their Makers Exhibitions
July 10–August 21, 2011
(Columbus, Ohio) – From July 10 through August 21, the Ohio Craft Museum will present two exhibitions that showcase wood in a variety of forms. “National Treasures: Art in the Making,” organized by Historical Woods of America (HWA) in Virginia, features objects by over 20 artists who created their work using wood reclaimed from historic sites, including Mt. Vernon, Monticello and Civil War battlegrounds. The exhibition was curated by nationally recognized wood artist Jacques Vesery and HWA founder William Jewell, who believes that reclamation of these historical trees provides an important connection to our past. His organization reclaims trees that have either fallen in storms, are diseased or cause safety concerns. The recovered wood is used to make not only lathe-turned art, but flooring, furniture, even pens and knife handles.
“The individuals featured in this exhibition have always shown tremendous reverence for the material they work in, but have now been entrusted with wood from trees that are tied to the very heart of American history,” states Kevin Wallace, director of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai, California, in the accompanying catalog. “The works display the signature approach of each individual artist, while reflecting the origins of the wood and a nation’s shared histories.” Artists in the show include Trent Bosch, Mark Lindquist, Bonnie Klein, Binh Pho and David Ellsworth.
Boxes and Their Makers
Shown concurrently is “Boxes and Their Makers,” an exhibition that explores the box form using wood as the material. Originating at the Messler Gallery of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, the curated exhibition features work by over 30 artists from the United States, Australia, Germany, Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom. Visitors won’t find square boxes in this exhibition: instead, a grasshopper, bird, even an iron will be on view. “The makers of these boxes more didn’t go into their workshops because there was a shortage of containers in the world,” stated Peter Korn, executive director at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. “Rather, they went into their workshops on voyages of creative exploration—to transform raw materials into expressive objects.”
Sponsored in part by IRWIN Tools and Accessories, the show can be viewed online at
www.messlergallery.org or www.ohiocraft.org.
Closing Reception
Please Note: A special closing reception will be held on Sunday, August 21, from 1 to 4 p.m.,
featuring two guest speakers. At 1:30 p.m., William Jewell, curator of “National Treasures” and
founding director of Historical Woods of America, will discuss his organization’s preservation efforts and the inspirations behind the works in the exhibition. At 3:00 p.m., Dr. Oscar Fitzgerald, one of the curators of “Boxes and Their Makers,” will discuss the works and the artists in that exhibition. The former director of the Navy Museum in Washington, D.C., Fitzgerald is currently a faculty member of the Smithsonian Institution/Corcoran School Master’s Program in the Decorative Arts. He will also be signing his latest book, New Masters of the Wooden Box, during the reception.
The Ohio Craft Museum
The Ohio Craft Museum is operated by Ohio Designer Craftsmen, an organization that engages and enriches the community through high-quality exhibitions, education programs, and the professional development of fine craft artists. Ohio Designer Craftsmen receives ongoing funding from the Ohio Arts Council, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Foundation. The museum is located at 1665 West Fifth Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Hours are Monday–Friday, 10 A.M.–5 P.M.; and Saturday–Sunday, 1–4 P.M., during exhibitions only. Admission and parking are free. For further information, telephone (614) 486-4402; or see our website at ohiocraft.org