Congratulations to Gwendolyn Eason Palmer, winner of the 2010 essay contest. She chose Zola Crafts in Durhan, NC as her favorite craft retailer.
Why American Craft is Important
The window to America’s soul is found in her crafts. History books contain the facts, but American art expresses the spirit that sets us apart and defines us as a people. Fueled by the need to survive and a desire for self-expression, the hands of the earliest American craftsmen transformed everyday ingredients into objects of function and beauty, sometimes with a touch of humor. Today’s craft creators are not always motivated by the need to survive and may have access to a broader range of tools and supplies than our forebears, but the artisans still harness skill and imagination to transform available raw materials into works of beauty, function, or whimsy, answering a need for emotional and intellectual release and expression and providing awe, pleasure, joy, or wonder for both artist and recipient alike.
Now, as in the past, through a craft, an artist shares a moment in time with posterity, and in “reading” American crafts, one senses the values, the pleasures and the needs both of the artists and of their time periods. While individuality influences a finished product and determines those to whom it most appeals, the importance of American craft is that the body of work resonates deep within the core of the American people – creators, owners and appreciators – and also represents our wonderful creative spirit to those beyond our borders.