The Academy Art Museum will celebrate its 18th Annual Craft Show, “Blown Away,” October 16-18, 2015 in Easton, Maryland. The Craft Show has significantly expanded over its 18-year history. Initially designed to showcase select works by local artists, today the Show has become the most prestigious and largest juried craft show on the Delmarva Peninsula. It now incorporates the best of the best local and nationally known artists, which exemplifies quality at every price point.
Last year’s show achieved record setting attendance and crafts sales and garnered the attention of award-winning artists who have applied to participate in the 2015 show. Over half of this year’s 60-juried artists are new to the Show. Items from the artists’ collections available for purchase encompass all craft mediums: jewelry, wood, ceramics, metal, mixed media, sculpture, basketry, paper, and fibers. The best of the best artists, both locally and nationally, exemplify quality at every price point.
Among the featured artists from Annapolis are jewelry makers Cynthia Alderdice and Lois Mansfield of Annapolis and wood artist Tom Yates of Annapolis. In addition, there will be three featured artists in the Show – award-winning glass blowers Julia and Robin Rogers of Norfolk, VA; local Eastern Shore mosaic artist, Sue Stockman, and Washington, DC neon glass artist, Craig Kraft. As a special addition, featured artists Julia Rogers, Adjunct Faculty, Chrysler Museum Glass Studio and Robin Rogers, Assistant Manager, Chrysler Museum Glass Studio, will present live glass blowing in the Museum’s courtyard at this year’s Show – a rare opportunity to experience the science, art, and magic of glass blowing.
Also of special interest at this year’s Show is Honorary Chair and Visionary Artist for 2015 Emilio Santini of Williamsburg, VA, whose extraordinary glass works will be on display in the Museum’s atrium. Santini was born in Murano, Italy – the “garden” of Venice.
He traces his family roots to over 500 hundred years of glass blowing tradition in that area. His exhibitions span the globe with selected collections represented in the Corning Museum of Glass, the Chrysler Museum, the Sheffield Museum (UK) and the Museo di Arte Contemporanea Ca’Pesaro in Venice.
The 2015 Craft Show promises to offer something for everyone. Guests can experience intriguing outdoor sculpture in its natural space where the artist intended it to be. Strolling musicians and a delicious lunch will delight Show attendees. Back by popular demand will be the Little Crafter’s Room, which will enable parents to enjoy a child-free hour to explore and shop at the Show ahead of the holiday rush. Again this year, many area businesses, organizations, and individuals are partnering with the Museum by sponsoring exhibitor booths.
The Annual Craft Show Preview Party will be held on Friday October 16, 2015. This preview event sold out last year and tickets are expected to be equally in demand this year. A favorite Talbot County Chef will cater the party. To sweeten the evening, tasting stations featuring local beer, wine, and spirits will be set up throughout the Museum and the Waterfowl Building. The coveted annual Show Awards will be given to selected artists at the party.
The Craft Show is one of the major fundraisers for the Museum and an easy way to support its many community-based programs for all ages. Major sponsors of the 2015 Craft Show include Pohanka of Salisbury, Ameriprise Financial, WCEI Radio, APG Chesapeake, and Easton Utilities. Tickets for the show on Saturday or Sunday are $10 for Museum members and $12 for non-members and will be on sale at the door. Tickets for the Preview Party are $100 per person and can be purchased in advance at the Museum. For more information about this event, visit academycraftshow.org or call 410-822-2787