Art Museum's Craft Show

The perfect object lesson in what makes fine craft so exciting came with the very first work I saw at this year's Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. JoAnne Russo, from Vermont, makes baskets, using meticulous weaving techniques that have been practiced for centuries. That's good enough in itself, but with the extraordinary level of skill and imagination in Russo's work, things take off from there— as they do generally in this show.

I looked more closely and realized that the closely patterned decorations bristling the surface of Russo's forms were made of sewing notions— hooks and eyes, wooden buttons, zippers— vestiges of old technology but transformed for startling, delightful effect. That's the heart of fine craft— consummate skill, meticulous attention to detail, perfection of finish, all coupled with unique imagination— and it was on spectacular display at the Convention Center.

The Philadelphia show, an important fund-raiser for the Art Museum, represents, with a few others, the gold standard for crafts; the exhibitors, from across the U.S., are selected by a highly competitive jury process, so they're all at the top of their game. Each year there is also an international focus; this year's show included artists from Korea.

Tiny intriguing stories

It's an extensive show; there's plenty to see. One of the best parts of the experience involves talking to the artists about their work, their methods and their materials.

— Carolyn Morris Bach, a jeweler from Rhode Island who builds tiny intriguing stories into her delicate pieces, uses unique stones, shells and recycled prehistoric ivory.

— Akiko Sugiyama, from Florida, works with paper, crafting it into complex sculptural forms. Many of her creations evoke natural processes of growth and regeneration; her careful methods of winding and twisting paper into seeds and twigs exemplify the skilled patience of a dedicated artist.

— Brian R. Jones, a ceramic artist from Portland, Oregon, makes hand built pieces decorated in soft earthy tones spiked here and there with rich color. His butter dishes, with eaves and roofs, are whimsical but possess solid architectural presence.

Small boxes as sea creatures

All the categories of fine craft were well represented, from handmade clothing to custom furniture, but some of the most interesting work doesn't fit easily into a precise genre. A mark of the quality of the show is the inclusion of well-made art that transcends expectation.

For example, Louise Hibbert, from Virginia, works with wood, creating small boxes whose level of craftsmanship and ingenuity defy belief; some take the shape of sea creatures or insects, and all are exquisitely detailed.

Another unusual artist is Christine Kaiser, from the Pittsburgh area; her painted wooden creations tell sweet, strange, funny stories with a mix of drawing, craft, painting and sculpture.

This year's show also included some of Philadelphia's own best craftspeople: Steven Ford and David Forlano, who met at Tyler School of Art, make strongly beautiful high concept jewelry out of silver and polymer clay, while basket artist Ed Bing Lee teases out endlessly entertaining variation on a basic form using ribbons, yarns and shoelaces.