MAKERS: A History of American Studio Craft - HOT OFF THE PRESS!
August 02, 2010
Arriving home from my family vacation at the beach, I found a mountain of mail waiting for me. But thrill upon thrill, there was my copy of Makers: A History of American Studio Craft, HOT OFF THE PRESS! I ordered it weeks ago, it has finally arrived!!!!!.
This book took five years of research and intensive effort from Bruce Metcalf and Janet Koplos. As mentioned in a previous post, this book was designed and written as a college-level textbook on the history of craft in the 20th century published by The University of North Carolina Press. It looks like a textbook with only about one picture per page. This is definitely not a picture book. IF you aren't familiar with craft history you might want to read this book next to an internet resource for quick reference.
Essentially, it is the one and only book of this kind published to date. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to read the entire book word for word, cover to cover.
Joking aside, I am not kidding. This book is bound to be a milestone in the studio craft movement of the 21st century.
Hourglass Figure: The Scale of Torture
Recycled tin cans, battery motor, alum.
rivets, dial, screws.
Artist: Harriete Estel Berman © 1994
Photo Credit: Philip Cohen
The first chapter starts with "The Roots of Studio Craft" in the 19th century, but thereafter, each and every chapter covers one decade after another in the 20th century. My joy and excitement is that an image of my work, Hourglass Figure: The Scale of Torture, is included in the final chapter titled, "1990-1999 Mastery As Meaning" along with a column of commentary text.
So far the best price I've found for Makers: A History of American Studio Craft is on Amazon.com. In the interest of full disclosure, clicking on the link and purchasing a book will provide this blog with a few cents as an affiliate link.
IF you don't want to buy your own book, then I suggest you ask your local library system immediately to get it and put yourself at the top of the waiting list.
This post was updated on January 19, 2022.