We decided to call our second event on July 24th Connect/(Dis)connect and have invited jeweler, educator and writer Bruce Metcalf and Chanel Kennebrew of Junkprints, an indie craft artist, graphic designer and Etsy seller, to engage in a lively conversation that will explore the complicated relationships between the broad spectrum of craft makers. Metcalf s sharp-witted thinking and his ability to clearly articulate his feelings and observations about the state of craft today (and his ability to rile up an audience as demonstrated by his presentation at the Society of North American Goldsmiths conference this spring) made him an obvious choice for this discussion. Etsy suggested we invite Kennebrew, known for her engaging, playful and socially relevant work that speaks to the themes of stereotypes and social binary opposition. Her t-shirts, hoodies, bags and other collaged pieces are bright, bold, beautiful and seem to have a soundtrack of their own. These two in conversation should be immensely insightful and shed lots of light on what s going on in the world of craft right now.
