Routed West celebrates quilts in the context of the Second Great Migration, a mass movement of 5 million African Americans from the rural South to cities in the North and West between 1940-1970 in search of a more equitable life.

Through over 80 artworks, the show explores quilts’ joyful power in Black life.

Highlights include cherished heirlooms reflecting family histories, links across generations and work by contemporary artists who are keeping African American quilting traditions alive.

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For over two millennia, Pueblo potters in the southwestern region of North America have created clay jars and bowls for storage and ceremonial purposes. Women are at the forefront of this work.

In 1998, the National Museum of Women in the Arts organized the first ever museum survey of women Pueblo potters.

The 24 vessels in Burnished reflect diverse traditions across Pueblo communities, with Maria Martinez, Margaret Tafoya, Stephanie Tafoya, Dorothy Torivio, Iris Youvella Nampeyo, among others.

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Handwork, Soulwork: Black Craft in the United States offers a social history of quiltmaking, pottery, basketmaking, and blacksmithing.

Each week, we will explore a different practice, the craftspeople working within that practice, their work, and the material conditions in which they created their work.

We will cover renowned craftspeople with an exhibition and publication history, we will focus on the people whose provenance records and museum interpretive labels identify them as “unknown.”

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Every discipline is formed, shaped, and re-formed by the texts that constitute its discourse. Craft history is still a nascent discipline, and the texts that describe its boundaries and centers are both significant and yet still hungry for better company.

Each week in this course, we will discuss a few key texts that have impacted craft history, and point towards what could come next.

The course requires active participation and will be shaped like a friendly, conversational book club.

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Discover 250 years of American glassmaking. Immigrant craftsman and entrepreneurs initially focused production on the necessities—primarily windows and bottles. Regardless, glassblowers found opportunities to “play” in the factory.

This course will examine how the demand for skills and opportunities for creativity evolved with technology and design trends. Special emphasis is placed on the origins of the American Studio Glass movement and the shift from factory to studio.

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The Smithsonian Women’s Committee is an all-volunteer auxiliary organization within the Smithsonian Institution.  To fulfill its mission of supporting the Smithsonian, the Committee produces the spring Smithsonian Craft Show as well as Craft2Wear, a fall show.

The Craft Show is a premier showcase for the finest American hand-crafted contemporary craft and design. Held in Washington, DC, annually, the Craft Show features a show and sale of works by 120 superb craft artists who are selected by independent jurors.  Also at the Craft Show, the Smithsonian presents its Visionary Award to a craft artist who is at the pinnacle of his or her medium.

The Craft2Wear show provides collectors and casual shoppers the opportunity to acquire unique and interesting wearables created by outstanding craft artists. Proceeds from both shows are used to fund grants to the Smithsonian for its museums, research centers, and the National Zoo.

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JRACraft is a vibrant group of art enthusiasts, collectors, artists, educators, students, and art professionals who share a passion for contemporary American craft. Our members enjoy a diverse year-round schedule of programs, including social events, educational lectures and tours, and art-inspired excursions.

We are committed to advancing scholarship, education, and public appreciation of craft art as well as promoting individual achievements of excellence and innovation in the craft field.

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Located in the heart of Washington, DC, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts.

With its collections, exhibitions, programs, and online content, the museum seeks to inspire dynamic exchanges about art and ideas. NMWA advocates for better representation of women artists and serves as a vital center for thought leadership, community engagement, and social change. The museum addresses the gender imbalance in the presentation of art by bringing to light important women artists of the past while promoting great women artists working today.

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