Pier 5 Condo

As the American Craft Council Baltimore Show drew to a close, I heard a passerby say, “it’s just one thing after another! Wow, it’s just amazing!” I can think of no better way to describe the experience. It was a complete pleasure to meet with the craftspeople and to see their works up close. There were a lot of people that I only knew through their popular works up until this event; but I still felt like I knew them well. Let me give a final nod to some of the artists that touched my soul.

The Iron Design Company, spearheaded by Marc Maiorana, promotes stylish designs. Elegance of this caliber is not usually associated with this material, so it’s hard to believe that Maiorana’s exquisite candlesticks are the result of processing such an industrial substance. Even the simple, small cylindrical bottle openers that they have can double as an art installation.

On the topic of installations, I’ll talk about a guy named Jamie Harris. He has recently added a “mod” to an array of blown glass pieces. These are crafts that are layered with loud colors, then carved so thinly they could easily be clipped onto your wall. The glass canvass is truly a magnificent work to be added to decorations.

Euh-Suh Choi also handles glass, but with a slight variation; her personal experiences show on the material, as does her unique designs. She works with extremely thin glass, but in the end, she still ends up with works that are contemplative and simply remarkable.

These craftspeople are more than eager to show off their works. I would have checked and marveled at each one; if only time afforded me that luxury. Nevertheless, there are many more talented individuals than I presented here, and you will certainly meet them on the craft shows that are yet to come.