This weekend I visited the Smithsonian Craft Museum at the Renwick Gallery. I was very excited because it was the final weekend of the 40 Under 40 exhibition and I really wanted to see what the “craft futures” had to offer. It truly was amazing the things people create. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take pictures since it was a special exhibit (not for a lack of trying, there were guards everywhere!), but you can see more about the artists and their work here.
Now I must admit, I got a bit nervous when I left this awesome and innovative exhibit to the second floor of the museum. After walking up a grand staircase, I was in a room filled with massive paintings from looooooong bygone eras. While some of the paintings were truly beautiful and magnificent (not to mention ginormous!), I couldn’t help but think they were boring compared to what I just saw. It made me wonder, who decided to do this? But as I strolled into the next room, more “craft” items were featured. Below are some of my favorites.
I’m a huge fan of the PBS series Craft in America and it’s what inspired me to begin this blog. So I was beyond excited to see artists featured from the episodes right there on display in front of me. I mean, it took everything in me not to sit in the Maloof double rocking chair!
All in all, I left feeling inspired and informed on craft as a whole. If anyone is in the D.C. area with an afternoon to spare, I highly suggest it, as a peek inside the mind of Americans who make beautiful things that make people happy (and they have a great gift shop!)