If your morning cup of coffee brings a smile to your lips, pick up a Smug Mug by Houston artist Jason Kishell. His ceramic mugs smile back at you. One of Kishell’s creations is featured on the cover of Humor in Craft, a new coffee-table photo book that Brigitte Martin is discussing and signing today at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.
“You have craft, you have art and you have an area in craft and art that overlaps,” says Martin. “That’s the area that I’m dealing with. You will see some functional objects. The mug by Jason Kishell, yes, it’s a mug, but it goes beyond its function. This is what this whole book is about, the overlap of craft and art.”
The diversity of witty craftwork was a surprise to Martin, who is editor for Crafthaus, an online social network for artisans. “One furniture-maker creates furniture for children; it looks as if it comes from an Alice in Wonderland movie. Another artist created a chandelier dress from glass. And there’s a duo from Amsterdam; they call themselves The Guys. They do taxidermy. But they do it in a way that you’ve never seen before. It’s beyond ridiculous. It’s definitely craft, but just not what you would expect.” 11 a.m. 4848 Main.
Free
