Press Releases

The Board of Directors of the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) announced today that Executive Director Perry Price will leave his position at the end of the year to lead the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine, as its next executive director.

“Perry’s nearly seven-year tenure at the Center has been a time of exceptional growth,” says HCCC Board President Judy Nyquist. “His leadership has brought new initiatives, given a platform to diverse voices, and has elevated the dialogue locally, regionally, and nationally about the significance of contemporary craft. He has given his staff the authority to test out new ideas and has led the institution with grace through the most challenging two-and-a-half years in the Center’s history. Our reputation as a thought leader in the field has grown exponentially, and our artist residency program is considered one of the most prestigious in the country, encouraging and enabling both emerging and established makers to experiment and go on to robust careers. While it is very difficult to say goodbye, the HCCC Board of Directors wish Perry and his family the very best at Haystack and look forward to many future collaborations.”

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(HOUSTON, TX) September 23, 2022 — Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to announce that, following a national search, it has named Sarah Darro as its new curator and exhibitions director.

“HCCC is excited to welcome Sarah Darro back to Houston,” said HCCC Executive Director Perry Price. “After three years producing innovative and exciting exhibitions at the Center as our curatorial fellow, Sarah has continued to develop and deepen her curatorial voice in craft at peer institutions across the country and earn impressive accolades for her work. Her accomplishments, her relationships with artists and communities, and her novel approach to exhibition development and design will find a receptive home at HCCC and within the cultural community of Houston.”

Over the past decade, as a curator, writer, and visual anthropologist working at the nexus of contemporary art, craft, and design, Darro has established an intersectional curatorial vision that is invested in reinvigorating museum spaces as forums for discourse, innovation, action, and engagement through experience. Her research interests include artist communities and collectives, relational aesthetics, movement and performance practice in craft, architecturally influenced design, radical accessibility, systems esthetics, and the life histories and agency of objects.

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(HOUSTON, TX) July 22, 2022 – Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to announce its newest class of residents for 2022 – 2023, a group of outstanding artists working in a variety of craft disciplines.

For more than 20 years, the Center’s artist residency program has offered time and space for craft artists to focus on their creative work and interact with the public. The program supports emerging, mid-career, and established artists working in all craft media, including but not limited to clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and mixed media.  This year, more than 145 artists applied from all over the U.S. and beyond, and 11 artists were selected for a three-to-twelve-month residency. The juried selection was based on quality of creative work, ability to interact with the public, career direction, and program diversity. In addition to 24/7 access to studio space, HCCC provides the artists with a materials-and-living stipend, a variety of professional development opportunities, and a group exhibition at the conclusion of the residency cycle.

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(HOUSTON, TX) July 1, 2022 — This fall, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) presents CraftTexas 2022, the eleventh in a series of juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft.

Juried by Andres Payan Estrada, the curator of public engagement at Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles, CA, the show includes 40 pieces by nearly 30 artists, highlighting works that speak to personal stories of struggle and resilience, while challenging expectations of contemporary craft. The CraftTexas series provides a unique opportunity for Texas artists to have their work viewed by a nationally recognized juror and to display their work in an exhibition that strives to broaden the understanding of contemporary craft. Payan Estrada, who was raised in Texas, selected his favorite works from a pool of more than 250 applicants. In his juror’s statement, he commented: “What coalesced from spending time with all the entries and methodically pulling selections is a somber exhibition that addresses a history and lineage in craft thought, while at the same time challenging some of the preconceived definitions, histories, and cannons that have commonly been upheld through craft. Throughout the exhibition, one will encounter more nuanced and poetic approaches to identity politics, personal histories, and communal experiences.”

Filling both the main and front gallery spaces at HCCC, the exhibition will include a wide variety of artworks and installations, with a particularly strong showing of work created from fiber, metal, and mixed media.

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(HOUSTON,TX) June 16, 2022 – This summer, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to present In Residence: 15th Edition, an exhibition celebrating the Artist Residency Program, which has supported artists working in the field of craft for more than two decades. The show features work in clay, metal, and fiber by 2021-2022 resident artists, Joan Clare Brown, Kelly Dzioba, Priscilla Dobler Dzul, Jihye Han, Chenlu Hou, Carl Johnson, Naomi Peterson, Kerianne Quick, Nash Quinn, and Stephanie J. Woods.

The Artist Residency Program at HCCC gives resident artists a space for creative exploration, exchange, and collaboration with other artists, arts professionals, and the public. HCCC Curatorial Fellow Cydney Elaine Pickens notes, “What separates In Residence: 15th Edition from its predecessors is the collaboration among residents. While some of these artists had the opportunity to create collaboratively in person, others were in conversation about how their practices may align or differ, and each was uniquely impacted by their residency here in Houston.”

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HOUSTON, TX) April 14, 2022 – This summer, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to present Made to Last: The Legacy of the Jubilee Quilt Circle, held in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of The Community Artists’ Collective (The Collective). Featuring a selection of quilts made by current participants and founding members, the exhibition celebrates the history of The Collective’s Jubilee Quilt Circle and honors the quilting traditions and narratives of the African American community.

Serving as an educational and cultural link among African American artists and all communities, the Community Artists’ Collective has always made quilting and sewing an important part of their programming. In 2007, they officially named The Jubilee Quilt Circle as a regular program, open to anyone interested in learning or sharing their quilting, knitting, crocheting, and/or embroidery projects. In addition to hosting weekly meetings, the Circle promotes the legacy of African American quilting (a longstanding tradition, with roots in Africa) through workshops, art fairs, and community outreach.

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(HOUSTON, TX) March 25, 2022 — Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) announces the impending departure of Curator Kathryn Hall, who will leave her long-held position this June to relocate to New York City and pursue a series of independent projects. The Center also announces a national search for a new curator to begin work this summer.

“The impact that Kathryn has made on the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft over her decade-long career here is immeasurable,” shares HCCC Executive Director Perry Price. “Without the exhibitions she has curated, the work she has fostered with artists and colleagues from the Houston area and across the country, and the scholarship and ideas she has generated, the field of contemporary craft and the arts community of Houston would be much diminished. We have been the grateful recipients of her talents and look forward to future continued collaboration. The staff and board of HCCC wish her nothing but success in her future pursuits.”

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(HOUSTON, TX) March 17, 2022 – This summer, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) presents A Dressing the Future: The Ecofiction of Nicole Dextras, an exhibition that explores the exemplary craftsmanship of environmental artist Nicole Dextras’ set and costume designs from her dystopian film trilogy, A Dressing the Future (2016—present). Giving a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the artist’s process, the show features video excerpts; a selection of plant-based costumes; and ephemera that includes props, models, and other set components.

Inspired by the environmental art movement that emerged in the 1960s, Dextras shares a concern for the health of the planet and the environmental consequences of human behavior and the global economy. Her artistic practice, which incorporates her meticulous use of materials, encourages sustainable decision-making on an individual level, as well as within the fashion and film industries.

Presenting three challenging futures affected by fire, desertification, and flooding, respectively, Dextras’ narratives counter the reductive post-apocalyptic films of Hollywood, focusing on the dignity and strength of the survivor. When faced with material shortages, her protagonists provide a hopeful glimpse into the resourcefulness of future creatives by working in tandem with other living species to survive their dystopian surroundings.

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(HOUSTON, TX) March 1, 2022 – This spring, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is pleased to present Sawed, Soldered, Constructed: The Work of the Houston Metal Arts Guild, a juried member exhibition of the Houston-based guild comprised of jewelry and metal artists. Featuring works by 36 artists, the exhibition was juried by Cindi Strauss, Sara and Bill Morgan Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design and Assistant Director, Programming, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

The exhibition celebrates the wide range of design, processes, and techniques used in contemporary jewelry and metalwork. The sleek sophistication of Nash Quinn’s Elytra Vessel (2022) presents a strikingly different interpretation of contemporary metalsmithing when compared to the patinated copper frame in Beginnings and Endings (2022), crafted by Tarina Frank. While some of these works are purely sculptural, several functional and wearable pieces, such as Mary Davenport’s Chinese Turquoise Necklace (2016), contribute to the diverse and impressive selection of the works on view.

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WHAT:  2022 Crafting a Legacy Spring Luncheon

At the 2022 Crafting a Legacy Spring Luncheon, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) will celebrate its 20^th anniversary by honoring Catherine Morgan, the woman whose love for the arts inspired the organization’s founding. Along with the original board of directors—this year’s honorary chairs—and a group of dedicated supporters and collaborators, Catherine and her parents, Sara and Bill Morgan, envisioned HCCC as a place where artists and staff could work alongside one another, and the public could not only view art but experience craft as a living practice. Now, 20 years later, HCCC is thrilled to celebrate a landmark anniversary as one of the most unique art venues in Houston and the region.

The program will include remarks by HCCC Board President Brad Bucher and a Q&A with Catherine Morgan and HCCC Executive Director Perry Price. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on artworks made by celebrated craft artists in the silent auction, purchase stunning centerpieces, and shop fabulous jewelry and accessories in the Asher Gallery pop-up shop.

Proceeds from the Spring Luncheon will benefit HCCC and its mission to advance education on the process, product, and history of craft. HCCC introduces visitors of all ages to contemporary craft through extraordinary exhibitions and programs, hands-on activities and workshops, and experiences with working artists in on-site studios. Admission is always free.

WHEN: Thursday, May 5, 2022, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

WHERE:  River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Blvd., Houston, TX  77019

HONOREE:  Catherine Morgan

HONORARY CHAIRS:  Emelda J. Douglas, Glen Eichelberger, Anne Lamkin Kinder, Mike Morgan, Sara Morgan, Kathryn Rabinow, Kim Kabler Rootes, Ann T. Shaw

EVENT WEB PAGE:

https://www.crafthouston.org/events/luncheon-2022/

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