Comments for Redefining Craft http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net Art, Craft, Design, Huh? Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:26:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Repost of my recent article in American Craft Magazine by malynschel http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=130#comment-3191 malynschel Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:26:17 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=130#comment-3191 studies galactic 2004 studies galactic 2004

]]> Comment on Design and the fall of higher pursuits by Otto Wenger http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=112#comment-2450 Otto Wenger Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:03:03 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=112#comment-2450 My son is a glass major at Massart. Thats right, we still call it Massart! I believe the name change is a sign of the effort the school is making to draw new students into some of their less popular design majors. They simply wanted prospective students (when looking at college options) to see Massart as a place for Architectural and industrial design majors as well as the "fine" arts . I don't think it was some form of giving in. It is simply an attempt to let the world know a little bit about who they are. My son is a glass major at Massart. Thats right, we still call it Massart! I believe the name change is a sign of the effort the school is making to draw new students into some of their less popular design majors. They simply wanted prospective students (when looking at college options) to see Massart as a place for Architectural and industrial design majors as well as the “fine” arts . I don’t think it was some form of giving in. It is simply an attempt to let the world know a little bit about who they are.

]]> Comment on Art vs. Craft: Who’s winning? by Andrew MacDonald http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=103#comment-923 Andrew MacDonald Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:11:04 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=103#comment-923 I need to correct a factual error in your original post Dennis. Brian Jungen’s Prototypes For a New Understanding sculptures are yes, made with Nike Air Jordan shoes, but rather than being tennis shoes as you stated, they are actually basketball shoes. There is a big distinction here between the two sports. Jungen weaves and illuminates the complex undercurrents between native culture, the sport of basketball, commodification and the aura that surrounds these two seemingly disparate cultures. And a response to the above comment that mentioned the reader was concern with you dropping the name of Nike shoes as a product placement, I’ll say this. Jungen speaks about the use of these shoes in his work openly. He talks about the history behind the shoes and the aspirations of Aboriginal youth as similar to the aspirations of African American youth in the shadow of myth and superstardom. It is quite necessary to name drop here as it’s integral to the works and how we read both cultures in relation to commodification and how these cultures are appropriated for monetary gains. I need to correct a factual error in your original post Dennis. Brian Jungen’s Prototypes For a New Understanding sculptures are yes, made with Nike Air Jordan shoes, but rather than being tennis shoes as you stated, they are actually basketball shoes. There is a big distinction here between the two sports. Jungen weaves and illuminates the complex undercurrents between native culture, the sport of basketball, commodification and the aura that surrounds these two seemingly disparate cultures.

And a response to the above comment that mentioned the reader was concern with you dropping the name of Nike shoes as a product placement, I’ll say this. Jungen speaks about the use of these shoes in his work openly. He talks about the history behind the shoes and the aspirations of Aboriginal youth as similar to the aspirations of African American youth in the shadow of myth and superstardom. It is quite necessary to name drop here as it’s integral to the works and how we read both cultures in relation to commodification and how these cultures are appropriated for monetary gains.

]]> Comment on Inching Toward a More Reflective Craft by Gwynne http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-711 Gwynne Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:16:40 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-711 Dennis, I have been following your blog since we met at the 2006 CODA conference in Portland. I think your ideas and thoughts are important to the craft community and I always enjoy the boundaries you continue to push. I hope that you continue this blog as your life permits. Please also contact me regarding an idea I have trying to bridge the craft and DIY communities and re-define craft for the 21st Century. -Gwynne Rukenbrod Curator of Fine Craft Houston Center for Contemporary Craft Dennis,
I have been following your blog since we met at the 2006 CODA conference in Portland. I think your ideas and thoughts are important to the craft community and I always enjoy the boundaries you continue to push. I hope that you continue this blog as your life permits. Please also contact me regarding an idea I have trying to bridge the craft and DIY communities and re-define craft for the 21st Century.
-Gwynne Rukenbrod
Curator of Fine Craft
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

]]> Comment on Craft In America Promo by mia http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=113#comment-627 mia Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:19:23 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=113#comment-627 Beautiful,inspiring & very touching,to the point of tears in my eyes.Reminds us the pure essence & origin of the authentic craftwork.Thank you for sharing this.God bless.Mia Beautiful,inspiring & very touching,to the point of tears in my eyes.Reminds us the pure essence & origin of the authentic craftwork.Thank you for sharing this.God bless.Mia

]]> Comment on Inching Toward a More Reflective Craft by j.e. paterak http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-498 j.e. paterak Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:45:51 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-498 My blogging days are a little behind me now... we met last year at Haystack for the 4 day talking/thinking session- I forget what the session was officially named. I am right along with you and am encouraged that there are more than a few of us that are trying to reconcile what is happening in the world and how making objects connects with that. Like you, I feel my academic mindset of wrestling these things is an ongoing passion but it is a challenge to accomplish and/or reconcile this while life bekons my attention (mothering two kids and an older parent, holding down a job (business mangager to architect), wife, public service, volunteerism etc..). I guess my being drawn to Architecture represents this effort to reconcile a need to solve problems and help while affiliating myself with design but on a different scale. Jewelry seems so personal and representive of consumption while Architecture affects how people can live. That being said, I crave the personal time and satisfaction in making things and think most people can benefit from this kind of personal growth of learning and perfecting skills... Well I could muse on a bit here, thinking about these same things in concentric circles... Happy to hear you are well, I hope you hag out at the Glass house for a while I have never been and would like to visit someday... Let me know if you are in Maine for Haystack or otherwise and I can give you an arts tour of Portland... ciao My blogging days are a little behind me now… we met last year at Haystack for the 4 day talking/thinking session- I forget what the session was officially named.
I am right along with you and am encouraged that there are more than a few of us that are trying to reconcile what is happening in the world and how making objects connects with that. Like you, I feel my academic mindset of wrestling these things is an ongoing passion but it is a challenge to accomplish and/or reconcile this while life bekons my attention (mothering two kids and an older parent, holding down a job (business mangager to architect), wife, public service, volunteerism etc..).
I guess my being drawn to Architecture represents this effort to reconcile a need to solve problems and help while affiliating myself with design but on a different scale. Jewelry seems so personal and representive of consumption while Architecture affects how people can live.
That being said, I crave the personal time and satisfaction in making things and think most people can benefit from this kind of personal growth of learning and perfecting skills…

Well I could muse on a bit here, thinking about these same things in concentric circles… Happy to hear you are well, I hope you hag out at the Glass house for a while I have never been and would like to visit someday… Let me know if you are in Maine for Haystack or otherwise and I can give you an arts tour of Portland…
ciao

]]> Comment on Inching Toward a More Reflective Craft by Corey Ackelmire http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-144 Corey Ackelmire Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:31:33 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-144 You are exactly the kind of thinking, writing, and critical person that the craft world badly needs. I'm very excited by your research and look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor, whether on this blog or somewhere else! You are exactly the kind of thinking, writing, and critical person that the craft world badly needs. I’m very excited by your research and look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor, whether on this blog or somewhere else!

]]> Comment on Craft In America Promo by Panie Przodem http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=113#comment-142 Panie Przodem Sat, 31 May 2008 21:41:14 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=113#comment-142 Hi! I've just discovered your page. I enjoyed the movie and I decided to post in my blog www.panieprzodem.pl. There were several reasons for this. I enjoy people working with passion, no matter what they do, and this film shows it perfectly. I also got emotional when hearing this little girl talking about tradition. That was a really touching moment. And above all american craft in general is a great example of people getting together. Here in Poland the society of silversmiths is rather separated by many reasons, but I long for it to be as close as you are. Thanks :) Hi!
I’ve just discovered your page. I enjoyed the movie and I decided to post in my blog http://www.panieprzodem.pl. There were several reasons for this. I enjoy people working with passion, no matter what they do, and this film shows it perfectly. I also got emotional when hearing this little girl talking about tradition. That was a really touching moment. And above all american craft in general is a great example of people getting together. Here in Poland the society of silversmiths is rather separated by many reasons, but I long for it to be as close as you are. Thanks :)

]]> Comment on Inching Toward a More Reflective Craft by David Richardson http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-133 David Richardson Thu, 29 May 2008 00:50:59 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-133 Hi Dennis. I hope you'll keep this blog going as a way to let us know how your research is going, even if your posts are infrequent. Your analysis of the basic conflicts inherent in American Studio Craft and DIY craft seems right on the mark. All the best wishes as you head into your dissertation. I'm taken with Dave Hickey's idea that the art of any particular time provides the things that the culture takes away from us - something that you may or may not discover in your research into protest and resistance. David Hi Dennis.

I hope you’ll keep this blog going as a way to let us know how your research is going, even if your posts are infrequent. Your analysis of the basic conflicts inherent in American Studio Craft and DIY craft seems right on the mark.

All the best wishes as you head into your dissertation. I’m taken with Dave Hickey’s idea that the art of any particular time provides the things that the culture takes away from us – something that you may or may not discover in your research into protest and resistance.

David

]]> Comment on Inching Toward a More Reflective Craft by Namita Wiggers http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-122 Namita Wiggers Sun, 18 May 2008 03:53:17 +0000 http://redefiningcraft.dennisstevens.net/?p=124#comment-122 Dennis -- Contact Shannon Stratten and Judy Leeman re: their Gestures of Resistance project -- combination of presentation/exhibition at CAA and a publication they are working on. Brings together some of your questions and issues. Namita Dennis –

Contact Shannon Stratten and Judy Leeman re: their Gestures of Resistance project — combination of presentation/exhibition at CAA and a publication they are working on. Brings together some of your questions and issues.

Namita

]]>