Masters of American Craft
Trained as a painter and printmaker, artist Peter Houk was drawn to glass because of its direct and dynamic relationship with light. Nearly all his pieces incorporate natural imagery, as in his handblown, sandblasted platter with leaves and geckos (detail, left). Leather craftsman Mik Wright collaborates with his wife, artist Barbara Ann Volk, to create custom-crafted, colorful footwear under the logo Those Shoes. The hand-painted and embossed boots boast whimsical motifs inspired by the client for whom they were designed. Each of jeweler Aaron Macsai's finely wrought pieces is a unique work of art. The tanzanite-and-diamond brooch was fashioned of fused and fabricated gold. The work of these artists, along with that of 117 other craftspeople, will be featured in the 16th annual Smithsonian Craft Show, on view April 23-26 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Noted for its eclectic mix of high-quality studio arts, the show has won recognition as the nation's most prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary crafts.