A New Exhibition and Podcast Offer a Rare Glimpse Into Artists’ Stories and Creative Processes That Shaped the American Craft Movement

Join the Archives of American Art on a deep dive through craft, demonstrating how archival collections and artists’ own voices deepen our understanding of creative practices and craft in postwar America

The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art announced today “Materials, Methods, and Meanings: Craft in the Archives of American Art,” a new exhibition exploring stories of craft that have shaped the American experience. Now on view at the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture in Washington, D.C., the exhibition is a contribution to the Smithsonian's celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The Archives also announced the launch of United States of Craft. Hosted by Glenn Adamson and Sarah Archer, the series will bring to listeners the voices and stories of makers, thinkers and visionaries shaping craft across the nation.

"Materials, Methods, Meanings"

Featuring approximately 70 original objects from the collections of 30 artists and craft professionals, “Materials, Methods, and Meanings” brings together unique items that explore how makers across craft disciplines have shaped and transformed the field through material experimentation, the exchange of knowledge, and the integration of personal histories, memories and values into their work. 

The items on display focus on the postwar period and span established disciplines, including ceramics, glass, fiber, metal and wood as well as an expanding range of media. The exhibition includes material samples, artists’ tools, preparatory sketches, notes and writings, news clippings, photographs and other archival materials that illuminate the experimentation, relationships and intentions behind creative work and offer a deeper understanding of craft, revealing the ideas and experiences that finished objects alone cannot convey. 

The exhibition highlights items from the collections of ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu, fiber artist Lia Cook, glass artist Edris Eckhardt, woodworker George Nakashima and jewelry artist Joyce J. Scott. It also includes work from the newly acquired collections of ceramicists Otto and Gertrud Natzler, jewelry artist Jan Yager, and museum curator and leader Paul J. Smith, who played a central role in shaping the modern studio craft movement. The exhibition was organized by Archives associate curator Chyna Bounds.

 “Materials, Methods, and Meanings: Craft in the Archives of American Art” is on view through April 18, 2027 at the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery in Washington, DC, 8th and G Streets, NW. Plan your visit on the Archives’ website:  aaa.si.edu/exhibitions/materials-methods-meanings.

United States of Craft

Extending these stories beyond the exhibition, United States of Craft, a monthly podcast hosted by Glenn Adamson and Sarah Archer, will explore the history of the studio craft movement in the United States through the people, places and pathways that have shaped and sustained it. Featuring the voices and stories of makers, thinkers and visionaries, the series invites listeners to discover the diverse perspectives and regional histories that make up the American craft landscape. The podcast’s first episodes will explore craft in the states of Wisconsin, New York, North Carolina, New Mexico and Hawaiʻi.

Learn more about United States of Craft and read episode transcripts on the Archives’ website: aaa.si.edu/collections/resources/podcasts/united-states-of-craft. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Through the exhibition and podcast, the Archives of American Art highlights the people, ideas and networks that have shaped American craft, demonstrating how archival collections can deepen an understanding of creative practices and preserve the stories behind the objects that define them. These stories highlight the achievements of America’s craft communities, celebrating their contributions to America at its 250th. 
 

Initial funding for this project was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation, which made this exhibition possible. This project also received support from Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250, a Smithsonian-wide initiative commemorating the nation’s 250th. Signature support for Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250 has been provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Additional contributions have been made by Target. This exhibition is part of Handwork 2026, presented by Craft in America.