This weekend, The Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show is back in the city to showcase one-of-a-kind works by artists from across the country. 2023 marks the 47th year of this activation, which will welcome 44 new artists, with a total of 195 participating overall through 13 diverse categories of art created by hand.
The Craft Show offers a space for artists to sell their creative work and talent to the community while also allowing them to expand their reach and notability within the art community, a release states. This highly competitive show is juried by an panel of five experts working in fields connected to craft and design, who selected 195 artists from the 585 applicants.
Some of the new creatives to hit the show this year—which include Sarah Grace Cheek, Jarrod Futscher, and Nathaniel Fry—will be debuting their work alongside some PMA Contemporary Craft Show veterans.
Cheek is a woodworking artist based in Virginia, and after leading a production-style wood shop for 4+ years, she decided to pursue woodworking full-time in the summer of 2022. Her work, according to the release, centers around nourishment, usefulness, and joy.
Futscher, on the other hand, works in the realm of glassblowing and is coming from Pittsburgh to the City of Brotherly Love. The 2011 University of Louisville graduate studied the craft at different schools around the U.S. and launched his production line, TAKTTIME, in 2017. Jarrod’s glassware collection is refined and contemporary, merging traditional blown glass elements with a modern form and feel.
Nathaniel Fry is based in Pennsylvania, and each piece he creates is handmade in his woodshop in Willistown. His custom-designed furniture is “made with traditional joinery that is durable and built to last.” With his work, he uses ethically sourced hardwoods such as ash, walnut, cherry, oak, and maple to produce what the release says is unique, personal, and meaningful pieces of furniture.
“What sets this show apart is the on-site artists displaying their newest work and ready to share their stories during show hours. All work is for sale, and the artists receive 100% of their sales,” said PMA Contemporary Craft Show Manager Nancy O’Meara in a statement.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show will take place Nov. 3 to 5, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (Exhibit Hall F). For more information, visit pmacraftshow.org.
