Category: Online Events

COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS MALONE

5/30/2026

COFFEE & CONVERSATION
VIRTUAL STUDIO TOUR WITH CHRIS MALONE
HOSTED ON ZOOM
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Saturday May 30, 2026 | 11am-12pm ET

Join JRACraft for a behind-the-scenes virtual studio tour with DC-based doll artist, Chris Malone. Chris’s work is rooted in traditional African doll making but takes it a step further by utilizing it as a medium to explore spirituality and ancestry. In creating these sculptures, Chris strikes a balance between imaginative play and spiritual practice. Chris will introduce viewers to his work and discuss his influences, creative process, and techniques.

CHris malone

Chris Malone is a self taught visual artist who creates beautiful and imaginative dolls. His work is nationally recognized and has been featured in galleries in New York, New Orleans, and Washington DC, as well as in numerous books and doll magazines, such as “Doll Art Quarterly,” Lark Crafts’ “Masters Polymer Clay, Major Works By Leading Artist, and North Light Books’ “Creative Time and Space.” In addition, his soft sculptures were featured in the 2012 film, “Woman Thou Loosed: On the Seventh Day.” Chris has also become prolific in creating 3D mosaics.

Chris Malone in his studio

Babuka, Chris Malone. Awarded Best in Show, Creative Craft Council Exhibition at the Strathmore Mansion, Rockville

In his studio, Malone works on I Can Only Suggest, the Choices Are Yours. Photo by Steven M. Cummings

HILLARY WATERS FAYLE

3/31/2026

DISTINGUISHED ARTIST SERIES WITH HILLARY WATERS FAYLE
online ARTIST TALK AND in-person DEMONSTRATION

Tuesday, March 31 & Saturday, April 4, 2026

Thank you to Amanda M. Phillips for her generous sponsorship of Hillary Waters Fayle's Distinguished Artist Series.

Thank you to Diane Charnov for her support of this program.

About Hillary Waters Fayle

With a background in fiber/textile design and a deep fascination and respect for nature & the environment, Hillary Waters Fayle brings together materials and processes that express the union of humanity and the physical world, through textile traditions in collaboration with botanical material.

In addition to being an artist, Hillary is an Assistant Professor, directing the fiber program at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she also earned her MFA. She has lectured and taught workshops at Penland School of Craft (NC), Arrowmont School of Art and Craft, the Appalachian Center for Craft (TN), Oak Spring Garden Foundation (VA), Yasar University (Turkey), and Bazart Textiel (France). Her work has been exhibited in Italy, China, Belgium, Turkey, France and the US Embassies to Algeria and Bangladesh and is included in collections at the Burchfield Penney Art Center (NY), Grace Farms Foundation (CT), the Kalmthout Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (Belgium) and the US Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Recent exhibitions were on view at the Lewis Glinter Botanical Gardens, Virginia Quilt Museum, AKG Museum and Turchin Center for Visual Arts. Professional projects and publications include collaborations with Domestika, L'Occitane en Provence and the new York Botanical Garden. A public installation in collaboration with the AKG Museum can be seen year round in Buffalo, NY.

ARTIST TALK (ONLINE ONLY)

Tuesday March 31, 2026 | 2pm-3pm ET
Free and open to the public | Hosted on Zoom

Learn about Hillary Waters Fayle's career and influences in this online program.

DEMONSTRATION (IN PERSON ONLY)

Saturday April 4, 2026 | 10am-12pm
Hosted at Compass Arts Center |10335 Kensington Parkway, Kensington, MD, 20895

Meet Hillary Waters Fayle and watch her demonstrate her techniques!

$25 Members of JRACraft | $35 Non-members

register now!

Hillary Waters Fayle

Penland Pop, Hillary Waters Fayle

Thank you to our partner:

new! program sponsorship

This year, we have lowered ticket prices with the introduction of program sponsors. See the ways you can help make excellence in craft accessible to a wider audience, by becoming a Distinguished Artist Series Sponsor!

BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY!

COFFEE & CONVERSATION: JOYCE SCOTT AT MOBILIA GALLERY

3/17/2026

COFFEE & CONVERSATION
mobilia gallery ON JOYCE SCOTT
HOSTED ON ZOOM
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 | 12pm ET

Join JRACraft and Mobilia Gallery for a presentation on the Joyce J. Scott exhibition hosted by Mobilia Gallery, Joyce J. Scott & Friends. Libby and Jo Anne Cooper, co-founders of Mobilia Gallery, will discuss Joyce’s work and impact, as well as the work of her mentees and friends.

Joyce J. Scott and Friends is group exhibition featuring the work of the renowned bead artist, Joyce J. Scott, and twelve artists who have been mentored by Scott and influenced by her work. The exhibit opens during Black History Month (February) with work that embodies Scott’s mission to address, educate, inspire and uplift, reflecting the artist's narrative of what it means to be Black in America. Scott wields her sharp wit and humor to masterfully create bold, sculptural objects, bringing to light and driving home difficult topics such as racism, sexism, patriarchal structures, and the African diaspora.

Joyce J. Scott. War, What is it Good For, Absolutely Nothin’, Say it Again. 2022. Neckpiece. Peyote stitch, glass beads, thread. Featured in the traveling exhibition “Messages” (2022-2025).

MARGARITA CABRERA

2/3/2026

DISTINGUISHED ARTIST SERIES WITH MARGARITA CABRERA
online ARTIST TALK AND in-person WORKSHOP

Tuesday, February 3 & Saturday, February 7, 2026

JRACraft has partnered with VisArts to present artist Margarita Cabrera, for the second program in this season's Distinguished Artist Series.

Register below to join us for a virtual artist talk on Tuesday, February 3, where Cabrera will discuss her career and influences. Later that week on Saturday February 7, meet Cabrera at VisArts for a live workshop to discover the techniques and process behind her fiber sculpture and take home your own embroidery project.

About Margarita Cabrera

Margarita Cabrera received an MFA from Hunter College in New York, NY. Cabrera's work centers on social-political issues including cultural identity, migration, violence, inclusivity, labor and empowerment. Cabrera creates sculptures made out of mediums ranging from steel, copper, wood, ceramics and fibers. Her work helps people define their place and voice in the social and cultural dialogues evolving in their communities.

Cabrera currently lives and works in El Paso where she recently had a two-year exhibit at the El Paso Museum of Art. Her most recent exhibitions include a show entitled "Pop Departures" at the Seattle Art Museum. Her work has been included in galleries such as 516Arts, Sara Meltzer, Walter Maciel, and Synderman-Works. Her work has been included in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the McNay Museum San Antonio, the Sweeney Art Center for Contemporary Art at the University of California, Riverside, the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, and El Museum del arrio, NYC, LA County Museum of Art, CA.

ARTIST TALK (ONLINE ONLY

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 | 1pm - 2pm Eastern
Free and open to the public | Hosted on Zoom

Learn about Margarita Cabrera's career and influences in this online program. Registration is free and required to receive the Zoom link.

workshop (IN PERSON ONLY)

Saturday, February 7, 2026 | 10am - 12pm
Hosted at VisArts |155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD 20850

Meet Margarita Cabrera and learn the process and techniques behind her fiber sculptures in her A Space In Between works! This workshop will include a hands-on, participatory component, with the opportunity to take home your own embroidery project inspired by Margarita's A Space In Between.

Register now!

Margarita Cabrera

Space in Between, 2016

new! program sponsorship

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2025 ANNUAL MEETING

11/12/2025

JRACRAFT ANNUAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2025 | 7PM ET
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
HOSTED ON ZOOM

Join fellow JRACraft members and craft enthusiasts at the Annual Meeting to learn about the latest JRACraft news and announcements. Be the first to know about our upcoming programs in the new year. Watch the recording now!

CRAFTING WITH NEURODIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

10/30/2025

coffee & conversation:
CRAFTING WITH NEURODIVERSE PERSPECTIVES
November (date tbd) | 1PM ET
hosted on zoom
free and open to the public

JRACraft is excited to partner with CERF+ on a webinar that will explore the experiences of neurodivergent artists and how their perspectives shape creative practices, collaborations, and the craft community at large.

This webinar will explore the experiences of neurodivergent artists and how their perspectives shape creative practices, collaborations, and the craft community at large. Through personal stories and reflections, panelists will discuss how neurodiversity influences their artistic processes, materials, and approaches to making.

Participants will gain insight into:

How artists define and experience neurodiversity in their lives and work
The ways neurodivergence informs creative choices and outcomes in craft
What peers, collaborators, and institutions can do to better support and partner with neurodivergent artists
How the craft field can more fully celebrate and include neurodiverse voices

By centering the voices of neurodivergent makers, this session will deepen awareness and foster a more inclusive understanding of craft as a space where diverse ways of thinking and creating can thrive.

SHAE BISHOP

10/21/2025

DISTINGUISHED ARTIST SERIES WITH SHAE BISHOP
online ARTIST TALK AND in-person DEMONSTRATION
TUESDAY OCTOBER 21 & SATURDAY OCTOBER 25, 2025

JRACraft is excited to partner with District Clay Center to present artist Shae Bishop, for the first program in this season's Distinguished Artist Series.

Register below to join us for a virtual artist talk on Tuesday, October 21, where Bishop will discuss his career and influences. Later that week on Saturday October 25, meet Bishop at the District Clay Center for a live demonstration to discover the techniques and process behind his intricate ceramic works.

Thank you to Diane Charnov for her generous support of this Distinguished Artist Series with Shae Bishop.

About Shae Bishop

Shae Bishop grew up in Kentucky and earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in Ceramics and Art History. His studio practice explores the relationships between ceramics, textiles, and the body. He makes mixed-media garments which he wears and documents in specific environments.

Bishop was based in North Carolina, where he co-founded treats Studios in Spruce Pine and exhibited at the Penland Gallery. He has been a resident artist in the Kohler Arts/Industry program and at the Archie Bray Foundation and has been a visiting artist at the University of Wisconsin, San Diego State University, and elsewhere. He has also done residencies and shown work internationally in Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Indonesia, and Japan.

Bishop currently lives in Richmond, Virginia, where he shares a home with his partner Annie Evelyn, two dogs, and a snake.

ARTIST TALK (ONLINE ONLY)

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | Time 3pm ET
Free and open to the public | Hosted on Zoom

IN-PERSON DEMONSTRATION

Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 10am - 12pm
Hosted at Distict Clay Center |2414 Douglas Street NE
Washington, DC 20018

Meet Shae Bishop and watch him demonstrate his techniques!

$25 Members of JRACraft
$35 Non-members

Federal employees who have been furloughed due to the October 1, 2025 government shutdown may register for the demonstration free of charge. To take advantage of this offer, please enter coupon code FED25 after adding the Shae Bishop Demonstration to your registration.

REGISTRATION FOR SHAE BISHOP'S PROGRAM HAS CLOSED.

Shae Bishop

Waistcoat of Earthly Delights

thank you to our partner:

new! program sponsorship

BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY!

FUNK ART: COUNTERCULTURE IN CERAMICS

7/7/2025

FUNK ART: COUNTERCULTURE IN CERAMICS
4 WEEK ONLINE ZOOM COURSE
JULY 7 - JULY 28
MONDAYS 6:30PM - 7:45pm ET
$109 JRACRAFT MEMBERS | $139 NON-MEMBERS

Wild, weird, and wonderfully subversive—Funk Art upended the art world in the 1960s with irreverent ceramics, lowbrow humor, and countercultural flair. In this four-week online course, curator Garth Johnson traces Funk’s rise amidst the political unrest and cultural upheaval of the Bay Area, its influence on the broader art world and its resurrection in the hands of a bold new generation. Meet the makers, movements, and mischief behind one of the most rule-breaking chapters in American art.

In celebration of the the 20th Anniversary of its foundation grant program in craft scholarship, the Center for Craft is offering free memberships to anyone who signs up for JRACraft classes.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: GARTH JOHNSON

Writer, curator, and educator Garth Johnson is the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Johnson is a self-described craft activist who explores craft’s influence and relevance in the 21st century. His recent exhibitions at the Everson include Renegades & Reformers: American Art Pottery, Earth Piece: Conceptual and Performative Works in Clay and Key Figures: Representational Ceramics 1932-1972.

Registration for the live course has closed. interested in taking this course asynchronously? contact [email protected]

Garth Johnson, photo from www.jasonjacques.com

Gilhooly, David 1943-2013 Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County, 1990.

thank you to our partner:

CRAFT MUSEUMS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

6/4/2025

CRAFT IN THE MUSEUM
4 WEEK ONLINE ZOOM COURSE
JUNE 4 - JUNE 25
WEDNESDAYs 7PM - 8:30pm ET | 4PM - 5:30PM PT
$109 JRACRAFT MEMBERS | $139 NON-MEMBERS

Explore the dynamic interplay between artists, institutions, and curators in shaping the craft field over the last 25 years in this engaging four-week seminar led by Namita Wiggers. Through in-depth analysis of significant craft exhibitions and institutions, the course invites participants to critically examine the evolving roles of curators and institutions in platforming artists, preserving craft legacies, and fostering public discourse. Designed as a collaborative and generative learning environment, the seminar encourages students to actively participate in discussions that challenge traditional narratives, expand perspectives, and reimagine the future of craft in institutional contexts.

In celebration of the the 20th Anniversary of its foundation grant program in craft scholarship, the Center for Craft is offering free memberships to anyone who signs up for JRACraft classes.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR: NAMITA GUPTA WIGGERS

Namita Gupta Wiggers is an educator, writer, curator, and artist based in Portland, OR. Wiggers founded and directed the MA in Critical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, the first and only low residency program focused on critical craft histories and theory from 2017 - 2023. She was a Paul J. Smith Fields of the Future Fellow at Bard Graduate Center, NYC in the Fall of 2023, and a Senior Fellow, Smithsonian Institution in the Spring of 2024. Her most recent publications are co-editor of the Journal of Modern Craft Special Issue on the MA in Critical Craft Studies (Vol. 17, Issue 1, 2024) and This is not a Retreat, co-edited with Ben Lignel for The MACR Papers. Wiggers serves on the Board of Trustees at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and began serving as President in the Fall of 2023. She is an editor-at-large for Crafts magazine, and on the Advisory Board of The Journal of Modern Craft.

Wiggers directs and co-founded Critical Craft Forum (since 2008), and served as the Director and Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Craft, Portland OR from 2004 - 2014.

thank you to our partner:

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COFFEE & CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS MALONE

HILLARY WATERS FAYLE

register now!

COFFEE & CONVERSATION: JOYCE SCOTT AT MOBILIA GALLERY

MARGARITA CABRERA

Register now!

2025 ANNUAL MEETING

CRAFTING WITH NEURODIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

SHAE BISHOP

FUNK ART: COUNTERCULTURE IN CERAMICS

Registration for the live course has closed. interested in taking this course asynchronously? contact [email protected]

CRAFT MUSEUMS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

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