Come one! Come all! for an unforgettable evening at our Carnival of Wonders! The air will be buzzing with excitement as you prepare to immerse yourself in a world of death-defying feats, delectable treats, and a magical atmosphere.

Our honorees and awardees will be on full display--here is your chance to meet them, greet them, and applaud them! Enjoy dinner and an awards ceremony for our four honorees. 

But wait—there’s more! Our dazzling Ringmaster will guide you through an Auction of Experiences, where you can take home one-of-a-kind adventures from here, there, and everywhere. So, come for the thrills, stay for the magic, and leave with memories that’ll have you smiling for days!

Self-pay valet parking, street meters, and parking garages are all available. Use Metro Center stop on the red, orange, and blue lines. Carnival-inspired, colorful chic attire recommended! 

Are you traveling to join us in DC? Reach out to us at [email protected] to receive information on discounted accommodation options with our travel partners.
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Join us as we celebrate this year’s Master of the Medium award honorees—Four visionary artists who have shaped contemporary craft.  Hear dazzling presentations from each of them as they discuss their careers and creative process. Guiding this experience is JRACraft Board President Rebecca Ravenal, who will lead a roundtable discussion with our honorees followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience. 

Casual attire. Limited on-street parking at meters; several paid parking garages are available in the neighborhood. Since the Symposium starts before SAAM opens to the public, you must enter on G Street to access McEvoy Auditorium. A JRACraft staff member will be there to greet you.

HONOREE SPEAKERS

 For 45 years, Michael Lucero has been creating dynamic, surrealist works that comment on the broad history of ceramics while pushing that medium beyond its perceived limitations. With a career that has redefined ceramic art, Lucero continues to inspire and provoke.

Xenobia Bailey is a cultural activist and visionary artist renowned for her kaleidoscopic crochet mandalas and hats, which draw inspiration from ancient African aesthetics and the ethos of funk.  Bailey’s practice reclaims erased cultural histories while envisioning a sustainable, nature-inspired future.

Renowned for his exquisite hand-carved spoons, Norm Sartorius has spent over 30 years transforming the humble wooden spoon into an art form. Working with rare and exceptional woods, he creates sculptural pieces that blend natural forms, abstract designs, and rich textures. Sartorius draws inspiration from spoon-making traditions across the world, as well as the inherent beauty of his materials. Each spoon he creates is a unique dialogue between the artist and the wood, celebrating the interplay of color, form, and texture.

Lola Brooks is a metalsmith whose work explores the rich symbolism of jewelry as a cultural artifact. With training at Pratt Institute and SUNY New Paltz, where she studied under Jamie Bennett and Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Brooks combines traditional craft with contemporary innovation. Her pieces challenge conventional notions of value by juxtaposing stainless steel with gold, transforming sentimental motifs into profound artistic statements. ​

Top left to right: Michael Lucero, Xenobia Bailey, Norm Sartorius, Lola Brooks. 

Step right up, visionaries and dreamers! Prepare to be dazzled as we peer into the looking glass of time and unravel The Future of Craft – 10 Years Ahead.

In this thrilling forum, our panel of ‘futurists’—a daring gallerist, Leslie Ferrin, a boundary-pushing artist educator, Shane Prada, and a curator with an eye on the horizon, Marilyn Zapf—will conjure their most compelling insights into the transformation of craft. Will technology weave its way deeper into handmade traditions? Will cultural shifts reshape what we cherish and collect? Will the extraordinary become the everyday?

From the whimsical to the profound, expect a lively discussion brimming with bold ideas and electrifying predictions. This is your chance to witness the unfolding of craft’s destiny—a place where innovation meets imagination, and the impossible becomes reality!

Valet parking and parking lot available. Luncheon attire recommended. 

​Are you traveling to join us in DC? Reach out to us at [email protected] to receive information on discounted accommodation options with our travel partners.
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Open a window into South Africa's creative landscape and dynamic design. Enjoy private access, key collections, and enlightening museums. Connect with rising stars who are breaking the mold and front-runners making their mark. 

On this 12 day tour hosted in partnership with the Art Jewelry Forum, you will see the unsurpassed natural beauty, savor a fusion of local flavors, sample award-winning wines and experience the flourishing art, craft and design of South Africa. ​

CAPE TOWN
Take in its awe-inspiring sights and landmark locations, as well as studios of seminal artists. Enjoy a reception at the home of the doyenne of tactile crafts - Elbé Coetsee. Be guided around Zeitz MOCAA, and limited-edition designs at Southern Guild - both located in the V&A Waterfront - along with a premier contemporary collection at Norval, and an exceptional private art collection spanning two centuries at Ellerman House, also featuring its singular contemporary art gallery and architecturally astounding wine gallery.

WINELANDS
In the Winelands, visit a priceless personal glass collection, and Dylan Lewis' sculpture-filled garden set among amongst über-chic wineries, historic homesteads and unique Cape Dutch architecture. Interact with design creatives from the University of Stellenbosch. 

JOHANNESBURG
In Johannesburg,  with its standout skyline and cosmopolitan mix, see democracy at work in an art collection with a human-rights theme, a scene-setting museum that tracks human origins and journey out of Africa, and another that's home to significant holdings of African arts. Explore top creative hubs, linger over private meals with standout artisans, delight in Kim Sack's treasure-trove-filled gallery with hand-crafted objects from all over the continent. 

PRETORIA
In Pretoria, view the historically significant Mapungubwe Collection of artifacts from Iron Age times, plus the Barbier-Mueller Collection of astounding gold objects from West African kingdoms located alongside the notable private art collection at the Javett Art Centre, affiliated with the University of Pretoria.

CRADLE OF HUMANKIND
In the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site, revel in a high-end creative hub where art meets anthropology. NIROX's beguiling private parkland filled with world-class sculpture is also where AJF award-winner Khanya Mthethwa is showcasing her 'Indigenous Knowledge.' Celebrate under African skies, and make meaning of your encounters while reflecting on Pliny's words "Out of Africa~ Always Something New".
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JRACraft has partnered with Heurich House Museum to present artist Ted Lott, for the third and final program in this season's Distinguished Artist Series.

​Register below to join us for a virtual artist talk on Tuesday, February 25, where Lott will discuss his career and influences. Later that week on Saturday March 1, meet Lott at the Heurich House Museum for a live demonstration to discover the techniques and process behind his wood sculpture. The demonstration will be followed by an exclusive guided tour of Heurich House led by JRACraft member and decorative arts historian Oscar Fitzgerald. 

About Ted Lott

Lott is a craftsperson, designer and artist whose work revolves around the history of wood in material culture and architecture. With his diminutive architectural creations, he honors the logic and engineering brilliance of traditional construction methods of wood dwellings.

Lott has been an Artist-In-Residence at Anderson Ranch Art Center, Kohler Arts/Industry Program, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Center for Turning & Furniture Design, and the Vermont Studio Center. He has taught Woodworking & Furniture Design at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Murray State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and teaches workshops throughout the United States.

Join us at the American Craft Council's American Craft Made Baltimore, the largest juried craft fair on the East coast! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with more than 400 artists and makers from across the country, watch demonstrations, talks, and hands-on experiences.

JRACraft members enjoy a 50% discount on all tickets. To receive the discount code, please reach out to [email protected].

JRACraft members will meet at 2pm in the Members Lounge, located inside the show. Refreshments will be provided.
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Can't make it to the member meet up on Friday? Attend American Craft Made Baltimore on another day and enjoy the numerous events and experiences from Friday, February 21, through Sunday, February 23!

Participate in fun and educational activities and demonstrations led by local arts organizations and community partners in the Let’s Make! experience.
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American Craft Made Baltimore 2025 will take place in Swing Hall and Halls F–G of the Baltimore Convention Center. Visitors will enter through the Otterbein Lobby, Level 100. For returning visitors, this was the location of the 2023 event.

JRACraft has partnered with Pyramid Atlantic Art Center to present artist Dirk Joseph, for the second program in our Distinguished Artist Series.

Dirk depicts the sacred and natural worlds, using wood and recycled paper fiber to create low relief wall sculptures. Join us for a virtual artist talk where he will share his inspiration and motivations for creating. Later that week, meet in person for a live demonstration where you will see the full process of how he brings his meticulous paper sculptures to life.
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About Dirk 
Dirk Joseph is a Baltimore based multimedia artist and arts educator. In the last decade he has developed a sculpting technique using wood and recycled paper fiber to create low relief wall sculptures. In 2016 he founded String Theory Theater, a puppetry troupe in which he performs with his daughters. 
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Dirk was born in Trinidad, and raised in New York. For the last 30 years he has worked as a visual artist, art educator, performing artist (puppetry and theater), and a graphic designer.

Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30pm (Please note later start time for this event) 
Hosted at Pyramid Atlantic 
​4318 Gallatin St, Hyattsville, MD 20781
$50 Member price: For members of JRACraft, Hillwood, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, or Heurich House Museum. 
​$60 Non-members

Visit us in December for the sweetest little art fair in the DC area. ​JRACraft Day is a showcase and sale featuring artists who are members of the James Renwick Alliance for Craft. Featuring 43 (36 returning JRACraft Day artists and 7 new artists, marked with *) artists in a variety of medium such as wood, ceramics, glass, fiber and metal. Support craft artists and find something unique and handmade for yourself or your loved ones at the start of the holiday season. See the list of participating artist below and on ​www.jracraftday.org/

​JRACraft Day does not come together without our volunteers! We are looking for people who can spare a few hours to help us this year. 

Volunteer activities include assisting with moving furniture, setting up tables, posting signs outside, greeting guests, assisting with the membership table, artist relief, retrieving signs, take down, and clean up.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact [email protected]. We hope to see you at JRACraft Day! 

Our sponsors support the James Renwick Alliance for Craft and help make JRACraft Day possible. Sponsors are listed on the website and thanked at the event. Sponsorship is a $100 donation and is fully tax deductible.