CraftViewer

This message from Jayne Nixon came by e-mail, and I am passing it on. (Jo'Anne's Query- is this one of the "salons" that were set up prior to the collapse of MCC? If so, are there more to be held?)
Hello everyone - I will be doing a sale next Saturday, May 13th from 10 am - 4 pm at 17 Rosewarren in St Vital which is the home of Brenda Weiss. There will be four artisans selling gold and silver jewellry, beaded jewelly, crocheted scarves and shawls, glass giftware. Hope to see you there! regards, Jayne Nixon/Elements Glass

Artists call for Entry: Walking the circle Deadline: September 1, 2006
The Portage and District Arts Centre is accepting entries for an exhibition of work by artists working in a variety of media based on the theme of labyrinths. Labyrinths have existed for thousands of years in numerous forms. They have been used as a means of meditation and magic, adopted as ornamental garden features, or planned to provide light-hearted recreation. Whether designed for entertainment, as art objects, or for contemplative purposes, labyrinths offer an experience that evokes spiritual power as one follows the unicircle, or single path. The exhibition Walking the Circle will curated by Kristen Pauch-Nolin. Interested artists may send slides, videotapes or CD’s, image lists, project proposals (including description of work, size, shipping and installation requirements), bio’s, CV’s and SASE’s by September 1, 2006.
To: Portage & District Arts Cente, 11 2nd Street North East, Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, R1N 1R8.
For more information: pdac@mts.net or pauch-nolin@mts.net
Exhibition: October 2007

The View From My Studio

I thought I would browse further afield today to find news and info outside of Manitoba that might be of interest to the crafts community here. I started out by going to the Canadian Crafts Federation website.

I came upon a reference to the Philadelphia Craft Show for 2007, and what seemed a general call for entry to all Canadians. This is what I found:

TO: Canadian Craft Makers
FROM: Anne Manuel, Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
On behalf of the CCF/FCMA
REGARDING: Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, November, 2007
In 2007, twenty-six Canadian craft makers will participate in the prestigious Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in response to an invitation extended to the Canadian Crafts Federation / Federation canadienne des metiers d’art (CCF/FCMA). Coordination of this initiative has been delegated to the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Conseil des métiers d'art du Québec.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is a major retail craft event in the American craft calendar. Held each November, the juried event is now in its 30th year. Starting in 2002, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show extended an invitation to countries outside the US to participate in the show. Previous to this, only American residents had been eligible to participate. In 2004, the invited country was Ireland, in 2005 it was Germany, and this year the guest country will be Finland. Canada has been invited to be the guest for 2007.
About the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show
Participation in this event will be an exceptional opportunity for Canadian makers of contemporary fine craft and high-end production craft to show their work in the American marketplace. The Philadelphia show has a strong public image, a high product standard for innovation, design and technical excellence and an excellent sales record.
………………………

Selection process
Jurying for the Canadian participation in the 2007 Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show will be a two-tiered process, involving jurors in Canada and in Philadelphia. An initial pre-selection of approximately 50 – 60 makers will be selected by the Canadian jury based on the criteria noted above. From that selection, the show organizers in Philadelphia will choose the final group of twenty-six. Their selection will be based primarily on medium in order to provide a balanced show for the visitor.
The Canadian jury will be composed of three makers, one from Newfoundland and Labrador, one from Quebec and one from elsewhere in Canada. At least two of the jurors will have been short-listed for the Bronfman Award. In addition, representatives of the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Conseil des métiers d’arts du Québec will sit with the jury in an advisory, non-voting capacity.

I recalled this show being mentioned in passing about a year ago, but I did not realize that it was being advertised this past winter all across Canada and that the call was to all craft makers. I thought I'd check the last 2 MCC Bulletins to find info about it in there - however, absolutely no info about this opportunity in either newsletter!! News about the Craft Federation in both the fall and winter Bulletin had no call for entry nor any mention of this opportunity at all. Of course the deadline has passed us by - The next line states:
Deadline for applications – your application must be postmarked by April 20, 2006

Does anyone know if anyone from Manitoba has been selected? If so, how were they informed about this show, since the leadership, or the CCF rep. at MCC did not advertise it to the general membership through the newsletter. I would be interested in any comments re this.

To continue - after reading this, I wondered what else I might find on the CCF website. I cruised to the 2007 year of the crafts section that posted what each province was planning to do. I came across this information:

Manitoba Crafts Council (MCC)PROJECTS PLANNED:

• MCC will be participating in the NCECA in Portland

• 10 exhibitions and 2 visiting artists

• Expanded series of workshops and lectures

• Special travelling exhibition

Certainly ambitious. No calls for entry here, either.

It's to be hoped that the new board will be concerned about maintaining more transparency than the above indicates has happened in the recent past and plans for a dedication to full and timely communication with the entire membership.

It appears, as well from the published list of board members on the CCF website that MCC's former executive director is still the CCF treasurer and MCC's past, past president, who I thought had resigned, is still Manitoba's provincial rep.