Happy New Year!

As 2019 draws to it's close, American Craft Week wishes everyone a happy New Year and all the best for 2020. Let's all make the new decade a special time with great creativity. Be safe and have fun! See you in 2020 🌟🎆🎉.

http://americancraftweek.com

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

                                 Wishing you a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving
                                           from us all at American Craft Week!

Star Award..Best State Side Craft Event AND Outstanding Craft Community Event

 Congratulations to Tennessee...they put on an amazing show of Craft and talent during American Craft Week!!
Bravo/Brava to TN Craft Week! They hosted a great example of the wonderful celebration of craft... Check out their website and follow them on Facebook.
Tennessee also received the Outstanding Craft Community Event..... The McNairy County Quilt & Craft Trail in Selmer, TN. Who can resist a display of beautiful quilts...the stories, the color and the craftsmanship!
Congratulations to them all.

Star Awards! Best multi day event winner ...

Image courtesy of Firefly gallery website 

Big congratulations to Firefly Craft Gallery in Flat Rock, NC for the wonderful events during American Craft Week! Firefly Craft Gallery is a must visit. They carry the work of some of Western North Carolina's most accomplished Crafters and artist.
To get a taste to this marvellous gallery, follow this this link to their website and start planning your trip to visit them. You're assured of a warm welcome!

Star award nominations??

It was a great week to showcase American Craft. All the artists, galleries, studio tours and fun events were creative and you had fabulous time, right? And now we want to hear from you, just a few days left to nominate your favourite event, crafter, gallery for a Star Award. Quick...fill in the entry form and show support for your artists or gallery or studio tour,  or ...or..! So, check the list out and let us hear from you now! Enteries must be in by Saturday, October 20.
Thank you for supporting American Craft Week 2019 💗

Straw bales Studio open in Philo, California

William MacLeod at work in his studio. Image courtesy of artists website

You need to visit this home and studio in California during this American Craft Week! Artists William and Nancy MacLeod built their straw bales home and studio themselves. He is a carpenter, she is a painter and the magical result is Folk Art Fantasy Furniture in Philo, CA. They are hosting an open studio October 11-13 at 21921 Panorama Way. Don't miss a chance to visit this unique studio. Information on their website. Make your plans and have a fun day out. Enjoy American Craft Week!

Passport Trail in Pennsylvania! Oh yes!

American Craft Week is nearly here. You don't want to miss this cool event! Cumberland Valley Arts in PA has a special Passport Trail planned. There are 15 galleries, studios and shops on the trail and events include artists demonstratios and trunk shows. Enter for a gift certificate plus 10% discount on any item. Check out their website and Facebook page and events page for details and more information. It will be a great time...enjoy!

Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center has grand event planned for ACW!

Join American Craft Week at the Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center in NJ for a fabulous weekend of arts and crafts events. Go to their website and get all the details, make your travel plans and head on out for a great weekend! It's a guaranted good time.

A great Nebraska event! Be there...

American Craft Week is delighted to have Roberta and Bob Rogers Gallery in Omaha, NE celebrate with us.  They have a fantastic weekend event planned with the help and sponsorship of the NE Arts Council and the NE Cultural Endowment. Artists from NE, MO and IA will be highlighted. Check out their Facebook page and website for the program. Stop by and visit them before, during and after ACW... It's an excellent gallery of outstanding fine art and craft.

Celebrate Cape Ann Artisans

American Craft Week is proud to welcome back the Cape Ann Artisans Studio Tour in Massachusetts joining with us from 12-14 October to celebrate their 36th year. This is one of the oldest studio tours in the country. Help them make it one of the best yet! Start planning for it now, go to their website and download the map and brochure. Have a great time!

Welcome back to Baker City Open Studio Tour!

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome back the Baker City Open Studio Tour in Oregon. They were the 2018 Star Award winners for a group event and they certainly put on a great event. Situated in beautiful NE Oregon, the region is rich in the arts and has a very active arts community. Visit their Facebook page for all the details and make your plans to visit over the weekend of 5-6 October.  There's a fabulous restored hotel, a craft distillery and lots of art in and around Baker City, OR! Enjoy!

Courtesy of the groups Facebook page 

Congratulations to the winners!

http://americancraftweek.com

American Craft Week announced the winner, runners up and honourable mentions for the Paying Homage to the Number 10 - a fun competition to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Congratulations to the winner of the grand prize, Charlotte Arvelle from Mount Carroll, Illinois for her beautiful glass work. Her piece, "Crafting Under a Star Studded Sky," cleverly depicts the tools used by artists of the many craft disciplines.
Check out her piece, and see how many tools you can find, and how many 10's you can count!  Take time to see all the other great runners up and honourable mentions on the Showcase website. Congratulations to them all.

Http://facebook.com/charlottearvelleglass

Welcome to Texas!

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome first time participant Art Connection Gallery from La Grange, Texas. Artist Deborah Johnson started off   and with smallher own small gallery,g then grew so much she opened Art Connection Gallery featuring many artists, crafters, writers and more.  They host a Second Saturday Soiree featuring artists, crafters live music plus food and beverages. Book signings and jewelery trunck shows feature regularly as well.
Check out their website and be sure to pop in and visit them when you're in the area.

Image courtesy of gallery's website

New York joins the fun!

American Craft Week welcomes The Gift Hut in Cold Springs, NY! This delightful treasure trove of wooden toys, games, puzzles and more will please children and adults alike.
Stop by and you'll find trains made in Vermont or toys made from recycled materials. All their merchandise is carefully selected.
Follow them on Facebook.. At the moment they're open Friday-Sunday but check out their website. They're very helpful if you need to visit at other times.

Image courtesy of The Gift Hut website

ACW is delighted to welcome Sterling Creative s of Colorado

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome Sterling Creatives of Colorado.
Located in the NE corner of the state they got together in 2017 to promote art and craft . They aim to provide a space for artists and crafters to exhibit, learn and networking. We're looking forward to seeing what special event they promote during ACW in October!
If you're in the area, pop in to see them... they're open Wednesday thru Sunday from 1:30-5:30 p.m.  All details on their website

Image courtesy of Sterling Creatives website

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ACW welcomes Crossroads Carnegie Art Center

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome the impressive Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City, Oregon.  Baker City is one of the 10 Hidden Gems honorable mention winners. The art center is housed in a beautiful restored Carnegie library. It is without a doubt the cornerstone of the town's active art scene. They host an incredible number of world-class events in all art and craft media. The art center is also an important part of the annual Studio Tour in the first week of October.
Check out their website, ... Plan a road trip to Eastern Oregon to visit this fabulous organization. Enjoy!

Libraries join ACW for free!

Awesome book art in Anchorage, AK library

American Craft Week loves libraries. We love how they nuture reading and creativity in children! Did you know libraries anywhere in the US can join ACW for free? Yes! Sign up, hold a creative event for children and you're in! Many libraries already have great craft events planned annually for children, so .. you don't even have to think of a new event. Just sign up, put up a big banner (or a small one) saying American Craft Week and voila! You've got national coverage. Join the fun, why not? Go talk to your library .. we look forward to welcoming you like the fabulous small library, but with big ideas, in Columbus, New Mexico who signed up straight away! Join us! Join the fun!

Amazing book art from a young Columbus, NM library student

Delightful Hidden Gems to explore

American Craft Week's fabulous Hidden Gems for art and craft lovers Top 10, plus 5 runners up, we're unveiled last week. These charming towns are off the beaten path jewels to be explored across the country. Taking a road trip this summer? Add on a couple and go enjoy, and  help spread the word!

https://www.acwshowcase.com/hidden-gems

Celebrate 10 !

American Craft Week invites you to enter this fun competition! Great prize...$500 and a year subscription to Indieme! Go to our website for details! Hurry...entries must be in by June 23 ...and have fun with it! And,  the please, spread the word!

Warm welcome to Colorado!

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome artist, sculptor and writer Ron Isaacson of Amazar Avians  based in Evergreen, Colorado. Isaacson uses nature, recycled leather and textures to create his Amazar Tales. To delve in to his magical world, head on over to his website

 Artist Ron Isaacson in his studio in Evergreen CO. Photo courtesy of artist's website.

Be sure to sign up to join the fun and celebrate our 10th anniversary during AWC, October 4-13, 2019... sign up before the end of June and get a discounted price of $25!

Give back with craft!

Last year during American Craft Week the fabulous Indigenous Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio joined forces with their local Clay Alliance to host an Empty Bowl event. Proceeds from this worthwhile and fun event helped feed food deprived people in their area.
Check it out and then see how you can work with a charity to benefit your community. There are plenty of other ideas. Research and find what suits you best, stirs your spirit and helps others. And have fun doing it!
Join AWC now to at the reduced fee of $25 and put on your thinking cap...

Beautiful bowls bby talente  potter RYAN DURBIN photo courtesy of Indigenous Gallery website

Do you know a Hidden Gem?

We're celebrating 10 years of American Craft Week, and in the theme of 10 we're looking for 10 Hidden Gems! Do you know an out of the way, off the beaten path town/village/neighborhood that makes for a great art and craft experience? Please tell us about it. Please go to bit.ly/ACWGem and send us your suggestions. Thank you!

Enchanting New Mexico talent

American Craft Week is delighted to welcome Columbus, New Mexico, Village Library to this year's 10th birthday celebrations. The library is the heart of this small border town tucked in the SW corner of New Mexico, it is always a hive of activity and they host wonderful art and craft programs. They have some very interesting craft workshops planned for the week of 4-13 October 2019, but if you're in the area in April, don't miss their Celebrating Earth Day with Recycled Arts from April 1 - May 20. The Recycled Books Contest is on 22 April 2019. Local talent shines if last year's winner of the children's section is anything to go by. This incredible recycled Jack Kerouac book was created by 2nd Grader Julian Reyes last year. We look forward to seeing what treasures they create this year during this workshop and during American Craft Week!

Recycled Book. Created by 12th Grader Julian Reyes of Columbus, NM

Let's Party!! Sign up! sign up!

Have you signed up to join the fun for American Craft Week, 4-13 October 2019? It's our 10th Birthday, we'd love it if you'd help us make it very special.
There's an early bird special rate of $25 if you sign up before June 30, so don't delay. It takes 5 minutes online...so, please, sign up now... this link takes you to the sign up page. What could be easier? 
We look forward to seeing what you've got planned!
"Se" you at the party ... where ever it is you hold a great craft event for our birthday 🎉

Get your State involved!

Last year the American Craft Week Star Award for Exceptional Support from the Public Sector went to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD.) A well deserved award. TDTD supports Tennessee Craft Week (check out one of their fabulous videos below) with an annual monetary sponsorship - and this makes a big difference. State support can really make an impact on the craft & arts industry. And the craft and arts industry is a big money earner for states. It should be a natural partnership.
Find out how your state is involved in promoting the creative economy and what more they could do. Raise awareness - a creative community enriches every day life. Make sure people discover, and joins, American Craft Week - ACW highlights the crafts on a national scale. Help us, help your state and help local crafts and artists! 
And mark your calendar for 4-13 October 2019 for this is our 10th anniversary. It's special!

https://youtu.be/s9CxdBct_-4

Plan ahead to visit Baker City, Oregon in October

AmericanCraft Week's 2018 Star Award for a group event went to Oregon's Baker City Studio Tour, a fabulous feast of mediums and artists. Did you attend this event? 

How about you visit Baker City, Ore., this year for their studio tour? It's definitely a treat. Gather friends, check out the websites, plan a mini vacation (maybe stay at the fabulous restored Geiser-Grand Hotel on Main Street) and then let us know how great it was – and what you enjoyed the most! Artists (and the studio tour organisers) love to hear how they're doing!

A weaver demonstrates her craft at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker CIty, Ore.

Whatever activity you choose to attend, participate in, organise or follow be sure to mark your calendars for the dates 4-13 October, 2019 for the 10^th Anniversary of American Craft Week.

Need suggestions to celebrate with us?

It's our 10th anniversary this year, let's celebrate - we'd love you to join us during 4-13 October 2019, all you need to do is host an event during American Craft Week. 
So, what can you do to celebrate with us? Here's a few suggestions... there are loads more ideas out there but here's a start:
+ If you're a gallery, have 10 of your craft artists do a demonstration of their craft. It's a great way to introduce people to a variety of crafts.
+ Get your artists and crafters to create a piece on the subject of "10" - maybe at a special event and give them 10 minutes/20 minutes etc to complete it. It's fun and gets everyone involved.
+ Arrange an evening art stroll and organise events at 10 neighboring businesses based on a craft theme.
+ Feature 2 craft artists every day for 5 days.
+ Arrange an artist talk at a library to broaden children's ideas on craft - make it fun around a 10 theme.
and...
we bet you can come up with some really cool ideas. You don't have to base the events around the number 10, we just thought it might be fun. Our main aim is you celebrate American crafters and artists all over the country and the beauty they create. Put on your thinking hats and let's get creative!

Please help us get to 10,000 followers on Facebook!!

The New Year celebrations have settled - now it's 2019 … a great time and as it's a brand New Year to celebrate American Craft Week - and especially since it's out 10th anniversary year, we'd love your help to get us to 10,000 Facebook followers! We're so close it would be cool to reach our goal this year. 

👍 Please like our Facebook page as an individual – business pages don't show up in the count! Please share with your friends. 

We thank you for all your support and enthusiasm, We appreciate you, and all the crafters and artists who keep the creative spirit aflame – plus thank you to all collectors who appreciate good craft.

Now, let's get that number up to 10,000 … ready - steady - GO!! 💖
And please, MARK YOUR CALENDARS now so you don't miss the fun!