Had a great time yesterday getting to see the Smithsonian Craft Show before it opened to the public, thanks to an invitation from IGDC.

There were 120 exhibitors, and the full scope could be appreciated when viewing it from the second floor balcony.  Here are glimpses of four of the exhibitors:

I was especially drawn to the work of Brandon Holschuh.  His jewelry was so strong.  Some pieces had an outer metal shell that almost looked primitive or organic, and then the insides were tiny scenes of emeralds and garnets and diamonds, somewhat like finding an incredible geode.  He goes one step further, viewing jewelry as a duality, both on the body and then looking like a small piece of sculpture when not worn.  And he had also thought through every aspect of his booth, making it one of the best showcases there. (He was also very generous with his time, talking to me and the others from IGDC).

Josh Bernbaum’s glass pieces were arresting – some beautiful and some just wonderfully strange:

I loved the colors of the Vetro Vero Glass, with shades ranging from ethereal to bold:

And it was completely exciting to see 12 Dale Chihuly pieces on loan for the show, arranged in the center of the Great Hall. I was reminded of Andy Warhol’s Poppies, and so exposed this photo to bring out that aspect of the shapes: