Craft in America

Arts and Music Series / 16 Seasons

Craft in America explores the vitality, history and significance of the craft movement in the United States and its impact on our nation's rich cultural heritage. Capturing the beauty, creativity and originality of craftsmanship, the film highlights artists and explores the inter-relationship of what they do, how they do it and why they have chosen a life of creating art.

53m 27s

Yumei Hou on her papercuts

2m 56s

Papercut artist Yumei Hou tells how she learned paper-cutting from her mother and how she creates her intricate designs. Bonus video from the CELEBRATION episode. PBS premiere December 11, 2015. (check local listings) Archival images courtesy of Yumei Hou.

Yumei Hou on the large ram in the Chinese New Year parade

56s

Sculptor Yumei Hou talks about creating the large ram head on a Chinese New Year parade float. Bonus video from the CELEBRATION episode. PBS premiere December 11, 2015. (check local listings)

MUSIC episode preview

30s

MUSIC focuses on finely crafted handmade instruments and the world renowned artists who play them, including Jake Shimabukuro at Kamaka Hawaii, Joan Baez with her Martin guitar, Scotty Barnhart with his Dave Monette trumpet, Rhiannon Giddens with banjo maker Jim Hartel, Tony Ellis at Stelling Banjo, and Joseph Pereira with mallet maker Jason Ginter.

William L. Ellis & Tony Ellis on banjos, fiddle and family

4m 56s

William L. Ellis & his father Tony Ellis on learning to play music, how a Scottish village inspired Tony’s fiddle tune “Plockton Aire,” parlor banjo history, and family influences, including how Tony’s grandmother played him lullabyes on the banjo.

Joan Baez on activism, Vietnam, and the guitar

2m 49s

Joan Baez speaks about activism, her 1972 trip to Hanoi, and the guitar as an instrument of change. Bonus video from the Martin Guitar segment of the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Bettmann/Corbis, National Archives, Associated Press/Barry Romo, Joan Baez, Pond5/VUSschneider

Banjo Maker Jim Hartel on craft

4m 7s

Banjo maker Jim Hartel talks about craft, of making things daily by hand, and his experience stone carving in India. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Dr. Robert H. Sayers and Jim Hartel.

Tony Ellis plays "Becky Thatcher Waltz"

2m 1s

Tony Ellis plays "Becky Thatcher Waltz" (with Geoff Stelling on bass, William L. Ellis on guitar, and Louise Adkins on pump organ) and tells a story about the Becky Thatcher riverboat. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Tony Ellis and Flickr/Mike.

Jake Shimabukuro & the Kamakas play Hi'ilawe

4m 53s

A jam session at the Kamaka Hawaii ukulele factory with Jake Shimabukuro, Chris Kamaka and Chris Kamaka Jr performing Hi’ilawe. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015.

Amazing instruments in the Martin Guitar Co. Museum

5m 4s

Museum director Dick Boak shows special guitars in the C.F. Martin Museum, including one made in 1834 and ones made for Johnny Cash, Jimmie Rodgers, Eric Clapton, and for craft artists Goro Takahashi and George Nakashima. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere Nov 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of C.F. Martin Archives, Mito Yamamoto, Nakashima Foundation for Peace

Geoff Stelling shows his custom banjo designs

3m 41s

Geoff Stelling shows some of his beautiful custom banjo designs. Geoff Stelling, Tony Ellis, William L. Ellis, Jeff Vogelgesang, and Darin Lawrence play "Home Sweet Home." Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015.

David Monette & Scotty Barnhart on resonance, Feldenkrais

6m 26s

David Monette talks about his trumpet making philosophy (resonance and intimacy) and works with Scotty Barnhart, along with Feldenkrais practitioner Alice Boyd, to “re-set” Scotty’s body and have him “flowing, way more than before.” Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Dave Monette.

Banjo maker Jim Hartel on the African heritage and banjo

4m 15s

Banjo maker Jim Hartel shows us old banjos, derived from instruments made by African slaves, plays the minstrel tune "Jim Along Josie," and tells about turn-of-the-century banjo models and playing styles. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Bettmann/Corbis, Library of Congress/Mary Cassatt/Harris & Ewing, H. Armstrong Roberts, Carl Fleischhauer,

Rhiannon Giddens sings "Better Git Yer Learning"

2m 37s

Rhiannon Giddens talks about and sings her minstrel tune "Better Git Yer Learning" and tells of the struggle for education by newly freed slaves. Bonus video from the MUSIC episode. PBS premiere November 20, 2015. Archival Courtesy of Wellcome Library London, Library of Congress/Marion Post Wolcott/Lewis Wickers Hine.

MUSIC episode preview 2 min

2m

MUSIC focuses on finely crafted handmade instruments and the world renowned artists who play them, including Jake Shimabukuro at Kamaka Hawaii, Joan Baez with her Martin guitar, Scotty Barnhart with his Dave Monette trumpet, Rhiannon Giddens with banjo maker Jim Hartel, Tony Ellis at Stelling Banjo, and Joseph Pereira with mallet maker Jason Ginter.

Papermaker Pam DeLuco and the Paper Doll book

12m 36s

Papermaker & owner of Shotwell Paper Mill, Pam DeLuco, is the architect of the project "Paper Dolls: stories from women who served" which contains 20 stories of service in the military. Using paper created from military uniforms as a starting point, DeLuco asked women veterans to share personal stories, donate uniforms, and participate in the hand making of these books. Segment from the SERVICE ep

Eugene Burks and Caisson at Arlington National Cemetery

9m 30s

Senior Horse Tack Specialist Eugene Burks Jr and Caissons at Arlington National Cemetery segment from the SERVICE episode. Eugene Burks Jr. is a 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and a saddler. Burks learned many aspects of his leather craft from his grandmother, a dressmaker.

SERVICE Episode Preview 2 min 40 sec

2m 42s

Watch a preview of Craft in America: SERVICE, exploring creativity, healing and our nation’s soldiers and veterans. Featuring ceramic artist Ehren Tool, potter Judas Recendez, Peter Voulkos and other G.I. Bill artists, Pam DeLuco and the Paper Doll Project, and Eugene Burks Jr, saddler at the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon.

SERVICE episode preview

30s

Watch a 30 sec preview of Craft in America: SERVICE, premering on PBS November 2, 2014 (*check local listings). SERVICE: exploring creativity, healing and our nation’s soldiers and veterans. Featuring ceramic artist Ehren Tool, potter Judas Recendez, Peter Voulkos and other G.I. Bill artists, Pam DeLuco and the Paper Doll Project, and Eugene Burks Jr, saddler at the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon.

G.I. Bill students at Corcoran College of Art + Design

4m 47s

Retired Brigadier General Nolen Bivens, featured in the SERVICE episode of Craft in America, introduces us to veterans who are using the G.I. Bill to study at the Corcoran College of Art + Design.

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