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

Storm Cycle: FEMA Trailer

2m 49s

Tom & Athene Paquin, 9 mos. pregnant, evacuated their home. Charlotte was born 3 days later. They returned to extensive damage, especially in the baby's room. The salty slurry of mud & sand infiltrated everything. They got a FEMA trailer two months later, and it was so small they needed to use a room of the house, so Tom had to build a porch to connect to the two, creating a home for his family.

Storm Cycle: Mud N' Mold

2m 41s

This panel shows a test tube of bleach and a kitchen counter top with incredible impressions left by containers and appliances after the water receded. When the water leaves, the mold and mildew start to grow. To rid your home of the mold spore, which penetrates the walls, floors and ceilings, you have to gut the house of drywall and spray down every stud, rafter and floorboard with bleach.

Storm Cycle: Markings No. 3 - X

3m 10s

Structures were inspected by teams from all over the USA in the early days after the storm. They marked dwellings with an "X" graphic to indicate the date, who had done the inspection, & if bodies or pets were found. These markings were full of import & visually interesting, especially those with contrasting color combinations. New Orleanians are fond of painting homes in bright tropical colors.

Storm Cycle: Local Artist

1m 44s

After Katrina, 350,000 discarded refrigerators ended up on the curbs with magnets still on them! Chris Cressione is a New Orleans artist who collected magnets from the refrigerators and put them all over his car. Occasionally he'd run into the owner and ask permission to take the magnets. He was never denied. They loved what he was doing, which shows the sense of humor of the people in this city.

Storm Cycle: Angel

2m 2s

I found this collapsed church near the corner of Peniston and Baronne Streets. It was probably suffering from termite problems, but the storm winds literally blew it down. In the midst of the ruins was a statue of an angel, missing a wing, but upright. I found it inspirational. I felt it was important to the spiritual renewal of the city to have a piece like this in the Storm Cycle series.

Storm Cycle: Wall Street

2m 46s

Animals suffered right along with the humans as victims of Hurricane Katrina. I found this dog named "Wall Street" through the animal rescue volunteers who set up shop a block from my studio. These women went out all over the city. Wall Street's owner had not returned so they spray painted messages on the house such as, "Do not take this dog" and "This dog is being fed by volunteers."

Storm Cycle: Empty

4m 19s

Angele Seiley, Thomas Mann's graphic designer & Mark Garcie, principal artisan, snuck back in the city to check on the studio. Angele took a photo of the statue of Robert E. Lee, looking north in contemplation of the defeat of the South but also facing the Katrina winds. Lee Circle is the pivot point of Mardi Gras parades. Seeing it void of activity is rare & put the future of Mardi Gras in doubt.

Storm Cycle: Flood Walls

3m 18s

This depicts the 17th St. Canal breach & resulting loss of 60,000 homes. Canals were excavated long ago to drain swamps & create more land. The steel sheeting in the walls was not driven down deep enough & the funds the Army Corps of Engineers got to correct this were used by the Bush admin. for Iraq. The failure of these walls is "the largest civil engineering disaster in the history of the U.S."

Storm Cycle: Local Hero

4m 28s

A dear friend, photographer and furniture maker Paul Guerra, transported people and supplies with his 7-ton truck, often driving 16 hrs. a day through 4 ft. of water. He began alone, hours after the storm, picking up stranded neighbors. Then he went into convoy with the National Guard, bringing people from the "Cajun Navy" boats to the Convention Center. This guy truly is a New Orleans Local Hero.

Blacksmith Philip Simmons

5m 59s

Philip Simmons (1912-2009) was a renowned blacksmith in Charleston, SC. At the age of 13, he dropped out of school and started his apprenticeship as an iron worker with Charleston native, Peter Simmons (no relation). Although his work ranges from ornamental fences, stair rails to window grills, he was most famous for his gates that contain elaborate designs of animals and trees.

Kiowa beadwork artist Teri Greeves

8m 31s

Kiowa beadwork artist Teri Greeves follows and updates the Kiowa tradition of beadwork, to tell the story of the American Indian, both contemporary and historical. Her works include beaded books, jewelry, and even high top sneakers! Segment from the ORIGINS episode

PROCESS episode preview

30s

What inspires a person to choose a career in craft? And how does one acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to become a craft artist. Featuring the 92nd St Y, jewelers Dave & Roberta Williamson, ceramic artists Cary Esser & Nikki Lewis, Kansas City Art Institute, North Bennet Street School, book artist Julie Chen, printmaker Tom Killion.

ORIGINS episode preview

30s

Watch a preview of the Origins episode, which focuses on the origins of the American craft movement and features artists who tie their work to early craft techniques and pass these techniques to others in a continuum of creativity. Artists featured include blacksmith Philip Simmons, potter Vernon Owens, Kiowa beadworker Teri Greeves, weaver Jim Bassler, and glass artist Paul Stankard.

Jim Bassler on Peruvian textiles

57s

Jim Bassler, weaver and professor, talks to his students about a Nasca period (200 BC - 700 AD) Peruvian textile, a seemingly simple yet sophisticated process of weaving. ORIGINS episode PBS premiere: October 7, 2009.

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