Blurring the Lines of Craft and Design

The largest juried craft show west of the Rockies is stepping up to demonstrate how artisans, interior designers and architects can work collaboratively.

As part of its American Craft Council (ACC) Show in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center from August 2 – 4, nine local interior designers and architects are creating eight settings inspired by a single piece of craft.

The pieces will be selected from the more than 230 artists whose work is on display. Among them are works in jewelry, glass furniture, fiber, ceramics and wearables. Organizers want to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between craft and home décor.

“The lines between craft and design are blurring, and interior designers and architects are now working in a very collaborative process,” says Pamela Diamond, director of marketing for the ACC. “The days of designers coming into a home and getting rid of what’s there are over – designers are motivated now to work with what the client has and find new objects to complement it.”

Each designer starts with a 10-foot by eight-foot white space, and a handpicked piece of fine craft made by a show artist. Each will give context to the pieces in the designer’s own style, whether contemporary, classic or eclectic. The eight rooms at the center of the hall are themed “Make Room: Modern Design Meets Craft.”

“The inspiration this year is to help people use craft as an inspiration for a setting,” she says. “The artists are juried into the show, and their work is in a digital photo album, so designers can see the texture, color and style of a piece and design around it.”

Among the designers are Lisa Bakamis, Mimi I Chen AIA, Laura Geremia, Nicole Hollis, Steven Miller, E.B. Min AIA, Jeffery L. Day AIA, Milina Raissnia, and Nicole Socia. Of the 230 artisans, 50 are from the Bay area.

The show is one of four the council sponsors in different regions of the country, including Baltimore, Atlanta and St. Paul.  It’s expected to draw more than 10,000 craft collectors and design enthusiasts.  For ticket information, call 612.206.3100, or go to http://www.craftcouncil.org/

[slideshow id=974]

Room Photography by Angie Cao Photography