45th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show Awards Announcement
(Above: Elizabeth Agro (Philadelphia Museum of Art Curator of American Modern and Contemporary Crafts and Decorative Arts) with 2021 Best of Show winner Galen Gibson-Cornell)
The 45th annual (in-person) Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is in the books, while online shopping is still available! With cooperation from all involved, from the artists and attendees to the Craft Show Committee and Convention Center staff, and all the sponsors and support people, the show returned to being in-person, while also maintaining an online show experience. The Craft Show Committee is pleased to announce this year’s award winners. Congratulations to the recipients and thank you to the judges and award sponsors for their continued commitment to the pursuit of fine contemporary craft. The Craft Show remains open for business online through the holiday season and beyond. Please continue to visit the website and support our wonderful 2021 artists! www.pmacraftshow.org
(Above: Paper weaving by Galen Gibson-Cornell)
(Above: 2021 Best of Show winner Galen Gibson-Cornell in his booth)
BEST OF SHOW: GALEN GIBSON-CORNELL, PHILADELPHIA, PA. JUDGE: Doug Bucci. Sponsored in memory of Fifi Fleming and Mary Lee Lowry.
Galen creates paper weavings from street posters that he collects while exploring the walls and streets of many of the world’s cities. He then slices them into strips and fragments, and weaves them back together into new and recycled compositions.
THE ERIC BERG MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN METAL: MATTHEW NAFTZGER, MILWAUKEE, WI. JUDGES: Adam Kamens and Rob Dimico
Matthew fabricates objects using titanium, precious metals, and vitreous enamel. His creations emulate a sense of the almost familiar, but unknown, and may be wearable, functional, wall pieces, sculptural, or a combination.
THE LOUISE K. BINSWANGER PRIZE FOR BEST ARTIST NEW TO THE SHOW: TAMARA BELINDA, BROOKLYN, NY. JUDGES: Janet Binswanger, Jill Garrett and John Binswanger
Crown Inspired is a zero-waste, conscious art-lifestyle brand with creations from parasols to fabric wearables, encouraging self-awareness and mental evolution by embodying the full process of universal oneness and the protection of mind, body, and spirit.
THE COHN FAMILY TRUST PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN GLASS: NICHOLAS KEKIC, BELLOWS FALLS, VT. JUDGE: Sean Jonathan Cohn
For Nick, glassblowing has become a process of taking a unique, transparent, very hot liquid and freezing it at room temperature, in a controlled and sometimes precarious balancing act of heat, physics, timing, and human intervention in these processes.
(Above: Flavia Lovatelli and a close-up of her work)
THE PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN FIBER ART: FLAVIA LOVATELLI, COLUMBIA, SC. JUDGE: Gwen Goodwill Bianchi
Intrigued with the colors and textures in everyday printed matter, Flavia’s work is created with strips of recycled paper collected from magazines, flyers, and papers. The process of coiling is tedious and time-consuming, taking countless hours to roll enough strips of magazine pages into coils to create anything of substance.
(Above: Kimmy Cantrell and a close up of his ceramic work)
THE JANE AND LEONARD KORMAN FAMILY PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLAY: KIMMY CANTRELL, COLLEGE PARK, GA. JUDGES: Cathy Altman and Leonard Korman
Kimmy uses a stoneware clay with copper oxide, and high fire glazes to create both free-standing and framed masks and other images.
THE CAROLYN BENESH ORNAMENT MAGAZINE PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN ART TO WEAR: GINA PANNORFI, CHICAGO, IL. JUDGES: Patrick Benesh-Liu and Robert Liu
Gina began her exploration of wet felt making in 2003. She employs this technique to create 26 styles of scarves and shawls, each individually crafted and one of a kind.
(Above: Works by 2021 award recipients Nicholas Kekic, Teresa Chang, and Gina Pannorfi)
THE LEVITTIES FAMILY PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN: TERESA CHANG, PHILADELPHIA, PA. JUDGES: Anja Levitties and John Levitties
Teresa’s passion for everyday tableware is natural. She credits many influences for her design sensibilities: early Korean and Japanese pottery, her architectural studies, and an appreciation for simplicity instilled by her mother.
(Above: Works by 2021 award recipients Matthew Naftzger, Tamara Belinda, Dean Babin, and Judith Kinghorn)
THE PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN JEWELRY: JUDITH KINGHORN, MINNEAPOLIS, MN. JUDGES: Katharine and Louis Padulo
Judith’s work is fabricated using a combination of processes including fusing, embossing with hand-etched plates, die forming, and granulation; put together with layers of sterling silver, 24k gold, 22k gold and occasionally gemstones.
THE WHARTON ESHERICK MUSEUM PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WOOD: DEAN BABIN, COBLESKILL, NY. JUDGES: Julie Siglin and Sophie Glenn
Dean’s drive to design and make objects dates back to childhood when he was content spending endless hours building vehicles and houses from Lego on the carpet of his grandparents living room. He keeps this playful approach when making new objects in the workshop.
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Support and shop art every day, but especially on Artist Sunday, November 28th, a national day of art-shopping.
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