Museum of Contemporary Craft's latest exhibition, State of Oregon Craft, is about more than just the trending DIY movement. It's about the rich traditions and histories surrounding crafting throughout the state and all of the people it encompasses from creators to consumers.
Intricate saddle by Hamley and Co. with pressed details throughout.
Courtney Theim / OPB
"Craft in Oregon is very easy to find," said Nicole Nathan, curator and deputy director of the museum. "It can be everywhere from your corner knitting store, to classes you can take at a community center, all the way up to artist studios who work very specifically with various types of craft materials. It’s very much a part of our being and who we are as Oregonians."
One such art form represented is Hamley and Co., a "cowboy outfitter" located in Pendleton with roots tracing back to 1883. After moving into the eastern Oregon storefront in 1905, the shop has been catering to the state's cowboys ever since.
Andy Paiko is another artist represented in State of Oregon Craft; he was also featured in 2012 by the "40 under 40: Craft Futures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Paiko not only handcrafts glass, he crafts the idea of what glass can become as a craftable material. Highlights of his work include a useable glass seismograph and a working glass spinning wheel.
"What’s great about the pieces that we’re featuring and the ways artists are working is that there is this connection to the story," said Nathan. "As well connected as we are in our lives with all the different devices that we have, I think we want to have some sort of real connection with people, and so a handmade object really helps us understand that connection better and make that human to human connection."
Correction: Nicole Nathan is curator and deputy director of the Museum of Contemporary Craft. An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed her title.