February and March

Our return to Cranbrook from Vegas meant it was time to buckle down and get back to our schedule of weekly critiques and seminar discussions about professional practices. While the second year students were developing their work for the degree show first year students were preparing for second semester reviews. The reviews happened the week of February 15 and were the first major Academy goal for the first year students. Each presented their work and had discussions with four artists-in-residence during the span of one day. While the reviews are an opportunity to asses academic progress it is also a chance for the students to get information from people outside of their department which always leads to new developments in their studio work.

Soon after reviews we hosted Shannon Stratton, independent curator, critic, and the Director and Curator of Three-Walls a residency program and gallery in Chicago. Shannon lectured about Gestures of Resistance, an exhibition she co-curated with Judith Leeman. The show had opened in January at the Museum for Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon. She also met individually with all of the students in the Fiber Department for critiques. Everyone was challenged and energized by her lecture and critiques.