April Adventures at Craft Alliance!

After this frigid winter, we are ready to get out of the house and have some creative fun this Spring! Here is a rundown of Craft Alliance's events this month:

April 2nd - In conjunction with our exhibition, Storylines: Contemporary Embroidery, The St. Louis Poetry Center will be hosting "Poets Thread The Line" from 1-3 pm in our Delmar Gallery space!


April 8th- ARTrageous Costume Ball! Join us for a glamorous evening of art and fashion at The Palladium honoring Jeigh Singleton Associate Professor at Washington University Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. The night will feature Fashion Shows from local designers Michael Drummond and Katie Kantley, a Three-Course Seated Dinner, Silent and Live Auctions, and an After Party beginning at 9:30 pm!
Purchase your tickets now and Peek at our Auction Items!

April 9, 10 and 16th- Glass Casting Workshop with Patrick Blythe! Learn the art of lost wax casting of glass on a small scale from a master of large glass castings. You can make a detailed casting of your hand or other small object that you would like to replicate in glass! FREE Artist’s talk Sunday, April 10, at 5pm, “The History and Techniques of Glass Art” in our Delmar Studios. Call our Registrar for more information!

April 26th and 30th- The Delmar Gallery shop is having our annual Mother's Day Trunk Show featuring Enamel Artist Jenn Bell and Local Hat Maker Miriam Wiegand! Meet Artist Miriam Wiegand on April 30th from 12-2pm to get your handmade hat just in time for the Kentucky Derby!

April 29th- Crafting-A-Future Opening 6-8 pm at our Delmar Loop location! This special exhibition features artwork created by students in Crafting-A-Future, a community outreach program providing instruction in metal, clay, glass and fiber arts through training and mentoring on a scholarship basis.

Don't forget to visit our Grand Center location to see the amazing exhibition Breathe by Carrie Scanga! Stop by our Delmar Loop location and sit in our reading library and explore each book in the unique exhibition Let's talk about Love, baby. Breathe and Let's Talk About Love, Baby will be up through April 24th.

Our Busy November!

Both locations of Craft Alliance will be bustling with events this November and we can't wait!

The second round of fall classes has started and students are enjoying our brand new wood turning studio in the Kranzberg Arts Center! We will be having an open house where you can tour the studio on Friday, November 19th!
David Charak, Steve Novik and his wife Cathy Barancik have generously provided funding to build a spacious, well-equipped studio designed to accommodate the tools and the work space needed for an optimal learning and working experience.
Special thanks to Keith Baizer for launching the Craft Alliance woodturning program by donating six lathes since 2007. The Charak/Novik Studio will be the only woodturning studio in St. Louis to offer the public the opportunity to learn this classic art!


On A Roll: Artists’ Toys opens Friday, November 12 in the Charak Gallery, Delmar Loop. Local artists were challenged to create a toy with wheels, some artists used traditional approaches and others a more conceptual interpretation of the classic plaything.
This exhibition features the work of Corey Ackelmire, Cathy Barancik, Dan Barnett, Michael Bauermeister, Nathan Dube, Robert Ebendorf, Melody Ellis, Cameron Fuller, Matt Keim, Dan Krueger, Robert Longyear, Roger Rimel, Will Rimel, Rimas VisGirda, Bernhard Voss and Karen Woodward.


As the Holidays approach and our Glass Ornaments arrive, remember to Save the Date for our Member Appreciation Weekend!
November 11th - 14th the Craft Alliance Gallery Shop on Delmar will be having its annual Double Discount Member Appreciation Weekend!
New and Current Members will receive 20% off their purchases in the shop. To find out more about becoming a member, check out our website!




Thanksgiving weekend wouldn't be complete without our Student/Faculty Sale! Featuring ceramics, fibers and more made by our skilled faculty and students, you can purchase all kinds of handmade holiday gifts! The sale will be outside of our Delmar location on November 27, 9 am - 5pm and November 28th, Noon - 5pm.

Hope to see you at all of our events!

Interview with Michelle Hamilton

Our Mother's Day Trunk Show in the Gallery Shop includes the work from local ceramic artist Michelle Hamilton! Her Spring inspired pieces are colorful and functional! I love her nestled bowls! They are the perfect size for dipping sauces!

During her visit, Michelle agreed to answer a few questions for us!

Tell us about your process:
My Work is wheel thrown cone 10 porcelain. It is multi-fired in an electric kiln. The imagery comes from two sources. The flowers are photographs from my garden. The birds and french posters are book images from the 1800's. All imagery is manipulated using Photoshop and printed using a fireable decal process.

What is the inspiration for your work?
My number one source of inspiration is photographs of my garden and the orchid show at the Missouri Botanical Garden. My photographs are integrated into two different series. My functional line combines my love of bright colors with the simple act of using a piece of art in your everyday life. My large Urn series also utilizes multi-layered botanical imagery but combines it with classic forms and the occasional tongue and cheek look at life.

What do you love most about working with clay?
It depends on the day or where I am at in the creative process. I love to throw and honestly think that a freshly thrown piece is at its most beautiful state. I love to glaze. Anticipating the energy that color can bring can be a thrill. Finally, using one of my pieces or better yet a piece from a friend or admired artist. Functional clay art just makes food taste better!

Do you have and advice for budding ceramic artists?
Listen carefully to the masters. Read about processes and look at other work. Then go to the studio shut the door and create what makes you happy.