This week, The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (CCCD) will bring Made in Western North Carolina (WNC) to WantedDesign Brooklyn May 7 – 17, 2016, an opportunity made possible by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA). The exhibition will be held during NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official annual citywide celebration of design.
Made in WNC is an exhibition examining the legacy of craft-based industry in western North Carolina and its influence on artists and designer-makers working in the region today. First on display at CCCD’s Benchspace Gallery & Workshop in Fall 2015, the exhibition features work by twenty-four textile, ceramic, and furniture studios based in the region. These designer-makers export their work internationally with brands such as Calvin Klein Home and Starbucks, are sold at the Le Bon Marché or in Dwell on Design, and have been featured in publications such as Monocle, Garden and Gun, and Bon Appétit.
“Asheville is gaining reputation as a hub for forward thinking contemporary design in addition to being recognized for its rich craft history and traditions,” said CCCD Assistant Director and exhibition curator Marilyn Zapf. “Made in WNC explores this intersection, showcasing a region that is at the forefront of innovation in new business models combining craft, design, and industry. We are thankful to the BCTDA for supporting our efforts to provide context of the region and showcase local talent to an international audience at WantedDesign Brooklyn.”
Like CCCD, WantedDesign supports new ideas, emerging designers, and critical dialogue. It is a platform dedicated to promoting design and fostering the international creative community at large throughout the year.
At WantedDesign Brooklyn, CCCD will join an international cohort of organizations, designers, brands, embassies, and design schools in providing content for ten days of exclusive exhibitions, workshops and conversations. Other participants include Aalto University (Finland), Brooklyn Glass (U.S.), Centro (Mexico), Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (U.S.), Cultural Services of the French Embassy (France), ENSCI les ateliers (France), Escuela de Comunicación Mónica Herrera (El Salvador), Industry City (U.S.), Trend Tablet, Toronto Design Offsight Festival (Canada), and Pratt Institute (U.S.) among others.
Says Zapf, “WantedDesign Brooklyn is a fitting stage to showcase the top-quality work being produced in this region as part of the international designer-maker movement.”
PARTICIPATING STUDIOS:
Appalatch (Weaverville, NC), Blue Ridge Chair Works (Asheville, NC), Bow + Arrow (Asheville, NC), Cause and Effect (Asheville, NC), The Circle A Brand Mfg. Co. (Asheville, NC), Claire Minihan Woodworks (Asheville, NC), East Fork Pottery
(Marshall, NC), Element Clay Studio (Asheville, NC), FEHLŌ (Asheville, NC), Hudson’s Hill (Greensboro, NC), Iron & Ash (Asheville, NC), Lightheart Gear
(Arden, NC), A Little Weather (Leicester, NC), Melissa Weiss Pottery (Asheville, NC), Mudtools (Bat Cave, NC), New Colony Furniture (Bakersville, NC), Nick Moen (Asheville, NC), The Old Wood Co. (Asheville, NC), OUTRA (Asheville, NC), Overlap Sewing Studio (Asheville, NC), Raleigh Denim Workshop (Raleigh, NC), Shelter Collective (Asheville, NC), Sketchbook Crafts (Marshall, NC), TSUGA
(Boone, NC).
COLLABORATING STUDIOS:
Bernhardt Design & Bernhardt Textiles (Lenoir, NC), Capricorn Bicycles
(Marshall, NC)
Save the date(s). Your essential calendar to attend WantedDesign Brooklyn:
WantedDesign Brooklyn, May 7-17
Industry City – Sunset Park – 220 36th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Saturday, May 7: From 7pm to 11pm | NYCxDESIGN opening night celebration (by invitation only)
Saturday, May 7 – Sunday, May 8: From 11am to 6pm (open to trade and public)
Thursday, May 12 – Monday, May 16: From 11am to 6pm (open to trade and public)
Tuesday, May 17: From 2pm to 6pm (open to trade and public)
Closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday May 9, 10, 11.
For more information, visit: wanteddesignnyc.com
Made in WNC is organized by The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, curated by Marilyn Zapf, presented by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, and received support from the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
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