Membership

Trips

Workshops

Spring Craft Weekend

SOFA Expo

Collector's Journey

JRA Collector’s Journey

Collector’s Journey presents an opportunity for JRA caucus members to share their experience and knowledge of craft art and artists. Caucus members open their homes and engage in wide ranging discussions about what started their interests in crafts, how their collections evolved, and how their interests have changed and grown over the years.  Participants are able to ask in depth questions about the objects and artists, decisions to buy, and how they display and protect the objects. These events are one of the benefits of membership in the James Renwick Alliance at the craft leader caucus level.

ABOVE: The Caucus Collectors Journey in January was at the home of Sandy and Norman Mitchell, seated in front.  In the back row are Miriam Ellsworth, president of James Renwick Alliance; Barbara Berlin, Chair of the Craft Leader Caucus, and Mallory Lawson, organizer of Collector’s Journey.  In the background is a ceramic totem by Michael Lucero, a basket by Kari Lønning, a glass vessel by Toots Zynsky, and a teapot by Leopold Foulem.

On January 17, Norman and Sandy Mitchell hosted the Collector’s Journey at their home in Potomac.  Norman is past president of the Alliance. Sandy planned and directed JRA craft study tours for over 12 years for both the craft leader caucus and alliance study tours.  Both Norman and Sandy have commented that these craft study tours were important in introducing them to new artists and studios and craft events, whose works have become a major part of their collection. Visiting artists in their studios, getting to know their work and their techniques, and learning more about studio crafts from onsite visits are important aspects of the James Renwick Alliance mission.