MFA in Applied Craft and Design Students Create Limited-edition Line for the Gallery Store at Museum

Release date: 11/16/12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Emily Wyant: ewyant@pnca.edu, 213-479-0421
Meghann Gilligan: mgilligan@pnca.edu

MFA in Applied Craft and Design Students Create Limited-edition Line for the Gallery Store at Museum of Contemporary Craft

PORTLAND, OR — November 16, 2012 — Combining traditional craft with modern design, the 2014 MFA candidates in the Masters in Applied Craft and Design program, jointly offered by Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) and Oregon College of Arts and Crafts (OCAC), collaborated to develop Center + Nest, a limited-edition line of centerpieces inspired by the season. Center + Nest is available at the newly redesigned Gallery Store at Museum of Contemporary Craft.

Designed with the goal of bringing loved ones together around the table and adding warmth to these gatherings, the tabletop piece features a hand-crafted wooden base, six ceramic bowls, and hand-made beeswax candles. Using Northwest-sourced porcelain and Cassius Basaltic stoneware, the bowls can be nested or used for sauces and serving at a holiday gathering.

After starting their graduate program in August with a two-week design build project resulting in a community bike repair hub in North Portland, this versatile group of artists and designers combined skills in another community effort in their first semester Entrepreneurial Studies class, lead by Vizwerks Creative Director, Randy Higgins.

“Entrepreneurialism is a creative process” says Higgins. “By challenging a group of strong-willed, creative individuals to work together on developing a line of merchandise for Museum of Contemporary Craft, students were able to gain experience by bringing a piece concept from design to production. The result is a piece that represents the group aesthetically and successfully.”

This group of 18 designers with backgrounds in wood, textiles, ceramics, graphics, metal, light, and contemporary art, worked in collaboration to develop Center + Nest, a limited-edition line of center pieces inspired by the season.

“We wanted to create an item to encourage community and gathering,” said student and ceramicists Meghan Chalmers-McDonald. “In so doing, we created a community setting for making. From raw clay and wood to finishing touches, we found ourselves gathering together to work and talk about our shared love for the well-crafted object.”

Center + Nest is available in The Gallery Store at Museum of Contemporary Craft in partnership with Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Related works along with students’ individual work, will be on display at Gifted 2: Still Giftin’ – A Holiday Affair, hosted by ADX + Portland Made, December 15th + 16th, 2012.

For more information on the artists and process behind Center + Nest, visit the AC+D Tumblr .