As seen in the August/September 2015 issue of American Craft magazine...

Turning Point
When champion marksman Dennis Stelz went nearly blind in 2009, he fell into a deep depression. In a new video by digital producer Andrew Ranallo, Stelz describes how teaching himself to turn wood, along with the support of friends, led him to find new purpose.

Collectively Speaking
Senior editor Julie K. Hanus connected with artist Francesco Spampinato to un­­wrap the diversity of ideas in his new book, Come Together: The Rise of Cooperative Art and Design, a survey of 40 collectives producing socially engaged creative works in art, craft, multimedia, and performance. 

A Star Is Reborn
In the early 2000s, more than 1,000 people lost their jobs in tiny Star, North Carolina, when the sock factory closed, leaving decaying infrastructure. Read the story of STARworks, the small-business/arts incubator that is transforming the abandoned 187,000-square-foot textile mill, with an eye toward rebuilding the local economy.

Makers Market: The Inside Story
Handmade American goods – that’s what you’ll find on Makers Market, an online marketplace that celebrates craftsmanship and the stories of the makers behind each handpicked piece featured on the site. Based in San Francisco, founder and CEO Suzy Ekman shares how the marketplace came to be and her vision for its future.

Book Arts Bonanza
The Minnesota Center for Book Arts turns 30 this year, and the organization celebrated with a slew of events, culminating in July with its Book Art Biennial and anniversary gala, where the MCBA Prize for artist books was announced. ACC librarian Jessica Shaykett caught up with MCBA executive director Jeff Rathermel to talk about the milestone.

Reshaping Clay
In 2012, a group of 14 ceramic artists, including Deborah Schwartzkopf, launched an online collective with the goal of reinventing “how the artist space functions.” ACC education coordinator Rachel Kirchgasler tapped Objective Clay co-director Lindsay Oesterritter to tell us more.