Niche Magazines
Niche Magazines
Professional associations in the field of craft cover specific types of media and technique, and a good number of them produce magazines. The American Craft Council Library, which can be visited by appointment, holds nearly 100 periodical subscriptions, as well as myriad issues of publications no longer in print, most of them catering to specific areas of the craft field. ACC librarian Beth Goodrich highlights five such publications here, with a longer list (not exhaustive) of niche magazines below.
Image courtesy of the Stained Glass Association of America.
Stained Glass
Stained Glass, published by the Stained Glass Association of America, is a quarterly publication featuring articles on the history of architectural stained glass, artist spotlights, and noteworthy projects, as well as resource pages listing suppliers, books, and opportunities of interest to stained glass artists.
LEFT: Image courtesy of the Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America (ABANA). RIGHT: Image courtesy of the American Craft Council Library & Archives.
The Anvil's Ring and Hammer's Blow
The Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA) issues two publications. The Anvil’s Ring is its primary publication and contains feature articles, historical notes, member spotlights, and book reviews. Its educational counterpart, Hammer’s Blow, provides how-to articles, tricks of the trade, notices, and classified ads for the blacksmithing community.
Image courtesy of Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal.
Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal
Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal will provide you with plenty of inspiration for your next project. Each issue features several projects with step-by-step instructions, as well as a large pullout section with cutting and carving templates. The journal also provides industry news and event listings for leather craft.
Image courtesy of Hand Papermaking, Inc.
Hand Papermaking
Hand Papermaking, Inc., publishes Hand Papermaking to promote “the scholarship and production of handmade paper and paper art.” Each issue features artist interviews, exhibition reviews, and articles about historical and regional practices, and includes tipped-in samples of handmade paper.
Other niche magazines to explore:
American Woodturner (American Association of Woodturners)
Book Arts arts du livre Canada (Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild)
Chip Chats (National Wood Carvers Association)
Guild of Book Workers Journal
Metalsmith (Society of North American Goldsmiths)
Needle Arts (Embroiderers’ Guild of America)
SAQA Journal (Studio Art Quilt Associates)
Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot (Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.)
Surface Design Journal (Surface Design Association)
Tile Heritage: A Review of American Tile History (Tile Heritage Foundation)
About the ACC Library
The American Craft Council Library & Archives in Minneapolis contains the country’s most comprehensive archive of contemporary American craft history, with more than 20,000 print publications, files on nearly 4,000 craft artists, four major archival collections, and a robust digital collection. To explore the ACC Digital Archives, visit digital.craftcouncil.org. Sign up for librarian Beth Goodrich’s quarterly newsletter at craftcouncil.org/CraftyLibrarian. For more information about joining the Friends of the ACC Library & Archives, contact Andrea Specht, ACC’s executive director, at [email protected] or 612-206-3101.
