2018 St. Paul Show Awards of Excellence
2018 St. Paul Show Awards of Excellence
Congratulations to all of our 2018 Awards of Excellence recipients, including Hip Pop emerging artist Alicia Goodwin.
Bailey AalandA tradition established at the start of the American Craft Shows, the Awards of Excellence recognize and celebrate show artists in a few categories: overall work quality, booth design, and an emerging Hip Pop artist.
From a pool of more than 230 incredibly talented makers, only five were chosen to be honored with awards at our 2018 American Craft Show in St. Paul. Scott Pollock, director of exhibitions, collections, and programs at the American Swedish Institute, served as the Awards of Excellence juror.
For quality of work, awards were given to jeweler Kelsey Larsen (booth 418), who gives the intensive, beautiful art of hand-filigree new life with her fresh forms, fiber artist Kelly Marshall (booth 308) and her incredible woven wall hangings in stunning bold patterns, and chemist-turned-ceramist Sean Forest Roberts (booth 307), whose forms and colors blend the precision and expressive style of a perfectly balanced right and left brain.
Image Gallery
ACC director of education Michael Radyk, artist Kelly Marshall, and juror Scott Pollock
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Juror Scott Pollock, artist Kelsey Larsen, and ACC director of education Michael Radyk
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ACC director of education Michael Radyk, artist Sean Forest Roberts, and juror Scott Pollock
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Juror Scott Pollock, artist Matthew Nafranowicz, and ACC director of education Michael Radyk
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Nicolette Absil received The Balvenie Rare Craft Award of Excellence.
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Donald and Evelyn Shelton received The Balvenie Rare Craft Award of Excellence.
Bailey AalandTaking home the award for booth design, which honors both quality work and booth presentation, was furniture design duo Matthew Nafranowicz and Zachary McDole of Straight Thread Chair Co. (booth 910). Their dynamic presentation of their beautifully upholstered and handmade furniture draws you into their space.
Jeweler Alicia Goodwin (booth 212-2) won the Award of Excellence for an emerging artist as part of our Hip Pop program. Goodwin’s primarily gold jewelry blends her love of simple forms and heavy texture to create stunning pieces of decorative, wearable art.
On Saturday night, The Balvenie brand ambassador Jonathan Wingo presented The Balvenie Rare Craft Awards of Excellence to honor two artists working in traditional craft mediums. Awards went to new show artist, Nicolette Absil (booth 1021), who uses an intricate process of enamel and graphite to create cameo-esque jewelry pieces that stand the test of time, and longtime show artists Donald and Evelyn Shelton (booth 1112), who blend wood and wrought iron in exquisite furniture pieces that bring back "A Touch of the Past."
Congratulations to all of our recipients!
