Every two years, as few as one College of Fellows member is recognized with the Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship, an award for a lifetime of achievements, the highest award given by the Council and among the most prestigious in the nation. Gold Medal awardees of the College of Fellows represent the extraordinary among a field of elite craftspeople. The significance cannot be overstated, and the value of material related to the individuals has proportional importance to the preservation and scholarship of American craft. Awardees are nominated by the College of Fellows and selected by the American Craft Council Board of Trustees.

Introducing Our 2022 Gold Medalists

Jim Bassler
Textile Artist | Palm Springs, CA | View Bio/Work

"Drawing on complex weave structures with historic reference, Bassler unites the past with the present in responding to contemporary political and environmental issues, bringing nuance and humor to his sophisticated artwork. Driven by ideas and process and using very simple tools, he celebrates the honesty and beauty of the hand made—in his work and in his life." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Pat Hickman

Lia Cook
Multi-Media Artist/Educator | Berkeley, CA | View Bio/Work

"In her multi-media work combining weaving with painting, photography, video, and digital technology, Lia Cook has given new expression and potential to fiber, an ancient material that has been worked by humans for hundreds of centuries. Cook’s interest in expanding the boundaries of her materials, coupled with her research in neuroscience, has resulted in a singular and compelling vision for art and its relationship to human experience." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Tina Oldknow

Richard Marquis
Glass Artist | Freeland, WA | View Bio/Work

"Richard Marquis, glassblower and collector of beat-up, vintage objects, has had an extraordinary influence on the development of contemporary studio glass in the United States and around the world. As an artist, he is admired for his sophisticated understanding of color and form as much as for his humor and willingness to experiment. As a glassblower, he has influenced an entire generation of artists working in glass who aspire to his technical mastery and the originality of his vision." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Tina Oldknow

Judy Kensley McKie
Furniture Artist | Cambridge, MA | View Bio/Work

"McKie’s furniture comes to life through her use of form, line, pattern, and color in her often animal-derived wood carving and bronze casting. The irresistible qualities of McKie’s practice derive from a rigorous and far-ranging drawing practice that is deeply embedded in the finished objects in a way that manages to be both precise and yet fresh and loose at the same time." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Tom Loeser

John McQueen
Sculptural Basketry Artist | Saratoga Springs, NY | View Bio/Work

"McQueen, in exploring his deep connection with nature, has redefined volume and meaning in his sculptural baskets. His frequent use of words links him—as maker—to the natural materials his hands hold as he builds complex structures." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Pat Hickman

Patti Warashina
Sculptural Ceramic Artist | Seattle, WA | View Bio/Work

"Patti Warashina's work over the decades has both wit and insightful commentary on our culture." ~ACC Awards Committee Member Mary Lee Hu

View 2022 ACC Awards Press Kit

All ACC Gold Medalists

See this list as a visual directory.

2022 Jim Bassler
2022 Lia Cook
2022 Richard Marquis
2022 Judy Kensley McKie
2022 John McQueen
2022 Patti Warashina
2020 Joyce J. Scott
2018  Jun Kaneko
2016  Gerhardt Knodel
2014  Betty Woodman
2012  Stephen De Staebler
2010  Albert Paley
2009  Katherine Westphal
2008  Paul Soldner
2006  Dale Chihuly
2005  Fred Fenster
2003  William Daley
2002  Kay Sekimachi
2002  Don Reitz
2001  Otto and Gertrude Natzler
2001  Arline Fisch
2000  Cynthia Schira
2000  L. Brent Kington
1999  Dominic L. Di Mare
1999  Rudy Autio
1998  Warren MacKenzie
1998  Karen Karnes
1998  Kenneth Ferguson
1997  Sheila Hicks
1997  Ruth Duckworth
1997  Wendell Castle
1996  June Schwarcz
1996  Ronald Hayes Pearson
1996  Jack Lenor Larsen
1995  Bob Stocksdale
1995  Rudolf Staffel
1994  Toshiko Takaezu
1994  John Paul Miller
1993  Robert C. Turner
1993  Marianne Strengell
1993  Douglass Morse Howell
1993  Alma Eikerman
1992  Beatrice Wood
1992  John Prip
1990  Ed Rossbach
1988  Sam Maloof
1987  Lenore Tawney
1986  Gerry Williams 
1986  Peter Voulkos
1986  Margret Craver
1985  Lucy M. Lewis
1983  Harvey Littleton
1981  Anni Albers
1970  Dorothy Liebes

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