The Collectors of Wood Art present the Excellence in Wood Award to 2015 ACE winner, Koji Tanaka.
Each year the American Craft Exposition (ACE) is proud to work with many cultural centers, organizations and lovers of craft who support our Show. One of those meaningful relationships is the partnership between ACE and the Collectors of Wood Art (CWA) who work to develop and honor wood art at its finest while also supporting the achievements of the artists who create such memorable pieces. One way CWA recognizes such artistic achievement is by presenting the Excellence in Wood Award at national art shows. CWA will present this award for the second consecutive year at ACE 2016.
Members of CWA are committed to the development and appreciation of studio wood art (including turned objects, sculpture, and furniture) among collectors, artists, educators, art critics, galleries, museums, and the general public.
According to Judy Chernoff, M.D., president of CWA, the organization focuses on four main initiatives:
- Help people fully appreciate/participate in the field of wood art
- Increase awareness of wood as a special medium for artistic expression
- Support scholarship around the field
- Encourage and recognize creativity of artists using the medium
A beautiful piece by last year’s Excellence in Wood Award winner, Koji Tanaka.
Simply stated, CWA’s mission is to support the field of wood art and encourage the artists to reach their potential.
In an interview with us, Chernoff mentions that attending craft shows, like ACE, is what peaked her and her husband’s interest in wood art. She describes their attendance at the 2003 CWA Forum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they met leaders in the field such as: David Ellsworth, Stoney Lamar, and Todd Hoyer, as the beginning of their immersion in wood and in CWA. Chernoff began serving on the Board in early 2013 and became president of the organization at the end of that same year.
“Wood is a medium that has endless possibilities for expression,” Chernoff said, “Once alive, every single piece of wood tells its own story. There is a sense of calm in holding a perfectly turned or beautifully sculpted piece of wood, an opportunity to contemplate what nature has presented and how an artist has brought this out.” Chernoff represents one of many who appreciate wood art for its sense of wonder and excitement. Such artistic talents prompt questions of possibility such as, “how could that artist possibly have done that?”
There will be a total of 13 wood artists appearing at ACE this year including last year’s Excellence in Wood Award winner, Koji Tanaka. We are looking forward to seeing all of their masterfully crafted works of art as well as finding out who CWA will present this year’s Excellence in Wood Award to!