As an artist, Navarro is interested in the unpredictable chemical reactions that occur with different materials, and she experiments with enamel and frit. Many of her finished pieces feature bright color and intricate patterns inspired by the leathers and animal skins that she incorporates into her work. The exhibition features a variety of pieces, from cuffs to necklaces.

While CraftTexas 2010 features outstanding works in all of the craft media, the exhibition is particularly strong in conceptual jewelry created from innovative and alternative materials. A few of the themes running throughout the exhibition are material re-use and nature, as well as social and political issues. Juror Paula Owen said, “As most of the work submitted for CraftTexas 2010 was both beautiful and provocative, I expect an extraordinary exhibition—one that engages the mind and the senses to the fullest!”

CraftTexas 2010 was juried by Gail M. Brown, independent curator of contemporary craft from Philadelphia, PA; Cindy Hickok, internationally acclaimed fiber artist from Houston, TX; and Paula Owen, president of the Southwest School of Arts and Crafts in San Antonio, TX, and a practicing artist.

ISGB has a mission to educate and promote the art of glass beadmaking, preserve the traditions of the art form, and encourage the continued renaissance of contemporary glass beadmaking. For more information, visit www.isgb.org.

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Peterson now resides on Lopez Island, one of the San Juan Islands in Washington, where he draws heavily from the surrounding environment. Turning, carving, sandblasting, bleaching and pigmenting the burl portion of trees, such as madrone, maple, grass tree, elm and locust, Peterson creates sculptural works of sheer beauty and purity. He starts with multiple wet chunks of wood, which are carved and hollowed out using chainsaws. As the pieces dry, they shrink and warp in unpredictable ways that heighten their grain patterns and create rich textures. He then smoothes the edges, and sometimes bleaches the pieces prior to layering them with multiple, subtle coats of pigments. He often wipes away these pigments to create the illusion of depth–much the same way painters do to create chiaroscuro effects. Some of the sculptures are composed of individual hollowed-out units that, when stacked vertically, are reminiscent of how waves toss driftwood into unpredictable positions on the beach.