Chicago Botanic Garden Fall 2019

10 chicagobotanic.org American Craft Exposition September 20 – 22 Jennifer McCurdy’s intricate porcelain artworks bear titles such as Water Lily, Coral Nest, and Wind Bowl. Yet rather than trying to mimic nature in her pieces, the artist, who lives on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, uses a cre- ative process similar to nature’s own. By employing this approach, in which she plays with fractal patterns and den- sity of negative and positive space, Mc- Curdy creates works that “seem organic and owing, and people see forms of nature in the pieces,” she says. Although it can be hard to tell from the nished works with their sculptural qualities, all of the pieces start as wheel- thrown vessel forms. McCurdy, who has loved working with clay since childhood and began wheel throwing at age 16, alters the forms after wheel throwing to set up a movement of soft shadow before carving patterns to add energy and counterpoint. Each piece evolves further during the ultra-high- temperature ring. McCurdy is among the 149 artists se- lected from a eld of 500 applicants who will exhibit at the American Craft Exposition (ACE), September 20 to 22 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. e Exposition will feature works in 12 me- dia, including glass, jewelry, basketry, furniture, ber arts, leather, metal work, ceramics, paper, mixed media, and wood. Visitors who attend the Bene t Preview Party on September 19 will be treated to a sneak peek of the show and an early shopping opportunity. A frequent ACE exhibitor, McCurdy relishes the chance to interact with the many people who attend the show year after year. “I’m excited to see them and to present my new work and to catch up with what they’ve been doing,” she says. e Auxiliary of NorthShore Universi- ty HealthSystem presents the American Craft Exposition, now celebrating its 35 th year. Revenue from ticket sales is used to support increased access to psy- chiatric services at NorthShore through the creation of a psychiatric urgent care program and the implementation of a collaborative care model for providing mental health services to families. With some of her pieces named for wa- ter lilies and butter ies, it is perhaps tting that McCurdy nds the Chicago Botanic Garden a perfect location for ACE. “People have an opportunity that weekend not only to visit the show, but also to meander through the Garden,” she says. “It’s one of the most beautiful settings of any show I’ve done.” Learn more chicagobotanic.org/craft When: Friday and Saturday, September 20 – 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, September 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets : A three-day pass is $18 for members, $20 for nonmembers. Children under 12 are admitted free with an adult. Ticket and parking packages, available only in advance online: $35 for a three-day ACE ticket and a one-day parking pass for one vehicle; $55 for two three-day tickets and a one-day parking pass for one vehicle. Benefit Preview Party Guests will enjoy advance viewing and shopping, chats with artists, as well as hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. When: Thursday, September 19, 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets: $200 in advance, $225 at the door. Includes complimentary parking on Thursday evening, admission to the three-day show, and a discounted parking voucher for each day of the show weekend. Visit americancraftexpo.org to purchase Preview Party tickets. Porcelain by Jennifer McCurdy