Museum of Contemporary Craft
Encyclopedia
The Museum of Contemporary Craft based in Portland, Oregon
is the oldest continuously-running craft institution in the United States
. Located in downtown Portland’s Pearl District, the museum is dedicated to promoting craft and strives to contribute to the advancement of craft by exhibiting and documenting work from Pacific Northwest
and international artists.
(WPA) labor. Originally called the Oregon Ceramic Studio, the studio building first opened in 1938. Lydia Herrick Hodge led the OCC as the studio director from 1937 until her death in 1960. The Oregon Ceramic Studio hosted several exhibitions and participated in design campaigns crucial to the cultivation of the Northwest's legacy of craft.
Throughout its history, The Museum of Contemporary Craft has gone by several names, including; Contemporary Crafts Gallery 1965, Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery 2002, and Museum of Contemporary Craft 2007.
Today the organization functions primarily as a museum and as a resource for the community. It houses a growing collection, of over 1000 objects that document the active role of both the Museum and the Pacific Northwest in the evolution of craft over the past seven decades.
(PNCA), making the joint institution one of the largest organizations devoted to the visual arts in the state of Oregon.
style building was designed by architect Ellis Lawrence, first dean of the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts
. The building underwent several renovations, most notably in 1998 when the Marlene Gable Gallery was built, designed by Northwest Regional Style architect William Fletcher. The Marlene Gable Gallery served as the permanent collection space.
In 2005 the museum board decided to move the museum’s location. In July 2007 the museum relocated to its current location, 724 NW Davis Street, in the Historic DeSoto Building on Portland’s North Park Blocks
. The new location has increased foot traffic and visibility for the museum.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
is the oldest continuously-running craft institution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located in downtown Portland’s Pearl District, the museum is dedicated to promoting craft and strives to contribute to the advancement of craft by exhibiting and documenting work from Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
and international artists.
History
Lydia Herrick Hodge founded the Museum in 1937, with donated materials and the Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) labor. Originally called the Oregon Ceramic Studio, the studio building first opened in 1938. Lydia Herrick Hodge led the OCC as the studio director from 1937 until her death in 1960. The Oregon Ceramic Studio hosted several exhibitions and participated in design campaigns crucial to the cultivation of the Northwest's legacy of craft.
Throughout its history, The Museum of Contemporary Craft has gone by several names, including; Contemporary Crafts Gallery 1965, Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery 2002, and Museum of Contemporary Craft 2007.
Today the organization functions primarily as a museum and as a resource for the community. It houses a growing collection, of over 1000 objects that document the active role of both the Museum and the Pacific Northwest in the evolution of craft over the past seven decades.
Partnership with PNCA
In January 2009, the Museum of Contemporary Craft integrated with the Pacific Northwest College of ArtPacific Northwest College of Art
The Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private fine art and design college in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1910, the art school grants bachelor of fine arts degrees and master of fine arts degrees and has an enrollment of about 550 students...
(PNCA), making the joint institution one of the largest organizations devoted to the visual arts in the state of Oregon.
Location
MoCC has occupied two locations. Its first location, 3934 SW Corbett Avenue, was home to the museum for 70 years. The art decoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style building was designed by architect Ellis Lawrence, first dean of the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts
University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts
The University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts is a public school of architecture and visual arts in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the only school in Oregon to offer architecture degrees accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The school, founded in 1914 by...
. The building underwent several renovations, most notably in 1998 when the Marlene Gable Gallery was built, designed by Northwest Regional Style architect William Fletcher. The Marlene Gable Gallery served as the permanent collection space.
In 2005 the museum board decided to move the museum’s location. In July 2007 the museum relocated to its current location, 724 NW Davis Street, in the Historic DeSoto Building on Portland’s North Park Blocks
North Park Blocks
The North Park Blocks form a city park in downtown Portland, Oregon.Captain John H. Couch deeded the five blocks to the city in 1865, probably officially platted and dedicated to the city in 1869. An ordinance was passed in 1904, setting aside one park block for women and children. In 1906, another...
. The new location has increased foot traffic and visibility for the museum.
The Gallery at the Museum of Contemporary Craft
The Gallery at Museum of Contemporary Craft is a retail space for craft and design in the Pacific Northwest. The Gallery represents artists working in ceramics, glass, jewelry, wood, metal, fiber and mixed media.External links
- Museum of Contemporary Craft (official website)
- Museum of Contemporary Craft Gallery