Inside PBS Blog

There’s no doubt that PBS fans are passionate about crafting.  In fact, PBS will rebroadcast the first season of the popular series Craft in America (starting June 3rd, check local listings) in response to fan interest.  The second season, coming this Fall, will focus on the beginning of the American craft movement and the inspiration, knowledge and skills needed to be a craftsperson. 

To celebrate our community of craft lovers, I searched the PBS.org archives for features dedicated to craft’s origins and the creative process.  These are my picks:

• Some of the finest musical instruments are crafted from a single piece of wood.  In a 2001 Online NewsHour interview, Samuel Zygmuntowicz describes the bending, carving, sanding and shaping that goes into making some of the world’s richest sounding violins.

• Jazz musician Howard Armstrong and his sculptor wife, Barbara Ward Armstrong, profiled in the P.O.V. film Sweet Old Song, spent their lives creating masterpieces in many forms.  Barbara shares the stories behind some of her most personal sculptures of dolls and masks.

• Independent Lens’ Off the Map tours of some of the most unique backyards you’ll ever see, featuring the creations of visionary, untrained artists across the globe.  The ‘zoomify’ feature puts you up close to many of the backyard treasures.

• Think you know your way around a woodworking shop? The Woodwright Shop’s trivia challenge tests your knowledge.

• Quilts often reflect the memories of those who create them.  On the America Quilts website, quilters share the detailed and moving stories behind the patterns and stitches they create.

Are you a craftsperson? Where do you find inspiration?

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