Craft in America

“Making things with your hands is a human, core instinct,” we're told in Craft in America, a three-part PBS-aired series that looks at arts and crafts in America, a movement that began in the late 19th century in reaction to mass production. The notable artists featured here express the deep fulfillment they find in working with clay, wood, fibers, metal, and glass. The first episode, “Memory,” features many of the artists talking about how they learned their craft from relatives, while the second, “Landscape,” explores the ways in which an artist's environment influences his or her work, ranging from the crack vials from city streets that Jan Yager recycles into jewelry, to the splendid trees used in George Nakashima's furniture. The final episode, “Community,” examines crafts long associated with communal effort (such as quilting), and visits craft schools that are developing new communities of artists. Boasting exquisite cinematography and fine background music (often based on “Tis a Gift to Be Simple”), this excellent survey of American arts and crafts is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)