Herbon To Display Clay Art at Smithsonian Show

St. Ignace clay artist John Herbon will be one of 120 artists who will display their art at the 25th annual Smithsonian Craft Show in the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., April 19 to April 22.

The Smithsonian Craft Show is the nation's most prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American crafts and is produced annually by the Smithsonian Women's Committee to benefit educational, outreach and research at the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Herbon regularly attends art shows in the Midwest, but said this will be his first time at the Smithsonian Craft Show.

He was selected from a nationwide pool of more than 1,000 artists who applied for the craft show. He will be among 19 other ceramic artists featured at the craft show.

Applicants are chosen from a panel of three nationally known art and craft experts, who met in Washington in November to make the selection, choosing artists of the highest quality in 12 disciplines: basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood.

One-third of the exhibiting artists are new to the show, according to the Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Mr. Herbon has been a clay artist for 33 years and operates Calypso Pottery in St. Ignace. He is now working on a limited edition collection for the craft show.