Michael Puryear wins Smithsonian Craft Show award
Michael Puryear recently won the Silver Award at the 27th annual Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C. Puryear, who has a one-man shop in Shokan, N.Y., is self-taught and has…
Michael Puryear recently won the Silver Award at the 27th annual Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C.
Puryear, who has a one-man shop in Shokan, N.Y., is self-taught and has been a designer/furniture maker for more than 25 years. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the country, including the Museum of Art & Design in New York, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C., and the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Mass. His work has been published widely, most recently in “500 Chairs and 500 Tables,” published by Lark Books. His work is featured in collections at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Rockefeller University and the Newark Museum.
Teaching has always been one of Puryear’s passions; he has taught at many craft schools including Penland, Haystack, Anderson Ranch and the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. He is currently associate professor of woodwork at the State University of New York in Purchase. He is a trustee of The Furniture Society.
The judges for the award were Elizabeth Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum; Leatrice Eagle, fine art advisor and appraiser; and artist Lou Stovall.
The Craft Show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee to benefit education, outreach and research programs within the Smithsonian Institution.
For information about the artist, visit www.michaelpuryear.com.
