The White House Collection of American Crafts: 25th Anniversary Exhibit

Assembled in 1993 at the request of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, The White House Collection of American Crafts was created to coincide with the year designated “The Year of American Craft: A Celebration of the Creative Works of the Hand” by a Joint Resolution of Congress and a Presidential Proclamation by President George H. W. Bush. The collection includes 73 works created by 78 of America’s foremost craft artisans.

The Clintons thought of the White House as the American people’s house and a 200-year-old living museum of American art and history. As First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton promoted the arts and culture through many initiatives. One of those, The White House Collection of American Crafts, presented a wonderful opportunity to display contemporary American crafts in the formal public rooms of the White House.

The collection serves as a recognition of our country’s longstanding tradition of craft making and a tribute to the richness and diversity of this important aspect of our heritage. The exquisite pieces within the collection illustrate the skill, imagination, and vitality characteristic of craft in the 1990s. This 25th anniversary exhibit was the first time in 18 years that the complete collection was on display.

To see the press release about this exhibit, click here.