American Craft Council Open Studios: Scott Wynn
Author:Lindsey ShookHandcrafting furniture in San Francisco since 1976, Scott Wynn makes exquisite wood, leather and metal infused pieces. An architect by training, Wynn wanted early on, to understand how to make his own work. Here, he shares why the art of craft is so important and how the American Craft Council has helped share his story.
–Tell us who you, what you make, and how you make it. Scott Wynn. I design and make furniture and household accessories primarily out of wood using both modern power tools and traditional handtools and techniques.
–Why did you participate in the San Francisco Bay Area Craft Week? I participated in the San Francisco Bay Area Craft Week because craft is important and because I support the American Craft Council in their work of promoting craft.
–As a California-based artist, how do your surroundings/environment impact your work/practice or process? The urban mix of multicultural influences in the context of the great natural beauty that surrounds us here greatly affects my sense of line, balance, proportion and harmony and finds its way into everything I design and build.
–Why is it important to center or bring craft into our social or daily lives? Craft is important: it is not merely the production of an object. For the maker it results in the full integration of movement with awareness: in a world which increasing emphasizes the visual only and diminishes the involvement of the body, we are becoming increasingly aware that this mindfulness is important to not only our mental, but also our physical health. For the user, this mindfulness can be subtly transferred, resulting in objects that can bring a heightened awareness to the user and reoccurring enjoyment, often proportional to the level of skill and intent of the maker.
