Galleries Open to Visitors Thursdays through Saturdays 11AM - 4PM or by appointment
OCT 7 – DEC 22
2023 Intern Exhibition: Some Objects
"Some Objects" presents a comprehensive body of work created by the interns living and working together at Touchstone Center for Crafts during the 2023 season. Through a thoughtful selection of gifts and crafted objects, this exhibition seeks to illuminate how the internship experience can foster kinship between a collective of craftspeople, who, outside of a craft school environment, would likely not have a chance to engage in such a tightly-knit communal space.
Join us for a reception on Saturday, Nov. 4th from 11am - 4pm
2023 Artist Interns
- Bonnie McEachren, Studio Management Intern
- Eva Polzer, Studio Management Intern
- Phil Stephens, Studio Management Intern
- Arthur Gibson, Touchstone Intern
- Ren Higuera, Touchstone Intern
- Zach Morphew, Touchstone Intern
2023 Studio Management Interns:
Bonnie McEachren
She/Her
Bonnie is a skilled sculptor from Greenville, South Carolina. Armed with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute. She possesses a unique artistic vision, Bonnie’s creative practice revolves around reimagining pop cultural imagery through the intricate processes of ceramics and sculpture. Excitedly, she expresses her anticipation for collaborating with fellow artists, “I look forward to working with artists throughout the summer and applying a mixed media sculptural approach.”
Eva Polzer
She/They
Eva is from the charming town of Perry, OH, and a graduate with a BFA from Kent State University. She/they embodies a unique blend of kindness, passion, and hard work, with a dash of delightful weirdness thrown in - all in the name of fun! Eva is eagerly looking forward to building and nurturing connections at Touchstone that are both professionally enriching and friendly in nature. Eva says, “my goals are to continue my education & take in information from a variety of artists; adopting new skills and ideas into my own practice.”
Phil Stephens
He/Him
Phil hails from Upstate New York and is passionate about both learning and treating others with kindness. He actively seeks out opportunities where these two aspects are mutually inclusive and freely exchanged. Phil expresses his desire to forge meaningful connections this summer with exceptional individuals who share his values of craftsmanship, intentional community, mutual aid, and education. His goal is not only to develop lasting relationships but also to acquire valuable knowledge through these experiences.
2023 Touchstone Interns:
Art Gibson
He/Him
Art Bilder, a skilled artist from southern Florida, is both a blacksmith and metalsmith, who recently graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His artistic endeavors revolve around capturing the essence of marine life and shedding light on the detrimental impact of human littering on these creatures and their habitats. During his internship at Touchstone this summer, Art eagerly anticipates delving into the art of toolmaking, aspiring to craft an assortment of equipment to aid him in his creative pursuits.
Ren Higuera
They/Them
Ren is a talented artist from North Texas, skilled in enameling and silversmithing. Their creative endeavors draw inspiration from the principles of Modernist design. Ren eagerly shares plans to push artistic boundaries further during their Touchstone internship this summer, “I hope to continue my exploration of cloisonné enameling and expand my series of kinetic jewelry.”
Zach Morphew
He/Him
Zach is a painting major at West Virginia University who has a strong affinity for Appalachian culture and is currently immersed in the creative endeavors of developing a comic strip and book. When asked about his aspirations for his summer internship, Zach expresses enthusiasm for two key aspects: “building connections with instructors, staff, and interns and teaching as much as possible.”