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What is the Topeka Competition?
Fun, whimsical and highly-crafted.

Over thirty years ago, Larry Peters, former Sabatini Art Gallery Director, created The Topeka Competition—TC for short—to give local ceramists, woodworkers, fiber artists, jewelry-makers and other crafts artists an opportunity to show their work at a time when most galleries weren’t yet interested in craft media. This event has grown into a national, biennial, juried competition featuring some of the newest and most innovative 3-dimensional work being made in America today. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Check out Larry’s 1978 exhibit proposal for the first Topeka Competition here.

Gallery & Arts-related Library Programs

First Fridays Artwalk
Opening Reception | Nov 6 | 5:30 PM | Honors & Awards announcement 6:30 PM

First Fridays Artwalk
Twice as nice the second time around | Dec 4 | 5:30 PM

Juror’s Talk
Dec 5 | Marvin 101C | Meet Joyce Jablonsky, TC29’s Juror, and hear her thoughts on this year’s competition

Kids’ Quilt Craft Project
Midland Hospice’s Gwen McClain teaches kids to express grief by through quilting.

Porubski’s—Transcendent Deli
New film about this Topeka institution to be screened at the Library.

Calligraphy Part 2
Flourishes! Swash capitals! All ages.

Related Websites & Articles

Craft:
Site dedicated to the renaissance occurring in the world of crafts

Make:
Site that brings the “do-it-yourself” mindset to all the technology in your life

Imagination Factory
Site for kids about making art using materials most people throw away

Craft in America
Non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration, preservation, celebration of craft and its impact on our nation's cultural heritage.

Museum of Contemporary Craft
A vibrant center for investigation and dialogue, expanding the definition of craft and the ways audiences experience it.

What Are They Teaching Art Students These Days?
Emerging forms, theory, new technology and marketing (ARTnews)

Baffled, Bewildered & Smitten
How to learn to stop worrying and love the art you don’t understand (ARTnews)

Collection Connection—stuff to check out from the Library

Art On the Edge and Over by Linda Weintraub
Searching for art’s meaning in contemporary society

Craft in America PBS television series
Reserve a copy here of this award-winning 5-hour series, now in its second season.

Stitch ‘n Bitch series by Debbie Stoller
Knitting for a new generation

Super Crafty by Susan Beal
Ultimate guide to making cool stuff at all skill levels and 75 amazing how-to projects

Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing by Tim McCreight
Professional metalsmith talks technique and process

Ceramics: Throwing Functional Forms
How to make a mug, a vase, pitcher and plate (DVD)

Sculpture As Experience by Judith Peck
Working with clay, wire, wax, plaster and found objects

Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art by Katherine Duncan-Aimone
Current trends and 39 prominent fiber artists

Our Community

ARTSconnect Topeka
Your link to almost everything arty in T-town

Kansas Artist Craftsmen Association
Resource group for communication, support, workshops, exhibitions and networking for Kansas artists working in 3D media

The Harveyville Project
Rural schoolhouse, creative residence, workshop and retreat, Felt & Yarn School, Art Club

Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University
Sculpture, found objects and mixed media through January 2010

Hand & Wheel Ceramics
Washburn University Continuing Education class 11/7–12/12

Judith Lennox Sabatini Art Lab
Mulvane Art Museum’s hands-on art experience center for people of all ages

Until next time…

Art that looks back at you: sounds become shapes, bodies create paintings and a curious eye looks back at a curious viewer. Artist Golan Levin’s TED 2009 conference presentation is both inspiring and funny. CLICK HERE to watch Levin's short TED presentation.

Alice C Sabatini Art Gallery | View our exhibits online | Facebook | www.tscpl.org
Sign up for our e-postcard here: www.tscpl.org/gallery