A Legacy of Tactile Beauty — Houston’s Craft Masters Celebrate Creating Connections

The ethereal world of contemporary craft is a distinctly tactile one, with an entry point that’s accessible to anyone, whether it be ceramics, silversmithing, woodworking, or jewelry-making. 

When Houston Contemporary Center of Craft’s curator Sarah Darro talks about the nuances of contemporary craft, her passion is marked by a profound connection to curatorial experimentation and integrating art with everyday life.  

“Craft is our first experience,” Darro says. “When I brought women through the “Designing Motherhood” show, they said that this is bringing back nostalgia from the experience giving birth — either baby blankets or baby carriers. What excited me about craft and motherhood is that almost all of our first human experiences — the world outside the womb is through a handcrafted object.” 

For nearly a quarter century, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) has been a vibrant hub for Houstonians to create and engage in hands-on workshops and serve as a nurturing space to support artist residencies. In September 2026, HCCC will hit its 25th anniversary, with celebrations planned throughout the year. 

The milestone of 25 years as a distinguished institution of contemporary craft is no small feat. HCCC executive director Leila Cartier shares that the 2026 occasion ushers in so many possibilities for thoughtful expansion. 

“I think we see a lot of opportunities for growth,” Cartier says. “We’ve been in this space for 25 years. HCCC is among an elite network of craft institutions in the country. At this point, what started as an experiment 25 years ago is now a fully-fledged, highly regarded organization.” 

One of the objectives for Cartier is to support artists by promoting the Asher: Off the Wall retail space. 

“We’re re-establishing retail in a way that supports artists and supports artists’ careers,” Cartier says. “We are reaffirming our commitment to working craft artists and supporting them, wherever they are. Whether it’s fine museum craft or production work. We are committed to conversations in contemporary craft — where craft and technology can meet.” 

The Darro Domain 

Darro is instinctually driven to intersections in contemporary craft. She joined HCCC in September 2022, following a previous appointment as an HCCC Windgate curational fellow from 2015 to 2018. There’s a deeper sense of knowing and a radiant glint in her eyes when she speaks about her role as Houston Center For Contemporary Craft curator. 

“My curatorial practice is really driven by my perspective of a maker,” Darro says. “It is really influenced by my perspective as a visual anthropologist. I have studied creative and visual outputs from a cross-cultural perspective.

“It’s important to consider: How can I support an artist? How can I spark dialogues in museums? Or create experientially driven exhibition designs? I think they are really integrated. I like to think of myself as an exhibition maker.” 

Before HCCC, Darro served as a gallery manager at the Center of Craft in Asheville, North Carolina.  Darro also completed a curatorial research fellowship at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. In Asheville, Darro stretched the boundaries to innovate and deepen her curatorial voice by creating a Green Room Gallery, a “movable kunsthalle.” 

“It’s my only project that had been outside of a museum or gallery,” she notes. “The thematic drive of the project is to ask artists to respond to the color green. I had never lived in such a verdant, lush place for foliage. I thought about the color green, and its impact on the brain.

“I made a monochromatic gallery room, so everything in the room was green. And every artist made something so provocative and interesting for this gallery. I live for experimental ways of building shows and working with artists.” 

For Darro, the immersive fusion of art can be more than elevating to the consciousness. It can be a spiritual experience. 

“One of the texts that most influenced my curating is by Alfred Gell. It’s called the hypothesis called the Technology of Enchantment,” she says. “Art objects function is to enchant viewers. It could be about everything — from the craftsmanship, the process. I think there’s a lot of power and connection between art-making and giving people an opportunity to have a transcendent experience.” 

Darro believes in creating exhibitions which provide transcendent or transformative experiences. 

“I think we’re going to continue to see this trajectory of museums as important social spaces, for discourse and reflection,” she says. “I think craft is helpful, because everyone has an entry point into it. There is a tactile aspect in craft. Everyone has a knowledge of what it feels like to be wrapped in some kind of nice textile.

“It’s almost a gateway that can lead you into a spiritual experience, because there is some familiarity that is alluring.” 

A Vision to Broaden the Reach of Contemporary Craft

Inspired by an intrinsic painterly drive, Cartier’s world is informed by a love of aesthetics and design. She holds an MFA in painting and drawing from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. Respected as bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to her role, Cartier joined HCCC as executive director in July of 2023.

“I think that we’ve talked a lot about this being a hub lately of artists coming and going,” Cartier says. “Our first experiences are through crafted objects. Not only are we pushing boundaries in contemporary craft, but we’re making it accessible to everyone. Anyone can come to a crafted object or the medium and have an association or connection and a meaningful connection.” 

Before her work at Houston Center For Contemporary Craft, Cartier served as the executive director of CraftNOW Philadelphia. Cartier began her career as director of exhibitions at the William King Museum of Art in her hometown of Abingdon, Virginia.  

It didn’t take long for Cartier to make her decision to move to Houston and join HCCC. 

“I was inspired to come down here because I saw the incredible team that was already in place,” she says. “This organization is filled with talent, in terms of the staff. Many of the people are artists. At HCCC, it is so collaborative and amazing to be supporting the work they are doing, and to be taking the organization to the moment of reaching our 25th anniversary.

“There’s so much potential and so much ambition.” 

Cartier has a gift of introspection, when it comes to how her work at HCCC brings her joy. 

“We’re presenting craft in a way that people don’t expect,” she says. “You can come in and see that cumulative aspect of what craft is. I think what’s amazing about this field of craft is how collaborative it is. There are so many things that you need a community for.

“This shows how collaborative it is. I found this field to be so generative and interesting and now, I can’t imagine doing any other work.” 

For Cartier, the 25th anniversary is mingled with so much possibility and excitement about the next chapter. On view now at the HCCC are two installations:,“Sonya Clark: We Are Each Other” and “In Residence: 17th Edition.” Family programming includes First Saturdays: Hands-On Workshops and Summer Craft Camps.

“We’re committed to bringing back retail at Asher: Off The Wall,” Cartier notes. “We’re firmly committed to supporting artists. We’re listening to artists say what they’re looking forward to. And, we’re firmly committed to programming. It’s about saying ‘Yes’ to everything and pushing things forward.” 

Upcoming: The 2025 Crafting A Legacy Spring Luncheon

This May, HCCC will hold its Crafting a Legacy Spring Luncheon at River Oaks Country Club. This glamorous annual event helps advance the nonprofit’s mission of spreading the education, history and production of craft.

Cartier notes that the luncheon will offer an opportunity to meet the creative Houston duo of Mara and Erick Calderon, who are leading the way in generative art and design. The celebration will also provide a space to discover what’s ahead for HCCC. 

“In our Spring luncheon, we’re honoring Mara and Erick Calderon,” Cartier notes. “They are the owners of Art Blocks and Generative Goods. Erick started out as a ceramic tile artist, and he shifted into technology. Contemporary art is allowed to push the boundary of what is art, and technology has always been a part of creating craft.

“It’s about seeing contemporary craft as cumulative. It’s just an incredible moment to think about craft as art.” 

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft will hold its Crafting A Legacy Spring Luncheon this Thursday, May 1 from 11:30 am to 1 pm, at River Oaks Country Club. For more information and tickets, go here.