AMFA’s Inaugural Craft Convening Explores the Legacy and Future of the Field
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) announces “Craft in Common,” a one-day event to be held Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. While examining the legacy of craft, “Craft in Common” is a day focused on collecting, connoisseurship, and exploring one of today’s most transformative art forms—craft. Tickets are available at arkmfa.org on April 29, 2026, for $40, or $32 for AMFA members.
Headlining the day are artist and collector Robyn Horn, steadfast advocate for the arts and artists, and blacksmith Elizabeth Brim, whose sculptural ironwork has redefined the boundaries of a traditionally male-dominated craft.
The day’s program opens with “Collecting That Matters,” a conversation between Horn and Windgate Foundation Curator of Contemporary Craft Stefanie Kirkland on what it means to collect craft. The discussion draws on Material Nature: John and Robyn Horn Collection, an exhibition examining how artists are transforming traditional materials into contemporary art.
“Material Nature will showcase a variety of craft materials and processes, which pairs seamlessly with the conversation about collecting and making today,” says Kirkland. “Craft is about community, and AMFA is uniquely positioned to host “Craft in Common” as it celebrates craft through making in the Windgate Art School and viewing this art form in the Galleries.” Following the conversation, attendees are encouraged to step into the Galleries to experience Material Nature firsthand.
Horn came to collecting through her own artistic practice, immersing herself in a community of makers whose work inspired her. Through these relationships, Horn and her husband John began acquiring examples of craft as a way of supporting fellow artists and friends. Over the years, this support grew into one of the most recognized collections of contemporary craft in the country.
Among the day’s standout offerings, a screening of the documentary Iron Pearls sets the stage for a conversation with Brim, an internationally recognized and award-winning blacksmith and ironwork instructor at the Penland School of Craft. Brim will be joined by Andy Moon, Director of AMFA’s Windgate Art School, for a discussion of her work and creative process—and how her career has unsettled the conventions in a field long dominated by men.
Iron Pearls, titled in reference to Brim’s signature habit of wearing a string of pearls while working at the forge, details her work and journey to make a name for herself in the world of blacksmithing. Directed by E. Vincent Martinez, Iron Pearls was an official selection of the Tryon International Film Festival in 2025.
The Windgate Art School will also host hands-on studio demonstrations in ceramics, wood, glass, metals, and more, inviting attendees to engage directly with the materials and processes at the heart of the day’s conversations.
For more information about AMFA or Material Nature, visit arkmfa.org.
About the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Founded in 1937, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is the largest cultural institution of its kind in the state, offering a unique blend of visual and performing arts experiences. AMFA is committed to featuring diverse media and artistic perspectives within its permanent collection as well as through rotating temporary exhibitions. AMFA’s international collection spans eight centuries, with strengths in works on paper and contemporary craft, and includes notable holdings by artists from Arkansas, the South, and across the United States and Europe.
With a vibrant mix of ideas, cultures, people, and places, AMFA extends this commitment to diversity through the innovative Windgate Art School, a dynamic children’s theatre and performing arts program, and community-focused educational programs for all ages. Located in Little Rock’s oldest urban green space, MacArthur Park, AMFA’s landmark building and grounds are designed by Studio Gang and SCAPE, in collaboration with Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.