Dear CAFAM Supporter,

I am delighted to write to you this holiday season as the museum approaches its 40th anniversary. Since taking the position as the Executive Director of the Craft and Folk Art Museum earlier this year, I have met so many of the amazing individuals who make up the fabric of our Craft and Folk Art community.

As you know, CAFAM has enjoyed a long history of elevating the traditions and innovations of the handmade. Today, we are at a particularly exciting juncture in CAFAM’s history as we embark on the cusp of a 40-year legacy promoting art and culture. From its experimental beginnings as a café and art gallery, CAFAM has grown to become a world-class beacon of craft and folk, uniting an open-minded and cross-generational audience.

But we have not done this alone – your contribution makes a tremendous difference in our community and enables the programs we provide all-year-long. During this time of budget cutbacks and shrinking art programs in our public schools, CAFAM creates family-friendly access to artists and subject matter that you will not find in the larger institutions.

This year has seen six important exhibitions featuring the artwork of Tanya Aguiñiga, who transformed our second floor gallery into a spontaneous criss-crossed matrix of yarn and furniture; the work of Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman whose shared life and career represent the mastery of mid-century modern craft and design; Jennifer Angus’ All Creatures Great and Small – the phenomenal kaleidoscopic patterning of 3,500 insects; Ann Weber’s fantastically inspiring, larger-than-life, cardboard sculptures; and the historic survey of California Craft and Design – the Golden State of Craft along with June Schwarcz’s enchanting enamel vessels.

Your year-end gift will help us continue our outreach into the community and bolster meaningful craft and folk culture in these ways:

• $25 will give one K-12 student the opportunity to visit the museum and participate in a hands-on learning experience.

• $50 provides an entire family with the opportunity to participate in the cultural life of our city by exploring current exhibitions during our monthly CraftLAB program. 

• $100 will support costs for US military veterans to participate in a weekend workshop with artist collective Combat Paper whose projects serve all people affected by war.

• $250 will support the development of curricula and professional development for K-12 educators. 

• $500 will support the exhibition of artwork in a community location in partnership with organizations and sites such as El Mercado, Homeboy Industries, Edendale Branch Public Library, and Saturn Street Elementary School. 

• $1,000 provides free admission for the entire community during the first Wednesday of every month.

As 2011 draws to an end, and we embark on this exciting and important moment in our history, I am asking you to consider giving a tax-deductible contribution to CAFAM this year.

Suzanne Isken
Executive Director

P.S. Your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar by Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Frank S. Wyle until January 7, 2012!

Contribute online!  The Craft and Folk Art Museum is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Federal tax identification number: 23-7442244.

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