A sculpture of a porpoise skeleton made of glass hangs from the ceiling

Crafting Futures Panel Discussion

PART OF HANDWORK 2026

This engaging panel discussion with representatives from craft organizations across the Puget Sound region and Chief Curator Greg Robinson will explore the meaning of “emerging artists” and the many ways it can be interpreted. Jenna d’Anna, BIMA’s Learning & Engagement lead, will moderate the conversation. The discussion will also highlight works from the Crafting Futures: Emerging Artists Invitational exhibition, focusing on what is most relevant to our region and our time. Panelists will reflect on their experiences of the show and share which emerging artists they find most exciting today.

Our panelists include:

Betsy Hagestedt, Programs Manager, Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN)
Ed King, Executive Director, Pottery Northwest
Daniel Wallace, Executive Director, Northwest Designer Craftartists (NWDC)
Donna Davies, Executive Director, Pilchuck

The panel will be followed by an audience Q&A and reception.

Header image: Peter Jacobsen (Tacoma), Porpoise Skeleton, 2023, Furnace glass, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

When

Apr 11, 2026
4:00pm – 6:00pm

Where

Frank Buxton Auditorium

Tickets

Event Categories

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS

Betsy Hagestedt, Programs Manager, Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN)

Betsy has always been an artist, beginning in fiber with a focus on knit and sewn garment construction, and more recently playing with new techniques and materials like glass, paper, bronze and wood. She has lived, studied and researched in northern England, Victoria, BC, Calgary, AB, and Quito and Puyo Ecuador. She holds a PhD from the University of Victoria in Visual Anthropology and Materiality. As an anthropologist, though her research focused on visual communication rather than artistic practice, knitting became a universal point of connection with diverse people around the world. Leaving academia, Betsy has now shifted to a focus on arts access through nonprofit administration. In addition to working for BARN, she sits on the boards of Wayzgoose Kitsap and Pratt Fine Arts, and the Bremerton Arts Commission.

Ed King, Executive Director, Pottery Northwest

Ed King is the Executive Director of Pottery Northwest, the longest-running ceramics nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest. Since joining in 2022, he has guided the organization through a period of transformation by fostering inclusive and equity-focused programming, advancing a bold relocation project, and mobilizing significant financial support for its long-term sustainability.

A recognized arts leader, award-winning artist, and cultural strategist, Ed brings deep experience across arts administration, creative practice, and equity-centered organizational leadership.

Ed passionately advocates for economic vitality for artists and expanded access to cultural participation, and approaches leadership with a commitment to inclusion, equity, and community-centered programming. He also believes that everyone deserves the chance to experience joy, community, and restorative healing found in creative art practices.

Ed is widely regarded as a visionary bridge builder who fosters collaboration across artists, community partners, civic leaders, and funders. As a Seattle Arts Commissioner, he contributes to citywide arts policy and champions creative ecosystems that support a diverse range of cultural voices.

Daniel Wallace, Executive Director, Northwest Designer Craftartists (NWDC)

Daniel Wallace is a 2008 graduate of The Maryland Institute College of Art, having also studied at The Glasgow School of Art, and the Baltimore School for the Arts. Before joining NWDC, he was the Program Coordinator at Howl! Arts, a non-profit gallery and archive dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of Lower East Side Manhattan. He continues to develop independent curatorial programs and maintains a personal practice as a ceramic artist and illustrator.

Donna Davies, Executive Director, Pilchuck

Donna Davies became Executive Director of Pilchuck in 2024, after serving as Deputy Director for four years. Prior to Pilchuck, Davies was the Director of the SOFA art fairs including SOFA CHICAGO, SOFA New York, and SOFA WEST: Santa Fe. The SOFA art fairs were established to create and foster a larger audience for the applied arts, which Davies further developed with national and international art galleries exhibiting art and design, greater outreach to non-profit organizations whose missions supported the applied arts and expanded corporate sponsorship of the fairs. Prior to that, Davies was the Director of Marx-Saunders Gallery in Chicago, and the Assistant Director of Contemporary Art at Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe. Davies holds a BA in Art History from the University of Kansas and an MA in Art History from the University of Oklahoma, where she wrote her Master’s Thesis on contemporary Indigenous glass, focusing on the work of Preston Singletary (Tlingit), Tony Jojola (Isleta), and Marvin Oliver (Quinault/Isleta).

A grey quilt hangs on the wall with yellow squares and black white and yellow birds

A white and brown wood shelf with small drawers Two white ceramic pots sit on the shelf

A wide shot of a museum gallery with glass sea creatures and ceramic sculptures

Foreground has a large ceramic silver diving helmet The background has a framed paper piece with circles

Peter Jacobsen (Tacoma), Porpoise Skeleton, 2023, Furnace glass, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

Lynnette Sandbloom (Bainbridge Island), Through the Window, 2020, Quilt, Collection of the Artist, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

James Nelson (Woodinville), Nareau Wall Tea Cabinet, 2025, Grandillo, Ash, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

Stephanie Tayengco (Poulsbo, WA), Regeneration (Nurse Log Vessels), 2025, Borosilicate glass, potting soil, and moss, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Dasha Moore.

Crafting Futures: Emerging Artists Invitational exhibition view, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

James Nelson, Nareau Occasional Table, 2025, Granadillo, Bleached & Dyed Ash, 28”h x 38”w x31”d, Courtesy of the Artist

Background: Jacki Moseley (Bainbridge Island), Round & About, 2019, Joomchi: mulberry paper, Courtesy of the Artist. Foreground: Jacob Foran (Seattle), Untitled #6, Headspace Series, 2010, Ceramic, glass, gold leaf, Courtesy of the Artist. Photo by Keith Brofsky.

Jacob Foran (Seattle), Vessel #6 (2023), 2023, Ceramic, glaze, Courtesy of the Artist, Photo by Keith Brofsky.

James Nelson, Nareau Liquor Cabinet, 2024, Granadillo, Bleached & Dyed Ash, 71”h x 27”w x16”d, Courtesy of the Artist

Left: Jacki Moseley (Bainbridge Island), BoHo Boat, 2023, Joomchi: mulberry paper; hemp, Courtesy of the Artist. Right: Jacki Moseley (Bainbridge Island), Duet, 2023, Paper & Wool Felting: mulberry paper; merino wool; hemp, Courtesy of the Artist. Photo by Keith Brofsky.

Thanks to our 2026 Exhibition Sponsors