A Conversation with Beth McLaughlin of Fuller Craft Museum
Fiber art lives in a unique space of creative tension—between tradition and experimentation, domesticity and monumentality, function and fine art . This tension makes it one of the most dynamic and evolving areas of contemporary art. In a recent conversation with Beth McLaughlin, Director and Chief Curator at Fuller Craft Museum, artist and writer Clara Nartey explored the power of curation, collaboration, and community through the lens of Art Evolved: Intertwined, an exciting exhibition combining quilts and basketry.
Beth McLaughlin’s Journey Into Craft
Beth McLaughlin has worked in the arts for over 30 years, beginning her career in the 1990s at the DeCordova Museum and later curating public exhibitions at the Oakland Museum of California. In 2011, she found her true calling at Fuller Craft Museum.
Raised in a family of makers, McLaughlin felt an immediate connection to the world of craft. “Materiality and hand skills have surrounded me my whole life,” she shared. Although she trained in studio art and art history, Beth found her creative outlet in curating exhibitions. “There’s so much creativity in the act of curation,” she shares, describing her curatorial work as a form of art-making in itself.
Why Art Evolved: Intertwined Is a Must-See Exhibition
The Art Evolved: Intertwined exhibition is a collaboration between Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) and the National Basketry Organization (NBO). McLaughlin immediately recognized the show’s potential when she received the invitation to co-jury and host it at Fuller Craft Museum.
“There’s something so special about the connection between quilts and baskets,” she said. Both art forms use fiber-based materials, emphasize tactile and layered elements, and originate from functional roots. Yet, they also diverge—especially in their dimensionality and process—creating a vibrant dialogue in the gallery space.
“What excited me most,” Beth explains, “was the rich opportunity for collaboration—between the organizations, between the jurors, and between the two mediums themselves.” Co-curated with Lisa Ranallo and Jane Sauer, the exhibition celebrates both the shared language and the contrasts of these traditions.
The exhibition weaves together a spirit of collaboration between artists, media, and institutions.
Bridging Tradition and Innovation in Fiber Art
Quilting and basketry have deep roots in global material culture. But how do these historic traditions adapt to the modern art world?
McLaughlin sees this not as a conflict, but as an ongoing conversation. “Some artists in the show work from a traditional lens. Others challenge what quilts and baskets can be,” she explained. The exhibition reflects a spectrum from traditional craftsmanship to conceptual innovation.
The exhibition often surprises—and transforms—visitors who arrive expecting familiar, functional works. “It’s a great opportunity to shift perceptions of what these media can be.”
Many people find the exhibition intriguing because it challenges traditional notions of basketry and quilts. “I mean quilts that aren’t necessarily intended for warmth or baskets that can’t actually hold anything.”
Is Concept Overshadowing Craft?
There’s an ongoing debate in the craft world: Does contemporary art’s focus on conceptual meaning risk erasing or devaluing the hand-skill, craftsmanship and labor that define traditional craft?
McLaughlin doesn’t believe it’s an either/or. “There’s room for all expressions of craft—from traditional to cutting-edge,” she said. For her, craft is best defined as the skilled, expressive articulation of material — one that respects its roots but is unafraid to push boundaries.
What matters most? Keeping contemporary fiber art and other craft media in the cultural spotlight.
Keeping Contemporary Fiber Art Relevant
In recent years, fiber, ceramics, and other handmade forms have received growing attention. But McLaughlin urges the field to avoid being a passing trend.
At Fuller Craft Museum, her team works to ensure long-term visibility through exhibitions, public programming, and community engagement. “Craft is inherently accessible,” she noted. Visitors often connect with the materials—like baskets or furniture—on a personal level.
This accessibility, paired with artistic excellence, makes fiber art a powerful tool for education and connection.
Fiber Art as a Tool for Community and Resistance
Beyond aesthetics and skill, Beth emphasizes how fiber art plays a vital social role. “Fiber art has been so critical to building community, to maintaining community, and to expanding community for thousands and thousands of years. It might look different now than it did a thousand years ago.” she says. “I think if artists can recognize the critical, just intrinsic need in all communities for what it is that they’re making. That’s just kind of like the North Star that they’ve got to have.” She also sees fiber as a medium for resistance and resilience.
Indeed, from abolitionist quilts to protest banners and feminist textiles, fiber carries stories of struggle and empowerment. There’s an intimacy to it, a humanity, that allows people to speak out, to heal, and to mobilize.
This aspect of fiber art makes it uniquely powerful. It bridges the personal and political, the handmade and the monumental—creating space for both quiet reflection and bold statements.
Advice for Institutions New to Contemporary Fiber Art and Craft
For organizations hesitant to embrace craft media, McLaughlin has one clear message: don’t be afraid.
She acknowledges the risk of pushing boundaries, knowing that audiences may not always understand or anticipate what institutions present. But she believes museums must reflect the world around them and redefine what counts as art. Textile art is part of that story.
“Just be fearless,” she emphasized. “Whether it’s presenting a subject matter that might be provocative or giving a solo exhibition to an artist that’s never shown in a museum before. I think that’s where we’re really well positioned.”
Conclusion: The Future of Fiber Is Intertwined
Art Evolved: Intertwined is more than a beautifully curated show. It reflects where fiber art is headed—honoring history, embracing innovation, and inviting audiences to look beyond old boundaries.
As fiber artists continue to redefine what’s possible with cloth, thread, reeds, and roots, institutions like Fuller Craft Museum are helping reshape the way we see and value these materials.
Fiber art is not a footnote—it’s a future. And that future is being woven now.
Art Evolved: Intertwined is on view at the Fuller Craft Museum until August 31, 2025.
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