Alison Murphy Artist and Administrator

Artist and administrator Alison Murphy served as the Executive Director of Craft NB for many years. This organization provides a support system for craftspeople and connections to their audiences across New Brunswick. After graduating in 2004 with a Textile Design, Diploma from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD), she worked extensively with needled felted artwork. More recently, she has combined natural objects with fibers to create a fusion between art and nature.

CraftNB began in 1947 as the Handicrafts Association. What was its main purpose then, and what is its main purpose today?

After World War Two, New Brunswick actively invested in the crafts as a way of improving the economy. Various types of craft classes were offered in rural communities and many of these initiatives were well-funded. Under the leadership of Ivan Crowell, the Handicrafts Association developed a workshop program at Fundy National Park. In its heyday, that summer program offered classes in six craft areas. Over time, it evolved into the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and the organization I lead became CraftNB.

From the beginning to today, the main purpose is to promote high quality crafts throughout the province. Our relationships with the Craft Alliance Atlantic, the Canadian Crafts Federation, the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, ArtsLink NB, Arts NB, the NB Craft Foundation Inc and the Province of New Brunswick’s Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture all play an important role in this.

What range of activities does Craft NB support?

Craft NB activities include sales and festivals, tradeshows, exhibitions, publications, awards, lectures, residency programs, workshops, jurying and development of professional standards. In fact, we recently revised our standards document to better reflect the applicants now seeking to join us. Any creative or craft activity is worthwhile, I think; if someone wants to make a little house from popsicle sticks, well that is fine and wonderful in its own right! But at the professional level, we emphasize originality, excellence in quality and design and a high level of technical skill.

I'm especially interested in a special arts intensive you have developed, called Beneath the Surface. What is it?

In 2017 and 2019, we invited twenty artists from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in a five-day intensive residency at Fundy National Park. We asked them to bring sturdy hiking shoes and an open mind, rather than a load of art supplies and a set project plan. They were paired up to share comfortable and spacious tents and then provided with a sketchbook and some basic supplies.  

Led by Dan Sinclair, the park interpreters offered field trips each day. These dealt with the medicinal qualities of plants, the history of craft at Fundy, the pre-settler indigenous history of the area,  the unique characteristics of seaweed, the salmon population, insects in rivers and so much more. To expand the participants understanding of nature and use of all of their senses, he even took them on a night hike--without flashlights. We moved very slowly! Everyone became more attuned to sound, smell, moisture, and so forth.

We tried to balance the schedule to allow participants to both learn from the park interpreters and the creative speakers as well as to explore on their own, sketch, and take time to be still.  Some participants hiked, rode horses or hunted for fossils. All shared meals with craft beers and told stories or sang songs around the campfire.

The participants then returned home for the remainder of the summer and got to work in their studios. As a group we met twice each summer to reconnect, ask questions, write artist statements, and bounce ideas off one another as the resulting artworks were coming into being. A selection of the resulting artworks were first shown at the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John and then traveled to many other galleries and museums, both urban and rural. The range and quality of the work was amazing and artists talks greatly extended the value to our various audiences.

What inspired you to start this project?

To build on our existing craft tradition, we wanted to encourage artists and makers to explore more conceptual ideas and to play with unanticipated possibilities. Especially for those who rely on craft as a livelihood, the necessity of focusing on production can reduce time for exploration. It just takes a lot of time to produce forty coffee mugs, even if the design is similar for each one. What might a production potter do if given time and encouragement to think and experiment more?

How did you select artists and makers for this project?

We sought every form of diversity: in years of experience, in cultural background, in technical expertise, in gender, age, and geographic representation. Like a pebble dropped into a pond, we hoped that this residency would create ripples through as many communities as possible. We especially hoped that emerging artists would gain from ideas offered by master artists (and vice versa. That certainly proved to be the case. The friendships and connections that were formed through this unique experience were unimaginable and will last a lifetime. Artists who met at the BTS residency are still turning to each other to learn new techniques, ask questions, offer advice and collaborate on projects.

How has the experience affected them?

Both times, it has exceeded our expectations. The community that was formed during the event encouraged amazing on-site exploration and has continued to provide on-going support and inspiration. The exhibitions have been well attended and the educational programs have touched the lives of hundreds of visitors. The park interpreters have continued to be wonderfully supportive and have attended many of our exhibition openings!

More broadly, what are some of the notable characteristics of creativity in general?

I love the idea of “Shoshin” which is the practice of seeing life with a beginner's mind. This is how I think new ideas are born and how the most exciting conceptual work begins. The experience in Fundy encourages this mindset of curiosity and rewards the child-like question asking. Within the landscape, we might ask questions such as:

• How do you know the age of  a strand of seaweed?

• How can you tell if a squirrel is right- or left-handed?

• What has the impact of farmed salmon been on the wild salmon population?

• How do river bugs show us the health of a population of fish?

As makers, we might ask:

• What would happen if a sculpture were created in felt rather than bone?

• How can the ocean’s rocks represent our emotional connection to a particular place?

• Can this natural pigment be used in a ceramic glaze?

• Which type of tree would be best a chair? a sculpture? a mask?

Both artists and scientists constantly ask questions and consider new answers and perspectives. Rather than passively accepting the status quo, both tend to invent alternatives constantly and see the landscape through new lens.

Do you see anything especially distinctive about NB creativity?

Community and collaboration. Rather than pursuing a cut-throat competitive path, most people share their technical knowledge and encourage each other. A win for one tends to be seen as a win for all. At craft fairs I have heard metalsmiths send potential buyers to other booths when they realize that the stylistic match may be better there. There are craft councils across Canada and when I describe my work in New Brunswick, my counterparts in the other provinces are often envious of our supportive attitude.

It seems to me that creativity and learning are natural partners--especially when with experiential education. Students who are motivated to seek answers to questions they themselves ask are much more driven than those who are just memorizing facts. Creativity creates a spark: the world is alive with ideas to investigate or possibilities to pursue.

In almost any situation, there is a lot of unrealized potential. To what extent does Craft NB help artists and makers strengthen their businesses?

Just about everyone that I meet really wants more studio time. Few want to build websites, market their work, or order shipping supplies. But a professional approach to the business side of craft is crucial for anyone who wants to make a living. So, in partnership with ArtsLinkNB, we now offer short video courses in grants writing, branding, exporting and shipping. Websites are especially important these days, and we offer lots of advice there, as well. We’ve also recently launched an online selling platform for our members where they can connect to buyers across the globe. Helping makers become comfortable with the business side of things is highly valued by our members.

What further potential do you see for creativity across the Atlantic provinces?

One of the main characteristics of the most creative people is a willingness to take risks. We see failure as a way to learn rather than a personal flaw. One thing I constantly tell our artists is this: don't wait for perfection. When your website is pretty well designed and packed with information, go ahead and upload it, rather than waiting for perfection. Perfection never comes.

I think we could all gain by understanding more fully the implications of creativity. Consider the importance of creativity and a ‘beginner’s mind’ to an entrepreneur, to a scientist, in politics, in mental health! A creative spark can ignite enthusiasm and innovation in any field, from cooking to gardening and education and beyond. When we see creativity as the driver of new ideas in any field, I think we will understand it better and value it more highly.