Dorothy Bocian

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), a nonprofit organization that provides relief to professional craftspeople who have suffered career-threatening emergencies in their lives, has hired Dorothy Bocian as the organization’s first-ever associate director. Bocian will work with Executive Director Cornelia Carey to oversee CERF’s loans, services programs and office operations.

“We created the associate director position because we’ve expanded our programs,” says Cornelia Carey. “We now have two loan options: a Quick Loan up to $3,500 for immediate needs following a disaster, and Phoenix Loans up to $8,000 for those wanting to rebuild following a disaster. We also now have a small grant program for
craftspeople facing chronic health situations due to injury or illness.”

Bocian relocated to Vermont from Seattle, Wash., where she was involved with nonprofits and craft-related businesses. She was the controller at Pilchuck Glass School for five years and a business and facility manager for glass artist Benjamin Moore for three years.

CERF also announced the election of two new board members: Jorge Arango of New York, N.Y., and Jane Sauer, of Santa Fe, N.M.

Arango is senior editor at Essence magazine, where he has been responsible for building the home design and entertainment pages. He was introduced to CERF through his work as a board member of the Hudson Valley AIDS Auction (HVAA), which supported the creation of CERF’s HIV/AIDS Fund.

Sauer is a studio artist, curator, teacher and lecturer who has received international acclaim for her work in fiber. She has
exhibited internationally in museums and her work is part of many private collections worldwide.

Fund-raisers a success

Photo by Dane Gregory Meyer

Owners of The Art Stop and BKB and Co. in Tacoma, Wash., collaborated in an event for CERF during “A Month for CERF.” (Left to right, top) Victoria Brown, Diane Katz and Phyllis Harrison; (bottom) Corky Brown.

With new programs on the horizon, CERF received a timely boost to its 2002 budget. In two recent fund-raisers, CERF raised $28,000.

Sixty-six galleries rallied across the nation this year to participate in CERF’s fifth annual “A Month for CERF.” The galleries, which raised $18,000 for the cause, participated in a variety of ways. For example, Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, N.C., held a wine tasting dinner with an auction of artist-made goblets. Signature Designs in Moorestown, N.J., held a handmade lamp sale called “Lights on for CERF.”

The sixth annual “A Month for CERF” is scheduled for September 2002. For more information, contact Cornelia Carey at cornelia@craftemergency.org or (802) 229-2306.

Heads turn at one fund-raising event

Nearly $10,000 was raised for CERF from its “Heads Up for CERF!” collection drawing. The collection is a work consisting of 25 miniature heads created in a variety of media by well-known artists. The drawing took place on Oct. 7, at the Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) Chicago, where the heads were showcased in space donated by Expressions of Culture, sponsors of the SOFA exposition. The winner of the collection was JoAnn Baumann of Glencoe, Ill.