REFORT CN WORLD CRAFT CONFERENCE ty Barbara Beach

The World Craft Council's Tenth Anniversary Conference was
held in Toronto from June 9! to 16%. There were about 1400
people attending from all over the world and we were housed
at York University in many brick tower dormitories. Some of
my impressions are still very clear:

The sheer number of strange faces, for ome thing. After
Five days there were still people sitting at the table 1
had never seen before.

And the endless brick corricors that were all alike and
never got you to the building you wanted.

And the perambulating fashion shows every evening. It was

a delight to see the clothes people wore. I suppose such a
group of crafty people couldn't help dressing craftily, and
upon passing someone the ritual became: 1) glance at name
tag, 2) ask what part of their country the person was from,
3) ask what media they were in, and 4) ask if they had made
their shirt, dress, poncho or bag or bracelet or necklace
Or SHOES. ..65

In fact, glancing at name tags became such a habit that for
the first few days after the conference I'm sure my friends
thought I had developed a new tik.

There was lots of free Canadian wine being offered the first
few days, and the opening of the craft exhibit "In Praise of
Hands" at the Untario Science Center was a gala, packed
affair with music and dancing. Mrs, Amy Vanderbilt-Webb pre-
Sided at the opening of the conference with dignity, and Sir
Eccles became the new President of the World Craft Council

and delivered a fittingly witty key-note address.

when We registered we were prirsented with a fiight-bag full

of papers and books, same of whith | finally read in duly.
lnciuvtedt was the catelowue: fer ie cia?t exhibit, @ capy af
WhiGnN TE in the oud Lilitar., ane tere wtre wapinble sam
paAmphiets with Jively néttwrmos oa Potty on breehesiovattre
and HunLaiy, ace unt an north ameringee levian mreafis.

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