Cheri Dunnigan

Florida CraftArt is bringing makers, arts organizations, educators, and supporters together for a statewide conversation—and we’d love for you to be part of it. This virtual gathering is designed to spark connections, share ideas, and strengthen the network of people and organizations championing craft across Florida. It’s an opportunity to learn from each other, promote what’s happening in your corner of the state, and explore ways we can collaborate. As part of Florida CraftArt’s 75th Anniversary and our participation in Handwork 2026, we have been celebrating with two exhibitions: The Makers That Made Us, which recently closed and reflected on the artists and moments that have shaped our history, and Florida NOW (on view through June 13), a look at contemporary craft across the state. ✨When: Tuesday, May 19 at 2:00 p.m. (ET) Where: Zoom To Register (link in bio): floridacraftart.org/events-calendar/statewide-zoom/ Agenda: - Welcome & Overview - Florida NOW: Artists in Conversation - moderated by Holly Hanessian @hahaworks , curator of Florida NOW, featuring artists Wendy Bruce @wbruceartist , Marty Fielding @fieldingform , and Cheri Dunnigan @creativehye - Spotlight on the Florida School of Woodwork @schoolofwoodwork : Meighan Hornady, President of the School, will share updates on current programs and offer insight into the Schools approach on craft education - Open Discussion: an open floor for attendees to promote events, share opportunities, and bring forward ideas or issues for discussion Whether you’re a craft artist, a representative from an arts organization, an educator, or simply a passionate supporter of fine craft, your voice is welcome in the conversation. Let’s connect, inspire, and work together to keep Florida’s craft community vibrant and strong. Save the date and join us! ✨To Register (link in bio): floridacraftart.org/events-calendar/statewide-zoom/ Artwork Credit (currently on view @ FCA): Teapot and Platform by Marty Fielding @fieldingform Open to Change by Wendy Bruce @wbruceartist Shell Form #3 by Cheri Dunnigan @creativehye

This weekend I was truly thrilled to attend the opening of the Florida Now exhibition at Florida Craft Art Gallery in St. Petersburg! I am so honored to have been invited to be a part of this exquisite exhibition which is a part of Craft in America’s Handwork 2026 that celebrates 250 years of American Craft. #craftinamerica#contemporarycraft#nationalbasketryorganization#contemporarylace#metalsmithsociety

Today I received the very welcome news that my Sterling Silver Lace Collar has been selected for the next Fiber Art Reimagined Exhibition! Over the years I have loved being included in many Fiber Art Now Exhibitions. They are always full of such beautiful inspiring and innovative work. I’m so thrilled and honored to be included once again! Thank you Fiber Art now for providing so many wonderful opportunities to showcase the exciting work that is being done in Fiber Art today!#fiberartnow#americancraft#contemporaryjewelry#contemporarylace #metalsmith

This cluster of sterling silver lace bowls has been a long time in the making. I started working on them about two years ago, but it was interrupted by a bout with breast cancer. I’m so very grateful that it was detected early and I’ve had an excellent outcome, but I must say, that it felt like a huge victory when I finally put on the finishing touches and completed this piece this afternoon .#americancraft#contemporarybasketry#contemporarysilver#contemporarylace

Design for me is very organic. Often one idea feeds another, but sometimes it takes years for the next iteration of an idea to manifest itself. I made the cuff on the left several years ago. It wasn’t until recently that I was able to carry the idea forward. In the intervening years, I have developed a new lace vocabulary with my technique that paved the way for a new series of contemporary lace cuffs, that pay homage to the past yet are expressed in a contemporary form.#americancraft#contemporarycraft#fiberartnow#contemporaryjewelry #contemporarylace

Design can be serendipitous! The other night I set out to make some earrings, when an interesting thought occurred to me. Before I knew it, my hands began running off as if on automatic pilot….thus began a new exploration of where a single thread ( or in this case wire) could take me! This brooch was the realization of that simple thought. I’m already busy on #2…., taking that idea one step further, and I’m already considering #3! What an absolute joy it is to create beautiful things! I’ve been an artist for many many years, and it never ceases to amaze me! #americancraft #contemporarycraft#contemporaryjewelry#contemporaryjewellery #brooch #textiletechniquesinmetal #fiberartnow #fiberart

I HAVE STARTED THIS YEAR ON A BIT OF A HIGH NOTE, delivering some new work to FLORIDA CRAFT ART GALLERY in ST. PETERSBURG,FLORIDA. I’m very excited to have my work represented there. The first pieces in a new series of “Little Laces” are already there, alongside some old favorites from my Byzantine Collection. If you are in St. Pete, I hope you will stop by. #floridacraftart #contemporartcraft#americancraft#fiberartnow##textiletechniquesinmetal #naplesart #contemporaryjewelry#metalsmith #metalsmithsociety

I recently had some newly finished work photographed. I somehow felt that I wanted to be photographed along with this piece. Occasionally I work on a piece over a period of many years. I started this piece almost five years ago. The photo on the right shows this piece in its infancy. I was excited about this one right from the first stitches. It required a tremendous amount of hours doing a lot of extremely monotonous stitching, yet at the same time I had to carefully set each stitch so that the form would develop with a gentle and consistent slope. I worked on it alongside other projects, sometimes putting it aside for a while, but then picking it back up and resuming work on it. I spent most of this summer pushing through, day in and day out to complete it. So, when it came time to photograph it, I wanted to express some sense of the relationship that develops between an artist and their work. In some ways we are inseparable. There is such a deep love and intimacy that develops, as well as a commitment to persevere and bring the idea to fruition. As a visual artist, I always like to remain in the background, letting my work shine and speak for me. There is also a deep seated sense of awe and accomplishment when you create something truly beautiful and finally, you can hold that object, that started out as an idea,in your hands. i hope that comes across in this photograph.#americancraftcouncil #contemporarycraft #metalsmith #metalsmithsociety #contemporarybasketry #nationalbasketryorganization #floridacraft #naplesdesigndistrict #americancraft #textiletechniquesinmetal #contemporarylace

Over the last couple of years I’ve been focusing on developing a lace vocabulary in metal, and have created a number of larger, ambitious pieces. Growing up I loved lace doilies….being Armenian I come from a tradition of unique needle lace. I’ve always been intrigued by the infinite complexity of pattern you can create with a simple stitch and a length of thread. Lace made out of fiber is usually displayed on a flat horizontal surface. Making lace out of metal allows for an entirely new set of possibilities of presentation. Metal also offers the additional complexity of light and reflection. All that being said, I set out to develop a lace in vocabulary with the stitching technique that I employ in Sterling Silver. I love the idea of making handmade lace, which in centuries past was a a precious commodity and symbol of wealth, out of a precious metal, further enhancing its value. In this group of pieces I began to explore different ways of presenting the lace. I domed the lace in order to enhance the play of light and wove flanges off of the outer edges of lace to create a free standing structure allowing them to stand vertically. These flanges spiral in opposite directions adding a cross hatching effect as you look through the pieces. This added an even greater visual complexity. The largest of these three pieces is almost 12 inches in diameter.many thanks to Berlian Arts for this beautiful photograph. This was a nearly impossible piece to shoot! #textiletechniquesinmetal #americancraft#contemporarycraft#fiberartnow#fiberart#naplesdesigndistrict #metalsmith#surfacedesignassociation

This necklace will be my constant companion companion over the next few months. I started it in January, but took a break to work on some other things. It’s time to pick it up again. It’s an ambitious piece, and I’ve spent almost as much time untangling wires as I have stitching! I’m amazed that I possess the extraordinary patience that it takes to create such a piece because I certainly don’t have that patience in other areas of my life. Maybe it’s discipline. That’s a key skill that artists need to acquire along the way. Fortunately, I only work with one wire at a time, and it’s a one stitch at a time endeavor. It seems like a metaphor for life as one bit at a time I untangle the messes that I make and each new stitch creates order out of the chaos, leading to something beautiful.#americancraft #contemporarycraft##contemoraryjewellery #contemporary jewelry#textiletechniquesinmetal #nationalbasketryorganization #fiberartnow

I’ve spent much of the past few months working on some larger pieces. Progress is slow but steady on pieces this size. I’ve been exploring sacred geometry, intrigued by the results when you employ a systematic repetition of a simple motif. In this piece a Fibonacci Spiral was the beautiful result! I love the way the contrasts in the density of stitching added a dynamic element and further defined the spiral! This has been a really lovely creative adventure!#textiletechniquesinmetal #americancraft #contemporarycraft#contemporaryfiberart #fiberart #fiberartnow#surfacedesign ##contemporarylace #naplesdesigndistrict #gulfshorelifemagazine