Outside the Ordinary

One of the premier private collections of contemporary craft, the Nancy and David Wolf Collection features outstanding creations by the foremost artists working in craft media today, including Howard Ben Tré, Dale Chihuly, William Morris, Wendell Castle, David Ellsworth, Virginia Dotson, Michael Lucero, Michelle Holzapfel, Theman Statom, Ginny Ruffner, Akio Takamori, and Betty Woodman.
Outside the Ordinary: Contemporary Art in Glass, Wood, and Ceramics from the Wolf Collection introduces audiences to sixty–seven masterworks selected from this vast collection, carefully documented and photographed in full color. At the heart of this seminal publication are an in-depth interview with collectors Nancy and David Wolf conducted by Amy Miller Dehan and a scholarly essay by contemporary craft authority and critic Matthew Kangas. Dehan's interview reveals the collectors' impetus and strategies for assembling this important collection, and Kangas's essay addresses the history, growth, and future of the contemporary craft movement — with a particular focus on glass, wood, and ceramics.
Outside the Ordinary focuses on the role, development, and perspective of the private collector within the context of the ever–evolving contemporary craft movement. With more than sixty–seven color plates of artwork from the highly regarded Wolf Collection, it makes a significant and stunning addition to any library.

Amy Miller Dehan, associate curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the Cincinnati Art Museum, is the curator of the exhibition that accompanies the publication of this catalogue. She was part of the curatorial team that developed the permanent collection display The Cincinnati Wing: The Story of Art in the Queen City and contributed to the related publication Cincinnati Art-Carved Furniture and Interiors.