ARTISTIC FELLOW: Jamie Bennett (Metal) was recently named to The American Craft Council's 2009 College of Fellows. Bennett is seen here with works from his 2008 show, "“Edge of the Sublime: Enamels by Jamie Bennett,” which was on display at museums -- including the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art -- across the country.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Jamie Bennett (Metal) has been named to The American Craft Council’s 2009 College of Fellows.

The late Kurt Matzdorf (Metalsmithing, Emeritus) and Robert Eberdorf (Metalsmithing, Emeritus) were members of the College of Fellows.

The designation is among the prestigious Aileen Osborn Webb Awards, which honor those who have demonstrated outstanding artistic achievement, leadership and service in the craft field for more than 25 years. Since 1975, the Craft Council has bestowed the title of fellow to 261 artists nominated and elected by their peers.

“I believe this connection speaks well for the college, as this kind of legacy with the council’s fellows program is unique to New Paltz,” said Bennett.

Bennett is a 1974 alumnus of the Master of Fine Arts program at New Paltz. Today he is co-director of New Paltz’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Metal, which is ranked #1 in the nation by the 2009 U.S. News & World Report list of America’s best graduate schools. Bennett’s work is on display in more than 20 permanent collections around the world.

He will be honored at an Oct. 16 luncheon during the organization’s leadership conference, “Creating a New Craft Culture,” in Minneapolis. Bennett, along with the other newly elected fellows and the gold medalists, will be featured in the December 2009/January 2010 issue of American Craft magazine.

“It is very gratifying to be acknowledged by your peers as a significant contributor to the field and to join so many noteworthy artists in the College of Fellows,” said Bennett.