Brent Skidmore
When he is not working as the Public Arts & Humanities Chair for UNC Asheville, in the Asheville community or assisting with STEAM Studio projects, Brent Skidmore is focused on mentorship and community work focused on social change through collaborative making. He has been teaching in many capacities for 30 years at universities and many of the craft programs across the nation such as Penland, Arrowmont, Haystack, Anderson Ranch and Peter’s Valley. In 2007, Brent accepted his current position at UNC Asheville where he continues to teach in the department of Art and Art History while collaborating with his peers in Engineering and Art to develop STEAM Studio @ the RAMP, a 12,000 square foot fabrication and design lab built for interdisciplinary teams focused on collaboration and innovation.
Brent continues to serve as an advocate for craft education, scholarship, and the professional development of young artists. Brent has served as a board member for the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, an organization that works to advance the awareness and importance of craft in academia and the mainstream. He has also served as a board member for Craft Emergency Relief Fund, CERF+ that works to safeguard and sustain the careers of craft artists and provides emergency resources that benefit all artists. Along with his work to advance the understanding and power of craft, community collaborations and cross-disciplinary making, Brent has most recently worked collaboratively to build financial support for SkillSet at STEAM Studio. He has also served as a board member and now consulting partner to Journeymen Asheville, a mentoring organization for 12 to 17 yr. old boys, to develop Crafting Passages at STEAM Studio.
Brent Skidmore is the co-recipient of the 2023 Steffi Dotson Service Award and will be honored at the 2023 Furniture Society conference in NOLA on Saturday, June 10 at 9am.