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Beston Barnett in conversation with Emily Zaiden
FREE EVENT
Beston Barnett in conversation with Emily Zaiden
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 3-5pm
Jacobs Center
Free admission
As part of his 2026 exhibit Solomonica: A Series of Cabinets at the Maloof Foundation, wood artist Beston Barnett talks with Emily Zaiden, director and lead curator of the Craft in America Center. The in-person presentation will delve into the modern decorative arts and how they are being used to tell stories.
With the vocabulary of Islamic geometry, Barnett’s cabinets explore legends about the biblical King Solomon from many different cultures. But the decorative arts - interiors, furniture, architectural ornament, ceramics - are usually considered backdrop, not spotlight. How are artists like Barnett using storytelling to supercharge their work? And how do today’s craftspeople balance between practical commissions and more conceptual gallery pieces?
Barnett’s knowledge of craft is specific and practical, Zaiden’s is wide-ranging and scholarly. Together, their dialog will offer a snapshot of today’s craft possibilities.
About Beston Barnett:
Beston Barnett is a San Diego furniture maker focusing on quality craftsmanship, solid wood, modern lines, and often incorporating Islamic-inspired motifs. In his practice, he uses traditional hand tools and joinery alongside more contemporary techniques involving CNC routers and laser cutters. Barnett began making commissioned furniture full-time in 2011 and eventually started City Workshops, a studio shared with a small community of craftspeople in central San Diego. He is an active member of the long-running guild Allied Craftsmen of San Diego and the national Furniture Society. His first solo exhibition of wood art, Solomonica: A Series of Cabinets, opened at the Maloof Foundation in January, 2026.
About Emily Zaiden:
Emily Zaiden is Director and lead curator of the Craft in America Center, where she has curated over eighty exhibitions for the Center and partner venues since 2010. In addition to overseeing public and educational programming, she developed the Craft Video Dictionary. Zaiden publishes catalogues and writes for various journals, serves as juror, and lectures widely. Zaiden has an M.A. from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture and a B.A. in American Studies from University of California Berkeley. She was a Research Associate to the Decorative Arts department at LACMA and research editor for Architectural Digest prior to joining the organization.