Ron Pascho Legacy Fund
Ron Pascho passed away on May 11, 2026
In recognition and gratitude for Ron Pascho's decades of contributions, NWDC has established a new legacy fund in his name, seeded with $10,000 from our long-term savings.
The income from the fund will go to the creation of a new national juried exhibition featuring the work of NWDC members and selected juried entrants. All current NWDC members will be invited to participate.
The principal will never be spent, only the income in support of these exhibitions. We encourage others to consider contributing, making a designation in your will, or through your IRA, or other means to build this fund and build a legacy for NWDC that will create a vibrant exhibition of fine craft in our region for decades to come.
Use the button below to make a one-time contribution.
If you are interested in supporting through a recurring monthly gift, including the Ron Pascho Legacy Fund in your will or estate plans, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA, donating stocks, securities, or other assets, or corporate or employer matching gifts, please email us at nwdc.info@gmail.com
Ron Pascho, Amuleta II, Sterling silver, cotton and wool thread, coin, amulets fabricated from sterling silver, copper, rawhide, bone, and other repurposed materials.
Promoting excellence in design and craftsmanship, stimulating interest and appreciation for fine craft.
Northwest Designer Craftartists (NWDC) was founded in 1954 to promote excellence of design and craftsmanship and to stimulate public appreciation and interest in fine craft. Artists in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, who work professionally in clay, wood, glass, metal, fiber, and/or mixed media, are members. Other members support the crafts in the Pacific Northwest as educators, managers of non-profit arts organizations, or buyers of art for public or private collections. Northwest Designer Craftartists is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Images from works by Brian O’Neill, Elin Noble, Nanz Aalund, Marcia Selsor and Crista Van Slyck Matteson.
“Handwork 2026: Northwest Designer Craftartists”
Postmark Center for the Arts
Auburn, WA
July 11 - October 10, 2026
NWDC joins over 250 organizations across the country to celebrate the beauty and evolution of craft in America on the eve of the country’s 250th anniversary. In this exhibition, you will experience how contemporary artists stretch and strengthen the craft tradition. Using a wide range of materials, media and techniques, they have created a rich array of works often unified by imagination and function. We invite you to leave the outside world behind and share in moments of beauty, humor, and awe.
NWDC honorary member, Barbara Matilsky, serves as juror. Barbara Matilsky was curator at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham from 2009-2018 where she organized the international traveling exhibition Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art 1775-2012. For the past three years, she has been curating the Women Rising art exhibition in conjunction with the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival. For more information, see: barbaramatilsky.com
Exhibiting Artists:
Daniel Adams, Francie Allen, Annetta Kraayeveld, Rob Beishline, Lanny Bergner, Danielle Bodine, Charissa Brock, Bonni Brooks, Virginia Causey, David Chambers,Barbara De Pirro, Jyoti Duwadi, Kathleen Faulkner, Bobbi Goodboy, Tom Gormally, Jill Green, Joan Hammond, Lois Harbaugh, Joyce Hayes, Peggy Hitchcock, Steve Jensen, Claire B Jones, Bella Kim, Patti King, Mary Lane, Katherine Lewis, Nancy Loorem Adams, Gale Lurie, Barbara Matthews, James Nelson, Gabriela Nirino, Elin Noble, Barbara Osborne, Ellen Ramsey, Julia Rapinoe, Kait Rhoads, Amy Roberts, Kathy Ross, Karen Russo, Julie Sevilla Drake, Luanne Seymour, Terri Shinn, Jan Silver, Denise Snyder, Rebecca Stansbury, John Taylor, Cynthia Toops, Mary Tyler, Suze Woolf, and Chris Wooten.
Meet our members and find an artist.
Detail from “Nameless” by Claire B. Jones
"Few places in this country can boast such a vibrant craft community... a reminder of the very special character of this region, and the dedication and talent of its makers."
— Nora Atkinson, Fleur and Charles Bresler, Curator-in-Charge for the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Join The NWDC Fundraising Campaign
$50,000 Annually
Achieving a 5-Year Vision
We need your support achieve this vision.
All contributions are appreciated.
Vision
+ Advance fine craft art appreciation and interest across NWDC's whole five-state region.
+ Create exciting opportunities for NWDC members to advance their art presence, build their resumes, businesses, and entrepreneurship.
+ Support NWDC members with opportunities to market and sell their artwork both digitally and in each member state.
+ Continue producing Living Treasures documentaries, member artist talks and Business of Art videos.
+ Grow a diverse and inclusive NWDC juried membership, connecting with fine craft artists across the Pacific Northwest.
+ Facilitate member education, social networking, mentoring programs; and invited lectures teaming with art museums, galleries and arts institutions.
+ Create opportunities for members to teach their unique techniques, build income, and present their practice to a wider audience.
+ Develop strong financial means for NWDC to achieve its vision.
Upcoming events.
Stay connected with NWDC to see updates about member exhbitions, artist talks, workshops and other events focused on promoting fine craft.
The Living Treasures Project
As the pioneers of the contemporary craft movement reach an advanced age, it has become an urgent task to make a record of their lives, their work and their achievements. The Living Treasures Project is an ongoing series of video profiles made by NWDC in cooperation with Fidget Films, documenting the Northwest's most important and influential elder craft professionals. These are individuals with lifelong involvement in the arts and a history of personal generosity and outstanding leadership. They built institutions, taught fellow artists, and created important works that affected the direction of their fields. They are an inspiration to us all.
Images: “Bear’s Reliquary” by Ron Ho, background from a piece by NWDC Founder Robert Sperry
Follow NWDC on Social Media
View NWDC Artists Talks, Exhibitions, and more on our YouTube Channel and stay connected with our members on Instagram and Facebook.
