Exploring Craft History

Wonder in the Persistence of the Handmade Object

A three week course exploring the history of craft through an object centered lens, led by art historian Lila Stone.

Image: Cecilia Vicuña's Skyscraper Quipu, Incan quipu performance, New York, 2006, cotton, dimensions variable

About the course

This course looks closely at craft, not as decoration or backdrop, but as a serious subject with its own history, value, and complexity. Across three weeks, we will look at the handmade object as a way of understanding materiality, labor, gender, and design across the twentieth century into the present.

Each week includes a live session with Lila, a short reading, and a prompt to respond to through writing or making. The course builds toward a final project, shared and discussed together in our group space on Substack.

This is a course for people who want to think seriously about objects. No prior background in art history is needed. Curiosity and a willingness to read, write, and look closely are enough.

How it works

We blend guided moments, open exploration, and space to reflect—so the experience feels both focused and fluid.

❋ Live sessions on Zoom

Between sessions, our Substack space holds the assignments, prompts, and discussion that extend the material beyond the live hour. This is where the course keeps moving during the week.

❋ Ongoing conversation on Substack

In the last week, you will apply what we have covered to a small project of your own. You will share it in our Substack space, and everyone will be welcomed to respond to each one individually.

❋ A final project

If you cannot join live, sessions are recorded and available for 30 days after the first session.

❋ Recordings

Details

Dates: August 17, 24, 31 2026
Time: 7:00–8:00 PM EST
Format: Live on Zoom, with an ongoing Substack space for the month
Group size: Limited to keep discussion meaningful

Investment

This course is offered on a sliding scale from $80 to $99. We suggest $90 if that amount is accessible to you.
Choose the number that fits your circumstances, no explanation needed.
Everyone receives the same access to sessions, recordings, and the Substack space, regardless of what you pay.

All sales are final. If you cannot attend a session live, the recording will be available for 30 days after the first session.

About Lila Stone

Lila Stone is an art historian and educator based in Washington, DC. She is a lecturer at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her research looks at the intersections of materiality, material culture, design, gender, and craft history in a global context, from the early twentieth century to the present.

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If you have an idea for a collaboration, send her a message: lilailana@gmail.com