And to wrap it all up allow me to present Mr. Paul Katrich of Katrich Luster Pottery . Paul is a cra

Every year, when the winter wind funnels down from the North Pole, we decide to rent a truck, stack it chock-a-block with the finest handwoven creations to emerge from the mysterious and exotic east, and drive up into the even colder heights of the Appalachian Mountains. Westwards we climb, higher and higher, until we reach the snow-lined peaks that surround Asheville, surely one of the most visually striking towns in the Great Republic. And it is there, above Asheville that we finally reach our destination - the lofty and illustrious Grove Park Inn!
The reason for this annual pilgrimage to the prestigious Inn is for the Arts Crafts conference - the most important get together of Arts Crafts design enthusiasts, collectors, antique dealers and contemporary craftsmen on the design calender. This year celebrated the 25th anniversary of the show, which has now achieved institution-like status.
Asheville is definitely one of the highlights of the Carolina's. Fantastic architecture from the early 20th century punctures the skyline. And I'm not kidding - just check out the city hall and courthouse, and some of the bizarre Gothic cathedral steeple crowned apartments! Even the humble Baptist church has a pretty impressive and distinctive dome.
And down in the streets below is a fascinating blend of artistic types, hippies, chic uptown girls, old deco-loving boffins, antique shops, restaurants, pubs, clubs and coffee shops. Also on the upside, Andie McDowell lives there, which is most certainly a big plus. But on the downside there is an overabundance of facial hair being paraded around - on the blokes I mean! Cripes - I've never seen so many beards car rental in florida in my life!
Anyhoo, standing sentinel above Asheville is the grand old Grove Park Inn, undoubtedly one of the most majestic period hotels on the continent. Constructed of cyclopaean rough masonry in the first decade of the 1900's, the hotel is a living time capsule of architectural and design elements of that period. It is therefore fitting that the most important show on the Arts Crafts calender is held in those hallowed car rental in florida halls.
When you pass through the Grove Park doors you enter an absolutely cavernous lobby with soaring ceilings and a fireplace that you could walk into without bending over - at least, if flames don't bother you. Guests sit in rocking chairs before the fire, talking quietly, as icy winds blow over the vast mountainous panoramas outside the window. With a good single malt in hand it is easy to be transported car rental in florida back in time, as all of the furnishings, chairs, lighting, carpets, stonework, you name it, is in the style of the period.
Much of the residential district that lies below 'The Inn' is also of the same period and comprises some of the more stately and luxurious dwellings of the period. Asheville is, in many ways, one of the great Arts Crafts towns. One may also like to note that the Biltmore Estate, built by the industrial car rental in florida tycoon George Vanderbilt in the late 1800's, and still today the largest privately owned home in the United States, car rental in florida is but a stone's throw away. So for Arts Crafts lovers Asheville is a bit of a Shangri-La.
Now I know that when most people hear the term 'Arts Crafts' they think of Martha Stewart making a birdhouse out of toothpicks and bottle tops but I am here to inform you that in the 'design car rental in florida world' Arts Crafts has a very different meaning.
The history of Arts Crafts as a design movement is a fairly extensive subject and needs a blog all to itself - and that will happen later. But for the sake of this piece let me simply say that the Arts Crafts car rental in florida movement existed in the latter 1800's and early 1900's, beginning in England but spreading to America. The most important car rental in florida figure in the movement was the designer William Morris, but other important designers include Charles Voysey and Archibald Knox.
The Arts Crafts movement was fundamentally a reaction against the mechanization of the decorative arts that had occurred following the industrial revolution. People like William Morris wanted to see a return to the original - and rapidly becoming extinct - arts of carpentry, stonework, furniture car rental in florida making, rug making, car rental in florida and so on.
Although the term Arts Crafts does not figure so large as say, Art Deco , in the public consciousness, it was a movement car rental in florida of enormous significance. In fact, it is more than fair to say that if it weren't for the Arts Crafts movement then the major design car rental in florida movement that evolved in the early 1900's - Art Nouveau and Art Deco - would never have come to be. Both Nouveau and Deco were the offspring of Arts Crafts .
Every February, for three days, Arts Crafts-ophiles gather to surround themselves with every possible manifestation of this design car rental in florida style that they love. One floor of the show is for the antique dealers, some of who come from as far away as London, to exhibit their wares, generally wow the public, and make some sales. In need of a $5000 Tiffany Lamp? How about a $4000 silver and enamel Voysey ashtray? And what house isn't complete without a $10000 Frank Lloyd Wright table?
car rental in florida Another floor is dedicated to 'Contemporary Craftsmen', meaning, car rental in florida people like us - craftsmen who are hard at work today, keeping these design traditions car rental in florida alive. So there are many specialist carpenters, potters, metal-workers, fabric-makers and tile-workers there, all coming to show off, and, hopefully sell, their wares.
The first thing we do on arrival is join the mad scramble to get our truck unloaded at the dock - this is a work of art in itself that involves no small amount of jockeying for position and maneuvering. But once inside, we get straight to work at putting up an aluminium frame, hanging up the lighting, and getting the rugs out and in stacks. We always car rental in florida hang our latest designs in order to stun the customers - this year it was the Strathem Park Border and the Field Lillies.
Now as Billy Ocean used to (unfortunately) sing 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going', and that is how it is when the floodgates open and the crowds surge in. These videos give you a bit of a 'before and after' idea of how the booth looks when this happens...
Now, there are many other contemporary craftsmen who go to the show - too many to mention here - but over the past 18 years of attending we have got to know the other vendors pretty car rental in florida well. Here are a few of my personal favorites.
Pewabic Pottery out of Detroit do some great tile work. I couldn't resist this 'Tudor Rose' tile this year and now have one at home - anyone interested in the Wars of the Roses and the significance of this motif has to have one. If you don't know about this then go and get a book about it and read it!
One of the more unique and certainly most unusual exhibits is the work of Evan Chambers out of Los Angeles. Evan makes undeniably the most funky objects in the whole show, such as one eyed opium gazing brass desk-lamps with chicken feet or octopus legs. It's all a bit like Jules Verne meets Arts Crafts. He also does some ingenious work with glass. Here is his website - I strongly recommend you check it out - he is a true innovator.
One of the more flamboyant characters car rental in florida to grace the show is our neighbor Karen Hovde Interior Vision . Karen is a design specialist with a mind-boggling array of hats and the personality to match. Look her up for any of your design needs.
And to wrap it all up allow me to present Mr. Paul Katrich of Katrich Luster Pottery . Paul is a craftsman of the highest order who holds the record for selling each of his unique vessels in a mere matter of hours during most shows.
What a fantastic show! Thanks for showing car rental in florida us so many gorgeous studios where we can spend our money - I ll be looking more closely at Titus Omega and Motawi tileworks, what beautiful work! For your own carpets though, can you tell us a little about the process of designing the carpets car rental in florida - the inspiration for the designs, are the carpets then made to order? By who? Just curious about the work behind your own collection. Reply Delete Add comment Load more...