Replies

1. 
   JBD | Jan 26, 2004 06:05pm | #1

   One style I never hear mentioned is "Studio Furniture" or "contemporary studio furniture".  Like the stuff you see in the Design Book series by Taunton.  Its not always necessarily art furniture, or arts/crafts, but its alway well designed - hi-end furniture.  I love drooling over my Design Book Four issue with Bryan Smallman's Wenge and Curly Maple deco hall table on the cover. 

   What ever happened to celebrating this current design/style?  You might say that its "contemporary" but its not.  Contemporary makes one think of the white-lacquered MDF and gold trim crap down at Value City furniture, made by haitians at high-point.

   This is the only design style that has the best of every style, done by individual artists/craftsmen and is disappearing from view as passe "art furniture movement" work, and is being replaced by art-school grad furniture made of sticks, feathers, some African head dress mask, and maybe copper wire wound into some phallic symbol. 

    

   "The furniture designer is an architect." - Maurice DuFrenes (French Art Deco furniture designer, contemporary of Ruhlmann)

   http://www.pbase.com/dr_dichro

1. 
   yotonyb | Jan 26, 2004 09:05pm | #2

   You can find designers and craftsman (and craftswomen) specializing in this style everywhere!

   Locally, the Chicago Furniture Designers Association ( http://www.cfdainfo.org ) has brought together a great group individuals in this field.

   One gallery in Chicago, Sawbridge Studios, almost exclusively represents these types of artisans.

   Yet another Chicagoan doing this type of work is Berthold Schwaiger. ( http://www.lf.org/bertholds ) 

   The Chicago Design Show at Merchandise Mart has undergone something of a renaissance for the artisan-craftsman.  In the last two or three years, I've seen more participation from individuals specializing in custom designed, stand-alone furniture.  ( http://www.merchandisemart.com/chicagodesign/ )

   I would also propose that the back cover of each issue of Fine Woodworking features EXACTLY the type of person you describe.  Dare I even mention some of the great work that graces the inside of the magazine in the photo section devoted to work of some of the readers of FWW?

   The artisan is EVERYWHERE.

   tony b.

   Edited 1/26/2004 1:06:52 PM ET by YOTONYB