I recently went to see the Charles Rohlf’s Furniture exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This was my first opportunity to see his furniture in person and I learned much from seeing his work. My first thought was that pictures don’t do justice to how his carving accent his furniture, or the presence created by his negative-space manipulating fretwork. The exhibit featured a broad stroke of Charles’ work, including desk chairs, dining room chairs, rocking chairs, chiffonier, desks, plant stands, settees, trefoil tables, a case clock, log holder, fork and spoon salad servers, and his famous rotating desk.

Anyone interested in learning about the Roycrofters, and particularly, their eclectic leader Elbert Hubbard, should see “Elbert Hubbard: An American Original.” Originally broadcast on PBS November 23, 2009, this original PBS documentary answers probably any questions you may have on this topic. If you can’t find it on your local PBS station, fear not, a free copy of the documentary can be obtained by visiting the Visit Buffalo Niagara website.

Vibrant communities unite families, nurture harmonious industry with good labor relationships, and can create stability and balance for its residents. These types of communities promote lasting histories that make interesting places to visit. This is what I found on a recent trip to Eastwood located in Syracuse, NY. While my initial goal was to visit the city’s Arts and Crafts sites, I wound up discovering how the movement’s philosophies had influenced the city…or was it the city that had influenced the movement? I’m still not sure, but one thing is clear, Arts and Crafts history flourishes in Syracuse, and is linked directly to its community.

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Stickley Road show. For the uninitiated, the Stickley Road show is a presentation about the history of, and construction techniques used by The L & JG Stickley Furniture company. The show highlights the expert knowledge, both as a woodworker and long-time second-generation employee of L & JG Stickley, of Mike Danial.

Hopefully one day you’ll realize why I couldn’t wait to read Bruce Johnson’s new book-Grove Park Inn: Arts & Crafts Furniture. Even better I hope, after you’ve read it you’ll understand what a conundrum it was figuring out whether to post this as a woodworker’s entry on Gus’ Guild; or Stu’s Blog for Arts and Crafts enthusiast to enjoy. The sad truth is I chose to post it on Stu’s Blog because, of my two blogs, it has gone the longest without a post.

I recently visited one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Usonian” houses-the Pope-Leighey house. Originally, built in Falls Church, Va; it was saved from a highway construction eminent domain bull dozer and moved to the grounds of the Woodlawn Plantation in 1964. Several years later, it was moved again, just a few yards this time, to facilitate repairs to its slab foundation. Usonian houses evolved from Wright’s desire to build an affordable house for the middle-class citizen. Built for a cost of $7000 in 1940, which various inflation internet calculators but at approximately $105,000 2009 dollars

When you think of designing and building an Arts and Crafts drawer for a bedside or end table, what do you think of? Half-blind dovetails in the front, through dovetails in the rear; perhaps a solid-wood bottom grooved into the side, sticking out the back with room for expansion?

As with the Riordan Mansion, San Diego’s Marston House is also facing operational challenges due to the current economy. The Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO), a San Digo based organization has stepped in to lead efforts to the Marston House open. Please read their call for help from Executive Director Bruce Coon...

Designed by Charles Whittlesey, who later built the famous Craftsman Style “El Tovar Hotel” at the Grand Canyon, this craftsman mansion is constructed using pine, native volcanic rock and stone. It features wonderful tulip art glass panels, and innovatively used photo negatives of Native-Americans as window decorations. The rooms are authentic and full of the Riordan’s belongings, including many outstanding pieces of original Arts and Crafts furniture. Riordan Mansion is also a great place to see Arts and Crafts furniture-especially some wonderful examples of Gustav Stickley and Harvey Ellis collaboration.

She was the preeminent Glasgow Style book illustrator, but Jessie M. King also excelled in many oeuvres: textiles, ceramics, jewelry, posters, bookplates, interior design, and costumes. John Russell Taylor described her style perfectly in The Art Nouveau Book in Britain: “…the image she conjures up of pale ladies festooned in stars and attended by flights of birds, of wan haloed knights, lost in reverie and drifting through wispy landscapes of faint transfigured trees and insubstantial dream-castles of the mind, is not quite like anything else in art, and once entered, never wholly escaped from.”