Wharton Esherick and the Birth of the American Modern

Exhibition: September 7, 2010 - February 13, 2011
Symposium: October 1-2, 2010
Gallery Hours: Mon - Sat, 10 - 5

The Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Architectural Archives at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the Wharton Esherick Museum (Paoli, PA) and Hedgerow Theatre (Rose Valley, PA), announce an exhibition and symposium on Wharton Esherick, an artist whose distinctive synthesis of art, theater, dance, and design forged an early and compelling example of American Modernism. "Wharton Esherick and the Birth of the American Modern," the first major examination of Esherick's work and artistic development in over fifty years, explores Esherick's artistic evolution during the early decades of the twentieth century, culminating in the exhibition of his work as part of the Pennsylvania Hill House at the 1940 World's Fair in New York City.

The exhibition is in two venues on the University of Pennsylvania campus:

Kamin Gallery
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center
3420 Walnut Street, first floor

Kroiz Gallery of the Architectural Archives
Lower Level of the Fisher Fine Arts Library
220 South 34th Street

The Kamin Gallery section of the exhibition explores the social, political, and artistic milieu of Esherick in the 1920s and 1930s and illuminates many of the institutions and relationships that made the American modernist movement possible. The Kroiz Gallery section of the exhibition explores Esherick's evolution as an artist in wood during this period. The exhibition will bring together a range of materials, from books, manuscripts, and photographs to prints, sculpture, and furniture, belonging to both the participating institutions and other collections.

The symposium is the Second Annual Anne d'Harnoncourt Symposium, in honor of the late director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The symposium begins on Friday evening with the keynote address, to be given by Dr. Peter Conn, the Vartan Gregorian Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania and author, most recently, of The American 1930s: A Literary History (2008). Following the keynote address is the exhibition opening reception, in both galleries. On Saturday the symposium continues with papers by leading scholars from various disciplines on a range of topics raised by the exhibition. The symposium will conclude with a visit to Hedgerow Theatre for dinner and a performance of a dramatic adaptation of Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy.

Click here to visit the exhibition and symposium website for more information 
Click here for a printable version of exhibition and events brochure 
Click here for the complete symposium schedule 
Click here to register for the symposium 

Woodwork magazine is again offering Furniture Society members a tremendous opportunity to publish their work!

Woodwork plans to include a special gallery section devoted to recent work by Society members in the Winter 2011 issue, which will be available in November 2010. As you recall, 14 pieces by Society members were featured in Woodwork's Winter 2010 issue, including the back cover image.

This opportunity is only available to current Furniture Society members.

Entries must be received by Woodwork by September 14, 2010.

Entry Guidelines

To have your work considered for inclusion in this special section, your entry must conform to the following guidelines:

• Your Furniture Society membership must be current.
• Work completed during the past three years is eligible. You may submit images of up to three pieces. Image quality is considered: pro-quality images are preferred, but not required.
• Images must be large format, high resolution JPGs.
• Images should be sent by e-mail or on a disc.

Each Image must include the following information:

• Name (or title) of each piece.
• Year each piece was completed.
• Materials used to construct each piece.
• Dimensions of each piece, in inches. (H x W x D for vertical pieces and L x W (or D) x H for horizontal pieces.)
• Photographer's name.

High resolution digital images and piece descriptions should be emailed to Tim Johnson, senior editor:

tjohnson@americanwoodworker.com

Alternatively, a disc containing images and piece descriptions may be mailed to:

Woodwork Magazine
Attn: Tim Johnson
1285 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 180
Eagan, MN 55121

Images must be received by Woodwork by September 14, 2010 to be considered for inclusion.

"Seth Meyer and John Wells ... harvest local urban trees doomed by development, disease or storm damage, and turn them into custom furniture, each piece a distinct botanical narrative."
Read the full article at The New York Times 

FS2010: Polos & caps are available through our store. Quantities are limited and we won't be reissuing these shirts. Shipping is included in the price. Visit the store today!
Browse polos and caps in the store 

Vladimir Kagan blogs about his experiences at FS2010: FUSIONS. Take a look!
Visit Vladimir Kagan's Blog 

The foundation was created in 2007 to award charitable and educational gifts which reflect John's interests and values. John's skills as a fine furniture maker were a result of passion, dedication and the guidance of a well-known furniture artist. Without that guidance, John would not have realized his capabilities. In an effort to support the art that John loved and the people who make it, the Foundation has created a fellowship to encourage and support a young-in-career furniture artist with the financial assistance to help them succeed in their journey. The fellowship has been designed to help support a talented furniture artist looking to fulfill an apprenticeship, develop their own skills, and/or make the transition to independence.

The John D. Mineck Furniture Fellowship of $25,000 is awarded anually to one artist and is administered by The Society of Arts and Crafts (SAC).
Click here for more information and/or to apply 

From CERF+:

As the flood waters subside and Middle Tennessee progresses with clean up and salvage we wanted to get the word out that the Studio Protector web site is now online and has information that will help artists and those with items they wish to salvage from this flood or other emergencies such as burst pipes. Of particular interest are the following pages:

Cleaup
Salvage Basics

The Studio Protector also has information on getting help from relief providers and the arts sector. The online information is at: Disaster Relief

In addition to this informational resource for all artists, CERF+ offers financial assistance to professional craft artists whose careers have been threatened by this disaster, and other emergencies.

Thanks to efforts since Katrina we now have the beginnings of a network on the ground that can help point you to resources for artists and arts organizations if they are needed. You may be aware of the www.ArtsReady.org web site that is being developed for arts organizations by our friends at SouthArts.

The Furniture Society will be at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City, May 15- 18, 2010. Come visit our booth or view images of member works on Flickr or Facebook.
View our ICFF 2010 Flickr page 
Visit our Facebook page 

The program schedules for FS2010: Fusions are now available! Porgram schedules are in PDF format and require Adobe Reader or another PDF viewer.
Visit the Program Schedule page 

The Furniture Society is currently looking for makers interested in participating in a collective group exhibition at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), May 15- 18, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

To be considered for this event, makers should submit up to three images of pieces that would be available for exhibition in the Furniture Society display at ICFF. A brief statement about the work should be included with the images.

Submissions should be emailed to icff@furnituresociety.org.

If accepted, makers are responsible for:

• Shipping costs and/or delivery to and from the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
• A $650.00 booth fee to cover exhibit-related expenses (printed collateral, electricity, lighting, etc.).
• A $250.00 deposit is required at the time of your acceptance. The booth fee balance of $400.00 is due by May 1, 2010.

Image submissions should adhere to the following guidelines:

• Maximum file size: 250KB
• Maximum dimensions: 800 x 800 pixels
• File type: JPG or GIF
• Print-quality images will be requested from accepted makers.

Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2010. Though there is no entry fee, space is limited. Submission for this call does not guarantee inclusion in the show.

For questions please email info@furnituresociety.org or call Jean Aslund in The Furniture Society office at 828-255-1949.

The submission deadline for Faculty Selects has been extended until February 12, 2010.

The Furniture Society is soliciting nominations for the 2010 edition of Faculty Selects, an annnual exhibition of student work. Selected pieces will be featured in an on-site exhibition at the 2010 Furniture Society Conference, Fusions: Minds & Hands Shaping Our Future, June 16-19, 2010, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. and in an online presentation on The Furniture Society's web site.

Faculty of all furniture programs—non-matriculating, undergraduate or graduate—are encouraged to nominate their students' best work for this exhibition. Nominations must be received by February 12, 2010. Complete guidelines and application forms can be found here:
2010 Faculty Selects Prospectus and Guidelines 
2010 Faculty Selects Application Form 

For questions and additional information, send email to students@furnituresociety.org

Powermatic Student Workshop Scholarships have been announced! Five students will be awarded scholarships of $2,000-$3,000 to attend one-, two- or eight-week workshops in 2010 at the following schools:

Anderson Ranch Arts Center (CO) Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts (TN) Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (ME) Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (ME) North Bennet Street School (MA) Penland School of Crafts (NC)

Click here for more details 

New Hampshire furniture maker and longtime Furniture Society member Jon Brooks lost his entire studio to a tragic early morning fire on January 18th. Jon, his wife and their home are O.K. All the tools, machines, patterns and stock were lost, as well as a recent commission and Jon's new piece for the N.H. Masters auction. Local New Hampshire friends and supporters have organized to help out with tools and anything else he may need to get back on his feet. An e-mail account has been set up for well-wishers:

jonbrooks@furnituremasters.org

The "Jon Brooks New Studio Project" has been established to help Jon and Jami get back on their feet. Information may be found on Jon's website, www.jonbrooks.org, and donations can be made through Paypal right on the site. Alternatively, contributions may be sent to:

Jon Brook's New Studio Project
Pine Road
New Boston, NH 03070

OUTDOOR FURNITURE: EVERYONE IS WELCOME—June 15 - July 31, 2010
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION...FROM NEW ENGLAND—June 10 - 30, 2010

Please note: The entry deadline for the OUTDOOR FURNITURE show has been extended to February 9, 2010.

Two juried furniture exhibitions, sponsored by The Furniture Society, are slated in conjunction with the June 2010 conference at MIT in Cambridge, MA. One exhibition is restricted to makers from or schooled in New England, otherwise entry is open to anyone. Furniture Society membership is not required to enter, but it is a condition of acceptance for selected entries.

Entries for these shows must be submitted by early February. Details can be found on the 2010 Conference Exhibitions page. Entries must be sumitted online.
All furniture makers are encouraged to submit entries. For additional information, contact the FS office.

CCMC has tabulated, parsed and objectified the results of the 2009 post-conference survey. The full document is available for viewing and/or download in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader (or equivalent) is required. The file is approximately 786K in size.

2009 Survey Results 

An online archive of past editions of Furniture Matters, the quarterly Furniture Society newsletter, has been posted on the Society's web site. The collection goes back to the autumn 2007 edition, with editions saved and available in PDF format. As new editions are forthcoming, the archive collection will continue to be updated with later editions.

Use the 'Newsletter' selection under 'News', or follow this link directly to the newsletter archive:
Furniture Matters archive 

Celebrated furniture maker and 2002 Award of Distinction recipient Alan Peters died on October 11, 2009, at the age of 76.

More information and links are posted in the News section.
Read more about Alan Peters 

The Furniture Society is soliciting nominations for the 2010 edition of Faculty Selects, an annnual exhibition of student work. Selected pieces will be featured in an on-site exhibition at the 2010 Furniture Society Conference, Fusions: Minds & Hands Shaping Our Future, June 16-19, 2010, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. and in an online presentation on The Furniture Society’s web site.

Faculty of all furniture programs -- non-matriculating, undergraduate or graduate -- are encouraged to nominate their students' best work for this exhibition. Nominations must be received by February 1, 2010. Complete guidelines and application forms can be found here:
2010 Faculty Selects Prospectus and Guidelines 
2010 Faculty Selects Application Form 

For questions and additional information, send email to students@furnituresociety.org

As a leader of the California modern arts movement, the late Sam Maloof designed and hand-crafted furniture infused with artistic vision for more than half a century. You are invited to attend the SOFA CHICAGO 2009 Maloof Tribute Benefit Dinner, following the SOFA CHICAGO 2009 Opening Night Preview Gala, at 8:30 pm, Thursday, November 5, 2009, to benefit the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts. The Maloof Tribute Benefit includes two additional excursions: a private tour on Thursday, November 5, of the Arts & Crafts collection at Crab Tree Farm, owned by philanthropist John H. Bryan, and an opening day preview on Saturday, November 7, of the Apostles of Beauty special exhibition on Arts & Crafts at the Art Institute of Chicago. Proceeds will also support Anderson Ranch Arts Center Maloof Scholarship Fund, and The Furniture Society Scholarship Program.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit:

SOFA CHICAGO 2009 Maloof Tribute Benefit Dinner 

Craftsman, teacher and philosopher James Krenov passed away in Ft. Bragg, California, on September 9, 2009, at the age of 89.

More information and links are posted in the News section.
Read more about James Krenov 

The Furniture Society's 2010 Conference Committee presented this exciting and entertaining video during the Member's Meeting at this year's conference in Boone, NC. FS2010 will take place in Boston, MA June 16-19 2010. View the preview at Dailymotion 

The forward-looking Strategic Plan for The Furniture Society was approved by the Board of Trustees in January, 2009. A brief introduction and link to download the complete 18-page document can be found here:
View the Furniture Society Strategic Plan 

Interested members are encouraged to review the document and comment using the FS Forum.
Visit the FS Forum: Strategic Plan 

The Furniture Society Board of Trustees announced changes in the board, officers and staff following their meeting June 14-15 in Boone, NC. Gail Fredell moves from the board to the new staff position of Program and Development Director, while Jean Aslund's position has been recast as Executive Coordinator. Officers for 2009-2010 are: Andrew Glantz (AZ), president; Alf Sharp (TN), vice president; Lois Moran (NY), treasurer; Richard Prisco (GA), secretary. Past president Rachel Fuld (PA) continues on the board ex officio for one year, capping a tenure of six years on the board including two as president (2007-2009).
View the Board Notes 

Join The Furniture Society on Facebook! FS members or supporters who are registered Facebook users are encouraged to join us on the popular social networking site.
Visit The Furniture Society's Facebook Page 

Revered furniture maker and Furniture Society Award of Distinction recipient Sam Maloof died on May 21, 2009 at the age of 93.

A remembrance by longtime friend Gail Fredell and links to other information about Sam can be found in News.
Read more about Sam Maloof 

The Board of Trustees has approved the following membership rates effective January 2009:

$35 Student/Trainee/Apprentice
$65 Individual
$75 Joint
$65 Non-Profit
$100 Friend or Business
$250 Sustaining
$500 Benefactor
$1000 Patron
$2500 Medici

Some of the 2009 benefits available to members:

• Discounts on conference fees
• Our quarterly newsletter, Furniture Matters
• Discounts on Society publications
• Special grant and scholarship opportunities
• Discounts on exhibition space for national and regional shows such as ICFF, Architectural Digest Home Show, Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show, Fine Furnishings Shows Providence and Milwaukee and CRAFTBOSTON.
• Opportunity for increased web presence through the online directory and Maker's Portfolio at www.furnituresociety.org (for Individual memberships and higher)

Furniture Society web banners are now available! Choose from three sizes for your convenience.
Visit our new Resources page! 

Request a new password using the email address associated with your current Furniture Society membership to activate your user profile. There is no need to create a new user profile. With a profile, you can browse our store to renew your membership, become a member, or register for an upcoming conference.
Request a Password