Boxes, cabinets, chests, cupboards, desks, and sideboards--this volume showcases one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces designed and constructed by today's emerging and established furniture makers and artists. This exhibition catalog illustrates the many ways in which thirty-seven contemporary artists approach case furniture, a traditional form that is being constantly defined and redefined. This simultaneously utilitarian and aesthetic art form permits artists, from traditional to avant-garde, to express their own visions. Essayists and guest curators for the exhibition, Thomas Loeser and Virginia T. Boyd, present the artist's and scholar's perspectives on contemporary decorative arts and discuss the themes underlying the exhibition. An overview of the development of studio furniture over the past decade by decorative arts scholar Glenn Adamson provides a recent historical context for the pieces in the exhibition. Distributed for the Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Beautiful contemporary furniture, designed and made by 72 US woodworkers who are members of The Furniture Society, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina. Seating, case furniture, and accessories demonstrate the healthy state of handmade furniture in which creativity abounds in thoughtful designs. Exotic and classic woods and other materials are used for original designs, as created by these women and men woodworkers. Inspirations for interior designers showcase useful and artistic forms. Also, the work of 13 juried students is included to encourage new talent, and they are fine works indeed.

Take a tour of the Renwick Gallery, the craft division of the Smithsonian, and enjoy an in-depth look at the artists and the work of this unparalleled collection of handmade contemporary furniture. This absorbing volume features profiles and interviews of 64 artists and reveals their artistic influences and interpretations along with 112 stunning photos of iconic work.

Drawing on the latest scholarship, this comprehensive, lavishly illustrated survey tells the story of the evolution of American furniture from the 17th century to the present. Not viewed in isolation, furniture is placed in its broader cultural, historic, and aesthetic context. The focus is not only on the urban masterpieces of 18th century William and Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal styles but also on the work of numerous rural cabinetmakers. Special chapters explore Windsor chairs, Shaker, and Pennsylvania German furniture which do not follow the mainstream style progression. Picturesque and anti-classical explain Victorian furniture including Rococo, Renaissance, and Eastlake. Mission and Arts and Crafts furniture introduce the 20th century. Another chapter identifies the eclectic revivals such as Early American that dominated the mass market throughout much of the 20th century. After World War II American designers created many of the Mid-Century Modern icons that are much sought after by collectors today. The rise of studio furniture and furniture as art which include some of the most creative and imaginative furniture produced in the 20th and 21st centuries caps the review of four centuries of American furniture. A final chapter advises on how to evaluate the authenticity of both traditional and modern furniture and how to preserve it for posterity. With over 800 photos including 24 pages of color, this fully illustrated text is the authoritative reference work.

Today's American, hand-crafted furniture is bristling with originality. Blending art and functionality, David Ebner creates unique benches, tables, and chairs. This designer-craftsman's work subtly surpasses the limits of the furniture world and often crosses over into the realm of sculpture. Fine woods with interesting patterns are featured in his practical designs, which reflect natural elements of the places where he has worked in New York state. He fuses traditional and modern techniques and is well known for his scallion coat rack, Renwick benches, and Bellport chairs. See more than 340 color photos and sketches of Ebner's designs for diverse forms created with "twisted sticks," tubular metal, iron sections, and bamboo laminates. In his lifetime, he's made more than 1,400 pieces. Especially interesting are projects he continues to design today in his ever-evolving style.

New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A groundbreaking and endlessly surprising history of how artisans created America, from the nation's origins to the present day. At the center of the United States' economic and social development, according to conventional wisdom, are industry and technology-while craftspeople and handmade objects are relegated to a bygone past. Renowned historian Glenn Adamson turns that narrative on its head in this innovative account, revealing makers' central role in shaping America's identity. Examine any phase of the nation's struggle to define itself, and artisans are there-from the silversmith Paul Revere and the revolutionary carpenters and blacksmiths who hurled tea into Boston Harbor, to today's “maker movement.” From Mother Jones to Rosie the Riveter. From Betsy Ross to Rosa Parks. From suffrage banners to the AIDS Quilt. Adamson shows that craft has long been implicated in debates around equality, education, and class. Artisanship has often been a site of resistance for oppressed people, such as enslaved African-Americans whose skilled labor might confer hard-won agency under bondage, or the Native American makers who adapted traditional arts into statements of modernity. Theirs are among the array of memorable portraits of Americans both celebrated and unfamiliar in this richly peopled book. As Adamson argues, these artisans' stories speak to our collective striving toward a more perfect union. From the beginning, America had to be-and still remains to be-crafted.

This extraordinary guide documents over 750 exciting examples of the ultimate in design excellence! Culled from thousands of entries to Graphic Design: USA's award competition, these unique projects cover all aspects of graphic design, including advertising, books, catalogs, letterhead, posters, and Internet. This is the definitive source of cutting-edge ideas for marketing, art, and advertising professionals. Graphic Design: USA has published this monthly magazine geared to the graphic arts industry for over 30 years.