Whiskey Sipping Set. Leslie Green Guilbault, artist. Photo by Kate Prince
Grovewood Gallery will showcase the enduring influence of the American Arts and Crafts movement this fall with Artful Living: The Spirit of the Craftsman Style. The group exhibition will be on view from Saturday, October 18, through Wednesday, December 31. The public is invited to an opening reception on October 18, from 2 to 5 p.m. Featured artists include ceramicist Leslie Green Guilbault, blacksmith Paul Garrett, furniture maker Timothy Livingston and painter Shawn Krueger.
Krueger, a Roycroft Master Artisan and member of the American Tonalist Society, links his landscape painting to both the Arts and Crafts and Tonalist movements. “I would say that both the American Arts & Crafts and Tonalist movements seek that harmony,” says Krueger. “Each, to some degree, arose in response to what was coming out of the Industrial Revolution.” For Krueger, the intimacy of Tonalism remains a powerful draw. “I guess it’s the ethos of the handmade that continues to draw me in,” he says. “It’s personal. I’m one person quietly making paintings in response to this increasingly loud and insane world.”
Holding On (Day’s End). Shawn Krueger, artist
Garrett, a Brasstown-based blacksmith, also emphasizes the tactile nature of handmade design. “I like creating lighting both to enhance the materials and to provide the warm amber glow that comes with using mica in the work,” says Garrett. “I think the world has enough hard white and blue light.”
Livingston’s handcrafted furniture draws on the legacy of Stickley and Limbert, reinterpreted for modern tastes. “When I design a Craftsman style piece I want to stay true to the original style to a certain extent,” says Livingston. “Having said that, I also realize that tastes and styles change and that the pieces I design and build need to reflect those changes if I hope to sell what I make.” The material he uses—quarter sawn white oak from sustainably harvested forests—is the same type of wood that was used to make the original pieces. “The grain of the wood in each board is so unique and I see it as an homage to the craftspeople before me that helped forge the path for the Craftsman style,” he says.
Guilbault, a Roycroft Artisan, traces her inspiration to both nature and history, with a seasonal rhythm shaping her ceramics. “My design decisions are strongly influenced by the change in seasons and my mood,” says Guilbault. “In spring, all I want to do is paint tender, bright green leaves and cherry blossoms. In summer, birds and bugs easily find their way onto carved plates and vases. Autumn—my favorite season—brings a bounty of sculpted pumpkins and botanical paintings of cone flowers and fall leaves.”
Through ceramics, painting, furniture and metalwork, Artful Living highlights the living spirit of craftsmanship that continues to inspire makers today.
Grovewood Village is located at 111 Grovewood Road, adjacent to and below the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking is available onsite. To learn more, visit Grovewood.com or call 828.214.7768.
