Morris Health & Life / August 2010 / Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Craft Movement exhibition

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Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Craft Movement exhibition

Bergen Health & Life invites its readers to the Newark Museum for the Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Crafts Movement exhibition premiere on September 15. The exhibition will feature Gustav Stickley’s furniture and designs produced between 1900 and 1913.

In 1901, Gustav Stickley, an American furniture factory owner, architect and designer founded the American Craftsman magazine. Influenced by his involvement in the British Arts & Crafts movement, the magazine’s main philosophy of organic simplicity and functionality was a reaction against elaborate Victorian architecture and design. Stickley wanted to draw attention away from the typical mass-produced, conspicuously ornate furniture and focus on handcrafted, “good design” pieces created with local materials.

The magazine lent its name and general philosophy of clean, practical design to the American Arts & Craft movement. Rather than shying away from the reality of the industrial period- with its assembly lines and massive output- Stickley sought to integrate the solid, well built of pieces of local craftsmen with the benefits of expansive production capacity of factories. With his effort to marry pre-industrial design with modern factory capabilities, Stickley’s firm provided massive availability of furniture, metalwork, and textiles at affordable prices for American homes. The wide accessibility of these simple and functional pieces shaped a romantic and uniquely American aesthetic in the early 20th century. The American Arts & Craft movement inspired future movements in American design, including the following Art Deco movement.

The Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Crafts Movement exhibition focuses on the pieces from 1900-1913, the years in which he was most active with his personal craft. The exhibition will feature Stickley’s personal demonstration of the Craftsman home lifestyle, showcasing his furniture and household items- all practical, organic, and beautiful in its clean simplicity.

Guests will be able to observe over 100 pieces produced by Stickley’s designers and workshops. One major highlight of the exhibition is a view of a dining room, originally crafted and arranged by Stickley for his 1903 Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Syracuse, New York. As an added treat, the exhibition delightfully coincides with the 100th birthday of Stickley’s own home, Craftsman Farms, in Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ. The Newark Museum offers curator-guided tours, workshops, literature, and additional guided tours of Craftsman Farm.

Organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and curated by Kevin W. Tucker, the exhibit premieres on September 15 and will stay at the Newark Museum until February 13, 2011 when it moves back to Dallas.

Newark Museum is the largest Museum in New Jersey with over 80 galleries of diverse art from all over the World. We very much look forward to the exhibition that closely examines the unique early 20th century American design and all the educational programs provided by the museum. Come see the romantic American simplicity of original furniture, household items, lighting, and architectural sketches, from this American Arts & Crafts movement.

For more information on Newark Museum and the Gustav Stickley and the American Arts & Crafts exhibition, visit www.newarkmuseum.org.