There has been some discussion lately about the range of topics that is appropriate for this site. How pure is the Arts & Crafts Movement? Should we discuss only American and English Arts & Crafts artisans and crafts, homes and gardens? If we branch out, how far is appropriate?

I look at some of the early A&C homes and am awed by the range of influences that came from the Near and Far East, Africa, and Latin America.

Americans traveled extensively and some, like Stickley, Hubbard, and Wright, were hugely influenced by the arts and crafts of England and Europe. Others were far more eclectic and far-reaching in their tastes.

Right now, there is a huge interest in the historical movement. There is also the philosophical movement which is timeless, idealistic, expansive, and international in scope.

I'm curious and interested in your thoughts.

Rikki

Hello Rikki,
I agree that the Movement was started by one individual by the name of John Ruskin whom became the founder of the true Arts and Crafts Movement which was against the massed produced furniture of that era and aroused the craftsmen to start building the furniture by their hands. This holds true in most any category that you could mention.

As you know the Green and Green Brothers were influenced by the Oriental flare in most of their pieces.

Most folks interested could go the the Arts and Crafts history right here on this forum in order to better explain to them how and why the Movement was started.

Arts and Crafts is not limited just in furniture as folks will find out by going to the different forums many other topics are used in the style of Arts and Crafts.

Now with this being in the 21st century we are farther from the Arts and Crafts Style simply by folks going to a store and buying the flake board furniture with a vinyl Wood grain cover and in three years or less they are back to the stores buying another piece as the first one fell apart.

So what we need to do is to attempt to teach the families of this age how valuable Arts and Crafts items are and the growing value of the pieces as time goes along and the pieces pass from one generation to the other.

Sorry to be so long winded but, these are my own humbled opinion.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones