When I was skiing this winter in Stowe, Vermont, I really wasn't thinking about handmade furniture. But as the conditions got worse and it started to rain, I began exploring the small towns in the area with a friend. One day with little else to do we found ourselves in Waitsfield browsing through antique stores and craft studios, ending up in James "B'fer" Roth's woodworking shop. From the moment I opened the door it was a magical experience and I was completely taken by his whimsical rustic furniture. I met his wife and daughter, was given a private tour of his barn, which is, literally, an interior forest of trees, twigs, and rough-sawn boards stacked and vertically stored to create pathways of surprise and surreal beauty. And I walked away owning three stunning pieces of handcrafted furniture which he personally delivered to my farm in Pennsylvania two weeks later. Not only are they wonderful, inspired additions to my collection, but I found a new friend in the artist and in his work.
Collectors collect because they are compelled to do so. Even when they aren't thinking about it, they are. And their instincts and discerning eyes are always on the lookout for the next new piece they simply can't walk away from. It may not be a practical purchase, it may be more than they should have spent, and there may not be an immediate place for it in their home or office. None of that matters when the spirit moves them and they are captive to the artist and the object. I have been buying "art furniture" since 1980. I exhibited it in a gallery I owned for five years, and I hope to continue collecting for many more years. My budget and my time are limited, but my commitment is strong, tenacious, and has real depth. I open my home to museum groups and visitors whenever they ask, and the joy I get from sharing the collection as well as seeing it every day is quite indescribable-one of life's under-appreciated delights.
I see The Furniture Society, and FURNITURE '2011 in particular, as a place where all of these instincts and interests can be nurtured and explored. Collectors can savor the distinct pleasure of meeting furniture makers, enlivening the process of design and construction through interactive discussion and a sharing of ideas. Collaborations and commissions may well result. And we can all enhance our knowledge of the history and the critical nature of this contemporary furniture movement as conference participants and interested observers. The perspective that collectors can offer to furniture makers, museum curators, and academics is a unique understanding of the role that personal taste plays in the recording of artistic culture and the importance of the decorative arts in building an image of our society that we leave as a legacy to future generations.
The Furniture Society can generate greater interest in, and recognition of, the contributions that are being made by those who are creating these beautiful and exciting objects. Remember, without collectors and buyers there would be few, if any, makers who could survive to practice their craft and produce their art.
