Western lifestyle celebrated at Wyoming exhibit

The 23rd annual Western Design Conference in Jackson, Wyo., drew more than 130 artisans from 22 states. The four-day juried exhibit and sale was held Sept. 10-13 at the Snow King Center.

The event brings together craftspeople, collectors, interior designers, architects and fashion designers with a love of the West. Sponsored by Mountain Living magazine, the show was founded in Cody, Wyo., as a way to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods and moved to Jackson in 2007 after being purchased by Allison Merritt, the event manager.

The show puts a heavy focus on artisans who make unique Western-inspired, functional creations in various media such as furniture, fashion, jewelry and various lifestyle accessories. Artisans represented eight different categories this year.

Artists in the woodworking category included Brian Boggs Chairmakers of Ashville, N.C.; David Stine Woodworking of Dow, Ill.; Palmer Rustic Furniture of Stigler, Okla., and Robert Seliger Furniture of Bend, Ore.

From Idaho, Badger Creek WoodWorks of Tetonia; Everlasting Tree of Boise, and Woodensound Fine Woodworking of Preston exhibited.

From Wyoming, artists included Howkola Furniture of Cody; Knarley by Nature of Lander, and Marc Taggart & Co., Norseman Designs West and Wildewood Furniture of Cody.

From Montana, artists included Bear Paw Designs of Stevensville; Henneford Fine Furniture of Lakeside; Kosorok Furniture of Roberts, and Montana Western Juniper of Eureka.

Swedish wooden toys

Swedish Wooden Toys, an exhibition of wooden playthings in Sweden from the 17th to the 21st centuries, opened Sept. 18 and will run through Jan. 17, 2016 at the Bard Graduate Center Gallery in New York.

The exhibit features dollhouses, puzzles, games, pull toys and more. It explores the practice of handicraft, the educational value of wooden playthings and the vision of childhood that Swedish reformers have promoted worldwide.

The exhibit was hosted by Susan Weber, founder and director of the Bard Graduate Center, and Amy F. Ogata, professor of art history at the University of Southern California and former professor at Bard Graduate Center.

Contacts

Bard Graduate Center, 18 West 86th St., New York, NY 10024. Tel: 212-501-3023. www.bgc.bard.edu

Western Design Conference, P.O. Box 7889, Jackson Hole, WY 83002. Tel: 307-690-9719. www.westerndesignconference.com