San Diego Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Gustav Stickley

Beginning on June 18 and continuing through September 11, the San Diego Museum of Art will be hosting Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Organized by the Dallas Museum of Art, this is the first nationally touring exhibition to focus on the career of the famed furniture maker and magazine publisher.

The exhibition examines Stickley’s contributions to the history of American design and architecture during his most productive and creative period, from 1900 to 1913, and will provide new insights into the artistic, commercial and social context of Stickley’s work. Ranging from furniture, metalware and embroidered textiles to architectural designs, the majority of the more than 100 objects in the exhibition are from private collections and have never been seen before by the public.

One of the exhibition’s highlights will be the re-creation of the dining room first displayed in the 1903 Arts and Crafts Exhibition organized by Stickley and exhibited in his Syracuse Craftsman Building.

The exhibition finds a particularly appropriate venue in San Diego, which has a rich heritage of Arts and Crafts architecture and decorative art. Communities such as North Park and Mission Hills are well known for their historic homes from this era. The Marston House (pictured) was designed by local architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving John Gill and is one of California's finest examples of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Also on June 18th will be the 13th Old House Fair in historic South Park, a day-long celebration featuring tours of historic homes, including Arts & Crafts bungalows. For more information, go to http://www.theoldhousefair.weebly.org.

In conjunction with the Gustav Stickley exhibition, the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) will lead a tour of both Stickley’s furniture and home design in nearby neighborhoods on Saturday, July 2nd. This tour will include the Marston House. Advance reservations are required.

For more information, please go to http://www.sdmart.org or http://www.sohosandiego.org.

- Bruce Johnson

PS - Don't forget to check out other area Arts & Crafts sites at our Traveler's Guide section.

Next Week: Prince says "Party Like its 1899 - Roycroft Style!"