Right at Home: American Studio Furniture

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Sam Maloof's Double Rocking Chair

From elegant and streamlined to bright and bold, the designs in Right at Home: American Studio Furniture” highlight the originality, craftsmanship and personalities of studio furniture artists. Drawn from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s permanent collection, this exhibition includes both functional works and purely sculptural pieces, with most created from 1990 to the present. 

Description

The hallmarks of studio furniture include one-of-a-kind pieces for the home created in small-scale shops. These custom-designed pieces range in conception and style from the graceful furniture of Sam Maloof to the vivid, garishly colorful works of Richard Ford. Other artists included in this exhibition are Wendell Castle, John Cederquist, Stephen Courtney, Jacob Cress, Alphonse Mattia, Kim Schmahmann and Rosanne Somerson. "Right at Home" is the fourth exhibition in a series that surveys the craft collection of the museum by specific medium or craft category.

Visiting Information

April 2, 2004 January 23, 2005
Open Daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Free Admission

Artists

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Wendell Castle
born Emporia, KS 1932-died Scottsville, NY 2018

Born in Emporia, Kansas, Wendell Castle earned a B.F.A. degree in sculpture in 1958 and an M.F.A. in industrial design in 1961 at the University of Kansas.

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John Cederquist
born Altadena, CA 1946

Born in Altadena, California, John Cederquist earned a B.A. degree in art in 1969 and an M.A. in crafts in 1971 at California State University at Long Beach.

Stephen Courtney
born Oceanside, NY 1953
Jacob Cress
born Norton, VA 1944
Richard Ford
born Middleboro, MA 1966
Sam Maloof
born Chino, CA 1916-died Rancho Cucamonga, CA 2009

Born in Chino, California, Sam Maloof is a 1934 graduate of Chino High School. He worked as a graphic artist before being encouraged by his wife to pursue woodworking.

Alphonse Mattia
born Philadelphia, PA 1947-died East Bay, RI 2023
Kim Schmahmann
South African, born Johannesburg, South Africa 1955
Rosanne Somerson
born Philadelphia, PA 1954