urban ku # 105 ~ inspiration

Indigenous inspiration • click to embiggenThe Adirondack rustic architecture/furniture tradition goes back to the early days of human habitation within the Adirondacks. Arguably, the birth/pinnacle of the rustic architecture/furniture tradition was found at the Vanderbilt's Sagamore, an Adirondack Great Camp, located near Raquette Lake in the Central Adirondacks.

The Vanderbilts had a large year-round full-time staff at Sagamore (1.526 acres and 27 buildings) - many (with their families) lived on the grounds in a worker's complex, complete with schoolhouse. The Vanderbilts, especially Margaret Vanserbilt, were great patrons of the craftspeople at Sagamore and amongst the workers were a group of artisans. The craftsmen and women lived in a closed community on the site and worked daily with each other in an apprentice to master relationship. One worker, a gardener by the name of George Wilson, created twig mosaic furniture - the most intricate of the rustic style. Others artistically adopted the natural materials available to them and the rustic style was born.

I bring this up because of it's relevance to yesterday's topic of 'teaching'. One of the things that schooling in the arts is not so good at is teaching how to find/foster 'inspiration'. In the case of these Adirondack rustic artisans, their inspiration was all around them. They just and to open their eyes and 'see'.