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Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Alvar Aalto

Monday, February 3, 2025 | Karl Cole

Alvar Aalto designed all of the furnishings for his buildings. Using native birch, Aalto designed a number of chairs and stools made entirely of bent plywood and laminated wood. He also invented some ...

Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Oki Sato

Monday, April 18, 2022 | Karl Cole

It’s always refreshing to learn about a designer who combines an unconventional aesthetic with concern for our climate-changing planet, so Oki Sato’s Cabbage Chair is my Gem of the Month. ...

Curator's Corner

Reused Design Materials: Tejo Remy

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 | Karl Cole

I read a very disturbing article recently, which stated that a large percentage of the clothes we could donate for reuse ends up in landfills. This is disturbing because a lot of the materials do not ...

Curator's Corner

African American History Month: Thomas Gross, Jr. and Moses Williams

Monday, February 12, 2018 | Karl Cole

Let us not forget that African American artists have existed since the founding of America. Unfortunately, they were not colonists, but forced here as slaves on Dutch, Portuguese, French, Spanish, and ...

Curator's Corner

American Artists Appreciation Month: Wendy Maruyama, James Castle, Margaret Wharton

Monday, August 28, 2017 | Karl Cole

August is “American Artist Appreciation Month” continues. We’ll end the celebration with two unusual interpretations of chairs. ...

Curator's Corner

The Artistic Legacy of Conquest, part 2

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | Karl Cole

This week's look at Spanish Colonial art continues, inspired by the exhibit Highest Heaven, currently on view at the Worcester Art Museum. ...

Curator's Corner

Utilitarian Object or Sculpture?

Friday, November 13, 2015 | Karl Cole

First of all, let me clarify the use of “utilitarian” or “decorative arts.” These are unfortunately terms art historians are stuck with from the 1800s art history gods in Weste ...

Curator's Corner

German American Heritage Month: Pennsylvania German

Monday, October 5, 2015 | Karl Cole

The more things change, etc. I get really irritated with people who say in speeches that immigrants to the United States should “speak American.” For one thing, “American” isn& ...

Curator's Corner

Old Styles, New Techniques: Furniture Revival

Monday, June 1, 2015 | Karl Cole

The history of furniture design has always been one of my favorite areas of study. Such study is even more rewarding when I learn about a “first” in regards to American furniture, which wa ...

Curator's Corner

Some Thoughts about Stools

Monday, May 11, 2015 | Karl Cole

Does furniture have a soul? I sort of think it does. We sit on, lean on, and lie down on furniture for most of our lives. It’s hard to believe that something of our souls does not get infused in ...

Curator's Corner

A Luxury Item: Robert Horner

Monday, October 20, 2014 | Karl Cole

I don’t know about you, but when I write (a letter, or anything else), I like to spread my arms out on a table or drawing board. I guess I’m just not one for luxurious living. But this lit ...

Curator's Corner

Comfort and Ingenuity: Thomas E. Warren

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 | Karl Cole

One of the most charming things, I think, is the enthusiasm of American designers after the “Industrial Age” kicked off in the early- to mid-1800s. The phenomenon led to the mass-productio ...

Curator's Corner

Furniture conforming to...? Jere Osgood

Tuesday, June 25, 2013 | Karl Cole

Traditionally, furniture was designed to conform to the human body and what was being worn at the time. That’s why we see low side chairs with no arms during the mid-1800s when women were wearin ...

Curator's Corner

Forgotten Art History: Thomas Gross, Jr.

Monday, April 22, 2013 | Karl Cole

Like women artists, African American artists have been neglected in the major art history survey texts, especially when it comes to pre-emancipation. I am always delighted to have an epiphany about an ...

Curator's Corner

Modern Furniture Design: Vico Magistretti

Friday, June 26, 2009 | Karl Cole

When I was in graduate school, I was extremely fortunate to be a TA (teaching assistant) to the Furniture art historian. What a learning experience that was! As an art history major, I tended to think ...

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Artist Birthday: Alvar Aalto

Gem of the Month: Oki Sato

Reused Design Materials: Tejo Remy

African American History Month: Thomas Gross, Jr. and Moses Williams

American Artists Appreciation Month: Wendy Maruyama, James Castle, Margaret Wharton

The Artistic Legacy of Conquest, part 2

Utilitarian Object or Sculpture?

German American Heritage Month: Pennsylvania German

Old Styles, New Techniques: Furniture Revival

Some Thoughts about Stools

A Luxury Item: Robert Horner

Comfort and Ingenuity: Thomas E. Warren

Furniture conforming to...? Jere Osgood

Forgotten Art History: Thomas Gross, Jr.

Modern Furniture Design: Vico Magistretti

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