Arts and Crafts Design in America: A State-by-State Guide
The Arts and Crafts movement began when 19th century architects, artisans, and designers blended artful form with modern functionality in an effort to preserve beauty and spirituality in the face of mass manufacturing brought on by the Industrial Revolution. Originating in Great Britain, the Arts and Crafts movement lived vibrantly in America from the 1880s to the 1920s.Arts and Crafts Design in Americais a thorough sampling of those houses, interiors, neighborhoods, furniture, fine crafts, and structures created during this period. The book covers more than 300 destinations in guiding the traveler toward the Prairie School architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Craftsman furniture of Gustav Stickley, the glass designs of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the illustrations of Will Bradley, and other notable examples of Arts and Crafts design. Focusing on larger cities and the more populous states, the guide combines photographs with information about history and architectural styles. It assumes the reader is familiar with the styles of the era and doesn't go into great historical detail, but functions as a tour book with descriptions of destinations and visitor information. It's in need of an index of the better known Arts and Crafts architects and designers, but considering that it's the first book of its kind, it's an excellent guide to the best representations of the Arts and Crafts period in America. --Karen Karleski