GPI 2006 Photo Gallery

Each year in Fenruary, thousands of Arts and Crafts collectors, dealers and scholars converge in Asheville, NC for the Arts and Crafts Conference. It's three days of complete immersion in the decorative arts period that we all love.

Last year I brought my camera and took lots of pics, and this year I had intended to do the same. In fact, I wanted to outdo myself and include even more "Page 6" style photos of collectors at work (and play!). But alas, it sucks walking around with a Canon G5 hanging around your neck, and who really wants to be that yahoo taking pictures everywhere he goes? Not me.

So I didnt take that many pics -- a few snaps here and there of Roycroftie folks, and a last minute snapathon Sunday afternoon on my way from the Great Hall to the parking garage on our way out. Just to give something to my demanding public. Next year I'll do better -- I promise!! In the meantime, here's what I managed to take....

Boice Lydell's very popular "Guess the Maker" art metal exhibit. There were some easy ones and some really hard ones. But what Boice doesn't know is that most of us spent more energy trying to guess how much he paid for all this stuff on eBay!

The Marblehead Pottery exhibit. If anyone wants to get me something nice for my birthday, the 5th pot from the left on the second shelf down would look really nice in my home (this Marblehead masterpiece -- the famous Secessionist corseted vase -- is in Dave Rago's March 2006 sale!!).

Grand Rapids metalwork and related ephemera.

Pisgah Forest Pottery.

Various American art pottery (from the American Art Pottery Association I think)

Heavy hitter Roycroft collector "The Dragon" McFarland (blue shirt) and world weary Roycroft sage Bruce Austin (grey jacket).

One of the few, proud owners of the smash hit "Roycrofters of America in Caricature 2006".

My contribution to that monumental work.

Metalsmith Ron Van Ostrand discusses a restoration job with maniacal Roycroft collector Rob Welch while my brother the Fulper Pottery expert looks on. PS -- Ron's cylinder vases just keep getting better and better!!

The Great Hall on Sunday afternoon. By this time it had quieted down a lot -- on Friday and Saturday evening it's standing room only. We're now on our way out, so follow along for a walk around the Great Hall......

...don't miss checking out the original Roycroft lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling!!...

...another angle of the Great Hall,...

...and another...

...and another....

...and another...

...and another view (looking back toward the wing housing the antique and new crafts show)...

...and another.

Now we've left the Great Hall and are walking toward the garage to start the journey back from NC to NY. Again, note the Roycroft light fixture above.

Further down the Hall is the Chops steakhouse restaurant where I prefer to eat while at GPI -- nice atmosphere and the steaks are really good (and I'm a jaded NYer!).

Continuing on past the Conference registration desk toward the lecture hall.

A quick step outside to snap a shot of the front of the Inn.

The entrance to the lecture hall is just past the settle on the left.

We're now clearly in one of the new wings of the Inn. Here, I'll turn right to show you the view out the window...

Ooooh....Aaaaah.

Here's a shot looking back at the new Spa that lies largely underground.

An elevator? You're thinking "c'mon Dave, you're trying our patience now". But bear with me -- look at the desk -- and note the hardware -- yes, it's Roycroftie!! That's one of the cool things about GPI -- everywhere you go there's vintage Arts and Crafts furniture, lots of little surprises, and stories to discover. The desk is actually by the White Furniture Company, but the hardware is Roycroft -- don't ask -- just go next year and figure it all out for yourself! :-)

Here are some pics from the 2005 Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn:

IMAGES OF THE GREAT HALL

The TECO Pottery exhibit

Boice Lydell (The Roycroft Arts Museum) presents "Roycroft Packaging"

The bar (bigger than last year!)

UND Pottery exhibit

Arts and Crafts purses exhibit

Dodge silver exhibit

IMAGES OF THE "NEW CRAFTS" PORTION OF THE SHOW (just a sampling)

Ephraim Pottery

Ron Van Ostrand's Copperwork

Ron making a cylinder vase

Dianne Ayres Textiles

Al Sleeper "The Aurora Silversmith"

Al's Walter Jennings-style work

Voorhees furniture

Motawi tiles

IMAGES FROM THE ANTIQUES SHOW

Heavy security at the antique show entrance

The very photogenic David Rago and Suzanne Perrault

George Look (right) and Roycroft book maniac Andrew Vaughn

David Surgan's Heintz Art Metal inventory

Pearce Fox chillin

Pearce's pots

Voorhees Craftsman booth

Mark Eckhoff's booth

Silverman's Selected booth

Doug and Paula White's booth

Bruce Austin and one of his many fans

Art Accardi's Fulper and other pots for sale

Some of Beth's inventory (flanked by 2 Roycroft Ali Baba benches)

Lifetime Gallery booth

Dave Rudd's stuff

Dave Rudd at far left

American Beauty Vase (Rudd)

Geoff Diner's stuff

GPI 2003 Photo Gallery

Here are some pics I took of Arts and Crafts dealers and their Roycroft copper for sale at the 2003 Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn. Sorry about the bad focus.

Long time dealer and Roycroft expert Ray "I'm not Bigfatty" Groll

Jerry Cohen of Craftsman Auctions

David Rago of Rago Auctions demonstrating the finer points of acid-etched finishes

Dave Rudd of Dalton's American Decorative Arts had the largest Roycroft copper inventory

Two great Roycroft lamps in Dave Rudd's booth

A nice 10 inch cylinder vase, bellfower vase and candlesticks hiding in Dave's showcase

A 19 inch American Beauty Vase at Dave Rudd's

More Roycroft copper at Dave Rudd's

Dealer Pearce Fox shows off an early helmet lamp

More of Pearce's Roycroft inventory

David Surgan's breathtaking (and totally out of focus) Heintz Art Metal inventory

Dealer George Look with a nice selection of Roycroft metal in his showcase. George is also a good source for Roycroft books

Dealer Beth Cathers. The stunning Van Erp lamp was just one example of her very high quality inventory

Dealer Geoffrey Diner probably wishing I would just go away. Note the pair of nice early Roycroft bookends with cutouts on the desk

Great Roycroft inventory in the JMW Gallery booth!

An assortment of Arts and Crafts metal at Silverman's Selected Antiques