Welcome to the
32nd National
Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows !
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Even after thirty-one years, I still find it hard to believe that the Arts and Crafts Revival is still going as strong as ever.But, when I think about the excitement and the passion that people from across the country bring to the Omni Grove Park Inn each February, it really is not that hard to believe.
Since 1913 the Grove Park Inn has been known as the mecca for Arts and Crafts enthuiasts. And since 1988 the Arts and Crafts Conference has been educating and entertaining Arts and Crafts enthusiasts at every level -- from beginning collectors and bungalow owners to experienced auction and show veterans.When I founded the National Arts and Crafts Conference thirty years ago, I had but one goal, and that has never changed: to provide educational opportunitiues for every attendee, regardless of their level of experience. From seminars and small group discussions to walking tours, demonstrations, and the selling shows themselves, these three unique days in February are designed with you in mind. (Scroll down for Agenda)So, please, take a stroll through the pages on this website, starting with the Daily Agenda (below) and the Slide Show, to get a feel for what we have planned -- and are continuing to plan -- for you. And if you have any questions, just send us an email or give us a call, as Kate and I are here to answer your questions, take your requests, and do everything we can to make this YOUR most important weekend of the year.See you in February!
Bruce Johnson Kate NixonDirector Registration Manager
828.628.1915
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Wednesday, February 13
Pipe & Drape and Table Setup
8:00am - 8:00pm
This is an early arrival day for many of the exhibitors and attendees. If you have never had the opportunity to explore funky downtown Asheville, tour the famous 1895 Biltmore House and Estate, taste our award-winning craft breweries, drive the winding Blue Ridge Parkway, walk our Arts and Crafts neighborhoods, or soak in the world-class Omni Grove Park Inn Spa, you should consider coming early and making this a real vacation.
The Omni Grove Park Inn is again extending a special Arts and Crafts Conference discounted rate of just $136 for unlimited nights before and after the Friday and Saturday nights Weekend Conference Package, so take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to stay at the country's most famous Arts and Crafts resort hotel. See our Lodging page for details.
(And since Thursday is Valentine's Day,
make this a romantic Valentine gift for your partner. But call the GPI early (828-252-2711), as this weekend will sell out quickly with non-Arts and Crafts guests.)
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Thursday,
February 14
Exhibitor First Setup Session
8:00am - 7:00pm
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With more than 115 exhibitors -- including antiques dealers, contemporary craftsfirms, magazines, non-profits, historic sites, and book publishers -- it takes nearly two days to get every truck and van unloaded and every booth filled to the brim with the best the Arts and Crafts movement has to offer. But by 1:00pm on Friday, they will all be ready for you.
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Pre-Conference Workshops * *
Each year we offer a series of hands-on workshops for those of you who have arrived early. These are limited in size and the classes fill up quickly. Additional information is included in this website.
To register, simply call our office at
(828) 628-1915
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Arts and Crafts Block Printmaking
with Laura Wilder
Part One on Thursday, 2:00 - 5:00 PM and
Part Two on Friday, 8:00 - 11 AM
$190
Join noted printmaker and Renaissance Master Artisan Laura Wilder to learn how to make your own Arts and Crafts cards in two sessions: Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
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Coppersmithing with Frank Glapa
Part One on Thursday, 2-5pm and
Part Two on Friday, 8-11am
$190
This two-part workshop led by Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan Frank Glapa will get you started on the basics of copper repoussé techniques. Your materials will be waiting for you as Frank guides you through the process of hammering and shaping your copper "tile" into an incredible piece of Arts & Crafts metalwork. For more information, check out our Workshops section of this website.
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Basic Arts & Crafts Embroidery
with Natalie Richards
Part One on Thursday, 2-5pm and
Part Two on Friday, 8-11am
$190
Roycroft Master Artisan and instructor, Natalie Richards will lead a two-part workshop on Arts & Crafts embroidery at this year’s National Arts & Crafts Conference. The class will be geared toward not only individuals new to embroidery but attendees that have taken previous embroidery workshops. The class will focus on perfecting prominent stitches present in historic Arts & Crafts textiles. Each participant will receive a kit that includes all necessary materials. The different stitches will be demonstrated individually followed by hands-on application with assistance from Natalie. Attendees will leave with the confidence to complete any embroidery project they select to complete.
To register for any workshop, simply call our office at
(828) 628-1915
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Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
Kick-Off Party * *
Time and date to be determined
This dinner, with live music, great food, and lots of fun, has become a tradition at the National Arts and Crafts Conference. In addition to serving as an important fund-raiser for the non-profit Stickley Museum at Gustav Stickley's 1909 Craftsman Farms, it gives you the opportunity to catch up with Arts and Crafts friends -- and make new ones. As we draw closer, more details will be available here and at www.StickleyMuseum.org.
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Friday, February 15
Exhibitor Final Setup Session
8:00am - 1:00pm
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Pre-Conference Workshops
Continued
8 A.M. to 11 A.M.
Part two of the following workshops:
Block Printmaking with Laura Wilder
Arts and Crafts Coppersmithing with Frank Glapa
Basic Arts & Crafts Embroidery with Natalie Richards
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Introduction to Arts & Crafts Metalwork & Jewelry with Ron VanOstrand
Friday ONLY 8:00am - 11:00am
$ 90
This is a light workshop to introduce students to some of the tools and techniques used in the production of art metal objects and jewelry. Chasing, repoussé, stamping, sawing and hammering techniques will be used by students to craft keychains, pendant drops, or other small objects or jewelry. The workshop is a "hands on” experience with demonstrations. Students are encouraged to take projects in their own direction or to follow the instructor’s example.
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While you are enjoying breakfast, attending a hands-on workshop, exploring Asheville, or sitting in on a Small Group Discussion, our exhibitors will be putting the finishing touches on their booths in anticipation of the 1:00pm opening.
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Walking Tours of the Historic
Grove Park Inn
Hourly Friday: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Join GPI historian Sue Angell for an informative 45-minute walking tour that will take you to places you might not have found on your own, and will provide you with fascintaing stories about the famous -- and infamous -- guests, from Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald to presidents from FDR to Obama. A tour not to be missed!
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Walking Tours of the Historic
Biltmore Industries
Friday 10:00 - 11:00am
(Repeats on Saturday and Sunday.)
No, not the 1895 Biltmore House, but the 1905 Biltmore Industries, which George and Edith Vanderbilt supported. Founded in 1905, Biltmore Industries was one of the longest lasting Arts and Crafts cottage industries, making and carving furniture, bowls, bookends, trays, picture frames, and much more. In 1917 the workshops were moved onto the grounds of the Grove Park Inn, where the Arts and Crafts buildings have been restored as a museum, gallery, cafe, and artisan studios. Step back in time on one of these daily one-hour tours.
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Small Group Discussions:
Session #1
Friday 11:00am - Noon
One of the most popular aspects of the conference are our daily Small Group Discussions. Here you will have a chance to select a topic to sit down and discuss with other attendees. No advance registration is necessary. These discussions are lead by volunteer attendees. The final list for each day is still being compiled, so if you have a suggestion, please send us an email.
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All Three Selling Shows Open
Friday 1:00 - 6:00pm
This will be your first opportunity to see and add to your collection some of the finest antiques and new works in the Arts and Crafts style. Our exhibitors save their best pieces for this weekend, so take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity. A complete list of exhibitors is included here.
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Silent Auction: First Session
Friday 1:00 - 6:00pm
Known as the largest and finest Arts and Crafts silent auction, this two-day event serves as a fund-raiser for the non-profit Arts and Crafts Research Fund. Have something to donate for a tax deduction? Call us at (828) 628-1915.
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Arts and Crafts Demonstrations
2:00 - 6:00pm
(Repeat on Saturday and Sunday.)
Tips for Framing: Art, Textiles & more
by Jennifer Pearson of Frugal Framers
Pegs, Corbels, and Tenons: Arts & Crafts Furniture Details
by David Van Epps
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Arts and Crafts Book Club Discussion:
The Saturday Evening Girls Club
by Jane Healey
Friday 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Each year 31-year-attendee and college professor Pat Bartinique selects two books to be discussed during the Conference. We're in the process of choosing next year's books. Check back later to see what her selections will be for 2019.
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Friday 8:00 - 8:15pm
Opening Remarks
by Bruce Johnson
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8:15 - 9:00pm
Seminar: "If Jewels Could Talk: Stories to Share with Friends"
with Rosalie Berberian
Berberian, a longtime participant, experienced speaker at the National Arts & Crafts Conference, and author of “Creating Beauty: Jewelry and Enamels of the American Arts & Crafts Movement,” will share stories and her lifetime experience in this visual study of Arts & Crafts- era jewelry.
9:10 - 10pm
Seminar: "Gustav Stickley: The Branded Years, 1912 - 1916"
with Stewart Crick
Stewart Crick – woodworker and Gustav Stickley researcher – will show newly discovered and unpublished information on Gustav Stickley’s retail store in Washington, D.C., opened during his final period of furniture production. This information further contributes to our understanding of the reasons behind the collapse of the Stickley empire from 1912-1916.
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Saturday,
February 16
9:00 - 10:00am
Seminar: "Mary Chase Stratton and Pewabic Pottery"
with Bill Porter
The story of Pewabic Pottery founder, Mary Chase Stratton and her creation of pottery and tiles in Detroit will be shown in this presentation by longtime National Arts & Crafts Conference supporter and perfect conference attendance recipient William Porter. His recent experience touring the Stratton house -- designed by Mary’s husband William B. Stratton – will be also be featured.
10:00 - 11:00am
Seminar: "From Ruskin to Roycroft: How John Ruskin Created the Arts & Crafts Movement" with James Spates
Every Arts & Crafts enthusiast has heard the name John Ruskin, but how many of us really know how he influenced the origins of the Arts and Crafts movement? Ruskin scholar James Spates will answer the question of how John Ruskin influenced the Arts & Crafts movement and more in his presentation.
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Noon - 6:00pm
All Three Selling Shows Open
Noon - 6:00pm
Arts and Crafts Demonstrations
(Repeat on Sunday.)
Tips for Framing: Art, Textiles, & more
by Jennifer Pearson of Frugal Framers
Pegs, Corbels, and Tenons: Arts & Crafts Furniture Details
by David Van Epps
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Saturday 1:00 - 5:00pm
Preservation Society House Tour * *
(Repeats on Sunday.)
Our itinerary has not yet been finalized, but rest assured the Preservation Society tour guides, both on the bus and in each stop, will provide you with insight into Asheville's history, much of it during the Arts and Crafts era. These tours are always popular, as Asheville has become as well-known as the Grove Park Inn. Stay tuned for more info soon!
1:00 - 6:00pm
Silent Auction: Final Session
Those of you getting off the tour bus of leaving a Small Group Discussions will have time to stop by the Silent Auction to check on your bids -- and your bargains!
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Saturday 3:00 - 4:00pm
Walking Tour of Historic Biltmore Industries.
(Repeats on Sunday.)
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Saturday 3:00 - 4:00pm
Arts and Crafts Book Club Discussion:
The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City: Spectacle and Assassination at the 1901 World's Fair
by Margaret Creighton
Each year 31-year-attendee and college professor Pat Bartinique selects two books to be discussed during the Conference. We're in the process of choosing next year's books. Check back later to see what her selections will be for 2019.
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Saturday 4:30 - 5:30pm
Small Group Discussions: Session Two
This will be a fresh set of topics, so check back later.
Saturday 5:00 - 7:30pm
Asheville Art Museum Reception. * *
More information to appear here soon.
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8:00 - 10:00pm
Saturday Night Movie:
To be determined soon
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Sunday, February 17
9:00 - 10:00am
Seminar: "Irving Gill: The Greatest Architect You Have Never Heard Of" by Allen Hazard
Irving Gill was an architect known for his cubist designs and his early leadership in the exposure to Modernism designs – and his story remains unknown to many. Allen Hazard presents the life and times of Irving Gill, who became an influence in both California and early 20th century design.
10:00 - 11:00am
Seminar: "From Hand to Hearth: Mosaic Fireplaces of the Arts and Crafts Era" by Theodore Ellison
The art of leaded glass mosaic design in the Arts & Crafts fireplace – especially in Prairie School homes – will be shown in this visual presentation. You’ll see color, beauty, and craftsmanship in the form of crafted fireplace design in Theodore Ellison’s presentation that shows how glass mosaics within fireplace design became important within the Arts & Crafts movement.
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11:00am - 4:00pm
All Three Shows Open
For the Final Session
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This IS a selling show and by Sunday you'll see plenty of these SOLD signs. You know the old adage, "He who snoozes, loses." At this show, anyone who hesitates often loses. Sunday of the conference is a hectic day, regardless whether you are in the Antiques Show or the Contemporary Craftsfirms Show, as people realize this is their last opportunity to take advantage of the largest and finest Arts and Crafts show in the country. Our biggest regrets are always those things we didn't buy....
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Sunday 11:00 - 4:00pm
Arts and Crafts Demonstrations
Tips for Framing: Art, Textiles, & more
by Jennifer Pearson of Frugal Framers
Pegs, Corbels, and Tenons: Arts & Crafts Furniture Details
by David Van Epps
Sunday 12:30 - 1:30pm
Small Group Discussions
This will be a fresh set of topics, so check back later to see what they will be.
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Sunday 12:30 - 4:30pm
Preservation Society House Tour * *
This will a repeat of Saturday's tour, so pick the day that works best for your schedule.
Walking Tour of the Historic
Biltmore Industries
Sunday 1:00 - 2:00pm
4:00pm
32nd National Arts and Crafts Conference closes.
Sign up for the February 2020 33rd National Arts and Crafts Conference starts in early January of 2019. Check back here for the specific day when you can reserve your favorite room!
* * **The Conference Events Pass/Grove Park Inn Weekend package DO NOT include admission for the following events: the Craftsman Farms Kickoff Party, the Art Museum event, & the Historic House tours. These events are all fundraisers for non-profit organizations. Additionally, the Conference Events Pass does not include registration for any Pre-Conference workshops. For additional information regarding the workshops, please see the Pre-Conference Workshop page.
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