Jim Becker
03-27-2005, 10:36 PM
Dr. SWMBO and I spent the weekend at a lovely bed and breakfast (http://www.inn-on-mill-creek.com/)outside Black Mountain NC, near Asheville NC with all but one of her five siblings and their families. It was a nice area to visit and we took advantage of the proximity to lots of nice galleries and other attractions. We also had the pleasure of stopping by to visit with Perry Holbrook and his wife at their beautiful home just outside of Asheville.
I've corresponded with Perry for a few years now and seen a limited amount of his work at a local gallery near here, but wow, what he is doing now is really incredible. He works in wood as well as copper and has now moved into incorporating fused glass tiles that he creates in his shop. He also is doing some very nice glass lamps. If you missed the link to his site previously, you can take a look at his work at http://www.kopperwood.com/ . Truly wonderful stuff! (And I managed to score a nice piece for my own growing collection of art from folks I know and meet)
If visiting with Perry wasn't enough, he turned us on to the Grovewood Gallery (http://www.grovewood.com/)adjacent to the historic Grove Park Inn...an massive Arts & Crafts inspired structure that houses some impressive pieces of furniture, itself. The clock and fireplace pictured below are located in the hotel. (please note the scale of the fireplace...that's Dr. SWMBO there to give you a clue about how big that sucker is...and it's just one of several of this size) But the gallery next door..."to die for". For those of you who are familiar with the Furniture Society (http://www.furnituresociety.org/), the Grovewood Gallery seems to be "ground zero" for that organization as the Executive Director's office is located there and the furniture gallery upstairs is chock-full of incredible work from various makers. I was so happy that pictures were allowed, as there were a number of pieces that could very well inspire some work of my own for our home sometime in the future. I will share some of those shots in the Design Forum from time to time, but have included two pictures from the current featured display on the first floor; one a mission side table in QS white oak and the other a table/chair combo in some of the most beautiful figured maple I've ever seen. Outstanding work!!
Thanks again to Perry for a wonderful visit. I learned a lot from our conversation, his workshop and his methods. And one other thing...this is a dude who understands his business, too. He knows what sells and when...and gears his work accordingly. Something very important when you are making a living from it!
I've corresponded with Perry for a few years now and seen a limited amount of his work at a local gallery near here, but wow, what he is doing now is really incredible. He works in wood as well as copper and has now moved into incorporating fused glass tiles that he creates in his shop. He also is doing some very nice glass lamps. If you missed the link to his site previously, you can take a look at his work at http://www.kopperwood.com/ . Truly wonderful stuff! (And I managed to score a nice piece for my own growing collection of art from folks I know and meet)
If visiting with Perry wasn't enough, he turned us on to the Grovewood Gallery (http://www.grovewood.com/)adjacent to the historic Grove Park Inn...an massive Arts & Crafts inspired structure that houses some impressive pieces of furniture, itself. The clock and fireplace pictured below are located in the hotel. (please note the scale of the fireplace...that's Dr. SWMBO there to give you a clue about how big that sucker is...and it's just one of several of this size) But the gallery next door..."to die for". For those of you who are familiar with the Furniture Society (http://www.furnituresociety.org/), the Grovewood Gallery seems to be "ground zero" for that organization as the Executive Director's office is located there and the furniture gallery upstairs is chock-full of incredible work from various makers. I was so happy that pictures were allowed, as there were a number of pieces that could very well inspire some work of my own for our home sometime in the future. I will share some of those shots in the Design Forum from time to time, but have included two pictures from the current featured display on the first floor; one a mission side table in QS white oak and the other a table/chair combo in some of the most beautiful figured maple I've ever seen. Outstanding work!!
Thanks again to Perry for a wonderful visit. I learned a lot from our conversation, his workshop and his methods. And one other thing...this is a dude who understands his business, too. He knows what sells and when...and gears his work accordingly. Something very important when you are making a living from it!