Green Seating

June 2008 | BY Christine Kloostra | Issue 62 | NO COMMENTS

A group of student designers from the California College of the Arts (CCA) had a lot more on the line than a passing grade when they enrolled in the school’s “Sustainable Furniture” course last fall.

In the class, which was sponsored by Walmart.com and Bevara Design House, each student developed an environmentally sustainable chair. It was a unique opportunity for young designers to contribute to furniture found in the current marketplace. Walmart. com judged the pieces on marketability, sustainability and how cost-effective they would be to produce.

In the end, the sponsors selected four chairs for possible production, including “XS Chair” by Nick deMarco, “Web-lounge Chair” by Landon Gellert, “Lounge Chair” by Greg Schultz and “Rekindle Chair” by Leyla Burke.

Students also participated in a design competition in April, where attendees and guest judges selected a People’s Choice and Designer’s Choice Award. Katie Murphy’s origami-style “Folding Chair” won in both categories.

Look for more inspirational work in the future— Bavara Design House and CCA will be producing a series of classes to continue to help young talent be heard in the marketplace.

National Treasures -America’s Top Arts Destinations 2003

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Start spreading the news: New York City takes top honors for the fifth straight year in our Arts Destinations readers’ poll. Photography this page by Sharri &Ted Wolfgang

Reliable mainstays like New York City and Santa Fe, N.M., rising giants like Buffalo, N.Y., and quiet contenders like Asheville, N.C., have all earned top spots in the 2008 competition for AmericanStyle’s Top 25 Arts Destinations.

Our annual readers’ poll never concludes without at least a little upheaval, and this year was no exception. Rising populations in cities like Albuquerque, N.M., and Las Vegas, Nev., which ranked No. 2 and 3, respectively, in last year’s Mid-Sized Cities category, moved them into our Big Cities list, but voters ranked them into lower positions. Charleston, S.C., on the other hand, benefited from its population increase, rising from No. 7 on last year’s Small Cities & Towns list to No. 6 on the 2008 Mid-Sized Cities list.

In the Big Cities category, old favorites rounded out the top 3, with New York coming in first for the fifth consecutive year. Chicago, Ill., held the No. 2 spot once again, with Washington, D.C., (last year’s No. 4) taking third.

The Mid-Sized Cities category saw more upsets, with 2007′s giant, Pittsburgh, Pa., fueled last year by the citywide glass celebration, falling to No. 3. Buffalo rocketed to No. 1, climbing from last year’s No. 14. Scottsdale, Ariz., came in second, up two spots from its No. 4 ranking a year ago.

Among Small Cities & Towns, Santa Fe once again earned its place at No. 1. Asheville rose from last year’s No. 5 to take this year’s silver ribbon, and Sedona, Ariz., dropped one place to No. 3.

For lists of all 25 winners in each category, see below. Click on the links for the top three cities in each category to read why they deserve their places in the sun.

Top 25 Big Cities

(Populations of 500,000 or greater)

New York
Chicago, Ill.
Washington, D.C.
San Francisco, Calif.
Boston, Mass.
Seattle, Wash.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Baltimore, Md.10 Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Portland, Ore.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Austin, Texas
Phoenix, Ariz.
Denver, Colo.
Tucson, Ariz.
Charlotte, N.C.
San Diego, Calif.
Las Vegas, Nev.
Milwaukee, Wis.
San Antonio, Texas
Nashville, Tenn.
Dallas, Texas
Houston, Texas
Jacksonville, Fla.

Top 25 Mid-Sized Cities

(Populations of 100,000 to 499,999)

Buffalo, N.Y.
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Savannah, Ga.
New Orleans, La.
Charleston, S.C
Cleveland, Ohio
Atlanta, Ga.
Athens, Ga.
Minneapolis, Minn.
St. Petersburg, Fla.
Alexandria, Va.
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Rochester, N.Y.
Providence, R.I.
Miami, Fla.
Tacoma, Wash.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Kansas City, Mo.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Tampa, Fla.
Raleigh, N.C.
St. Louis, Mo.

Top 25 Small Cities & Towns

(Populations of fewer than 100,000)

Santa Fe, N.M.
Asheville, N.C.
Sedona, Ariz.
Corning, N.Y.
Taos, N.M.
Key West, Fla.
Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
Boulder, Colo.
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Carmel, Calif.
Sarasota, Fla.
Burlington, Vt.
Annapolis, Md.
Beaufort, S.C.
Eureka Springs, Ark.
New Hope, Pa.
Cumberland, Md.
Aspen, Colo.
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Brattleboro, Vt.
Naples, Fla.
Northampton, Mass.
Tubac, Ariz.
Saugatuck, Mich.
Portsmouth, N.H.

National Treasures: Sedona, Arizona

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: The Sedona Arts Festival, held every fall.

Countless generations of people have traveled to Sedona seeking comfort, refuge or spiritual guidance from the red rocks and evergreen landscape of this Southwestern city. Such an environment was a natural lure for musicians and artists including Max Ernst and Joe Beeler, co-founder of the Cowboy Artists of America.

“Sedona’s natural beauty is an art by itself,” said reader and Sedona resident Araceli C. Lippman in casting her vote. It’s a “haven for artists,” added resident Susannah Martin, and “spells art and nature in utmost harmony,” said Marion Hadji-Agha, also from Sedona.

The Sedona Arts Center, hailed as the oldest arts nonprofit in northern Arizona, features a number of workshops and exhibitions in its Members Gallery and hosts the annual Sedona Plein Air Festival in the fall. The annual Sedona Arts Festival, also held in the fall, features work by more than 150 nationally known artists and craftspeople. Proceeds from the event go to help nonprofit cultural organizations in the community.

Experience the artistic energy of a traditional Mexican village at Tlaquepaque, originally designed as an artist community. The Sedona landmark offers more than 40 galleries and shops; standouts include Kuivato Glass Gallery and El Prado, Sedona’s oldest gallery. Enjoy an evening in town during First Fridays, hosted by the Sedona Gallery Association-activities include artists’ receptions, wine tastings and live music, all connected by free rides on the Sedona Trolley.

National Treasures: Asheville, N.C.

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: J. Aaron Alderman’s steel sculptures, “Pathos,” “Sweet” and “Lost & Found,” were shown as part of Asheville’s 2007 RiverSculpture Festival. Photography by Riversculpture, 2007

Known throughout the country for its spectacular Art Deco cityscape against a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville has long been an art and craft haven.

Home to the Folk Art Center, Biltmore Estate and Village, and the Grove Arcade, the city has a rich tradition of supporting local art and craftsmanship. “Asheville has a wonderful atmosphere for residents and visitors alike,” raved Kathy Tavernia, of Miramar, Fla. “Museums and galleries are easily accessible, with ample parking-any driving between locations is rewarded with beautiful scenery.”

The commitment to craftsmanship of the region is visible in the partnership between HandMade in America, a local nonprofit focusing on artists and craftspeople, and a local home developer. The two have come together over the past two years to create a custom show home, highlighting work of some 100 state artists incorporated into the home’s design. This year’s home will also be designated “green,” as it is being built to meet the standards of the state’s Healthy-Built Homes program.

To see what’s going on in the state of sculpture in the South, don’t miss the RiverSculpture Festival. The two-month event, held every fall, showcases outdoor works of art along the banks of the French Broad River and includes weekend “happenings” integrating performances and art education with the sculptures. It all takes place just across the river from the River Arts District, home to restored warehouses holding galleries and studios. Many artists offer hands-on experiences to visitors at locations such as the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts.

National Treasures: Santa Fe, New Mexico

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Participating galleries at ART Santa Fe include Nancy Hoffman Gallery, exhibiting work such as Hung Liu’s mixed-media “Peach Blossoms”.

The country’s oldest capital, Santa Fe is celebrating its 400th anniversary through 2010. But it’s not just its rich history that propelled the city into the top spot for the third year running-with nearly 300 galleries and more than a dozen major museums, Santa Fe maintains a serious presence in the art world.

It’s a force to be reckoned with, according to reader Jennifer Poleon, of Columbus, Ohio. “Santa Fe should be the envy of all other cities for sheer arts focus,” she said in casting her ballot. “Beyond the galleries and museums, the atmosphere practically breathes art.” “Nowhere but in Santa Fe is art incorporated into everyday life so completely,” added Joyce Wood, of Fort Myers, Fla. “Nowhere else does the environment shape it so much.”

For a look at work directly influenced by the city, visit the 2008 Site Santa Fe Biennial, June 22-Oct. 26. This year, the event is curated by Lance Fung and will feature work by emerging artists, inspired by the locale and created onsite in the three weeks leading up to the event. During the Biennial, works will be installed in the exhibition’s main gallery as well as other locations around town. Be sure to see them while you can: in defiance of art’s commercialism, all works will be destroyed or recycled at the show’s end.

Another popular fair, the former biennial ART Santa Fe, becomes an annual event this year. The international art fair is being held July 10-13 at the Santa Fe Railyard, home to a growing arts district. Watch for galleries, performance spaces, a farmers market and more to come to the Railyard over the next year.

National Treasures: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Point State Park welcomes visitors to Pittsburgh, above. Emilio Santini is seen flameworking at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, part of the burgeoning arts movement in the Penn Avenue Arts district. Photography by Mark Ludwig

With the celebration of its 250th birthday underway, Pittsburgh rolls in at No. 3 with grand style. Highlights of the yearlong festivities include a very special birthday gift-a $35 million transformation of Point State Park, the city’s signature “entrance”-and the 250 Festival of Lights, when artists will transform downtown buildings into works of art in October and November.

“I love Pittsburgh’s funky-friendly vibe,” wrote AmericanStyle reader Bibi Hahn, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va. “Pittsburgh has several neighborhoods reinventing themselves,” added Pittsburgh resident Rob Latta.

One organization, the nonprofit Friendship Development Associates (FDA), is behind a major project, the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative (PAAI). In 1998, FDA purchased an initial set of 16 buildings through the PAAI; this year it is developing the f inal two. To date, it has helped 16 artists purchase homes, 43 artists rent space, located six arts organizations (including the Pittsburgh Glass Center) and continues to support the growth of more than 300 artists in the district. Its latest project, the Glass Lofts, will house residences, offices, a restaurant and several artist studios when complete.

Art is going to be a major force in Pittsburgh this year. The 55th Carnegie International “Life on Mars” (running May 3-Jan. 11, 2009) opened in the spring for the first time since 1924, and also takes a title for the first time ever. The exhibit posed the question, “Is there life on Mars?” to 40 international artists. Beginning concurrently (and running through Aug. 24), the Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Pittsburgh Center for the Arts present the 2008 Biennial. In addition to showcasing a “continuum of visual arts,” this year’s show will see a new cinema program and art performances.

National Treasures: Scottsdale, Ariz.

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Scottsdale’s Main Street is bursting with art galleries and public art, including Colores by Wilde Meyer gallery, which features Doug Weigel’s brightly painted steel sculpture “Doug’s Gang” out front. Photography by Pamela Parisi

Commonly known as “The West’s Most Western Town,” Scottsdale could also be called “The Land of Art Galleries,” since it seems like a new one is added to the 125-plus list every day.

“Scottsdale has the most beautiful art galleries in the country,” wrote reader Linda Homonoff, of Barrington R.I., in casting her vote. It’s a “great art community and shows great contemporary art in a traditionally Western town,” agreed Wendy Haas, of Tempe, Ariz.

The city boasts a popular Thursday evening ArtWalk, established by the Scottsdale Gallery Association 30 years ago. Downtown hotspots include Main Street, Marshall Way, Old Town and Fifth Avenue, which offer an eclectic mix of galleries, studios, restaurants and shops. Be prepared to experience it all-everything from Native American craft to edgy, contemporary art is offered downtown.

The Scottsdale Public Art Program commissions art installations and works with developers to fund art projects throughout the year. Most recently, it has worked with the developers of the $250 million Scottsdale Waterfront to permanently install Donald Lipski’s gigantic walk-in kaleidoscope “The Doors.” The program has also seen the city cast in Jell-O, watched the RedBall Project bounce through its streets and seen Audio Ballerinas perform at the Scottsdale Arts Festival in March.

The Heard Museum North Scottsdale has also undergone dramatic changes. It moved to a new 11,000-squarefoot facility last year, opening two galleries to showcase both its permanent collection and special exhibitions, an outdoor sculpture garden, cafe and museum store.

National Treasures: Buffalo, N.Y.

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Buffalo’s highly anticipated Burchfield-Penney Art Center, shown here in an artist’s rendering of the main gallery, will reopen this fall. Photography By WWW.DBOXSTUDIOS.COM

As if predicting the city’s No. 1 ranking, mayor Byron W. Brown declared 2008 the “Year of the Arts” in Buffalo during his State of the City Address in February. To back up his claim, he dedicated $1 million to build a new Urban Arts Center.

The city received enthusiastic support from AmericanStyle readers across the country, who repeatedly called it “a hidden jewel” and “a well-kept secret.” That’s probably because Buffalo’s art scene is as varied as the people who live in it. “You name it, we have it,” wrote Buffalo resident Amy Proctor.

One of the largest, most anticipated projects in the area is the opening this fall of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center at its new, expanded location on the Buffalo State College campus. Its 84,000 square feet will include exhibition space, educational facilities and an arts conservation laboratory, all with a focus on western New York artists.

The other major player in town, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, announced plans for expansion earlier this year. Although planning only recently began, the architecture committee intends to expand the space while making a lasting creative impact. In the meantime, the gallery’s best-kept secret is its free Friday “Gusto at the Gallery” events, hosting everything from poetry slams to lectures and performances.

Buffalo is also dedicated to working artists. Local nonprofit Belmont Housing Resources worked with Minneapolis- based Artspace Projects to complete the $16.2 million Artspace Buffalo Lofts, 60 affordable housing units with shared studio space in a historic midtown building.

National Treasures:
Washington, D.C.

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: A new addition, the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian’s Patent Office Building, is visible above. Photography by COURTESY OF KEN RAHAIM / SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

The presidential candidates aren’t the only ones vying for a ticket to the nation’s capital, a newcomer to our poll’s top three. Some 15 million people visit Washington, D.C., each year, most of them hoofing it around town in their Nikes, a recent Brookings Institution survey named D.C. the country’s most walkable major city.

Politics and monuments aside, what appeals to so many art lovers about D.C. is its commitment to art for everyone. “Washington has, in my experience, the finest and most universally accessible museums,” said reader and Buffalo, N.Y., resident Christina Wos Donnelly. “Many are open 364 days a year and are always free!”

But don’t think that accessible means you’ve seen it all. There is plenty of renovation going on around town. The historic Patent Office Building, home to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, recently completed the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, a spectacular enclosed garden that will be home to year-round performances and special events. The roof is a wavy glass and steel structure that appears to float over the courtyard, letting in natural light to create an idyllic spot for quiet contemplation. The Textile Museum will also be coming to the neighborhood in fall 2009, when it opens its second location at 421 7th Street NW, with a welcome 23,400 square feet of space.

National Treasures: Chicago, Ill.

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: “Chicago has fallen in love with the art of Mark di Suvero,” says Lois Weisberg,commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Five of his sculptures, including “Orion,” are installed in Millennium Park through October.

Always a bridesmaid, Chicago has sat comfortably in the No. 2 spot for the last four years. But the arts scene in this city, billed as an “open-air museum” thanks in part to magnificent Millennium Park, is anything but sedentary, with new projects, improvements and public art installations constantly in the works.

“Chicago is a staple in my traveling routine,” said AmericanStyle reader Justin Crockett, of Columbus, Ohio, on his ballot. “The city has so much to offer, I am frequently overwhelmed by my choices when it comes to art and theater.” Adds Sarasota, Fla., resident Elena Hernandez- Ron, “Chicago is a city of public art and sculpture.”

Adding to that reputation is a new addition to Millennium Park, f ive Mark di Suvero sculptures installed in the outdoor Boeing Galleries through mid-October. The largest of the pack, the bright-orange “Orion,” measures in at 53 feet high and weighs nearly 12 tons.

Work has begun on the Nichols Bridgeway, a 625-foot pedestrian bridge connecting Millennium Park to the Art Institute’s new Modern Wing, which will house the museum’s modern collection. The exterior “curtain walls” of the Renzo Pianodesigned Modern Wing are now complete; double-layer glass panels will protect art from harmful rays while bathing it in natural light. The three-story building will include a sculpture terrace, the perfect diversion after a walk through the park. Both the bridge and the Modern Wing are scheduled to open in early 2009.

The city is also offering a new program this summer, Chicago Public Art Tours. Just $20 will get visitors a guided tour through some of Chicago’s distinct neighborhoods, with stops to see the public artworks that help make them so colorful.

National Treasures: New York

June 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | Issue 61 | NO COMMENTS

: Classic meets contemporary in New York: the Leon Levy and Shelby White Court is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s New Greek and Roman Galleries. Photography by THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK

Don’t mention the words “economic slowdown” to New York, once again topping the list of our readers’ favorites. The Big Apple hosted a record-breaking 46 million visitors in 2007-visitors who spent $28 billion. And much of that money is being reinvested into the city in the form of new arts institutions and beautification projects.

New York “boasts an infrastructure to support and advance the work of local artists and arts organizations of all sizes, shapes and forms,” said AmericanStyle reader Susan Boskoff, of Reno, Nev., in casting her vote. The much-anticipated New Museum of Contemporary Art opened on the Bowery in December. The seven-story, 60,000-square-foot glimmering metal-mesh structure is the first art museum to be built from the ground up in downtown Manhattan.

Then there’s the expansive new Museum of Arts & Design building at Columbus Circle, set to open its doors in September. The 54,000-square-foot space will allow MAD to dedicate galleries to its growing permanent collection for the first time in its history. It will also house the new Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery, offering contemporary jewelry exhibitions and publicly accessible study storage of the museum’s entire jewelry collection.

At The Metropolitan Museum of Art, recent renovations include the New Greek and Roman Galleries, Galleries for 19th- and Early 20th- Century European Paintings and Sculpture, the Wrightsman Galleries for French Decorative Arts and the brand-new Joyce and Robert Menschel Hall for Modern Photography.

A lesser-known project in the works? The transformation of Manhattan’s High Line, a retired elevated rail structure running through the Chelsea historic district and a concentration of art galleries, into an innovative public space. Robust plantings, overlooks and a butterfly garden will help make the 1.5-mile stretch an accessible way for pedestrians to rise above the hustle of the city streets. The first section is set to open in the fall.