The Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts Movement

Jewellery in the Arts and Crafts Movement

Jewellery in the arts and crafts movement was usually considered as one of a kind pieces that are most often inspired by nature, the motifs used were generally natural and abstract, finishes were duller and semi-precious stones and enamel were used to emphasize the style and shape of the piece. There was no one look for the jewellery in this movement as individuality was prized however it all had the same general theme – nature; organic forms, leaves, fish and birds.

The movement started in England where most pieces were made in silver (some designers include C.R. Ashbee and Bernard Cuzner). In the U.S the movement was called the Arts and Crafts Revival where jewellery was more abstract and was huge in Chicago (some designers include The Kalo Shop and Jane Addams).

However many designers and workshops failed because the jewellery production was very time-intensive and this style was not really suitable for mass production as the charm of handmade is part of the style of the arts and crafts movement.

The Kalo Shop (Kalo means to make beautiful in greek) was founded in 1900 by Clara P. Barck in Chicago. She hired women to design and Scandinavian craftsmen to make to pieces; she did this at a time when both workers were shunned from other workshops. The shop had a very loyal clientele and this helped them survive during the 1930s went other silversmiths failed. The Kalo Shop sold many different products such as copper items, baskets, leatherwork and jewellery, the Shop had the widest range of handmade jewellery and flatware for nearly 70 yrs. The Kalo Shop objects have an elegant and timeless style that seems modern even though the pieces were designed and manufactured centuries ago. Clara Barck’s motto was ‘Beautiful, Useful, Enduring’ which was quite fitting as her pieces were extremely beautiful. As can be seen from the images the Kalo Shop they used rather stylized leaf and berry motifs that have been chased into the shank of a ring and the necklaces have cutouts of flowers and leaves. The Kalo Shop closed down in 1970.

Charles R. Ashbee (1863-1942) established the Guild of Handicraft in 1888 in England, the Guild was based on the philosophy of John Ruskin – he said that each piece of work should be created from start to finish by the same pair of hands however in reality its not always like that. The Guild worked from the idea of trial and error; mastering an art through the development of individual style. The Guild used simple, energetic forms and naturalistic motifs characteristic of Art Nouveau. Unfortunately Ashbee’s ideals changed very quickly in only 3 yrs he recognized the role that the industrial revolution and machinery would play in art. Ashbee’s favourite motif to use was the peacock which he used in a lot of his designs. The Guild unfortunately closed down in 1919.

Architecture in the Arts and Crafts Movement

The 19^th C movement sought to find a spiritual connection with the surrounding environment both natural and man-made.

Craftsman Houses were the some of the most famous Arts and Crafts architectural structures. Their most common attributes are:

· Thick, pyramid or round pillars or columns.

· Low sloping roofs

· Exposed roof rafters

· Stone porch supports

· Exposed exterior chimney made out of stone

· Open floor plans with few hallways

· Numerous windows

· Rooms that are orientated to take advantage of the movement of the sun for warmth and light

· Beamed ceilings

· Built-in cabinets, shelves and seating

· Neutral colours such as brown, greens and beiges

The name Craftsman came from the title of a popular magazine published by the famous designer Gustav Stickley between 1901-1916.

Soon many houses expresses the Arts and Crafts ideals, the most common is the simple, economical and extremely popular bungalow.

Greene and Greene Architecture Firm was established by the brothers Charles Greene (1868-1957) and Henry Greene (1870-1954) in California in 1894, they came up with the idea of ultimate bungalows which had the same basic principles of Arts and Crafts bungalows but the ultimate bungalows are bigger and more incredible. The Gamble House is one of the most famous Arts and Crafts Houses; it was built in 1908 and is now a National Historic Landmark. It’s incredible attention to detail and craftsmanship is what makes the house so beautiful.