“Standing Horse”
William Jauquet

Here at The Guild, we spend a lot of time trying to define the kind of art and objects we search for in an effort to present our customers with work we are proud of. Descriptions like “beautiful,” “unique,” “quality,” and “well-crafted” are often used.

But the words that always seem to make the top of our list are honesty and soul. As we review artist applications, or visit art fairs to meet artists, we are always on the lookout for the work that has a sort of complete authenticity, a visceral resonance, that one can feel in the gut.

A good example of a piece with honesty and soul is William Jauquet’s “Standing Horse.” This cast bronze sculpture, only 8″ in height, exudes power and strength while remaining humble. It is a piece of art that is best understood intuitively, emotionally.

What are the words you use in your mental vocabulary of art definitions? How do you describe the things you love to live with?

“Goblet Grouping”
Robert Mickelsen

A few weeks ago we held our bi-monthly jury process to select new artists for our website and catalogs. Michael Monroe, The Guild’s long-time Artistic Advisor, came into town, and we spent two days looking at artist applications.

This is always an exciting time for us, as we sort and sift through images of artwork to find the most exciting new pieces. Michael Monroe, one of the most respected curators and museum directors in the field, has an amazing eye for quality and detail. He guides us through discussions on creativity and craftsmanship.

This time around, we reviewed 106 artist applications; out of those, we selected 11 artists. Over the next few months, those artists’ work will debut on artfulhome.com. One of them, Robert Mickelsen, made his debut yesterday.

Robert Mickelsen is a nationally renowned glass artist, best known for his techniques in flameworking. He creates delicate glass pieces, decorating the surfaces of his work with subtle designs. His pieces are collected by major museums, and his goblets, in particular, are prized by glass collectors. The Guild is proud to represent this distinguished artist.

We’ll be featuring more of our newly juried artists in our October “First Look” column (an exclusive, subscriber-only feature of The Artful Home newsletter). So if you’re not already a subscriber, be sure to sign up!

“Gravy Boat”
Suzanne Crane

Some people paint; some people sculpt. I arrange. And rearrange. And rearrange once again.

It starts when I acquire a new, very special piece. Like the amazing ceramic gravy boat by
Suzanne Crane that I recently purchased as a wedding gift but then decided to keep instead.

Not everyone would view the acquisition of a gravy boat as a redecorating opportunity, but a section of my kitchen shelves are open to showcase our growing collection of pitchers and teapots – and now, gravy boats as well.

Suddenly, I find myself taking everything off the shelves, re-creating a home for these wonderful objects that feels fresh and different. Providing a clean slate for my imagination helps me see the things I love in new ways.

Are you a compulsive rearranger? A closet redecorator? I suspect that there are legions of us hobbyists out there, expressing our creativity with the objects of our lives…