Summer 2008 Vol 17, No. 2

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From theDirector’s Chair

—Heather E. Stivison

Pictorial History to be Republished

Memory researcher Daniel Schacterwrites about the importance of pass-ing stories from one generation to thenext: “The need to preserve memoriesacross intergenerational time,” he says,“is a fundamental human imperative.”Historic sites play a vital role in pre-serving those intergenerational con-nections, passing on stories, openingdoorways to the past, and connectingus to it.

Because of the authenticity of ourunique physical setting, the StickleyMuseum at Craftsman Farms canevoke a sense of time and place thatreaches deeper into our consciousnessthan a typical museum. Even morethan our collection, the actual settingitself serves to inspire our visitors.

Because the site is so moving it canbe tempting to stop there and to sim-ply concentrate on restoring the beau-ty of the past. Many of our membershave described a visit to the Farmslike a visit to a holy place. This is notbecause they revere Gustav Stickley,but because the setting itself offers thevisitor an opportunity for reverie andreflection, and a chance to gather theirthoughts and feel a sense of wholeness.

To be faithful to our mission wemust continue to restore the site andoffer our visitors that restorative expe-rience. But if we are true to our mis-sion, we must also do more.

Continued on page 2

Thanks to a special projectgrant from the New JerseyHistorical Commission, The

Craftsman Farms Foundation has begunupdating the Museum’s best-sellingbook, Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman Farms:A Pictorial History. This collection ofessays on Craftsman Farms landscape,architecture, furnishings, and Stickleyfamily history is accompanied bynumerous archival images, reprints ofsome of Stickley’s own published writ-ing about Craftsman Farms, a sitechronology, and suggestions for furtherreading. Readers have commented thatthe essays bring Gustav Stickley and hisideas and dreams to life.

Distinguished scholar David Cathershas already begun editing and updatingthe essays. Cathers, a former Trustee ofThe Craftsman Farms Foundation, is awell-known researcher, lecturer, andwriter on Gustav Stickley and on theArts and Crafts Movement.

The Foundation will improve the qualityof this proven and popular publicationby adding an entirely new historicalessay, updated reference materials, and acomplete index. The new essay will setthe creation of Craftsman Farms in his-torical context, particularly in light ofsociety, lifestyles, and events in the Stateof New Jersey during the first twodecades of the Twentieth Century. Thisessay — to be researched and writtenby Mark Hewitt, the respected historicarchitect, lecturer, and author – isexcerpted on pages 6 and 7 of this issue

of Notes From The Farms.

Yoshiko Yamamoto of The Arts &Crafts Press will be producing a blockprint of the log house for the newcover. Yoshiko, a Tokyo native, is well-known for the Japonesque prints andnote cards that she produces usingantique letterpress printing presses. Shewill visit the Farms this July to sketchthe site, returning to her studio in thestate of Washington to design and printa multi-colored block print to be usedfor the book cover. In all of her work,each color is printed from a separateblock; on her limited-edition prints, sheoften uses twenty or more blocks toachieve her desired effect.

The Foundation is deeply grateful tothese individuals who are donating theirtime and talents to the project, and tothe New Jersey Historical Commissionfor funding the design, printing andbinding.

CFF recieves a grant from the NJ HistoricalCommission. L to R: NJHC Director MarcMappen, Assemblyman Alex De Croce, CFFExecutive Director Heather Stivison, and NJSecretary of State Nina Wells.

NOTES FROM THE FARMS

Spring 2008 Page 2

Director’s Chair continued from page 1

July Family DayE

xtend your Independence Day celebration intothe weekend at Craftsman Farms’ next FamilyDay set for Saturday, July 5, from 12 noon to 4

p.m. Planned with all ages in mind, our entire “family” ofmembers and supporters are invited to join in the fun at thisold-fashioned Independence Day celebration.

Pack a picnic lunch, spread a blanket on the grass and spenda leisurely summer afternoon at The Farms. Enjoy the toe-tapping music of the our featured performers, the ChathamBrass Ensemble, whose crowd-pleasing repertoire, a mix ofpatriotic songs and ragtime tunes first popularized in early1900s America, is sure to delight all ages and set the tone forthis special event.

Along with music, the afternoon includes simple, time-testedfun for the young and young-at-heart from making bubblesand patriotic pinwheels, along with other crafts, to playingwith period games and toys, like wooden spinners.

Cap off your afternoon with a visit to our General Storewhere you can shop for a variety of penny candies andother old-fashioned items.

—Vonda Givens

July Family DaySaturday, July 5thNoon to 4:00 p.m. Member children $5. Non-member children $7. Adults $5.Adults accompanying children are admitted free!

The Chatham Brass Ensemble who will perform on Family Day.

CFF Volunteers ReceivePrestigeous National AwardAs part of the celebration of National Volunteer Week, theStickley Museum at Craftsman Farms presented thePresident’s Volunteer Service Award to seven outstandingvolunteers: Fabiana Bloom, Rosemary Kostansek, HaroldKrauss, Peter Mars, John Oehler, Janet Reckenbeil, andLaura Reilly. This award is issued by the President’s Councilon Service and Civic Participation on behalf of thePresident of the United States to recognize the best in theAmerican spirit. It is the most prestigious volunteer awardcurrently associated with the White House. It seeks toinspire by example, honoring the service of our country’smost committed volunteers and sharing their achievementsto encourage more Americans to volunteer. We are extreme-ly proud of the acheivements of our dedicated volunteers!

We need to tell the story of this place and its time in ways thatencourage further exploration and stimulate lifelong learning.As the pages of this newsletter demonstrate, this Board andthis institution are fully committed to educating our audience,helping them find a moving experience in the stories of thepast and the aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

We recognize that education is an essential component of whatwe offer as an institution. Education is what makes museumvisits relevant to our 21st Century lives. It helps us engage thehearts and minds of our visitors, brings meaning to what theysee and experience. Educational programs at historic sites likeours help foster creativity, help us better understand our fellowhumans, and prod us to consider questions of value.

So as we move forward on our strategic plan, you can be cer-tain that education will play a major role in the future of theStickley Museum at Craftsman Farms.

Executive Director Heather Stivison presents the Points of Light Awardto Rosemary Kostansek, Laura Reilly, Janet Reckenbeil, and Peter Mars.

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The Stickley KidsDay Camps

Low-tech, hands-on, old-fash-ioned fun awaits children age6 to 9 enrolled in our Stickley

Kids Day Camps set for August 4 – 8and 11 – 15 from 9:00 am – 12 noon.Led by experienced, professional, adultinstructors, day camps will includeindoor and outdoor activities taking fulladvantage of Craftsman Farms’ beauti-ful park-like setting. Each day willbegin with historic stories from TheFarms. Week one will be HandCraftersCamp, where campers will make a claytile, marbleize paper, practice paint withwatercolors, and more. In week two,Builders Camp, campers activities includemaking handkerchief parachuters, mini-sailboats, and a small model house.Both camps will feature their projectsin an exhibition for family and friendson Friday. Tuition is $160 for memberchildren and $180 for non-member chil-dren. For information or registrationcontact Vonda Givens at 973.540.0311or vgivens@stickleymuseum.org.

—Vonda Givens

Farms Afield Trip

Mark your calendars and makeyour reservations early, for theFarms Afield private tour of

the Wadsworth Atheneum’s upcomingexhibit At Home with Gustav Stickley:Arts and Crafts from the Stephen GrayCollection. Longtime friend of theFarms Stephen Grey will share personalinsights from the exhibition. Ourgroup will meet at the Atheneum inHartford, Connecticut on Saturday,November 1. Advance reservations arerequired. $35 for members, $45 fornonmembers. Price includes all admis-sion fees and full luncheon at theRussell including tax and gratuities.Please call Vonda Givens at973.540.0311 for more information.

Nature Trail Re-established

Anature trail has been re-estab-lished at Craftsman Farms byEagle Scout candidate Evan

Korunow of BSA Troop 73. A walk onthe trail will show visitors to The Farmsthe leadership and creativity brought tothis project by Evan.

The walk is about 0.2 miles long andstarts at the entry road near the currentadministration building. The traildescends to the south down a slopetowards the brook in the wetlands. Itthen winds to the east and back to thenorth ending near the south porch exitfrom The Log House Museum.

The trail is lined with rocks and woodfrom the site, and it was paved by thescouts with wood chips provided byParsippany Township. There is a bridgemade by the Scouts over a drainageswale that was lined by the Scouts withrocks to prevent erosion. Visitors toCraftsman Farms and the nature trailthis spring will enjoy an overlook viewof the brook and wetlands to the southof the Log House Museum.

—Richard Gottardi

Welcome New Staff

Pete Mars, our new weekendsite manager, is known tomany of you for his previous

volunteer work here. During his careerin design and design education he hasworked as a furniture and home prod-uct designer, was assistant chair of theBFA Interior Design Program atParsons School of Design and spent fiveyears in various capacities at MarthaStewart Living Omnimedia. Whilethere he designed the first two seasonsof the Martha Stewart Everyday GardenFurniture Collection for Kmart, pro-duced craft segments for Martha’sEmmy Award winning TV show, devel-oped and styled dozens of stories forMartha Stewart Living magazine andbecame one of its seven core editors andan assistant vice-president. During col-lege he worked for renowned antiquedealers Cora Ginsburg and Kurland/Zabar.He lives in Newark with his partner MikeDawson, a graphic designer, their twodogs, three cats, and two garden gnomes.

Save The Date fora 1914 Style Gala!

This year marks the 150thanniversary of GustavStickley’s birth. So, in his

honor, we will celebrate in the style ofthe time when Stickley was on top ofthe world! The celebration will takeplace at the beautiful Mountain LakesClub on Saturday, October 4 andpromises to be a dazzling evening ofcocktails, dining, and live music fromthe period. Guests will also have theopportunity to bid on fabulous auctionprizes. All proceeds from this event willbenefit the site restoration and educa-tion programs at Craftsman Farms.Advance reservations are required. Call973.540.0311 for more information.

Find yourself some stylish accessoriesfrom the early 19th Century and getready to celebrate with us!

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NOTES FROM THE FARMS

Eagle Scout candidate Evan Korunow

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On a picture perfect Saturday afternoon the Stickley Museum at CraftsmanFarms kicked off the opening of the season with a Members-OnlyOpening Reception. Over 130 members, Trustees and special guests

attended the event. Guests included representatives from the NJ Historic Trust,Morris County Heritage Commission, and the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills.

The featured speaker of the day was Ulysses Grant Dietz, Senior Curator ofDecorative Arts at The Newark Museum. So many guests wanted to hear the talkthat Mr. Dietz offered two-back-to-back lectures to standing room only crowds.Entitled It Wasn’t Arts and Crafts: It Was Modern, the lecture looked at modern deco-rative arts from the 1890’s to the early 1910’s—embracing all of the various styles,including “Arts and Crafts,” that were part of the aesthetic world when CraftsmanFarms was built.

Guests were also treated to tours of the Log House and enjoyed seeing some ofthe new acquisitions of 2007. Celtic harpist Joanne Egan set the mood for all asher beautiful notes resonated throughout the house.

The highlight of the event was the official opening of the North Cottage.Township business administrator Jasmine Lim cut the ribbon before guests tooktheir first peek at this charming building. The North Cottage is one of the origi-nal structures built by Gustav Stickley and has been vacant for several years. TheFarms worked closely with historic conservator Mary Jablonski to ensure that anynecessary repairs and improvements would not comprise the historic integrity ofthe building. Many thanks to Peter Copeland, Peter Mars, David Rudd, MarkWeaver, and Davey and Nancy Willans for making the interior so inviting!

Light refreshment were served at the reception, which was held on the porch andoutside on the terrace. The day was a wonderful opportunity for members to seethe progress that has taken place at the Farms during the past year, and to learnabout plans for the year ahead.

—Shnuzyu Haigler

Opening Day A Big Success!

Lining up to get a first look at North Cottage. The first view of the interior of North Cottage.

Suzanne and Stephen Jones are greeted byNancy Willans at the reception on the porch.

Jasmine Lim cuts the ribbon as Davey Willansand Heather Stivison look on.

Ulysses Dietz makes a point about pottery.

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NOTES FROM THE FARMS

May Family DaySpringtime received a joyful welcome atCraftsman Farms on Saturday, May 3 atMay Family Day. Though the day waschilly and gray, the weather didn’tdampen the spirits of the assembledcrowd. Anchored by a festive maypoleadorned in red and white streamers, ourtraditional May Day celebration fea-tured Morris dance troops, MillstoneRiver Morris and Ring O’Bells, whosecenturies-old ritual dance form, per-formed in teams, is often a part of sea-son-marking occasions like May Day.Children made charming flowercrowns, jangling tambourines, and col-orful pinwheels and discovered historictoys and games like whirligigs andgraces. Shoppers at the “General Store”had a chance to sample old-fashionedtreats, including rock candy andcaramel creams, and pick up a plant ortwo for Mother’s Day gifts. Maypoledancing, a special highlight of the day,was scheduled throughout the after-noon and grew in popularity as theevent progressed. Led by Sue Dupreand Karen Slifkin, children and adultsof all ages gathered around the Maypoleand danced to intertwine its streamers,creating amazing patterns and somelasting memories along the way.

— Vonda Givens

Volunteer Karen Slifkin guides a group ofMaypole dancers.

Ring O'Bells Morris Dancers during one oftheir energetic performances.

Morris dancer Bob Dupre performs doubleduty on penny whistle and drum for the

Maypole dancers.

A little May queen creates her own flowercrown at one of the craft tables.

Sporting their May crowns, children learn to make pin wheels with theguidance of volunteer Jane Sutley.

Millstone River Morris Dancers signal the end of their performance.

All May Day Photos courtesy of Jeff Hand

Summer 2008 Page 6

NOTES FROM THE FARMS

When visitors walk the groundsat Craftsman Farms they seemore than just a contempo-

rary park—an informed museum guestcan glean a deeper understanding ofAmerican life in 1900 by “reading” theartifacts that Gustav Stickley left on hisNew Jersey property. Spend some timehere and you will discover hidden treas-ures from an era that has much to teachus today about living the simple life ina changing world.

America in 1900Many historians consider the ProgressiveEra a key turning point in the develop-ment of society and politics in America,often with the view that reformers advancedvisionary ideas about a new order thatultimately failed to come to fruitionamidst a tumultuous shift in the globalbalance of power. Though it may notbe obvious, Craftsman Farms wasinvested with many ideas that wereintegral to the Progressive worldview.

When he began publishing TheCraftsman magazine in 1901, GustavStickley could not have dreamed thathis periodical would develop into amajor mouthpiece for reformersthroughout the world. Nor was heentirely conscious of how his own polit-ical and social values would grow toreflect those of Progressive Era leadersand political radicals abroad. Duringthe roughly ten-year period duringwhich he expanded his business andlooked to construct an exemplary Artsand Crafts community, Stickley absorbedand disseminated many critical ideasabout a new way of life that he hopedwould transform the nation in which hegained his success. However, like manyof his idealistic contemporaries, his effortsto put theories into practice often clashedwith the rapidly changing, increasinglypluralistic society around him.

The central social and political dichoto-my facing America in 1900 was theincreasing tension between the 19thCentury agrarian model that had guid-ed the founding fathers in the construc-tion of the new nation, and the 20thCentury structure of urbanized, indus-trialized production in a centrally-con-trolled two-party system. This tensiondrove many of the reform movementsof the time and sparked numerous,often violent, clashes between labor andthe bosses, competing political parties,religious leaders and secularists, andhaves versus have-nots. Bracketed bythe “Cross of Gold” speech of WilliamJennings Bryan in 1893 and the dualestablishment of the Federal Reservesystem and the income tax underWoodrow Wilson in 1913, Americaturned a corner from dependence onsilver and farming to the economic sys-tem that is still in place today. Thetwenty-year struggle to convince thepopulace to accept these reforms took aheavy toll on politicians and socialactivists, Stickley among them.

A survey of the articles in The Craftsmanduring this period reveals that issuesconfronting the United States in theearly 1900s figure prominently in botheditorials and features, just as they didin the leading newspapers of the day.Essays on labor reform, country life,expansion of education, capitalism andsocialism, childhood and imagination,the useful arts and many other subjectsappeared as the magazine grew in ambi-tion and stature.

New Jersey’s Cultural EnvironmentWhen the Stickley family moved fromSyracuse to Morris Plains in 1910 theyfound an environment vastly differentfrom the one we see today. MorrisCounty was then overwhelmingly agri-cultural, with a few signs of the subur-

ban development that would soontransform much of New Jersey and theNortheast. Morristown, the county seat,was a pleasant, tree-lined town of about10,000 inhabitants. It drew the atten-tion of New Yorkers for its bucolic set-ting and easy rail connections to mid-town Manhattan. Indeed, GustavStickley learned of the area from hisfriend, the Hearst cartoonist HoraceDavenport, who was building a week-end farm near Whatnong Mountain.

The land surrounding that ancientLenni Lenape “hill place” seemed toattract visionaries of various stripes. Inthe early 19th Century the SpeedwellIronworks was a center of industry andtechnological innovation, culminatingin the 1838 demonstration of the firsttelegraph transmission by Alfred Vailand Samuel F.B. Morse. Throughoutthe 18th Century Morris County hadbeen a vital locus of iron production,beginning with the Dickerson Minenear Dover and reaching northwardinto Mount Hope and Rockaway.When these rich sources were connectedeast and west by the Morris Canal inthe 1830’s, New Jersey enhanced itswealth and status as an economicengine for the United States. Behindthe veil of a country setting of rollinghills and farmland was a century ormore of industrial production.

Social and religious innovation alsofound its way into the hills aroundWhatnong Mountain. From 1871 to1876 the State of New Jersey developedthe largest psychiatric hospital in theU.S. on 450 acres near Morris Plains.Later named Greystone Hospital, thecomplex was developed according tothe so-called Kirkbride plan, a stag-gered, linear configuration designed toafford all patients access to air, light andviews of a garden setting. Philadelphia

Craftsman Farms: A Significant Part of New Jersey History

Summer 2008 Page 7

NOTES FROM THE FARMS

architect Samuel Sloan teamed with Dr.Thomas S. Kirkbride and HoraceButtolph to create a humane and med-ically up-to-date facility to care for thementally ill. The site became renownedas a pioneering hospital for the treat-ment of many illnesses affecting thebrain and nervous system.

Nearby Mount Tabor, founded by theMethodist church in 1869, was called a“city of God” by its summer inhabitants.An institutional evocation of the spon-taneous “camps” that had nurtured earlyMethodism in rural areas, such summercolonies often developed into year-round communities, as would be thecase with Mount Tabor. Tent sites wereconverted in to elegant Victorian cot-tages, often with elaborate and whimsi-cal carved ornament. Today’s residentstake pride in celebrating this architec-tural heritage, with annual festivals andtours of the verdant hilltop village.

If these socially and morally progressiveinstitutions were discreet manifestationsof New Jersey culture in the Victorianera, Morristown’s many country estateswere far more assertive of the region’semerging reputation as a haven forwealthy families seeking a respite fromtheir crowded urban environs. In 1910a publication sponsored by The Jerseymantouted Morristown as a millionaire’swatering hole. “Florham,” the Georgianhouse of Hamilton & Florence Twomblyon Madison Avenue was one of themost elaborate of the great countryplaces, but their were dozens more,ranging from the intimate Victoriancottage at “Glen Alpin” near New Vernonto the nearly baroque splendor of“Blairsden” in Peapack. Like Stickley,most of these self-made capitalists wereattracted to these former agriculturalareas for their potential as verdant, art-ful garden places, and the ready accessto golf, tennis and other sporting diver-sions. And as the Captains of Industryconstructed their trophy houses, theywere flexing their political muscles onboth a regional and a national stage.

New Jersey’s transformation from alargely rural, but still industrialized stateinto the urban and suburban megalopo-lis we know today was underway in1900. With a population of 1.8 million,only 29%, still resided on farms. By1910 the urban-rural balance in theUnited States would shift to over 50%city dwellers, and with it the politicallandscape would change irrevocably. Asthe national elections shifted fromRepublican to Democratic around1910, so too did New Jersey’s governor-ship. Theodore Roosevelt, the fulcrumof Progressive leadership as a Republicanand later an Independent, proved a bell-weather for the nation’s struggle toaccept its new economic might andinfluence in the world. And, as thou-sands of Southern and Eastern Europeansstreamed into Ellis Island at the centu-ry’s turn, New Jersey’s demographicprofile changed to reflect the influenceof these largely Roman Catholic andJewish immigrants, who formed a newDemocratic, urban coalition.

The results of this realignment in NewJersey’s pluralistic society are obviousnow, but remained beneath the surfacein 1910. As Craftsman Farms was beingconceived and constructed, there werenumerous signs of ambivalence towardthe forces moving America away fromits agrarian roots. Inequalities inincome between capitalists and laborersbrought on an unprecedented spate ofstrikes and turmoil in the workplace. AtCraftsman Farms, a school that wouldtrain boys in manual trade skills whilein a bucolic setting was seen as a tonicfor these ills. The change in land usefrom agriculture and light industry toheavy manufacturing and commerceforced New Jersey to expand its raillines, construct highways, confront sub-urban growth, and accept “the machinein the garden.” In Morris PlainsStickley sought to reclaim vanishingfarmland for his little utopian commu-nity, constructing buildings with localmaterials and vernacular methods suchas log notching and rubble stonework.

An explosion of retail and commercialinnovation allowed Americans to buymore goods at lower prices, but atreduced quality and with little connec-tion to their daily lives. Handmade oakfurniture, copperware, and embroideredlinens from the Craftsman catalogueswere meant for the proletariat, but theirbeauty was enjoyed mainly by thosewealthy enough to afford luxuries in atime of wide social and economic dis-parity. As Thomas Edison produced astring of inventions in West Orangethat would change communication andurban life, Stickley’s catalogues pack-aged a kind of handicraft mnemonic ofa vanishing rural existence with vestigesof medieval imagery. The Craftsman“movement” began with the force ofmoral rectitude and waned as the newcentury’s ethos of self-actualizationthrough consumption took hold of thenation through the mass media. NewJersey was a leader in this new pop-ulism, with thousands of new immi-grants making economic gains in facto-ries, service jobs and trade.

Despite his identification with upstateNew York and Syracuse, Gustav Stickleymade his greatest professional and artis-tic impact while working in New Yorkand in Morris Plains. ConsideringCraftsman Farms as a part of theGarden State and its rich contributionto 20th Century American culturebrings this key relationship into greaterfocus. As the site is restored and inter-preted it is fitting that state and localhistory be a part of the story thatfuture visitors will see and hear.

About the Author:

Mark Alan Hewitt is an architect,historian and preservationist withoffices in Bernardsville, New Jersey.A former president of the Board ofTrustees of Craftsman Farms, he isthe author of several books onAmerican architecture. He currentlyteaches in the Art History Departmentat Rutgers University, New Brunswick.

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Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference

The 21st Arts and Crafts Conference at Grove ParkInn was an exciting and jam-packed time for all.Members of The Farms team arrived on

Wednesday to set up our exhibition, entitled Mr. Stickley’sCatalogues, in the Great Hall. The exhibition, which wasaccompanied by a comprehensive 16-page catalogue, provid-ed a first-hand glimpse into the world of Gustav Stickley, thedevelopment of the American Arts and Crafts movement,and life at the beginning of the 20th Century. TrusteeBarbara Fuldner, who had worked tirelessly as exhibitionproject coordinator, spent a large part of the day with longtime friend of The Farms, Tim Gleason, setting up the exhi-bition. The project was the culmination of months of workby Barbara and many others, especially David Cathers, TimGleason, and Thomas Gleason. Comments about the exhibi-tion were very favorable and its catalogue is still in demand.

On Thursday the Annual Craftsman Farms Banquet provedto be an exciting night indeed. We were thrilled to have fourmembers of the Stickley family gather together with theirCraftsman Farms family. Gustav Stickley’s granddaughterRuth Glesmann, who was actually born at Craftsman Farms,shared many stories and memories, as did great-granddaugh-

ters Cynthia McGinn, Barbara Fuldner, and great-grandsonLou Glesmann.

Board President Davey Willans and Executive DirectorHeather Stivison presented updates on The Farms, intro-duced new staff, and shared plans for the year ahead, with aspecial emphasis on our new educational focus. No one hadany idea the Bruce Johnson, the organizer of this wonderfulconference, had a surprise up his sleeve.

Following on the presentations about the importance of edu-cation, Bruce presented The Craftsman Farms Foundationwith a $10,000 grant to help support these new educationinitiatives. And then he stood up and encouraged all ban-quet attendees to support these significant educational offer-ings. By the time the evening was over, the guests had donat-ed an additional $19,000 to the cause! It was crystal clearthat we are headed in the right direction!

The conference officially opened on Friday with its jam-packed and absolutely fascinating workshops, lectures, pluswhat seemed like miles of booths representing crafts people,antiques dealers, publishers, and more. The Craftsman

Bruce Johnson presents an Education Grant to Craftsman Farms Guests at the Annual GPI Craftsman Farms Banquet.

Board Vice-President Ed Heinle shares his GPI display of architechturaldrawings of CFF’s future visitors’ center with former Trustee Don Stahl.

Henry Fuldner and Robert Kaplan view the Craftsman Farms exhibition in the GPI Great Hall.

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Members of Gustav Stickley’s Family gathered with their CFF family atthe GPI Arts and Crafts Conference. Seated L to R: great grandaugh-ters Cindy McGinn and Barbara Fuldner, grandaughter RuthGlessmann, and great grandson Lou Glessman. Standing: HenryFuldner, Tim McGinn, and Terri Glessman.

Alfred J. Audi Is Rememberedwith a Generous Grant

The Craftsman Farms Foundation was honored toreceive a generous grant given in memory of long-time friend of the Farms, Alfred J. Audi. The

$10,000 gift was announced by Aminy Audi at this year’sCraftsman Farms Banquet held in conjunction with the 21st

Annual Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn.Her generous gift will support educational programs and thecontinued restoration and preservation of Craftsman Farms.

All of us at the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms aregrateful for this support and recognize the lifelong contribu-tions Mr. Audi made to the Arts and Crafts Community.

In 1974, Mr. Audi bought the L. & J.G. Stickley Furniture

Company, which was founded in 1900 by Gustav Stickley’sbrothers. Its Arts and Crafts furniture line had been discon-tinued in 1919. When Mr. Audi bought the company, it wasin decline, operating out of a small, outdated factory inFayetteville, near Syracuse, and employing only 22 people.The Audi family grew it into a successful business by firstmaking early American and traditional furniture.

Recognizing the growing interest of collectors in vintageMission-style furnishings, Mr. Audi decided in 1989 to reis-sue Stickley’s Mission furniture. A devotee of Mission-stylefurniture, Mr. Audi sensed the demand for this furniture andbuilt the company into a large furniture maker and retailer ofreissued Stickley furniture and reproductions of the style.Today, the Stickley company has three factories, with 1,600workers, about 1,000 of them in Manlius, N.Y., nearSyracuse. Stickley, Audi & Company, the company’s retaildivision, has 13 outlets in 5 states.

Made of solid quarter-sawn oak with simple lines, the com-pany’s reproduction pieces appealed to young urban profes-sionals. He and his company exposed many of these non-collectors, non-devotees, to the Arts and Crafts style for thefirst time.

The Audi family’s passion for the Arts and Craft Movementis clearly evidenced by their steady long-time support of TheCraftsman Farms Foundation. They recently converted theoriginal Stickley factory in Fayetteville into a lovely museumwhich houses original Stickley pieces bought at Christie’s.

We will always remember Alfred Audi for his passion forMission furniture and friendship with The Farms. We areextremely grateful to Mrs. Audi for making this generous andmeaningful gift in his memory.

Aminy Audi (center) recieves a round of applause at the CraftsmanFarms Banquet after she announces a grant to be given in memory ofher husband, Alfred J. Audi.

Farms booth was busy throughout the entire weekend, withvisitors asking many questions about the beautiful renderingsof the proposed visitors’ center which was designed by EdHeinle. The most popular sale items at the booth were thereproduction Stickley leather tags, donated by Tim Gleason.

The conference included plenty of opportunities to connectwith old friends, make new friends, discover new items forthe gift shop, and learn much more than we ever thought possible.

Heather Stivison made a slide presentation to some 1,300attendees as part of the Sunday morning seminar session,entitled Three Men, Three Dreams, and Three Realities. Thefascinating session featured three historic sites: CraftsmanFarms, Roycroft, and The Gamble House and was a fittingwrap up to another great conference.

Page 10Spring 2008

THANK YOU

MembershipJanuary 1- April 30, 2009

We extend a warm thank you to the following members who demonstrated their support of the mission of The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms by joining or renewing in the past two months.

PatronsBarbara Gerr and Arnie SmallRobin Kelsey and Michael LehrUla Ilnytzky

and Raymond Stubblebine

FriendsLynda G. and Art BrenderLeslie and James BrunnSteve Williams and Kurt GahanJessica Greenway and Ken NelsonLori and Donald HafnerKaren and Robert HannanRosemary and Ed KostansekCraig A. KuhnsJe and W. Michael McCrackenMarilee MeyerSylvia RubensPamela McClean and Robert RustMary Ann and Steve Voorhees

Dual/FamilyAnne and Nicholas AlbanoLinda AnnisRichard Rockwell and Rodolfo CaoBarbara and Ciro CasaPetrina and David Dawson

Margaret and Michael DewittJulia and Seth FreedmanGail and John GrossmannClaudia Thornton and Brian HalpinElizabeth and John HitzSonya HulbertBarb and Rob InfanteKaren A. and Gregory C. KurlanderWendy E. LivingstonMary K. and Benjamin MuckenhouptNick NestaMary Ann and Charles NitchiePatsy and William PorterJan and Robert PriceLaura and Richard ReillyMary and Roger RileyPatricia H. RoseStephanie Hill and Che RudkoJennifer J. DeMaio & Michael A. SorianoCarol and Steven A. SteinerSusie and Andre TraversoMary and Karl WilesEileen M. Ziegler

IndividualCharles AbbottMitchell AndrusDiane Armbruster

Lorraine D. CareyMichele ClarkCynthia CoritzBruce J. DaviesElinor FriedmanRandall GafnerBonita GrantMiriam GunnNadine Huffman WoodardJim KaneJane KatzenbergerValerie LeahyJoyce McLaughlinLydia PetrorinoLee PolichemiThomas A. RepaschJeanne TanisKevin W. Tucker

Students and SeniorsRosemarie C. AgostiniMary V. AuthorsJoyce ChapinPatricia L. HeimlichHarold KraussDavid MyersJanice VicineThelma M. Westrum

A B

Special ThanksThank you to the following for the special ways they help furtherthe mission of The Craftsman Farms Foundation:

American Art Pottery Association for a gift of Clifton Pottery;

Crabtree Farms for recent exhibition loans;

Crowne Point for donating custom made kitchen cabinetsfor the education room in the Annex;

Elliot Elite Heating and Cooling for donating a mechanicalair cleaner for North Cottage;

Barbara Fuldner for gifts of antique Christmas postcards andcopies of American Boy Magazine, and for underwriting thecosts of exhibition mounts, and catalogue printing;

Tim Gleason for creating and donating beautiful exhibitionsignage and the Stickley reproduction leather tags;

Terri and Louis Glesmann, III for gifts of a Grueby tile andsilverware from the Craftsman Restaurant;

Justine and James Kovacs for gifts of 10 Arroyo lighting fix-tures and two Craftsman style fireplace surrounds;

Susan Lawrence for the gift of two outdoor benches;

Laura Reilly for gifts of hanging baskets of flowers;

And to Old California Lighting Company for all the repro-duction lighting in North Cottage.

Summer 2008 Page 11

THANK YOU

Education FundThank you to the following donors whose

support of the 2008 Education Fundstrengthens our commitment to education.

GoldDorothy BeattieBarbara Gerr and Arnie SmallLeigh Ann and Bruce JohnsonBarbara and Robert NickersonCatherine Reese and Stewart CrickCindy and Kevin PowersUla Ilnytzky and Raymond Stubblebine

SilverJoan Albin and Tom BirdDiane Ayers and Tim HansenHoa and Gus BostromVonda and Allen BreedCatherine Mathis and Robert BurchellNancy L. and Albert A. CarrLaura HarrisRobin Kelsey and Michael LehrBarbara and John PadmosJennifer L. and Kenneth C. PetersenAnn and John ReynoldsDebbie Goldwein and David Rudd, Jr.Stephanie Hill and Che RudkoLyn Herrington-Ekiss and Robert EkissDebra SmithRosalie Berberian

BronzeEllen and Jeffrey CohenMark GlazierStephen GrayCheryl HadleyLori and Donald HafnerLois Hull-Harrison and Bill HarrisonDiana M. HutchingsMary A. C. JablonskiRobert and Tsipi KaplanJerri and Del MartinGrace M. MynattPatsy and William PorterFredric M. RabelCathy and Robert RandallLaura and Richard ReillyJudith and Lee SelwynKaren and Stuart SlifkinMark E. WeaverPatricia and Gregory Wright

RECENT GRANTSJanuary 1, 2008 – April 30, 2008

The Craftsman Farms Foundation is profoundly grateful to the following for recent grants:

Aminy Audi, given in memory of Alfred J. AudiThe Arts and Crafts Research Fund

The New York Times Company FoundationThe Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills

News of the Annual Pottery Conference

The Craftsman Farms Foundation was well represented at The AmericanArt Pottery Association’s Annual Conference which began with a galabanquet dinner on April 23. Prior to the keynote address delivered by

longtime friend and Als ik kan recipient David Rago, The American Art PotteryAssociation President, Arnie Small, presented CFF Executive Director HeatherStivison and President Davey Willans a beautiful piece of Clifton Pottery.Shunyzu Haigler, Vonda Givens, Peter Mars, and Nancy Willans also attendedthe banquet. On Saturday, Shunzyu set up a display table at the Art Potteryshow and sale, where she, Nancy, and Davey Willans, handed out CFF member-ship and upcoming program information to the attendees. On Sunday morning,Davey presented an overview of Craftsman Farms and our plans for the future. Aspecial thanks to Arnie Small and the officers of the AAPA for their beautiful giftand for making us all feel so welcome and part of the family.

—Davey Willans

Stickley Family Launches Craftsman Artisans Scholarship

Craftsman Farms is pleased to announce the launch of a CraftsmanArtisans scholarship program. Funded by Stickley family membersNancy Calderwood, Lou Glesmann, and Cynthia McGinn, the scholar-

ships will be awarded to three serious craft artisans of high-school age. Winnerswill be announced next February 19th at the Craftsman Farms Banquet held in con-junction with the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove ParkInn (Arts-CraftsConference.com). Artisans will select courses from among the spring2009 offerings of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit, New Jerseyand the scholarship will cover all course fees. Interested applicants should emailVonda Givens, Director of Education at vgivens@stickelymuseum.org.

THESTICKLEYMUSEUM AT

CRAFTSMANFARMS2352 Rt. 10-WestMorris Plains, NJ 07950-1214

Return service requested

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDParsippany, NJPermit No. 7

Craftsman Farms, the former home of noted designer Gustav Stickley, is owned by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and is operated as the

Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms by The Craftsman Farms Foundation, Inc. The Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization

incorporated in the State of New Jersey. Restoration and operation of the National Historic Landmark, Craftsman Farms, is made possible, in

part, by a Save America's Treasures Grant administered by the National Parks Service, Department of the Interior, and by Support from Morris

County Preservation Trust, The New Jersey Historical Commission, The New Jersey Historic Trust, and individual members.

NOTES FROM THE FARMS

Visiting Craftsman Farms:

Craftsman Farms is located at 2352 Route 10 WestMorris Plains New Jersey 07950

The entrance is located on Route 10West at Manor Lane, about 3 mileswest of I-287 in Parsippany-Troy Hills,New Jersey. Driving directions areavailable at www.stickleymuseum.org.

Free to members and children under 6Adults: $7; Seniors & Students $5

Closed Monday, Tuesday, & Major Holidays.

Tour Schedule:

Wednesdays, Thursdays, and FridaysTours Leave: 12:15 p.m. and 1:45 p.m.

Saturdays and SundaysTours Leave: 11:15 a.m. 12:15 p.m.,1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.

Group Tours are available by reservation.Call Peter Mars at 973.540.0311

Gift Shop Hours: Wed. to Fri. — Noon to 3:00 p.m.Sat. & Sun. — 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Notes from The Farms is the quarterlypublication of The Craftsman FarmsFoundation, Inc. and is based on anoriginal design by Suzanne Jones.Contributing to this issue: VondaGivens, Richard Gottardi, ShunzyuHaigler, Mark Hewitt, Heather Stivison,Ray Stubblebine, and Davey Willans.

Contact us:Offices: 973.540.0311 Museum: 973.540.1165Fax: 973.540.1167Email: info@stickleymuseum.orgwebsite: www.stickleymuseum.org

1858 –Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Gustav Stickley– 2008