Today marks 100 years since The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative & Industrial Arts. The Art Deco style had already been forming throughout the 1910s, but this was its grand entrance to the world. It showcased the highest caliber sculptors, glassworkers, ironworkers, painters, jewelers, furniture makers, and designers of the time. And in grand fashion as the exhibition grounds themselves were extremely cool. I’m a longtime lover and student of this era. My teachers are the hundreds of monumentally sharp artists that made it what it was. I’m humbly doing my best to carry the torch by studying all of it deeply. Learning everything I can about the way they made things and building out the resources to keep it all alive. One of my favorite things about Art Deco is that in it you can see the ancient cultural influence blended with a future vision. That combination has made it something timeless and eternal. (And actually how I fell into it naturally - studying ancient cultures just as they did) Art Deco also aligns with my values - in that the artists and craftsmen of that generation were highly skilled, the patrons had vision and recognized the value of prestige in our buildings, cars, clothing, artworks, etc. A beautiful moment in time aesthetically, but also hand in hand with some of the darkest times the world has seen. Which is often when great beauty emerges and prevails. Here are a few of my pieces that live in that realm.