Movers and Makers

Résumé du livre

At the end of the 19th century, ideas concerning the value of work inspired a revival of handcraft that flourished in many parts of the US well into the 20th century. In the remote mountainous counties of four statesNorth Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginiathe revival was aimed at providing an income for impoverished families. Shared ideas concerning quality and resourcefulness contributed to an unintentional community of makers and patrons and who bridged two very different worlds. The makers world of log cabins, rutted roads, extended families, hillside farms, and quiet nights converged with the patrons world of privilege, finery, industry, and mobility. Makers created work that was displayed and sold; movement leaders organized guilds and exhibitions. Departing from a prestigious Park Avenue address, photographer Doris Ulmann traveled throughout Appalachia making pictures of both groups. Twenty-four of the artists photographs were selected to create a collective portrait of the revival, defining the movements scope and revealing its motivation. The forty-page paperback includes guest essays by Richard Kurin, Director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Jean Haskell, Co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Appalachia. M. Anna Fariello, author and curator, wrote the feature essay on the history and influences of the revival. The perfect-bound book contains 17 Doris Ulmann photographs including two rare self portraits, and five additional historical photographs, coupled with explanatory text.