Stunning contemporary furniture designed and made in Cumbria will go on show at Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House.
The pieces have been inspired by the Arts & Crafts Movement and Blackwell itself.
A Design Lineage: The Rusland Movement at Blackwell opens on 18 January and runs until 9 June 2019.
MEDIA CALL: Meet craftspeople from The Rusland Movement at Blackwell and see furniture pieces they have created for the exhibition. Thursday 17 January 2019 at 12.30. Contact Dickie Felton dfelton@lakelandarts.org.uk 07706166787.
From workshops in Greenodd on the edge of the Lake District, The Rusland Movement’s creations stand the test of time, becoming heirlooms of the future. Its talented team of craftspeople draw inspiration from their Cumbrian surroundings to create pieces inspired by nature.
Helen Watson, Director of Programming at Lakeland Arts said: “The Rusland Movement creates stunning pieces, its craftspeople and designers are all based in Cumbria and invest many hours into the pieces they create.”
In A Design Lineage: The Rusland Movement at Blackwell, visitors will explore how pieces of furniture are sketched, realised in 3D models and crafted in the Cumbrian studio just 20 minutes from Blackwell.
Select pieces to go on display throughout Blackwell will include an elegant cocktail cabinet, sofa and chair, desk, sideboard, bedside table, mirror and drawer unit.
Since it opened in 2001, Blackwell has built up a reputation of displaying contemporary work by craftspeople who have been inspired by Arts & Crafts architecture and design.
The team of nine dedicated craftsmen and women at The Rusland Movement combine traditional techniques and innovative thinking to create flawless pieces that blend the design aesthetic synonymous with the Arts & Crafts Movement with contemporary style.
Dan Critchley, Founder of The Rusland Movement, visited Blackwell for the first time almost two decades ago and the experience had a big impact on the then Kendal College student.
“I was training to be a cabinet maker and was exploring different design ideas. We had a college trip to Blackwell and until that moment I knew nothing of the Arts & Crafts Movement.
“What I realised that day, was that the direction my work was taking, was an Arts & Crafts one. That visit cemented my love of Arts & Crafts and ultimately led to the creation of The Rusland Movement.
“It will be a very proud moment seeing the furniture we create on display in Blackwell.”
Visitors to Blackwell will be able to meet their team and gain an insight into The Rusland Movement’s creative process in Monthly Meet the Maker events. There will also a programme of lectures and talks taking place in Blackwell’s stunning Main Hall.
The bespoke furniture on display as part of the exhibition is available for purchase as are smaller pieces of woodwork and furnishing in Blackwell’s contemporary Craft Shop. A catalogue will be at reception.
More details about the exhibition: https://www.blackwell.org.uk/items/ruslandmovement/
The Rusland Movement website: www.theruslandmovement.co.uk
