In the December issue of Western Horseman, Cowboy Culture Editor Jennifer Dennison wrote a fun piece about what I would do for Christmas. It was so fun that I wanted to put it up here for everyone to see. Of course, if you don't have a Western Horseman on hand, I say run out and get it. It's a great issue and you'll get to see the ornaments that I picked and pictures of the belts on the tree and Copenhagen lids as ornaments. Enjoy.
From Western Horseman
THE CHRISTMAS TREE IS THE CENTERPIECE of your holiday home décor. Around it is the place where friends and family gather, and it sets the tone for the rest of your decorations. Make trimming a ranch-style Christmas tree a fun family experience with tips from Western design expert Thea Marx of Wyoming. A Wyoming native, Thea grew up on a ranch, where she
and her family often made gifts and holiday decorations, a tradition she continues today with her 4-year-old daughter, Aspen. For Thea, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without trekking to the forest to cut down a real tree. It’s part of the holiday experience for the entire family, and she loves the smell, color and feel of a real tree, needles and all. This holiday season, she plans to cut a tree for young Aspen to decorate. When it comes to decorating the tree, Thea believes the more family and friends, the merrier. Turn on the Christmas music, serve hot cider and freshly baked cookies, and enjoy the camaraderie. Here are some of Thea’s favorite ideas for trimming a Western-inspired tree.
Consider color and composition. Look for ways to incorporate the colors and elements of the West into your tree. Reds, browns and greens add to your Western theme. Also, consider adding elements of nature in your décor. Share the view. Place your tree near a window for all to see. Thea says she enjoys pulling into her driveway each evening and seeing the lights through the window. Light up the night. Start decorating the tree by stringing clear lights around the tree, tucking the bulbs between all the branches. Illuminating your tree with simple, clear lights helps draw attention to your ornaments. Fill in the gaps. Tuck tumbleweeds, yucca, colored feathers from a craft store, or sagebrush into sparse areas of your tree to create a full appearance. These natural accents also bring pieces of the outdoors inside and add to the festive fragrance. Decorate the entire tree. Hang ornaments all over the tree, even on the back. This encourages people to really look at the tree and enjoy the memories behind each ornament. Position ornaments near lights to make them sparkle, and create hidden vignettes between the branches.
Strut your snuff. To make inexpensive, cowboy-inspired tree decorations that twinkle in the lights, string snuff-can lids to form a garland, or string single lids to form ornaments.
Turn bandanas into bows. For color and pattern, fold bandannas into triangles and tie the ends together. Place the bandannas in sparse areas of the tree. You can also place one on top of the tree.
Cinch it tight. Fasten Western belts together to form a ranch-style garland. Rhinestone belts add extra sparkle to your tree.
Let it snow. Remember cutting snowflakes out of folded paper as a child? Invite your family and friends to make their own snowflake ornaments for your tree. Be creative, making them simple or intricate, plain or shiny, or even decorated with glitter. Punch a hole in the top of the snowflake, thread ribbon, baling twine or other string through the hole and tie to form a loop for hanging the snowflake on the tree.
Top it off. Your tree topper doesn’t have to be fancy to be beautiful. While she was growing up, Thea’s family cut a star from cardboard and covered it with aluminum foil. A cowboy hat, raffia bow, a star made from twigs or a Santa statue also makes a great topper.
Hi-ho silver. String conchos and saddle silver on a thin strip of leather to form garland and ornaments.
Cover your bases. No Western-themed tree would be complete without a Navajo or Pendleton blanket as a tree skirt.
Take-down tip. When you’re ready to remove your tree from
the house, wrap it in a blanket to prevent needles from covering your floor.
Thea Marx served as the executive director of the Western Design Conference in Cody, Wyoming, and transformed that organization into an internationally recognized source of fine Western design. Today, she is an accomplished author and entrepreneur, specializing in all things Western. For more home-decorating tips, order Thea’s book Contemporary Western Design ($19.95) by calling
(307) 587-8008, or visiting contemporarywesterndesign.com.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Rockin' Western Design
Wow! What a month for Western Design.
Three big shows happened in September: Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Rustic Fair in Blue Mountain Lake, New York and Cody High Style in Cody, Wyoming, the month of September was rockin’!
I can’t tell you how energized I am now after seeing all the artists and fashion designers, being witness to some really dynamite pieces and being on the runway in Cody. I snuck on for a cameo for Red Nations Art in Jackson. That was fun!
Here is the low down:
In Jackson at the Western Design Conference, Contemporarywesterndesign.com was a sponsor and very honored to be there. Sometimes it’s hard to go back to something you felt so strongly about and look at it objectively. But, I was able to do just that and was very pleased to see that Nancy and Allison were taking incredible care of the artists. That meant a lot to me. For the first time in 4 years I was able to reconnect with the artists in a creative, wonderful atmosphere. Many of whom have become friends over the years and who inspire me onward and upward. I was able to see old friends like Chris Chapman, Jamie and David LaMure and Danial MacPhail as well as many others. I made some new friends, Seabring Davis who is creating a wonderful magazine in Montana called Western Art and Architecture and Jim Keen whose book “Great Ranches of the West” is a treasure. I finally got to see the great designs of Chris Neill and Jonathan Sweet first hand. It was wonderful to see fabulous artists like Susan Adams, jeweler and Lisa Sorrel, bootmaker, honored for their work. And that was just in Jackson.
Contemporarywesterndesign.com sponsored the Best of Show award at the Rustic Fair at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. I had the privilege of judging the show in 2006 and meeting many of the exhibitors. I look forward to going back to the Adirondacks again.
At Cody High Style it was a whirlwind of activity. I was honored to be asked to model in the fashion show that was being created by Lani Snyder and Jeannie Price (they taught me everything I know) and chaired by KT Roes. It was refreshing to be just a model and not executive director, producer and model. I am sure I didn’t look nearly as tired on the runway. In the opening number I donned a pair of magenta chaps by Berry Fit and wads of fantastic turquoise jewelry by Waddell Trading Company the second a gorgeous dress by Canadian Designer Angela DeMontigny that was cut to my belly button in the front and well… it was very low in the back. I was so nervous the first time out, I used double sided tape. The second show I relaxed a bit and had fun in it. Then I got to step into a pale pink confection by Jonathan Kayne, yes, that Jonathan from Project Runway. I have to admit when Lani and Jeannie gave me this pink dress during fittings, I had a big question mark in my mind, but I have learned to always trust them so I went with it. I felt like a princess, first because I was wearing one of his designs and second, because it moved so beautifully. I could feel the train gently billowing behind me as I walked the runway and could just imagine how awesome the dress must look. My final walk was for the Manuel Collection created by Lalie Kavulich-Crist. The white wide leg suite was embroidered in the classic Manuel tradition with a Day of the Dead theme. With Rock and Roll hair and 4 inch heels, the alter ego rocker came out of me easily. You can check on You Tube.
For years we had tried to get the museum to host the show in one of its galleries. We (the founders, board of directors, artists and me, the director) knew how beautiful and appropriate it was to have the furniture in that amazing setting. So seeing it for the first time set in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Gallery was gratifying. It looked just as it should stately, elegant and artful. And full of honor.
I couldn’t be prouder of the work I saw on the floor, a beautiful club chair by Tim Lozier of How Kola complete with hand carved leather covered arm rests and the Yellowstone cabinet by Ron and Jean Shanor that was complete to the nth degree. I found myself crawling around on the floor inspecting it, because I couldn’t get enough of the incredible craftsmanship. Even the hinges were made out of tiny little burls precisely fitted together for perfect movement of the door. Andy Sanchez created a desk that had a hidden compartment that lit up like a space ship when it rose from the depths of the alligator juniper base. I wish I had a big office in a high rise. It was enormous and gorgeous all that the same time. If I detailed every piece I might risk boring you to death so I won’t continue. I want all the artists to know that I was so proud of all their work after watching them all mature over the last 12 years, its fulfilling to see them continue making strides, never falling into a rut.
If you haven’t already mark your calendars for next September, the month for western and Adirondack design.
Three big shows happened in September: Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Rustic Fair in Blue Mountain Lake, New York and Cody High Style in Cody, Wyoming, the month of September was rockin’!
I can’t tell you how energized I am now after seeing all the artists and fashion designers, being witness to some really dynamite pieces and being on the runway in Cody. I snuck on for a cameo for Red Nations Art in Jackson. That was fun!
Here is the low down:
In Jackson at the Western Design Conference, Contemporarywesterndesign.com was a sponsor and very honored to be there. Sometimes it’s hard to go back to something you felt so strongly about and look at it objectively. But, I was able to do just that and was very pleased to see that Nancy and Allison were taking incredible care of the artists. That meant a lot to me. For the first time in 4 years I was able to reconnect with the artists in a creative, wonderful atmosphere. Many of whom have become friends over the years and who inspire me onward and upward. I was able to see old friends like Chris Chapman, Jamie and David LaMure and Danial MacPhail as well as many others. I made some new friends, Seabring Davis who is creating a wonderful magazine in Montana called Western Art and Architecture and Jim Keen whose book “Great Ranches of the West” is a treasure. I finally got to see the great designs of Chris Neill and Jonathan Sweet first hand. It was wonderful to see fabulous artists like Susan Adams, jeweler and Lisa Sorrel, bootmaker, honored for their work. And that was just in Jackson.
Contemporarywesterndesign.com sponsored the Best of Show award at the Rustic Fair at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. I had the privilege of judging the show in 2006 and meeting many of the exhibitors. I look forward to going back to the Adirondacks again.
At Cody High Style it was a whirlwind of activity. I was honored to be asked to model in the fashion show that was being created by Lani Snyder and Jeannie Price (they taught me everything I know) and chaired by KT Roes. It was refreshing to be just a model and not executive director, producer and model. I am sure I didn’t look nearly as tired on the runway. In the opening number I donned a pair of magenta chaps by Berry Fit and wads of fantastic turquoise jewelry by Waddell Trading Company the second a gorgeous dress by Canadian Designer Angela DeMontigny that was cut to my belly button in the front and well… it was very low in the back. I was so nervous the first time out, I used double sided tape. The second show I relaxed a bit and had fun in it. Then I got to step into a pale pink confection by Jonathan Kayne, yes, that Jonathan from Project Runway. I have to admit when Lani and Jeannie gave me this pink dress during fittings, I had a big question mark in my mind, but I have learned to always trust them so I went with it. I felt like a princess, first because I was wearing one of his designs and second, because it moved so beautifully. I could feel the train gently billowing behind me as I walked the runway and could just imagine how awesome the dress must look. My final walk was for the Manuel Collection created by Lalie Kavulich-Crist. The white wide leg suite was embroidered in the classic Manuel tradition with a Day of the Dead theme. With Rock and Roll hair and 4 inch heels, the alter ego rocker came out of me easily. You can check on You Tube.
For years we had tried to get the museum to host the show in one of its galleries. We (the founders, board of directors, artists and me, the director) knew how beautiful and appropriate it was to have the furniture in that amazing setting. So seeing it for the first time set in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Gallery was gratifying. It looked just as it should stately, elegant and artful. And full of honor.
I couldn’t be prouder of the work I saw on the floor, a beautiful club chair by Tim Lozier of How Kola complete with hand carved leather covered arm rests and the Yellowstone cabinet by Ron and Jean Shanor that was complete to the nth degree. I found myself crawling around on the floor inspecting it, because I couldn’t get enough of the incredible craftsmanship. Even the hinges were made out of tiny little burls precisely fitted together for perfect movement of the door. Andy Sanchez created a desk that had a hidden compartment that lit up like a space ship when it rose from the depths of the alligator juniper base. I wish I had a big office in a high rise. It was enormous and gorgeous all that the same time. If I detailed every piece I might risk boring you to death so I won’t continue. I want all the artists to know that I was so proud of all their work after watching them all mature over the last 12 years, its fulfilling to see them continue making strides, never falling into a rut.
If you haven’t already mark your calendars for next September, the month for western and Adirondack design.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Western Design: Old, New and Blue
Western Design started out as a necessity. Victorian buffets, French chairs and gilded desks found the western frontier entirely too harsh for their taste, in other words, they didn't last long. Furniture in the west had to be practical and since room in the wagons was limited it had to created from materials at hand. And it was. Lodge pole pine was the ideal material, easy to find and relatively easy to work and so it goes it was the chosen material of western design. Thomas Molesworth created a legacy by creating the first commercial western design furniture at the Shoshone Furniture Company in Cody, Wyoming. He loved bright colors and never shied away from using wonderful and sometimes even garrish colors in his designs, orange, lime green where the ones I remember thinking Whoa! about. My favorites were the blue pieces that he created. It reminds me of the extraordinary blue skies in Wyoming and Montana and I really appreciate his unabashed use of that brilliant blue.
Through his legacy an entire industry was borne. Western Furniture makers such as Marc Taggart and Company (www.marctaggart.com) today create beautiful pieces that replicate his work . Marc's grandparents were close friends of Thomas Molesworth and his favorite room in their home was furnished by Mr. Molesworth. It is only fitting that Marc employ the best artistans in the business to re-create some of his favorite pieces.
Molesworth was a true pioneer and the spirit with which he created runs rampant through the artisans that create western design. New materials, styles and methods have sprung from the roots of western to give the genre a broad depth, one that appeals to both traditionalists and those seeking contemporary lines.
Wonderful examples of western design are available on the website at www.contemporarywesterndesign.com. Hope to see you there soon.
Through his legacy an entire industry was borne. Western Furniture makers such as Marc Taggart and Company (www.marctaggart.com) today create beautiful pieces that replicate his work . Marc's grandparents were close friends of Thomas Molesworth and his favorite room in their home was furnished by Mr. Molesworth. It is only fitting that Marc employ the best artistans in the business to re-create some of his favorite pieces.
Molesworth was a true pioneer and the spirit with which he created runs rampant through the artisans that create western design. New materials, styles and methods have sprung from the roots of western to give the genre a broad depth, one that appeals to both traditionalists and those seeking contemporary lines.
Wonderful examples of western design are available on the website at www.contemporarywesterndesign.com. Hope to see you there soon.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
My First Take on Western Design
When people think of western design they think cowboy. Cowboy boots, cowboy chairs and cowboy life. Which is partly right. It is, in fact, how it started: as a necessity borne from the land of the cowboy, the West.
I have lived the cowboy life and of the land, but early on I didn't have any appreciation for the genre of western design. Survival was important, not design.
Introduced to western design in 1997, I immediately fell in love with its natural lines, invigorating colors and all of the earth elements. I am an earth sign so that makes sense! I was also intrigued by this group of artisans that were so dedicated to this niche . I couldn't draw a stick horse if some one asked so that is why, first of all, I was enamored, but secondly, it was because what they created made sense. It echoed the natural world and each piece was from a special place within them. It wasn't an assembly line, it was hands on creation and beautiful.
The western design that I witness everyday is no longer borne specifically to fill a void, nor is it cowboy kitsche in anyway, its an amazing array of interpretations of the West by those who live here and those who wish they did. Whether it is furniture, fashion, jewelry or fine art, these artists are creating some of the finest in original American Art. I hope that you will come and take a look at http://www.contemporarywesterndesign.com/. I am sure you will like what you see.
I'll be back with some great examples of what was and what is......
May the West make all your dreams come true!
Thea
www. contemporarywesterndesign.com
I have lived the cowboy life and of the land, but early on I didn't have any appreciation for the genre of western design. Survival was important, not design.
Introduced to western design in 1997, I immediately fell in love with its natural lines, invigorating colors and all of the earth elements. I am an earth sign so that makes sense! I was also intrigued by this group of artisans that were so dedicated to this niche . I couldn't draw a stick horse if some one asked so that is why, first of all, I was enamored, but secondly, it was because what they created made sense. It echoed the natural world and each piece was from a special place within them. It wasn't an assembly line, it was hands on creation and beautiful.
The western design that I witness everyday is no longer borne specifically to fill a void, nor is it cowboy kitsche in anyway, its an amazing array of interpretations of the West by those who live here and those who wish they did. Whether it is furniture, fashion, jewelry or fine art, these artists are creating some of the finest in original American Art. I hope that you will come and take a look at http://www.contemporarywesterndesign.com/. I am sure you will like what you see.
I'll be back with some great examples of what was and what is......
May the West make all your dreams come true!
Thea
www. contemporarywesterndesign.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)