Celebrating Artistic License
ABOVE: Artistic License, the prolific and celebrated guild of artisans in the San Francisco Bay Area, is celebrating 30 years. Go to artisansball.org for more information.
Collaboration is alive and well in the revival of Arts and Crafts. This installation for a client in Santa Rosa was conceived by Debey Zito, who designed and built the fireplace woodwork, the light fixture, and the chair (with a copper falcon inlaid in the side panel). Her partner Terry Schmitt did the carving.
Ravens (a popular motif) recall the lively birds in a fireplace grille by Voysey. The oak trees are all about California. Photo: Nathanael Bennett
Paul Duchscherer specified the wallpaper, which was made by Bradbury & Bradbury and installed by Peter Bridgman. Stuart Compton created the tiles around the hearth. Ted Ellison designed and created the art glass in the fixture. Audel Davis did the metalwork. Dianne Ayres (Arts and Crafts Period Textiles) produced the window treatments and pillow. The house itself was designed by architects Steve Rynerson and Pat O’Brien. All are members of Artistic License, a decades-old guild with roots in the San Francisco Bay Area. The project, Zito says, is a tribute to English A&C designers Voysey and Ashbee.
