Wendell Castle

The father of the art furniture movement, Wendell Castle has been a sculptor, designer, and educator for more than four decades. An influential artist, his work has led to the development of handcrafted, modern, designer furniture as a major art form and his name is revered above all others in the field. His bold and graceful pieces, with their sinuous organic forms are crafted from rare and beautiful hardwoods, plastics, veneers, and metals in a timeless contemporary style. Born and educated in Kansas, Castle moved to Rochester, New York in 1961 and taught. He is Artist-in-Residence at the at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, New York, and maintains his art studio in nearby Scottsville. Internationally lauded for his contributions to the American art and design field, his numerous awards and honors include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, honors from the American Craft Museum, the National Museum of American Art and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Design from the Brooklyn Museum of Art. In 1998 Wendell founded The Wendell Castle Collection to bring his sculptural vision to a broader audience. The Collection offers original works hand-crafted in Wendell Castle's workshop by world-class craftsmen and women. This podcast was recorded during the 1991 International Achievement Summit in New York City.