January 23 – April 5, 2015

“Beautility” celebrates otherwise ordinary objects—such as buckets, bicycles, boats, and brooms—that achieve beauty through fitness to purpose and conscientious construction. Some, such as the hand-tied brooms of Appalachian artist Brenda Harman, are beautiful in their authenticity and simplicity. Others, such as Max Gunawan’s “Lumio” multifunctional LED lamp, employ the latest technologies to push the boundaries of innovation and design.

Guest curator Judy Bonzi says, “In researching the show I was excited to discover a natural juxtaposition between gorgeous traditional objects that arrived at their design essence through centuries of anonymous refinement, and contemporary products that have been brilliantly conceived and executed for purposes that were previously unknown.”

Companies represented in “Beautility” include: Analog Watch Co. (Philadelphia, PA), Baldwin Apple Ladders (Brooks, ME), Böwer Company (Neuenkirchen, Germany), Forge and Brooms (Hilsboro, WV), Cottrell Boatbuilders (Searsport, ME), David Rasmussen Design (Carbondale, CO), David Trubridge (Aotearoa, New Zealand), Erba Cycles (Boston, MA), Grain Surfboards (York, ME), Hakuhodo (Hiroshima, Japan), Herrlicht (Erfurt, Germany), JD Wagner, Rodmaker (Parma Heights, OH), Leon Dutch Design (Apeldoorn, The Netherlands), Ligneah (Rome, Italy), Lumio (San Francisco, CA), Orée Artisans (Castelnaudary, France), Pine Buckets Cooperage (Tucson, AZ), Tahir Mahmood Designs (Toronto, Canada), Thank Nature (Santa Rosa, CA), Theriault’s Snowshoes (Fort Kent Mills, ME), Valencia Designs (Brooklyn, NY) and Warehouse (Ottawa, Canada).

Analog Watch Co.|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Carpenter Watch. Wood, leather, stainless steel, Japanese quartz movement. $150 each. www.analogwatchco.com.

Analog Watch Co.

Baldwin Apple Ladders|Brooks, Maine. 12' Pointed Top, Wooden Orchard Ladder. Big tooth aspen, white ash. $185. www.paeterbaldwinarts.com.

Baldwin Apple Ladders

Böwer Company|Neuenkirchen, Germany. Sherwood Carpet by Elisa Strozyk. Wood veneer, linen. $2,600. www.boewer.com.

Böwer Company

Böwer Company|Neuenkirchen, Germany. Sherwood Carpet by Elisa Strozyk. Wood veneer, linen. $2,600. www.boewer.com.

Böwer Company

Böwer Company|Neuenkirchen, Germany. Containers (s,m,l,) and Tray by Eric Degenhardt. Ash. $128, $150, $180, $110 (tray). www.boewer.com.

Böwer Company

BrenWood Forge and Broom|Hilsboro, West Virginia. Cobwebber Broom and Man's Porch Broom. Broomcorn w/wooden handle. $57 & $94 (includes forged iron display hook). www.forgeandbroom.com.

BrenWood Forge and Broom

Cottrell Boatbuilding|Searsport, Maine. Tadpole Tender. Marine meranti plywood, oak, bronze. $7,500 to order. www.cottrellboatbuilding.com.

Cottrell Boatbuilding

David Rasmussen Designs|Carbondale, CO. Assorted Dishware. Walnut. Prices vary. www.davidrasmussendesign.com.

David Rasmussen Designs

David Trubridge|Aotearoa, New Zealand. Light. Bamboo - 1-ply. $600. www.davidtrubridge.com.

David Trubridge

David Trubridge|Aotearoa, New Zealand. Light. Bamboo - 1-ply. $600. www.davidtrubridge.com.

David Trubridge

Erba Cycles|Boston, Massachusetts. Erban Bamboo Bicycle. Bamboo, hemp. $4,200. www.erbacycles.com.

Erba Cycles

|Grain Surfboards|York, Maine. Longliner. Northern white cedar, western red cedar. $3,000. www.grainsurfboards.com.

Grain Surfboards

Hakuhodo|Hiroshima, Japan. Kinoko Make-up Brushes (s,m,l). Maple, goat/synthetic. $75, $125, $188. www.hakuhodousa.com.

Hakuhodo

Herrlicht|Erfurt, Germany. Wooden Spectacles. Cherry, walnut, fumed oak. $1,500/pair. www.herrlicht.de.

Herrlicht

J.D. Wagner, Rodmaker|Parma Heights, Ohio. Signature Series, 4-5 wt trout rod, custom. Tonkin cane, cork, silk thread, nickel silve, ash burl. $2,695. www.wagnerrods.com.

J. D. Wagner

Ligneah|Rome, Italy. Atlantea Bag. Brown ash. $395. www.ood.italy.it.

Ligneah

Ligneah|Rome, Italy. Astrid Pochette and Crisopelea Wallet. Pink ash and red ash. $150/$125. www.ood.italy.it.

Ligneah

Ligneah|Rome, Italy. Sneaker. Brown ash. NFS. www.ood.italy.it.

Ligneah

Lumio|San Francisco, California. Lumio Book Lamp. Walnut, Tyvek. $190. www.hellolumio.com.

Lumio

Orée|Castelnaudary, France. Board 2 and Touch Slab. Walnut, maple. From $175 each. www.oreeartisans.com.

Orée

Pine Buckets Cooperage|Tucson, Arizona. Mesquite Bucket. Mesquite, iron. NFS. www.pinebuckets.com

Pine Buckets Cooperage

Tahir Mahmood Design|Toronto, Canada. Baylun. Rosewood. $50. www.tahirmahmood.com.

Tahir Mahmood Design

Thank Nature|Santa Rosa, California. Hex Hive. Cedar, copper. $450. www.thanknature.com.

Thank Nature

Theriault's Snowshoes|Fort Kent Mills, Maine. Various snowshoes. Black ash, cow hide. $350 per pair. www.ilovesnowshoes.com.

Theriault’s Snowshoes

Valencia Designs|Brooklyn, New York. Stems. Walnut, ash, or maple. www.valencia-designs.com.

Valencia Designs

Warehouse|Ottawa, Canada. Maple Set Knives. Maple, steel. $100/set. www.warehousebrand.com.

Warehouse