Boscobel House and Gardens is famous for its extraordinary collection of furniture made in New York between 1800 and 1820 by Duncan Phyfe and his contemporaries. For its 2016 special exhibition, Boscobel will celebrate the dynamic and ongoing tradition of making furniture in the Hudson Valley. Hudson Hewn: New York Furniture Now will feature locally made, contemporary furniture that is inspired by past and present, by nature and natural materials, and by the very acts of making and living with beautiful objects.

This groundbreaking exhibition will be installed in Boscobel’s Exhibition Gallery as well as in period interiors throughout the mansion. “The elegant rooms for which Boscobel is so famous present a legacy of art and craft that continues to the present,” notes Executive Director Steven Miller. “We are honored to place that heritage in a new context in this unprecedented exhibition.”

Since joining the Boscobel staff in 2015, Curator Jennifer Carlquist has been eager to draw attention to Boscobel’s permanent collection and connect it to living artists and designers. According to Ms. Carlquist, “Contemporary furniture can inform our understanding of antiques, and vice versa. I am thrilled to share with our visitors new furniture forms that visibly relate to Boscobel’s collection, and represent the exciting renaissance of Hudson Valley craftsmanship.”

Contributing artists and designers include Atlas Industries (Newburgh), Dzierlenga Furniture (Salt Point), Fern Handcrafted Furniture (Hudson), Josh Finn (High Falls), Rob Hare (Ulster Park), Asher Israelow (Brooklyn and Hudson), Nokolai Jacobs (Rosendale), Jeff Johnson (Poughkeepsie), Christopher Kurtz (Kingston), Mike Legget (Woodstock), Moran Woodworked Furniture (Gallatin), David R. Morton/Big Tree Woodowrks (Kingston), Samuel Moyer Furniture (Staatsburg), Munder-Skiles (Garrison), Pacama Handmade (Woodstock), Michael Puryear (Shokan), and Michael Robbins (Philmont). Like many of their early American counterparts, their work blurs the lines between decorative and fine art, craft, and sculpture.

Hudson Hewn will be open during regular museum hours April 16 through August 14, 2016 and is included with admission to the house or grounds. An illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition and be available for purchase in the Gift Shop or downloadable at www.Boscobel.org.