Front Porch the
winter 2018–2019
wichita
The Art of Cultivating Simple Pleasures and Living Well
T
reasured
Textiles T
Textiles, in their most basic form, date back to the late Stone Age, roughly 100,000 years ago. In the arena of existing things, the evolution of textiles loosely parallels the course of technological developments worldwide. Neolithic peoples first clothed themselves in animal pelts or hides, both for protection and warmth, but surviving examples of textiles—found in ancient Turkey—are believed to date from only 6500 BC. For thousands of years thereafter, people wove clothing from natural fabrics, of which, at the time, there Continued on page 10. Beyond basic and functional clothing, textiles that make artistic statements—whether it be in cotton or wool, large or small, bold or subtle—that are forever treasured. Top, clockwise: 1] A detail of a gorgeously extravagant French poster advertising an upcoming exhibition of tapestry masterpieces. Courtesy of Lizanne Guthrie, Design Studio, Ltd., 682.6612 2] This resplendent red fabric, handmade in India and enhanced by golden threads woven throughout, is 20 feet long; the collector remarks, “I like that all my textiles have stories to tell, it’s what puts life into the pieces! Also, they can be both practical and stylish. For instance, when I’m having a party, I can bring this wonderful piece of fabric out to feature as a spectacular table runner.” 3] The title of this winsome piece is “Early Springtime on the Farm” by none other than the iconic American artist Anna Mary Robertson —“Grandma” Moses—who at the age of 78 began painting charming scenes of life in rural New England. Her work was prolifically reproduced on greeting cards, calendars, tiles, fabric, and dinnerware. The original painting shown here was made on vintage bark cloth; some time later, the image became a repeating pattern on fabric and textiles, most likely wallpaper, and one devotee carefully cut out this nostalgic scene and framed it, thus preserving the composition for generations to come.
Festive, but easy to prepare, warm suppers for cold winter evenings. See page 14 for recipes.
number 38 2 Peaceable Kingdom: holiday donations help animals all year long 4 The Collector: a passion for cookies leads to collecting cookie jars 5 Shades of Green: simple changes make going green a New Year's goal 8 A La Carte: Italian grain takes on a new taste with New England blueberries 15 Quiet Spaces: beautiful scenes unfold as winter shrouds the city