Origin/Artist of your rug wallhanging
Your contemporary rug wallhanging is a fine example of high-relief sculptured and "carved" rug art created and original to Gary Smith of DFW in the mid century era. He was locally very well known as a Texas artist. I believe he stopped creating the wallhangings in the mid or late eighties.
The Dallas Times Herald credited him with the creation of a new artform in the mid seventies. Smith was the first artist featured in the Premier Issue of the Dallas Homes and Gardens Magazine. His rug wallhangings were always signed GS with a copyright and dated. At one time there were three lines designed simultaneously: commercial, art circuit, and custom art.
Some wallhangings were primarily sold through the most highly juried art shows across the United States, enthusiastically acclaimed because of the texture, quality and dimensional sculptured impact. The complexity of the wallhanging construction resulted in recognition as a unique craft developed to an "art form." In addition, new designs were offered each year at the Home Furnishing Markets in world trade centers in DFW, Highpoint,San Francisco,New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The design you have asked about was available in circular shapes in 36inch or 48inch diameters. Sizes were determined by the base not the finished mounted size - hence, your measurement of 37".
At that time, earth tones and monotones were hot. The designs for the wallhangings offered all of the mid century decorating color combinations plus designs in common themes plus some immensely popular abstracts. Some of the designs were massive in size and the wallhangings were considered coveted/hot to-die-for focal point decorative items and were purchased by celebrities, sports idols and high-end decorators. It wasn't rare for the wallhangings literally to sell out the first day of any art show, gallery opening or market hall.
Your wallhanging was quite expensive at that time, and should be even more so today with the current craze for genuine midcentury art and furnishings. I spotted the exact design you have as part of the decor in one of the sets of "Three's Company".
Some of the prestigious corporations which chose the wall hangings for decorative purposes included the IRS, the Twin Tree hotel chains, and the first art bank in the nation willing to make loans on art investments. Many ordered custom designs of their logos; and or, because of the vast size of the facilities chose what were called "wall-scapes," much larger than some pieces that at best would now be considered "kitschy" pieces. However, I recall a line of full-sized sculpted monotone abstract nudes that were simply stunning, timeless pieces of art.
Having mentioned that, again, your size was ideal for over the fireplace wall decor. At the time, if a decorator could only afford to splurge on one spectacular piece of art - one of these "statement" pieces - was "it".
Hope info helps.
WOW....!!!!
That's all I can say. Hear that everybody.....?!...:) Especially you *spanky*....:) And you said the scenery, and colors weren't original.....
I knew this more than just some after school points project that belonged in a dumpster. That info was just amazing dude! I just could not see how this wouldn't have been popular in almost any mid century setting. And now I know it was insanely popular. I felt that from the piece. The scene, and coloring alone would make you go for it. Not to mention the 3-d textured feel, and design.
There's so much great art out there that's overlooked, and by the judging I got, I assume many more would have walked right by it. I'm really glad I've got an eye for unique art on all forms. Someone will really go crazy for this in their home. Especially with such a rich, and detailed knowledge of it's history I have now. Thank you very much. That was awesome..!!
Simmer down groovy dude
That was a boatload of information, yes. And out of curiosity I hit the google for corroboration and to see some of these other works.
And nothing.
As the Russian proverb says: trust, but verify. For me a good identification needs corroboration and then as much "story" as can be told.
And I'm not saying this corroboration doesn't exist, but it isn't easy to find.
Well.....
Devonia must be really bored...:) You know, the guys last name is smith. It may not be the first hit. I pulled up 1,700,000 by typing: "gary Smith" artist texas. How many did you go through? A lot of information out there isn't easy to find on the net. The net is not the holy grail for knowledge. If everyone only used the net for info, there would be no libraries left in the world. Last I checked, wikipedia couldn't compete with a library.
Most of my information comes from forums, where people search numerous old catalogues to track down lost and forgotten info, then share it over the net. Which is how we end up finding it. Antique fan, stereo, and pottery forums come to mind, that are great ones for scanning countless catalogue pages, so the information can be brought to the net.
That's half the reason why thousands of product ads, and manuals are sold everyday on ebay. People want that information that's not available on the internet.
Hold On.....
Some new evidence has come to light. I take it all back. Well maybe not take it back, but I might supress it for a moment, even though a lot of it was scientifically true, regardless of the topic...:) It looks as though the previous poster is in fact the designer...? I found this page by searching the keywords "dallas home and gardens":
http://manyshadesofshabby.blogspot.com/
About half way down the page, she starts talking about what she shared here, but in more detail. Check it out, and see what you think, as the mystery builds.... Dun, dun, duh....
Ya Ya Ya.......
I know. Who would have ever thought... Why didn't they say they designed it...? It's still a really cool piece of rug wall art, and there might be some validity to that story. We shouldn't write it off just yet. These things are hot, and they do bring good money on the net. A piece crafted this nice could easily fetch $300 to $400 regardles of the name. I thought name would help add some value, but even without, it still has good value because of the design, color scheme, age, and condition. That, I do know.
I think....
the lady is maybe telling the truth. I searched "designs by devonia" to see if anything came up, because she mentioned that, but never mentions her name. I did find a few examples that seem to corroborate that part of the story. And that photo of her in the paper could be true. On the other hand, she says she spotted a hanging just like mine in Three's Company, but on the blog she says it is her's in the set of Three's Company. Unless the poster just used that name Devonia as the reference key.
Here's the question I'm asking now. She claims she invented the rug wall art. Does anyone really know where the wall rug/carpet tapestry idea came from? Is there an artist credited for inventing that, or did it just spring up as a new craft out of the blue, and was taken to other levels by more artistically inclined people? I'd like to hear that posters response, (as they do seem somewhat knowledgeable) and yours too. I just really don't know.
My attempt to answer your question...
Every creative attempt "springs up" and is thrown into the big arena. Some of it sticks, and some of it doesn't. Some of causes other artists to take note, and some of it is ignored.
If introduced with care, some of it finds its way up the gallery food chain and after awhile makes it into a few museum survey shows. Some of it also finds its way to garage sales and thrift stores.
Some of it was never intended as anything but nicely dressed up commerce.
Who started shag rugs?
Who put them on the wall first, and started to look at them as "art"?
Which creative stoned bohemian made a Hobbit tree out of one of the rugs first?
Which enterprising "craftsperson"/entrepreneur then decided to start cranking them out and make a cottage industry out of the (ahem) "idea"? Possibly adding their own personal gimmick known as the dreaded "sculpted carpet". (Sculpted carpet was first introduced on the floor. It should have never made it to the floor if you ask me.)
It all went into the blender dude.
I think I have seen that tree ever since the Hobbit books hit the shelves in the late sixties when I was in high school. It ran into the shag rug aesthetic somewhere along the way, and then crawled up onto the wall.
Everything gets tried. Someone had to do it I guess.
Just my two cents.
SDR
I was just generalizing about the whole art-rug fiasco at that time in history.
To me, carved and shag were two peas in the same pod, with the same kinds of problems... at least back then.
Today is quite a different story. Forgive my sloppiness of rug terms.
Just went on a rant... had too much fun and got sloppy.
groovydude
Pollock did okay, did he not?
Not sure what you are suggesting, but I will take the bait!
Like him or not, Pollock is in every major modern museum in the world. He is a historical fact. Whereas you cant even find the Sugar Tree guy....
America's first world class painting movement was abstract expressionism, and Pollock was one of a handful of artists that comprised that first generation. (INVENTED it)
I dont see the carpet tree guy in ANY museum art (OR design) collections. Unless you count the "Twin Tree Hotel" chain as a collection...
You use the term "true art" rather loosely, in my opinion.
Nice find, but I wouldn't go around calling it "true art".
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