Join us for Field + Supply 2017 At The Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, NY

Field + Supply, October 6-8, 2017

We are now less than a week away from one of our favorite annual design events: Field + Supply Modern Makers Fair founded by designer Brad Ford.

Join us this weekend Oct 6-8, at The Hutton Brickyards for a one-of-a-kind gathering of artists, makers, designers, and craft food exhibitors. Exhibitors for at this year's F+S include: Dzierlenga Furniture, J.M. Szymanski Interiors, Michele Quan, Jim Zivic, Borough Furnace, Made By Hand-Jon Giswold, Fayce Textiles, Adler & Co., and many many others.

Learn more about Field + Supply and book your tickets here.

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From The Archives: The Hudson Company Stage for Field + Supply 2016

While we wait to reveal this year's The Hudson Company + Field + Supply 2017 events stage design, we invite you to dive into the archives to see our how last year's stage collaboration with designer Brad Ford came to life. 

Stay tuned to this blog and to our Instagram Feed for the reveal of this year's Field + Supply stage...

Inspired By: Selina van der Geest of NL-GB

The designer's home in Milan, NY with exteriors featuring Hudson Company Reclaimed Brown Board Paneling.  Photography by Andreas von Einsiedel for  House & Garden UK.

The home's interior, with Reclaimed Hand Hewn Beams by The Hudson Company.

“The Reclaimed Brown Board Paneling we used on the outside of our house immediately adds a sense of history and character. ”

— Selina van der Geest

Selina van der Geest of NL-GB, photo by Venetia Dearden

Introducing Selina van der Geest

Interior designer Selina van der Geest moved to New York from London in 2000. Since coming to America, Selina has worked in the art and decorating business and has now opened her own eclectic showroom near Millbrook, NY, 90 miles north of New York City.

After building her own house in Milan, New York, Selina was inundated with requests to add her unique style and organizational skills to projects for private clients. It has been a natural progression to continue the decorating business she started back in England, bringing a relaxed European feeling to her clients’ houses. She believes in working organically, reflecting in her designs and colors, the natural surroundings of the property she is transforming.

Earlier this year, we sat down with Selina to discuss her work.

Tell us a bit about how your time training in Europe prepared you for the work you do today?

Well, I studied history and art history which gave me a great background for my work in interior design.  I was lucky to combine both fields working for Colnaghi, the old master art gallery in London, designing stands and galleries as well as working with important art works. It was there that I learned woodworking and curtain making, thus giving me a very hands on approach to my work. The European aesthetic is different and has certainly continues to influence my work here in the States.

How did you choose Upstate, New York as the base for your home and business?  

My husband, who is Dutch, bought a house Upstate in 1983, when he first came to America.  I moved to New York from London in 2000 and since I share his love for the area, we purchased land in 2002 and decided to build a house. As soon as we finished the house, I was asked to help with other projects and so my work Upstate evolved.

what is the red thread that connects all of your design interests?

I am very inspired by nature and the environment around me, whether Upstate or on my travels. I often  incorporate natural elements into my designs.  Bottom line, I strive to create original homes and furniture for my clients and that's what drives me creatively.

What can you tell us about the design process for your own home in Milan, NY?

Before even buying the land, we bought an early 17th Century Louis XIII mantle in Bordeaux, France when we were there for a wedding.  Then, we designed the house around this and a pair of antique Chinese doors.  Coming from homes built of stone in England, I wanted to achieve the same sense of history and character in our new home Milan.

The Reclaimed Brown Board Paneling we used on the outside of our house, immediately adds a sense of history and character.  I stained the cut edge of all the batons, so we didn’t have fresh cuts showing.  It also has the advantage of requiring less maintenance.

Inside we have a large open room featuring Reclaimed Hudson Company Beams, which, along with the Bordeaux mantlepiece, give a very European character to the house.  On the floors we used wide white oak boards, which we left untreated so they could develop a patina over time.  The result is a home which feels very settled, relaxed and natural.

What were some of the key design goals for your new home?

We love cooking so wanted to have a big open space that would allow us to cook while also enjoying the fire and the living area.  You enter through a mudroom with the large Chinese doors creating a welcoming opening into the great room and a view through the French doors to the pool beyond. We often have our family and guests staying and having separate bedroom wings and a guest apartment help to give us all space, but a wonderful place to congregate.

We built the house in seven months and it was certainly an advantage to be on site daily. I spent many days shoveling snow or helping the framer when someone didn’t show up and nothing was delayed waiting for decisions.  I also insist on a clean and tidy job site, believing that a messy environment encourages sloppy work.

What's next for Selina van der Geest?

I am working on a new house being built in Sharon, CT for a client whose apartment I designed in the city. We’re combining a traditional stone farmhouse with painted barn buildings, a stone potting shed and an English green house. The goal is for the house to feel as if it’s been there for hundreds of years and has evolved over time.  Likewise, my goal is for the interior is to feel as if it’s been collected over the years, with interesting accents, textures and natural colors.

Lastly, how would you describe your experience working with The Hudson Company?

The Hudson Company have a wonderful selection of materials and a great aesthetic. From the sampling process to selection, they have listened and understood what we are after. Whether its a small order of individual planks and beams or a bigger order of  pre-finished wood floors, The Hudson Company has  always provided us with quality, professional services.

Visit NLGB.com to learn more about Selina's work.

Learn more about Reclaimed Hand Hewn Beams here and Reclaimed Brown Board Paneling here.

Below is a sampling of more interiors by Selina, with photos by Jane Beiles for The New York Times.

Jane Beiles for The New York Times (here and below).

“The Hudson Company have a wonderful selection of materials and a great aesthetic. From the sampling process to selection, they have listened and understood what we are after. ”

— selina van der geest

Setting The Stage: The Hudson Company + Field & Supply 2016

“In designing the stage, I was inspired by artist Donald Judd. I wanted to create a simple form that complimented the materials (White Oak) but didn’t distract from the natural surroundings.”

— Designer Brad Ford

Donald Judd, Untitled sketch, 1967, Graphite on paper. (C) Judd Foundation.

Donald Judd, Untitled Works in Concrete: Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas, 1984.

Finished Field + Supply stage, designed by Brad Ford and built with Hudson Company White Oak planking.

Setting The Stage at Field + Supply 2016

This October, The Hudson Company was proud to be a partner of Field + Supply, an event led by New York based designer Brad Ford. Over the past three years, this multi-day experience has grown to include bespoke furniture, ceramics, and textiles. And for this year's Field + Supply event, The Hudson Company partnered with Brad Ford to create a temporary stage for the weekend's lineup of musical performances.

Inspiration and Construction

According to Ford, the inspiration for the event's all wood stage actually came from sculptor Donald Judd, well known for his work in concrete, "In designing the stage, I was inspired by artist Donald Judd. I wanted to create a simple form that complimented the materials (White Oak) but didn't distract from the natural surroundings." Andrew Phillips of The Hudson Company points out that, "from a builder's perspective, Brad's design is extremely clean, uncluttered in detail, and understated. Simplicity in design is easy to conceptualize but always more difficult to execute."

When it came time to bring Ford’s design to life, the stage's structure was first built on site at The Hudson Company in Pine Plains, NY so that materials could be custom cut and fit to the stage's exact dimensions. Because the stage was going to be a relatively large, temporary structure, it had to be easy to build, assemble and dismantle in a short time. The stage's design called for The Hudson Company’s Center Cut White Oak to 'wrap' the stage surfaces completely, thus creating the solid mass that inspired Ford. Once the stage had been mocked up in Pine Plains and the cladding cut to fit, it was then disassembled, transported, and reassembled at the Field + Supply event site, Hasbrouk House in Stoneridge, NY.

A Quiet But IMpactful Statement

Looking back on the 2016 Field + Supply event, Ford is overwhelmed with the overall experience, "This year's Field + Supply was by far my favorite. The lush, open setting was idyllic, the crisp fall weather was perfect, and I think we had the best group of vendors to date. But one of this year's highlights was definitely the live music with The Hudson Company's stage serving as the backdrop. I think the stage made a quiet but impactful statement, which is a philosophy I share and admire in The Hudson Company."

From the beginning, this one-of-a-kind stage was meant to be temporary, built solely for this year's Field + Supply event. But, in fact, it looks like our little stage will live on and be used for future events at the Hasbrouck House.

Learn more about Hudson Company Center Cut White Oak wood surfaces.

Learn more about designer Brad Ford and Field & Supply.

The stage structure being mocked up at The Hudson Company Mill in Pine Plains, NY.

Onsite stage build at Hasbrouk House, Stone Ridge, NY.

“From a builder’s point of view, Brad [Ford]’s design is extremely clean, uncluttered in detail, and understated. Simplicity in design is easy to conceptualize but always more difficult to pull-off.”

— Andrew Phillips, The Hudson Company

Hudson Company Center Cut White Oak planking in detail.

The finished stage in action during Field + Supply 2016.

The Hudson Company + Ashley Seil Smith

New York based artist Ashley Seil Smith

“I like the warmth and texture inherent in the Reclaimed Heart Pine flooring, there’s a lot of character and line variation within the grain, which I think complements the line work in my drawings.”

— Ashley Seil Smith

The artist at work.

The Hudson Company + Ashley Seil Smith

Ashley Seil Smith is an artist based in Manhattan, New York with a studio in the lower Hudson Valley.  She has a background in cultural anthropology but earned an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts.  In 2012 she cofounded The Period Store and eventually sold it in 2015 to focus on editorial illustration, fine art, and teaching. Ashley's commercial clients include Google, Case Agency, Forbes, Oyster Books, Isthmus, and various academic journals and nonprofits. The artist lives, and often works, in Manhattan, but escapes to the Hudson River and her studio near Bear Mountain whenever she can. In addition to freelance, commissioned, and fine art work, Ashley teaches art to a variety of ages around Manhattan with Scribble Art Workshop.

The Hudson Company first discovered Ashley's work via her inspiring Instagram feed which is, like her work, full of whimsical observations of both the natural and built environments. It would be easy to peruse Ashley's work - particularly her pen and ink drawings and ethnographic prints - and see it as simplistic. But we think that it is precisely this deceptive simplicity that is so intriguing about Ashley's work. In our opinion, there is a timeless, reflective beauty in her (often small scale) drawings as well as an exotic mystique to her prints and graphic design work.

This summer we reached out to Ashley and asked her to allow us into her creative process. Along with the insights below, Ashley was also kind enough to create a custom mood board for us, using Reclaimed Heart Pine [Original Face] as her backdrop. 

5 Questions with Artist Ashley Seil Smith

Tell us about the tools that you've included in your mood board, what's their origin story? 

I enjoy collecting older tools that can actually be used in my art practice.  Some of them were picked up at antique stores across the United States (particularly along the Hudson River Valley, where my studio is), others I inherited from my grandma, who dabbled in art and was a wildly creative person.  A lot of older tools were designed beautifully, simply, and with quality material, so using them is an esthetic and practical as well.  My rulers are my favorite tools - natural material with interesting designs and stories to tell.

How do you use mood boards in your work? What role do they play in your creative process?

Mood boards keep things concise - I believe "good" mood boards have some parameters - a limit on how much you can add, so it forces you to think through what really inspires you and why.  So much of creativity is about making decisions, and a mood board helps you identify specific things you like or aim for in your own work.

I always keep a small collection of images on a folder in my desktop, and these act as a general mood board for my work, which spans across many mediums.  They are images that I truly love and that inspire me in some way, whether it's the color palette, technique, concept, or the way the image makes me feel.  I go through my little desktop mood board about once a month and always end up editing something out and adding other things that I like better.

There are so many places to go for inspiration these days, where do you go to get inspired?

I like going to places that set my aesthetic standard pretty high, and since I live in Manhattan, I have the opportunity to visit museums fairly often - the Met, MoMA, or Museum of Natural History are some favorites.  If an art exhibit inspires me I always buy the exhibit catalogue, so I have a nice collection of art books started and I refer to them when I'm in a rut.

Other than museums, I also turn to creative sources I trust, like The Great Discontent, and I see a lot of wonderful work on Instagram and Pinterest.  Pinterest, in particular, is great when I'm doing initial research for a project.  And, like many artists, I find a great deal of inspiration in nature. If I'm not working, I'm likely walking outside with my dogs or out for a trail run or hike around Inwood Hill Park.

What can you tell us about the drawing you included in your mood board: was that an original for this mood board or something you created separately? 

This particular ink drawing was done at the beginning of the year and was inspired by Yosemite National Park. I find myself drawing a lot of scenes from places I love or that inspire me. As you can tell, I enjoy the simplicity of pen and ink as well, it's a simple medium that's good for travel, so a lot of my ink drawings are done on location.

Why did you chose this particular Hudson Company flooring as the background for mood board?

I like the warmth and texture inherent in the Reclaimed Heart Pine flooring, there's a lot of character and line variation within the grain, which I think complements the line work in my drawings. I'm a big fan of Hudson Company flooring - you manage to cover all parts of the spectrum, from rustic to modern to classic and beyond.  Natural textures paired with modern design inspire me, which is one of the reasons I started following Hudson Company on various social medium platforms. 

You can learn more about Ashley's work on her website and you can follow her creative journey on Instagram. All above photos are taken from Ashley's website or Instagram feed. All mood board photos by Gentl and Hyers. 

Learn more about Reclaimed Heart Pine [Original Face] here. 

Mood board by Ashley Seil Smith for The Hudson Company

The Hudson Company + Amanda Jane Jones

Define Magazine, founded by designer Amanda Jane Jones

“Define came out of what felt like a need. There were so many artists that I collaborate with who talked about wanting more opportunities to create work just for the sake of creating.”

— Amanda Jane Jones

The designer at home.

A peak inside Define Magazine.

The Hudson Company + Amanda Jane Jones

Amanda Jane Jones is a award-winning, freelance graphic designer and art director based in Chicago, IL but currently living with her family in Geneva, Switzerland. During her career, Amanda has collaborated with a variety of creative brands, including VSCO, Solly Baby, Kinfolk Magazine (as co-founder), and Artifact Uprising. Amanda's current passion project is the elegant new creative quarterly, Define Magazine.

When we asked Amanda to create a custom mood board for our ongoing series of creative collaborations, we knew it would be be a gorgeous, minimalist's meditation on color and simplicity. In this, we certainly weren't disappointed. But it's the story behind the items that Amanda chose to feature in her mood board that are especially fascinating: photos of her children, Pantone color swatches, and skipping stones from the shores of Lake Michigan.

Here is the story behind Amanda's lovely mood board for The Hudson Company...

5 Questions with Amanda Jane Jones

Tell us about the items included in your mood board, what's their origin story? Why did you select them for this mood board?

I'm always looking for calming influences in my life and strive for my home to be minimal, quiet, simple and calming. And since we live just a quick walk away from Lake Michigan (where I vacationed as a child with my family) I often take my children there throughout the year. The colors of the lake have always inspired me. Every time I visit the lake, I come home with at least one rock that we keep in jars on our bookshelves. The homes along Lake Michigan - especially in the Glen Arbor area - have always inspired me as well, with their white-washed wood exteriors. The Lake brings back peaceful, happy, calm memories. If the kids (or I) are ever grumpy or in a slump of some sort, the Lake is the first place we visit - the wind coming off of Lake Michigan seems to cure all. 

How do you use mood boards in your professional work? What role do they play in your creative process?

I utilize a lot of mood boards in my work. It's a huge part of my design process. I start with brainstorming, looking through my collection of books to get ideas. I also have an inspiration wall at home that I love to cover with ephemera I've collected from my travels or received from friends.

Tell us about your inspiration for Define Magazine: where did the concept come from and what inspired you to create this publication?

Define came out of what felt like a need. There were so many artists that I collaborate with who talked about wanting more opportunities to create work just for the sake of creating. It's hard to make time for personal work amid the day to day of creating for clients - so it was born out of an idea to create a space for artists to feel free to create for the sake of creating.

From my own experience, I know that artists hunger to work on projects uninhibited by the client filter and we jump at a chance to collaborate with other artists on a global scale—to make something beautiful and thought-provoking. The basis of Define is simple: each issue focuses on a single word defined by a unique set of artists through various mediums. 

So far it's been exciting to see artists explore the same theme through different perspectives. We hope it's a magazine that resonates with both artists and art lovers, so that we are able to accumulate a collection of definitions that create a beautiful anthology to be enjoyed and re-defined for years to come

Are there specific places that you turn when you need fresh ideas or inspiration? Particular books, other creative people, blogs, etc.?

When I'm in a design slump, I always go for a walk. Fresh air is always a quick fix. Also, books - both old and new. I don't think you can ever have too many books. Oh, and I love Maira Kalman - she's an endless inspiration to me.

Why did you chose this particular Hudson Company flooring as the background for mood board?

With Select Harvest Ash [Neva Finish], I love how white it is - the color is just perfect. Again, there's something calming about this kind of floor and so I'm naturally drawn to the tone and fell of Neva. At home, we recently painted our kitchen floor white and I love how it's brightened our space.

You can learn more about Amanda Jane's work on her website and you will certainly want to follow her on Instagram as well. Here you can learn more about Define Magazine. All mood board photos by Gentl and Hyers. 

Learn more about Select Harvest [Neva Finish] here. 

Custom mood board by designer Amanda Jane Jones for The Hudson Company, featuring Select Harvest Ash [Neva Finish] flooring.

Inspired By: Installation Artist Pernille Snedker Hansen

All photos taken from www.snedkerstudio.dk.

Partly calculation, partly chance: The Evolution of Formation

It's not every day that we stumble upon an artist or maker doing something truly innovative with wood flooring, but when we discovered the work of Copenhagen-based artist and craftswoman Pernille Snedker Hansen - we were totally floored.

The founder of Snedker Studio, Pernille specializes in custom, handcrafted wood surfaces and commissioned artworks. Her current work is defined by the use of colorful patterns and organic forms applied to both paper and wood flooring. By combining the random with the intentional - her work is at once whimsical and structured.

One admirer has described Pernille's work as, "immersive artworks" and we have to agree - by replicating the fluid, asymmetrical aesthetics of nature and combining those forms with the careful human touch of the artisan, Ms. Snedker Hansen is creating works that are both singular and inspiring. 

Another perspective on the artist's work, from her own website:

"In search of visual phenomena in nature like structures of wood, grain, patterns of growth, Pernille Snedker Hansen sets out to experiment with techniques to imitate and magnify nature. Organic processes become scripts for the artist’s movements with her tools: water, numerous small bottles filled with various colors, wood, paper and a careful choice of colour combinations; combing through materialised occurrences like a colour drop spreading in the water basin, pushed away from its inner circle to the edge by the next drop falling into it. What happens is partly calculation, partly chance, loosing the artist’ hold on the process but at the same time being incredible aware and highly concentrated on the evolution of formation."

Our team is always on the lookout for creative makers who are pushing the boundary of what's possible in wood flooring design and Ms. Snedker Hansen certainly fits that description. We're especially smitten with her Refraction and Arch flooring installations. And while we can't wait to see what this inspiring artists comes up with next, there's plenty of Pernille's work out there to admire. Trust us, you want to dive into the full spectrum of her impressive and chromatic body of work.

You can learn more about Pernille at her official website and follow her inspiring posts on Instagram. All photos taken from www.snedkerstudio.dk.

The artist at work in her Copenhagen studio.

All photos taken from www.snedkerstudio.dk.

Inspired By: California Craftswoman Aleksandra Zee

Photo by Trinette Reed for Huck Magazine.

This week, we are featuring the inspiring work of Oakland based artist and woodworker Aleksandra Zee. Zee's stunning, reclaimed wood mosaics first came to our attention via her impressive Instagram feed, which led us to her growing portfolio of large and small-scale wooden wall hangings.

Trained in the fine arts, Ms. Zee is deeply inspired by the desert landscapes of the American Southwest and by Native American handicrafts and textiles. She has described her work as, 'recreating Navajo blankets out of wood.'

Speaking to Huck Magazine in 2014, Ms. Zee described her passion for working with reclaimed wood materials:

"I believe in working with a material that inspires you. For me, reclaimed wood has a history and I want to add to that history and give it a new life: rustic, worn, warm, and reminiscent. I love that transformation process. First I choose the lumber I am going to use. Then I separate it into colour palettes. Then I lay out a rough pattern, play around with it a bit, and when it’s perfect I nail it down. After the pattern is created I seal the piece and go to town with a sander."

We are excited to see where Ms. Zee's inspiration and passion for reclaimed materials take her in 2016.  

You can learn about Aleksandra Zee and her work at her site. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are from aleksandrazee.com.

Aleksandra Zee for the Buchanan Hotel, San Francisco. Photo by Laure Joliet.