Herb Stratford ’88 ’95 and his wife, Kerry ’87, have always admired American Arts and Crafts furniture and interiors. They’re now sharing that passion in “Gustav Stickley: American Craftsman,” a documentary film that chronicles the life and works of Stickley, 1858-1942, considered the father of the American Arts and Crafts movement.
“We loved the furniture and began collecting books and crafts from the period,” says Herb, a Tucson film critic with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts from the University of Arizona. “We couldn’t believe there wasn’t a movie or documentary about Stickley, so we pitched a concept and began developing a narrative feature.”
The project started as a labor of love for the Stratfords, who met in an art history class. It turned into a cross-country journey with a film crew made up partially of UArizona alumni. In the film, they interview experts and Stickley family members, uncover archival materials and showcase his most iconic works.
Originally published on the Arizona Alumni website.
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