Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale Coming in Sept

June 25, 2024  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

While the functional art on display ranges from jewelry, fashion and leather to myriad works in wood, metal and more, the creativity and craftsmanship of crafted furniture on display will also be available to admire and acquire at the Western Design Conference, held at the Snow King Events Center in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Sept 5 – 8. 

New to the show this year is Chris Martin Furniture, out of Livermore, Colorado, with over 25 years of experience. Martin finds inspiration in wide-ranging influences including Japanese aesthetics, children’s’ toys and Czech Cubism. Martin uses steel, burned wood, leather and more to create his one-of-a-kind artful chairs, as well as a variety of other pieces for the home.

Stephen Rosini of SR Woodworking out of Salt Lake City, Utah, returns to the WDC this year with his stunning pieces that blur the lines of midcentury and contemporary design, combining thoughtful, minimalistic lines that are sleek yet bold. “An accent chair for modern times,” Rosini’s Lounge Chair offers fabulous repose from morning coffee to cocktail hour. Made of solid wood with custom commissioned options available including walnut, cherry, mahogany and more, with fabric in white, black, toast or custom, the lounge chair starts from $3,925 and is just one of the fine SR Woodworking pieces on view at this year’s Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale.

An independent artist and woodworker with a background in finishing and fine art, Reagan Zubiate of Denver-based New Leaf Design offers up a seat at the WDC with her superb, fine-art chairs that balance “functionality, purpose, and beauty while being mindful of waste in time and materials.

Doug Nordberg, owner of Nordberg Gallery in Cody, Wyoming, returns to the WDC to share his latest high-end custom wood and antler creations. Nordberg took home the Best Artist in Mixed Media Award at last-year’s show for his extraordinary bench (above) with its flowing lines and rustic appeal.

Though better known for his extraordinary bronze and wood sculptures, artist Tyrel Johnson out of Billings, Montana, has a fascination with any three-dimensional challenge as well as with expanding his range of materials. Both those factors played into the functional art creation of his new Persona series of mixed-media chairs.

Tim Lozier’s How Kola Furniture of Cody, Wyoming has been a favorite of the Western Design Conference for years as his timeless pieces honor the vintage cowboy-style designs of the renowned Thomas Molesworth with his own creative spin. Meanwhile, Steve Henneford of Kalispell, Montana-based Henneford Fine Furniture is another always anticipated longtime participant of the WDC, crafting his custom wood and fine leather furniture, including his popular Casual Cowboy chair with its distinctly Western take on contemporary design.

Guests can secure tickets in advance online for the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale, including for the Preview Party + Fashion Show on Sept 5, from 6 - 10 p.m.

General admission tickets for the opening-night event are $100 per person, which includes meet-and-greets with the exhibitors, a runway show, a live auction and local culinary creations paired with signature cocktails from an open bar; VIP tickets with reserved seating are available for $175. The event continues through Sunday, September 8, with day-passes available for $30.