Western Design Trends Showcase: September Jackson Hole Conference Draws Top Artisans

JACKSON, Wyo., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- It should be no surprise that the West -- home to that icon of independence, the American cowboy -- would give rise to an equally autonomous spirit in its artisans. And no place better showcases their innovative use of materials and methods than the Western Design Conference.

The juried show, featuring nationally recognized artisans and craftspeople working with wood, metal, leather, textiles, and more, runs Sept. 4-6, 2008. The world's preeminent exhibition of Western furniture, home accessories, fashion, and jewelry features a wide range of artistic influences, including Cowboy, Adirondack, Rustic, Lodge, Asian, Southwestern, Hispanic, Native American, and Modern.

From a giant armoire cleverly and unexpectedly clad in leather, to a chest of drawers set with luminescent slivers of alabaster naturally evoking mountain scenes, to a lamp featuring lifelike delicately worked steel leaves and vines, the juried show highlights one-of-a-kind, museum-quality functional art pieces that bring the spirit of the West into the mainstream marketplace. And because the Western Design Conference is widely recognized as the nation's premier exhibition and sale of Western design, it draws craftspeople, scholars, collectors, interior designers, architects and fashion designers from around the world.

The Western Design Conference is hosted by Teton Home and Living magazine with a mission of helping nurture the evolution of design in the American West. The conference is part of the opening days of the popular Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, Sept. 4-21, 2008. The WDC exhibition and sale will be open to the public Thursday, Sept. 4 from Noon to 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Snow King Conference Center in Jackson. Tickets are $15, or $35 for a three-day pass. For additional information, call (307) 690-9719 or visit http://www.westerndesignconference.com.

Media Contacts: Nancy McCullough-McCoy, nancy@westerndesignconference.com, (208) 354-3466; or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, darla@wordenpr.com, (307) 734-5335