Pasadena’s Craftsman Heritage In the Spotlight November 1st – 3rd
by Kate Nixon
Featuring the rich Craftsman style heritage of Southern California, the city of Pasadena, CA will show off its craftsman neighborhoods, host a bevy of lectures and special events, and pay tribute to a beloved member of the Craftsman community the first weekend of November.
In its 28th year, Pasadena Heritage will present the Annual Craftsman Weekend on November 1-3, 2019. Craftsman and architecture enthusiasts alike can expect to experience house tours of historic and notable properties, along with bus and walking tours showing the impressive heritage of Pasadena neighborhoods. The annual Show and Sale during Craftsman Weekend will show off the best exhibitors of antique and contemporary furniture and decorative arts and a silent auction; workshops and presentations will be available to curious attendees at an extra cost. Exclusive receptions at historic locations throughout the weekend will serve as an added treat for attendees. Additionally, a beloved member of the community will be remembered with a special ceremony. Saturday’s events will end with the inaugural Dr. Robert Winter Lecture series first lecture honoring the legacy of the late Dr. Robert Winter who passed earlier this year, followed by a tribute to Dr. Winter in the Pasadena Convention Center – a free event to attend. Sunday shows the signature event of the craftsman homes tour.
Pasadena’s heritage has long been synonymous with the Craftsman Movement on the West Coast since the city boasts some of the most notable examples of the architectural style along with the work of architects Charles and Henry Greene, tile maker Ernest Batchelder, and photographer Helen Lukens Gaut. Also known as the American Arts and Crafts Movement, the architectural style emerged in the early 1900’s and is noted for its emphasis of ceramics, art, and other features developed by skilled craftsmen.
Antiques and Contemporary Furnishing and Decorative Arts Sale
The two-day Antiques and Contemporary Furnishing and Decorative Arts Sale will host juried exhibitors from across the U.S. bringing in a high quality broad spectrum of Craftsman-era and period-inspired works, including furniture, textiles, pottery, tiles, metal work, wallpaper, stencils, and books. Also included will be the Pasadena Heritage membership and merchandise booth and the popular Silent Auction! The entrance to the Craftsman Weekend Antique and Contemporary Furnishings and Decorative Arts Show is at the front of the Convention Center on Green Street closest to Euclid Avenue.
Saturday, November 2, 2019 – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, November 3, 2019 – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Entrance to the exhibit hall is free and held at the Pasadena Convention Center.
House on the Sunday Craftsman House Tour. Photo courtesy of Dennis Hill.
Special Events Schedule
Please see links below each paragraph for links to purchase tickets for each event
The events kickoff on Friday, November 1st with a lecture on “The Health Seekers,” providing insights into the creation of the iconic Gamble House and how it became a wellness destination for those suffering from respiratory issues. A neighborhood tour of Prospect Park, Pasadena’s first National Landmark District and one of Pasadena’s most desirable districts, is offered as well as workshops on Arts & Crafts Hand Embroidery and Memoir Writing. In addition, a bus tour of “Hidden Treasures – Our Not So Well-known Landmark Districts” is offered in the morning for those that want to view landmark districts unknown to the public – and a bus tour on “Historic Places for the Fantastic Foodie” is offered in the afternoon for those interested in the history behind Pasadena’s most famous eateries and businesses like Trader Joe’s, In-N-Out Burger, and See’s Candies. Friday ends with a tour of Judson Studios, a glass studio with over a century of experience, and book lecture from Judson Studios owner David Judson. A taco truck and drinks will be served during the reception.
Please see the following link with the complete Friday schedule and to purchase tickets for each event: https://pasadenaheritage.org/cw_friday/
Saturday starts off in the morning with an old Pasadena Walking Tour entitled “From Victorian to Modern” exploring the history of restoration of the original downtown Pasadena – and an afternoon walking tour on the small ten-house district of Ford Place which includes examples of Craftsman, Shingle, Prairie, Tudor Revival and Mission Revival architecture. Saturday lectures include “A Fresh Look at the Heinemans” a review of the work of Greene-comparable architects Arthur and Alfred Heineman, “From Craftsman to Midcentury – Influences of Pasadena Architecture” looking at connections and influences between the two styles in addition to a bus tour of examples of the two styles. Additionally, a history of the Craftsman kitchen is reviewed in the lecture “The Craftsman Era – A Time of Change for the American Kitchen” and Frances Gearhart, Pasadena Artist “Behold the Day” reveals the handcrafted aesthetic of the Californian landscape through Gearhart’s works. The great works of Altadena are highlighted in a Saturday morning bus tour, while Executive Director of Pasadena Heritage Sue Mossman gives a bus tour of her own Saturday afternoon on several significant Pasadena landmarks, saved through preservation efforts in “Sue’s Picks: Highlights of Forty Years of Preservation” Another bus tour will be given Saturday afternoon “From Craftsman to Midcentury – Influences of Pasadena Architecture,” a look at influences of Craftsman architecture on later styles of architecture in Pasadena. Saturday evening sees The Inaugural Dr. Robert Winter Lecture Series in honor of the late Dr. Robert Winter featuring architectural historian and author Ann Scheid. The evening will proceed to pay tribute to the late Dr. Winter with the unveiling of a memorial tribute in the historic Exhibit Hall C of the Pasadena Convention Center. It is free to attend, but please RSVP. See the link below for information on the tribute.
Please see the following link with the complete Saturday schedule and to purchase tickets for each event: https://pasadenaheritage.org/cw_saturday/
On Sunday morning, enjoy a pre-tour breakfast and open house of the Heineman brothers-designed Freeman House, featuring Batchelder tile fireplaces, beautifully carved wood details, stained glass, and intricately designed roofline. The signature event, the Drive-Yourself Craftsman House Tour starts at 10:00am featuring fine examples of the beautiful Craftsman architecture including two Greene and Greene-designed homes in South Pasadena and a D.M. Renton-designed home in the Orange Heights National Register District. Shuttle service to all houses on the house tour is also available. Please click on the link below for more information on signing up for shuttle service.
Please see the following link with the complete Sunday schedule and to purchase tickets for each event: https://pasadenaheritage.org/cw_sunday/
House on the Sunday Craftsman House Tour. Photo courtesy of Dennis Hill.
For tickets and information, please visit the Pasadena Heritage website at www.pasadenaheritage.org/CraftsmanWeekend or contact Pasadena Heritage in-person at 651 South St. John Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105, Tel: 626.441.6333.
About Pasadena Heritage
Pasadena Heritage is a nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in and around Pasadena, California. The organization advocates on behalf of historic resources, educates the public about local history and the benefits of preservation, and demonstrates quality restoration through its own preservation projects. Its 2,000-plus members are drawn from Pasadena and neighboring communities, and throughout Southern California.