Rough Around The Edges? That’S Ok

Fri., Dec. 22, 2000

By Michael Guilfoil mikegu@spokesman.com

“Rustic Artistry for the Home” by Ralph Kylloe (Gibbs Smith, 256 pages, $60)

One definition of “rustic,” according to Webster’s, is “lacking refinement, elegance, polish or sophistication.”

The same dictionary defines “artistry” as something “done skillfully.”

Side by side, the two words would seem contradictory.

Yet the phrase makes perfect sense once you’ve seen the rough-edged masterpieces featured in this handsome new volume from writer, photographer and furniture dealer Ralph Kylloe.

In “Rustic Artistry for the Home,” Kylloe assembles a collection of chairs, beds, sideboards, clocks, lamps, tables and stairways that appear to have grown, fully realized, in some ancient forest rather than having been painstakingly assembled in workshops.

Branches, bark, burls and antlers blend together so harmoniously, some readers may underestimate the genius behind each unique creation and be tempted to head straight for the woods to gather fallen limbs.

Nothing wrong with that, if you have the eye of an artist and the patience of a monk.

If not, you’ll at least gain new appreciation for the beauty that occurs every time two gnarly branches intertwine. As Kylloe points out, “Nature is far more creative and inventive than humans will ever be.”

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.