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Artist Statement:

Libby’s work embraces an aesthetic that marries her enthusiasm for the modern with her reverence for the tradition of craft. Designed and executed with balance in mind, each piece reflects equilibrium between form and function, craft and design, hand work and machine processes. Intrigued by patterns of day-to-day living, Libby develops unique and artful solutions that address functional requests; quiet and sophisticated objects that represent the sensibilities and soul of the designer and equally satisfy the vision of her clients.

Bio:

In the fall 2001, Libby Schrum moved to Maine to take a twelve week furniture making class at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. That seminal experience set a trajectory which she continues upon today. After earning an MFA in furniture design from Rhode Island School of Design in 2005, Libby returned to Maine to begin her career as a maker. She began building interiors for luxury yachts and cabinetry for custom homes and in 2008, opened her own studio where she designs and builds finely crafted bespoke furniture for clients around the country.

Libby has found joy engaging with the community of woodworkers and creatives in Midcoast Maine and beyond. She is a regular instructor on the faculty at the Center in Rockport, delighting in communicating elements of design and craftsmanship to aspiring furniture makers. She teaches three woodworking courses a year through the local adult and community education program at the high school and recently advocated for funding to buy tools so more students could comfortably afford to take the hand tools class. Libby also opens her studio to locals and visitors through private woodworking instruction and shop tours.

Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Fine Woodworking Magazine, Maine Women Magazine, 500 Chairs, and blogs about furniture and design. Her work is on permanent display at The Farnsworth Museum, Maine Media Workshop and Emory & Henry College in Virginia and can be seen at the Grovewood Gallery in Ashville, North Carolina and TOPO Gallery

On winning a Maine Artist Fellowship:

Receiving a Maine Artist Fellowship Award is truly humbling considering how many creative and talented people live and work in Maine. It is the primary reason I choose to call Maine home and it’s no mystery why “Made in Maine” has value.

There is also value in striking a balance between hand crafted and tech assisted. I usually lean more toward the traditional processes and construction methods, but this Award will enable me to invest in technology that I have hesitated to embrace but have come to recognize could be a very useful tool in my toolbox. I have always believed that better equipment doesn’t necessarily make you a better maker but, it can create efficiencies and encourage new ways of working that move the creative needle. I am looking forward to findings ways to integrate the Shaper Origin into my process.

Artist Image Gallery: