Craft Associates Lounge Chair, Modern Lounge Chair, Black and Walnut, Vancouver

In its inaugural days, iconic mid-century modern furniture brand Craft Associates was largely the work of founder and forward-thinking designer Adrian Pearsall and his wife, Dorie. The pair assembled sexy, stylish furniture in their Pennsylvania basement that they later sold from the back of a truck to the era’s marquee department stores in Philadelphia and New York City.

The New York–born Pearsall (1925–2011) served in the Navy before earning his architectural engineering degree from the University of Illinois in 1950. He abandoned architecture after only a couple of years and turned instead to furniture design, opening Craft Associates in 1952 to sell his sophisticated living room seating, dining room furnishings and more. Flush with dynamic angles and clean lines, Pearsall’s sculptural, expressive designs — coffee tables, luxurious lounge chairs and more — helped define the style of the Atomic Age. With the help of Dorie and working in partnership with his brother Richard, Pearsall oversaw the expansion of Craft Associates into a leading employer of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, with popular furniture including architecturally striking tables as well as plush beanbag chairs.

From Craft, there was Pearsall’s low-slung Gondola sofa, which embraces the sitter with its enveloping, geometrically rich form, his range of glass-topped tables — most boasting provocatively shaped wood slabs that serve as bases — as well as his skinny, high-backed upholstered walnut armchairs. Pearsall drew on his background in architecture for the organic and eye-catching structures of these pieces in addition to his larger scale work. One of his biggest projects was the complete design of his family’s 10,000-square-foot Pennsylvania home in Forty Fort, which boasted an indoor pool, sauna, tennis court and ice cream bar.

After growing his business to 800 employees, Pearsall sold Craft Associates in 1968 to Lane Furniture, which continued producing his pieces into the late 1970s before halting production. With business partner John Graham, Pearsall established a new company, Comfort Designs, in the 1970s, while also devoting time to his lifelong hobbies of sailing and restoring classic yachts.

A company called New Craft Associates revived Pearsall’s brand’s name, referencing mid-century-era furniture design in its current projects while not formally associated with Pearsall or his family. Restoration Hardware has also reissued some of his Craft Associates designs, with Pearsall and his company’s distinctive furniture remaining popular statement pieces adaptable to any home.

Find a range of vintage Craft Associates furniture on 1stDibs.

Addison Jones is a world-class photographer and mixed-media artist based in the Midwest.

Jones uses her street art and mixed-media style to portray models from her own modern portrait photography. The result culminates in moody, sensual, and contemplative mixed-media art focusing on the humanity of the subject. Each of her pieces are original works.

Addison is known for layering her own photographs into complex street art and using the written word as a subtle texture feature. She utilizes silver and gold leaf, acrylics, and custom paints, including color changing, to add layers upon layers as she goes. In the end, it culminates in a piece that is viewed as a complex whole.

Jones begins each piece with a photograph from her own portfolio, and then free flows through each element, drawing inspiration as she works. She often says that her style often leads to mistakes that later become some of the best parts of the piece.

"Most of the time I am like 'welp, don’t like the way that looks' and don’t care if I mess up, so then I do something and I like it and then I’m like 'I love this piece' as each piece shifts and changes throughout the process," Jones says.Find authentic Addison Jones paintings, photography and other art on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Addison Jones Studios)