|
Steve and his
wife Rockie have resided and worked in their studio on Lake Travis
in Spicewood, Texas since 1978.
A man of
versatile artistic and technical talent, Steve Richards’ affinity
for the richness and flexibility of fine wood has brought his
creations national acclaim.
His designs have
received recognition in several magazines including the December
1989 cover of House Beautiful. He has also appeared in Better Homes
and Gardens, Home Mechanics Magazine, Colonial Homes Magazine,
Victorian Papers Catalogue, Cowboys and Indians Magazine and True
West Magazine. In 1991 a special presentation of his work was made
to the Governor of Texas. He has been represented by Pennsylvania
House, Horchow International, Dallas World Trade Center, Atlanta
Design Center, Denver Design Center, San Francisco Design Center,
and the Design Center of Houston.
Steve Richards’
expertise in the design of elaborately embellished ornamental
woodwork has been developed from his admiration of period
architecture and fine furniture. Each special piece is handsomely
finished to emulate the warm patina of a treasured antique.
“One’s
life pursuit should be to create beauty”—Steve Richards
Early
influences: I traveled the world with an Air Force family of
five. I learned very early in life that I was distantly related to
Davy Crockett on my mother’s side of the family. This and the
excitement with the 50’s television show about Crockett’s adventures
sparked my desire to explore and dream about being a real Wild West
Cowboy. I got my first cowboy shirt, hat, boots and chaps in
Germany at age 5. By the time I was 8 years old I was living in
Northern Africa near an English military compound. Wishing to
further my “Cowboy” image, I begged my mother to let me take
advantage of the horseback riding lessons being offered at the
compound. They only offered English “gentleman’s” riding lessons
and I did not know the difference. After surviving an uncooperative
horse, two chapped thighs from posting and huge welt from a horse
bite, I decided to abandon that part of cowboy life.
Cattle Baron
Opulence is Born: I decided to design and create what I
couldn’t find. Most Western and Lodge furniture I saw was rather
primitive and rustic…more like bunkhouse than main house. As a
cabinet and furniture maker/designer; I realized that old world
European furniture designs and the fundamentals of Neo-Classical
Architecture could be combined together with Western elements to
create a new “look “or “style” An example is my art pedestal
which utilizes my Cattle Baron pilaster capital. This Cattle
Barron pilaster capital combines western Icons such as long horn
cattle and spurs as embellishment on a Neo-Classical architectural
component. My designs are unique in the sense that I try to
synthesize architectural design principles with old world European
furniture styles and apply these techniques to furniture that might
have been built in The American West of the 1800’s. To achieve this
I have had to invent a number of proprietary building components.
I have copy rights on various architectural elements, carvings and
moldings that together comprise a “system of components” within
which I can design and build my Cattle Barron style of furniture and
decorative accessories.
History to
build On: My first exposure to neoclassical architecture was at
the site of the Greco-Roman ruins while living in Tripoli, Libya;
Northern Africa. My furniture finishes stem from my Dad’s hobby of
restoring fine antiques. All of my furniture and decorative
accessories have the patina of an aged piece. Our trademark,
“Creating the Heirlooms of Tomorrow Today”, comes from the drive to
build a beautiful objects that can be treasured and handed down
through generations.
A small
representation of customers:
Disney Studio
Disney family
Jane and Ted Turner
Sec. of Commerce- Don Evans
Bush Presidential Library; Texas A&M University
Texas A&M Board of Regents
Governor of Texas- Ann Richards
Eight Times national rodeo champion Trevor Brazil
|
