Wood

It's only appropriate that the New York gallery owner Ralph Pucci has combined forces with Jonathan Kline, a basket weaver and sculptor. Pucci's gallery and showroom is noted for its one-of-a-kind pieces, limited editions and works produced by the gallery itself. From mannequins, to furniture and lighting, to sculpture and fine art, Pucci is dedicated to venerating the hand of the artist. Since 2004, he has taken that tack with Kline, exhibiting his standing woven sculptures and "flat" woven wall grids.

An American set designer staging a Mozart opera in Switzerland has an unusual problem with the stage technicians-their craftsmanship is too good!

Matthias Pliessnig talks fast, as if to keep up with a rapid flow of ideas. Movement interests him, whether it's flight, the way a boat cuts through water or the physics of how a seat responds to its sitter.

Recently the 29-year-old sat still long enough for a conversation by the shore of Lake Mendota ("I come here all the time," he says. "I just got bitten by a duck") near the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he's pursuing a graduate degree in furniture design/sculpture. He spoke about his life and work so far, which "definitely includes movement."