Studio Insider: Cummings & Good

[Peter Good & Jan Cummings] Our design life has developed into a symbiotic duality encompassing two spheres of passion: the print world of images and typography, and the sensual world of fabrics and textures, a literal “upstairs” and “downstairs” endeavor housed in our landmark Greek Revival building. Upstairs, Cummings & Good, our graphic design studio, is involved with the communication needs of corporations and institutions. Downstairs, C&G retail caters to a discerning, sartorial-sensitive public.

And the two worlds are as intertwined as a Donegal tweed wrap. Packages arriving daily at Cummings & Good can vary from a box of Parisian hats to a manuscript for a book design project. Answering the phone can involve responding to a text change on a poster or an inquiry about the availability of a size 8 Ronen Chen striped dress, “You know, the one with the uneven hem.” This requires our staff to be as flexible as quick-change artists.

These slightly polarized interests, which have occupied our musings for the past 45 years, originated in the early stages of our design evolution. Having met in art school in the ’60s, we both loved drawing and painting. Jan designed clothing and hats. Peter took the fabric and made appliqués and quilts. Together we fabricated dolls and toys, and as the pendulum swung, posters, packages, illustrations and letterforms. We were enthralled with the richness of woven and printed fabrics, as well as the visceral power of words and images.

Our collaboration continues to this day, with extraordinary support from our two design assistants, Dawn Llaser and Kirsten Desnoyers. Our sons also weave in and out of our projects and offer various philosophical and artistic insights. Justin Good, Ph. D, writes the introductions to our themed calendars. Jesse Good, sculptor and inventor, designed and fabricated the retail shop’s interior and the steel benches and chairs that provide respite to visitors at C&G.

Another essential in our design focus is the town and community where we live and work. Chester, recently voted as the “best small town” in our state by Connecticut Magazine, is an exemplar of the virtues of smallness, and we have helped shape the culture of this river valley gem of a town. We’ve designed the town seal, historical publications, numerous civic and business identities, signage, posters, ads and promotional brochures.

Jan is fond of saying that Chester also provides for us. Our building, acquired in 1984, is one of its riches. Major renovations in 1985 and 1993 yielded an open-space second floor studio with third floor archival storage. From 2000 through 2006 the first floor rediscovered its early 18^th-century function as a retail store. During that renovation, layers of walls, flooring and ceiling tiles were removed to expose massive exterior walls, solid maple floors and chestnut ceiling beams. Our house on a nearby hill overlooks the center. (We can walk to work through a path in the woods.) And most recently, our expanded sewing room with its 5 x 8-ft. worktable has become a retreat where Peter can piece together an appliqué for a print series, and Jan can craft a new chapeau.

Our design and art continue to evolve, responding to the dynamic changes in technology, media and popular culture that affect the way people respond to words, images, style and objects. Although the classic mechanical skills of painting, drawing and sewing are still essential tools of our creative expressions, they have been augmented exponentially by the extraordinary means of the digital realm.

Visit the Cummings & Good store at Felt & Wire shop. And read our features about their evocative works on paper here and here.