Beth Piver and Andy Vickcreatively solve art anddesign problems in theirCumberland, Md., home—with fantastic resultsApril 2009 • AMERICANSTYLE 53
hen Beth Piver and Andy Vick found their two-story loft space ina brick building in downtown Cumberland, Md., it was a blank canvas.The 6,000-square-foot space was airy, open and painted a crisp white—and covered in “acres of mauve carpet,” Piver says. In lieu of replacingit or refinishing the floors underneath, Piver saw the carpet as a designchallenge. Today, it’s the last thing you notice. Painted mannequinsgreet you at the entrance to the third floor, the couple’s main livingspace. Blue and purple faux fur covers the walls of their bedroom.A massive banner reads, “America’s largestcircus sideshow presents strange peopleentertaining in person.” The hood of a Fordtruck, which serves as the base of the diningroom table, rests in front of two expansivewindows. Squares of LED lights beckonfrom the living room wall.Piver is the artist, architect, designer andgeneral handywoman for the loft space,which saw incarnations as a bowling alley,pool hall and furniture showroom beforethe couple moved in. The space has grownand changed alongside Piver’s art, which hasmorphed from jewelry and metal sculptureto painted mannequins, fiber sculpture andmixed media. The synergy is obvious.“I don’t know which comes first,” Vick says. “Whatshe’s doing artistically manifests itself in the home. Andthen what she’s doing in the home can do the same thingfor her work.”Cold connections are the link. Piver likes using techniqueslike wrapping and riveting in her art because shefeels it takes more creativity to come upwith a workable, functional connection thatcontributes to the aesthetic of the piece thanit does to solder.“Beth is constantly reinventing herself,”Vick says. Although he’s often asked forinput about the house, Vick doesn’t pushhis own ideas. He’s happy to be part ofPiver’s journey. It’s apparent that he’s grownattached to their home; it’s a reflection oftheir travels, showcased through their extensive(and rotating) collection of art.Piver and Vick met in 1987 when theyboth landed at the University ResearchCompany, a government-contracting firmin Washington, D.C. Piver worked in the graphic designdepartment, while Vick had an administrative position.She had recently graduated from the University of Illinois,having studied graphic design and photography. Vickwas fresh out of the University of Pennsylvania with adegree in medieval history. They married in 1990.54 AMERICANSTYLE • April 2009
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