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Oral history interview with Paul J. Smith

Interviewee:
Smith, Paul J.  Search this
Interviewer:
Herman, Lloyd E.  Search this
Creator:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Names:
American Crafts Council. Museum of Contemporary Crafts  Search this
American Craftsmen's Council  Search this
Museum of Arts and Design (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Extent:
61 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2010 April 19-20
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Paul J. Smith conducted 2010 April 19 and 20, by Lloyd E. Herman, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, at Smith's home, in New York, N.Y.
Smith recalls his childhood; attending the Art Institute of Buffalo; working in display at the Flint & Kent department store in Buffalo; his interest in "hobby crafts" and greater exploration of jewelry and wood; exhibiting; joining the staff of the American Craftsmen's Council; becoming director of the Museum of Contemporary Crafts; developing the museum's program and international focus; organizing the "Objects: USA" exhibition in 1969; developing the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Crafts (in 1979 renamed the American Craft Museum); the 30th anniversary exhibition, "Craft Today: Poetry of the Physical," in 1986; becoming director emeritus; the "Craft Today USA" tour, 1989-1993; developing a consulting service; serving as guest curator; special projects; interest in photography; the current DIY movement as a continuum of the past.
Biographical / Historical:
Paul J. Smith (1931- ) is Director Emeritus of the American Craft Museum (now the Museum of Arts and Design) in New York, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 6 secure digital memory cards. Reformatted in 2010 as 7 digital wav files. Duration is 5 hr., 17 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Topic:
Arts administrators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.smith10
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw961a85139-de2c-4080-b271-6f87aa477bad
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-smith10
Online Media:

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  • Pages
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  • American Crafts Council. Museum of Contemporary Crafts
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  • Museum of Arts and Design (New York, N.Y.)
  • Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America
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  • American Crafts Council. Museum of Contemporary Crafts
  • American Craftsmen's Council
  • Herman, Lloyd E.
  • Museum of Arts and Design (New York, N.Y.)
  • Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America
  • Smith, Paul J.
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