An interview of Edgar and Joyce Anderson conducted 2002 September 17-19, by Donna Gold, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in Morristown, New Jersey.
The interview begins in the home of their frequent patrons, Sandra and Lou Grotta, in Harding Township, New Jersey. The Grottas are not present. They discuss several of their pieces in situ, including tables, beds, a piano bench, the grandfather clock (carved in the shape of Edgar's arm wearing a wristwatch), and the Knight table. Many of these pieces are discussed in detail in terms of their design and construction. They also allude briefly to other pieces in the Grotta's collection by Toshiko Takaezu, Hans Wegner, Bill Wyman, Sam Maloof, and Bob Stocksdale. The Grotta's house, designed by architect Richard Meier, is also discussed. Edgar recalls that Meier designed the house to accommodate the collection. They also talk about the Grotta's participation in the American Craft Council, and the relationship among collectors. The interview continues at the artists' home Harding Township, New Jersey. They discuss several projects for other clients, and they reflect on the relationships that developed. These include: a gaming table for Doug Dayton of Monteath Lumber Company, a jewelry chest for Thelma Newman, collaboration with Newman on a book for Chilton Publishing Company (not published), and a figural chest for Mako Stewart, which is still in the artists' private collection. They reflect on their private and professional partnership and the balance of skills they shared. They recall that their early success was bolstered by a New York Times article by Betty Pepis. This publicity led to new clients, such as Reverend John Mason of the Episcopal Chapel at the University of Maine, who is discussed in detail along with his wife Elizabeth Mason. They explain their expertise in humidity and wood shrinkage, including their work as consultants for the Museum of Contemporary Crafts, before it became the American Craft Museum. There is lengthy discussion of the Andersons' own house, which they designed and built themselves over a period of years. Frank Lloyd Wright was an influence. They discuss other church commissions in general, speaking of the influence of their spirituality. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Haworth, New Jersey, is discussed in some detail. Edgar briefly talks about a local World Trade Center memorial which he has been working on. They recall the importance of the support of the American Craft Museum, Aileen Osborne (Vanderbilt) Webb, and David Campbell. They discuss in depth their time in Honduras, under the sponsorship of the USAID program, teaching craft techniques to local inhabitants. Joyce describes this as a Kennedy era demonstration program. Other participants in the Honduras program included Dave Chapman, Roy Ginstrom, Bill Wyman, and Emil Milan. They also recall participating in a similar program in Antigua. They also recall Herb and Marje Noyes, Ruth Martin, Patricia Malarcher, John Geraci, Mike Langan, Bob and Rowena MacPhail, Sterling North, Zelda Strecker, Paul Smith, Tom Tibbs, Walker Weed, Lois Moran, Toshiko Takaezu, Tapio Wirkkala, Jack Lenor Larsen, Edward Cooke, Michael Stone, John McPhee, and Dot Blanchard.
Biographical / Historical:
Edgar Anderson (1922- ) and Joyce Anderson (1923- ) are woodworkers from Morristown, New Jersey.
General:
Originally recorded 5 sound discs. Reformatted in 2010 as 34 digital wav files. Duration is 5 hr., 56 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.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Woodworkers -- New Jersey -- Interviews. Search this
600 Mounted prints (circa 600 mounted prints, silver gelatin)
4,000 Color slides (circa)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Mounted prints
Color slides
Photographs
Place:
Pakistan -- Description and Travel
Fiji -- Description and Travel
Ethiopia -- Description and Travel
Easter Island -- Description and Travel
Yemen -- Description and Travel
Honduras -- Description and Travel
Peru -- Description and Travel
Guatemala -- Description and Travel
Israel -- Description and Travel
Vietnam -- Description and Travel
Solomon Islands -- Description and Travel
Colombia -- Description and Travel
Thailand -- description and travel
Taiwan -- description and travel
Jordan -- Description and Travel
Uzbekistan -- Description and Travel
Singapore -- Description and Travel
Bhutan -- Description and Travel
Afghanistan -- Description and Travel
Burma -- Description and Travel
Brazil -- Description and Travel
Australia -- Description and Travel
Lebanon -- Description and Travel
Iraq -- Description and Travel
Iran -- Description and Travel
India -- description and travel
New Guinea -- Description and Travel
Syria -- Description and Travel
Nepal -- Description and Travel
Hong Kong -- Description and Travel
Cambodia -- Description and Travel
Sri Lanka -- Description and Travel
Chile -- description and travel
Mexico -- description and travel
Japan -- Description and Travel
Italy -- description and travel
Morocco -- description and travel
Spain -- description and travel
Mongolia -- Description and Travel
New Zealand -- Description and Travel
Russia -- Description and Travel
Kenya -- Description and Travel
Macau (China) -- Description and Travel
Malaysia -- Description and Travel
Yucatan -- Description and Travel
Indonesia -- Description and Travel
Date:
1954-1971
Scope and Contents note:
Photographs made by Janet Longcope during trips to countries around the world. They depict landscapes, buildings, markets, dances, agriculture, arts and crafts, ceremonies, children, cooking, musicians, and transportation. Locations depicted include Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Easter Island, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Greece, Guatemala, Hawaii, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Guinea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Siberia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, and Yucatan. Longcope used many of these photographs in lectures.
Biographical/Historical note:
Janet Longcope (1886-1974) was a bookbinder and world traveler who gave informal lectures about her travels. Ater the death of her husband Dr. Warfield T. Longcope in 1953, she visited countries all over the world, returning to some, such as India, as many as nine times.
A journey over land, from the Gulf of Honduras to the great South-Sea / performed by John Cockburn, and five other Englishmen ... who were taken by a Spanish guarda-costa, in the John and Jane, Edward Burt master, and set on shoar at a place called Porto-Cavalo, naked and wounded, as mentioned in several news-papers of October, 1731 ... ; to which is added, a curious piece, written in the reign of King James I, and never before printed, intitled, A brief discoverye of some things best worth noteinge in the travells of Nicholas Withington, a factor in the East-Indiase
The Caribbean as Columbus saw it, by Samuel Eliot Morison and Mauricio Obregón. Photos. by David L. Crofoot, Cristina Martinez-Irujo de Obregón, members of the Harvard Columbus Expedition, and other friends
A history of the voyages and travels of Capt. Nathaniel Uring : with new draughts of the bay of Honduras and the Caribbee islands; and particularly of St. Lucia, and the harbour of Petite Carenage; into which ships may run in bad weather, and be safe from all winds and storms : very useful for masters of ships that use the Leeward Island Trade, or Jamaica
Title:
Relation of the late intended settlement of the islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, in America
Letter to the King of Spain : being a description of the ancient provinces of Guazacapan, Izalco, Cuscatlan, and Chiquimula, in the Audiencía of Guatemala, with an account of the languages, customs, and religion of their aboriginal inhabitants, and a description of the ruins of Copan / Diego García de Palacio ; translated and with notes by Ephraim G. Squier ; with additional notes by Alexander von Frantzius and Frank E. Comparato, editor
Author:
García de Palacio, Diego fl. 1576-1587 Search this
Squier, E. G (Ephraim George) 1821-1888 Search this
Remarks on a passage from the river Balise, in the bay of Honduras, to Merida: the capital of the province of Jucatan in the Spanish West Indies, by Lieutenant Cook, London, 1769. A facsimile of the original, with perspective by Muriel Haas
