The papers of ceramicist, sculptor, and educator Frans Wildenhain measure 8.2 linear feet and date from circa 1890 to 1991. The papers document his career in Europe and the United States through biographical material, correspondence, diaries and notebooks, writings and notes, subject files, project files, printed material, three mixed media scrapbooks, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographic materials.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of ceramicist, sculptor, and educator Frans Wildenhain measure 8.2 linear feet and date from circa 1890 to 1991. The papers document his career in Europe and the United States through biographical material, correspondence, diaries and notebooks, writings and notes, subject files, project files, printed material, three mixed media scrapbooks, artwork and sketchbooks, and photographic materials.
The bulk of Wildenhain's correspondence is from family and friends including Walter Herzger and Marguerite Wildenhain. Twelve diaries and notebooks include general diary entries but may include notes on art, sketches, kiln logs, and designs. Of note is a diary kepy by Wildenhain during his drive from New York City to Guerneville, California upon his arrival in the United States in 1937. Project files contain records relating to four murals completed by Wildenhain on the east coast. Three scrapbooks contain clippings, exhibition materials, and photographs concerning his teaching career at the School for American Craftsmen and exhibitions. Eleven sketchbooks date from the 1930s to 1979 and mostly contain pencil sketches. Photographs depict Wildenhain, family, his wives Marguerite, Marjorie, and Lili, homes, studios, exhibitions, and works of art by Wildenhain and others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 10 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1930-circa 1980 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1895-1981 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 3: Diaries and Notebooks, 1930-1978 (Box 1-2; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 4: Writings and Notes, 1940-1980 (Box 2-3; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 5: Subject Files, 1951-1985 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 6: Project Files, 1950-1975 (Box 3, 10; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1930-1991 (Box 3-4; 0.8 linear feet)
Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1934-1965 (Box 4; 0.3 linear feet)
Series 9: Artwork and Sketchbooks, 1930-1979 (Box 4-5, 11; 1.0 linear feet)
Series 10: Photographs, circa 1890-1979 (Box 5-11; 3.1 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Frans Wildenhain (1905-1980) was a German-born ceramicist, sculptor, and educator active in Rochester, New York.
Wildenhain was born in Leipzig, Germany to a family of craftsmen. He began his study of art with drawing and design. For formal training, he enrolled at the Bauhaus where he studied in the pottery studio with Gerhard Marcks, Max Krehan, and his future wife, Marguerite Friedlaender Wildenhain. The Wildenhains moved to Burg Giebichenstein, Halle, Germany to teach at the State School of Applied Art.
In 1933, due to Marguerite's Jewish ancestry, they moved to the Netherlands and set up a studio called Het Kruikje (Little Jug). Marguerite later emigrated to the United States however Frans was unable to follow. He moved to Amsterdam but was drafted into the German Army which he deserted. He followed Marguerite to the United States in 1947 after a seven year separation.
Upon his arrival in the United States, Frans drove from New York City to Geurneville, California where Marguerite had settled at an artist colony, Pond Farm. Their marriage did not last and Frans Wildenhain accepted a position at the School for American Craftsmen at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. He stayed in that position for over twenty years. He co-founded a cooperative gallery called Shop One, in Rochester, New York.
In 1952, he married Marjorie McIlroy and after her death, married Elisabeth (Lili) Brockkardt.
Franz Wildenhain was a Guggenheim Fellow and exhibited his works around Europe and the United States. His pottery is included in the collections of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Smithsonian Institution, Luther College, and Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds an oral history interview of Frans Wildenhain conducted 1978 April 10-1979 July 28, by Robert Brown for the Archives of American Art; the Marguerite Wildenhain papers, 1930-1982; a Frans Wildenhain grant application, 1974 for the National Endowment for the Arts; Letters from Frans Wildenhain to Virginia Cartwright Katz, 1968-1979; Robert Johnson slides of works by Frans Wildenhain, circa 1978; the Kitty C. L. Fischer papers relating to Frans Wildenhain, 1940-1981; and an interview with Elisabeth (Lili) Wildenhain conducted 1995 August 22, by Robert F. Brown. Also found are the Ron Meyers papers relating to Frans Wildenhain, circa 1967-1979; the Roy Cartwright letters from Frans Wildenhain, 1966-1979; and the Gerhard Marcks letters from Frans Wildenhain, 1950-1979 on reel 2435.
Provenance:
Elisabeth Wildenhain donated her husband's papers in 1989 and 1998.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Occupation:
Ceramicists -- New York (State) -- Rochester Search this
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- Rochester Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- Rochester Search this
Genre/Form:
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Citation:
Frans Wildenhain papers, circa 1890-1991. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Wendell Castle, 1981 June 3-December 12. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Boulder (Colo.).. Parks & Recreation Department Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Place:
Boulder (Colo.)
India -- description and travel
Mexico -- description and travel
Netherlands -- description and travel
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Betty Woodman, 2003 April 22 and 29. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview of Betty Woodman conducted 2003 April 22 and 29, by John Perreault, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in New York, New York.
Woodman speaks of frequent moves with her family during her childhood; her father's woodworking skills; gaining an interest in arts and crafts at four when she made a tablecloth with crayon drawings; attending summer camps, including Girl Scout Camp, where she participated in arts and crafts activities; being the first girl to take shop in her middle school; making model airplanes for air raid wardens during World War II; her interest in making functional objects; her introduction to clay and hand-building in high school; attending the School for American Craftsmen in New York City; collaborating with fellow students; her early desire to be a "craftsperson and not an artist"; her work with silk-screen fabric for The Fabric Workshop in Philadelphia and glass at CIRVA in Marseille, France; teaching at the University of Colorado and the City of Boulder Recreation Department; working at the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch, Holland, and the Bellagio Study Center in Italy; her studios in New York, Colorado, and Italy; her travels to India, The Netherlands, and Mexico; living in New Mexico, New York, Colorado, and Italy; her business Roadrunner Pottery in New Mexico with partner Elenita Brown; collaborative projects with Joyce Kozloff, Cynthia Carlson, Bud Shark, Judith Solodkin, and her husband George Woodman; developing a following in New York; how being a woman has affected her work and how she enjoys working with other women artists; the change of market for American crafts; Italian, Greek, and Etruscan influences; teaching experiences; the importance of getting reviews in art magazines; and the strong support from her husband George, a painter. Betty Woodman recalls Lynn Feelyn, Olan Wassen, Bernard Leach, Peter Voulkos, Shoji Hamada, Bob Kushner, Richard Serra, Wayne Higby, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Betty Woodman (1930-2018) was a ceramist from New York, New York. John Perreault (1937- ) is an independent critic and curator from New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 3 sound discs. Reformatted in 2010 as 5 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 55 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.
Occupation:
Ceramicists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
An interview of Wendell Castle, conducted 1981 June 3-December 12, by Robert F. Brown, in Scotsville, New York, for the Archives of American Art.
Castle speaks of his early work, in Kansas, in industrial design and sculpture; the transition he made in the early 1960s from sculpture to furniture design; teaching furniture design at the School for American Craftsmen, Rochester, New York; Wharton Esherick; the importance of creative design and sound workmanship; exhibitions and commissions; current interest in French 18th Century and Art Deco furniture; the evolution of his work from laminated pieces to an elegant style; and efforts to gain fine art status for his furniture.
Biographical / Historical:
Wendell Castle (1932-2018) was a furniture designer, sculptor, and educator from Rochester, New York. He taught at the School for American Craftsmen and Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 3 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 5 hr., 27 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are 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 others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art's website.
Occupation:
Furniture designers -- New York (State) Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Tage Frid, 1980 June 24-1982 February 22. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Artisans -- Rhode Island -- Interviews Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Ronald H. Pearson, 1979 May 31-1981 Nov. 23. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview with Ronald H. Pearson conducted 1979 May 31-1981 Nov. 23, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Pearson discusses his early training in design from his father, Ralph Pearson, an artist and writer; his education in political science at the University of Wisconsin; World War II duty in the merchant marine; training at the School for American Craftsmen; early exhibitions; and development of production pieces.
Biographical / Historical:
Ronald H. Pearson (1924-1996) was a silversmith from Deer Isle, Me.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel and 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 55 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' 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 others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
An interview of Tage Frid conducted 1980 June 24-1982 February 22, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Frid speaks of his training in Denmark; his early career; his apprenticeship in a woodworking shop in Copenhagen; craft education and production in the 1930s in Denmark; his work in interior design; his work under Hans Wegner in the 1940s; teaching positions at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, N.Y. and the Rhode Island School of Design; the development of an extensive design practice in New York state in the 1950s; his involvement as an exhibitor and juror; private commissions; and mass productions.
Biographical / Historical:
Tage Frid (1915-2004) was a designer, craftsman, and educator from Foster, R.I.
General:
Originally recorded on 3 sound tape reels as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 6 hrs., 28 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are 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 others.
Topic:
Artisans -- Rhode Island -- Interviews Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Harold James Brennan, 1979 Sept. 5 and 1982 Feb. 16. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview with Harold J. Brennan conducted 1979 Sept. 5 and 1982 Feb. 16, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Brennan discusses his architectural and art historical training at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) and at Harvard University in the 1930s; his artistic training in metalwork; the highlights of his career; and his role in the development of the School for American Craftsmen. He mentions Louis C. Tiffany and Frederick Clayter.
Biographical / Historical:
Harold J. Brennan (1903-1989) was a crafts administrator and educator.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound cassette and 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 25 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are 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.
The papers of ceramicist and educator Hobart E. Cowles measure 2.5 linear feet and date from 1924-1980. The collection sheds light on Cowles's career through personal papers, writings and notebooks, professional files, printed material, photographs, artwork, and one video recording.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of ceramicist and educator Hobart E. Cowles measure 2.5 linear feet and date from 1924-1980. The collection sheds light on Cowles's career through personal papers, writings and notebooks, professional files, printed material, photographs, artwork, and one video recording.
Personal papers include resumes, an interview transcript, a video recording of a documentary on Cowles, and correspondence. Writings and notebooks include course notebooks, papers, and more pertaining to Cowles's undergraduate and graduate work, and an annotated outline for a slide presentation given by Cowles.
Professional files primarily deal with exhibitions, Cowles's years teaching at R.I.T., and his involvement with professional organizations.
Printed materials consist of articles and newspaper clippings, book excerpts, exhibition ephemera from solo and group shows, and an advertisement for a workshop conducted at R.I.T. Photographs are of Cowles and his family, his artwork, and events including organizational gatherings, exhibitions, and teaching at R.I.T.
Artwork consists of 5 sketchbooks as well as loose sketches and designs for various projects.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 6 series.
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1924-1980 (Box 1; 11 folders)
Series 2: Writings and Notebooks, 1947-1980 (Box 1-2; .8 linear feet)
Series 3: Professional Files, 1948-1980 (Box 2; .5 linear feet)
Series 4: Printed Material, 1947-1980 (Box 2; 10 folders)
Series 5: Photographs, 1924-1980 (Box 2-3; 9 folders)
Series 6: Artwork, 1947-1980 (Box 3, OV 4; 6 folders)
Biographical / Historical:
Hobart E. Cowles (1923-1980) was a ceramicist and educator in Rochester, New York. He was an early experimenter with the firing of clay and is credited with playing an important role in the introduction of chemistry to clay processes.
Cowles, who was originally from Madison, Ohio, earned a BFA in ceramics from Wesleyan Conservatory in Macon, Georgia, in 1949, and completed his MFA at Ohio University in 1950. Cowles subsequently began teaching at Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Crafts, working alongside Frans Wildenhain. He taught courses in glaze chemistry and ceramic history at R.I.T up until his death in 1980.
Cowles began showing his work, predominantly boxes, lidded jars, and sculptures decorated with self-designed glazes, almost immediately upon his arrival in Rochester. Although he went on to have his work featured in group exhibitions around the world, including at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York and at the Brussels Worlds Fair, he focused primarily on his craft and his teaching throughout his career.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Barbara Cowles, Hobart Cowles's widow, between 1981-1982.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Educators -- New York (State) -- Rochester Search this
Ceramicists -- New York (State) -- Rochester Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Video recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Hobart E. Cowles papers, 1924-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
An interview with Fred (Frederick R.) Meyer conducted 1982 May, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Meyer speaks of his art activities as a youth in Wis.; his training at the Cranbrook Academy of Art; and his teaching positions at Cranbrook, the Kansas City Art Institute, the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, N.Y., and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Biographical / Historical:
Fred Meyer (1922-1986) was a painter, sculptor, and educator of Scottsville, N.Y. Full name Frederick R. Meyer.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 2 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 others.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- Interviews Search this
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- Interviews Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Sponsor:
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Frans Wildenhain, 1950-75 : creative and commercial American ceramics at mid-century / Bruce A. Austin ; photography by A. Sue Weisler ; with essays by Jonathan Clancy and Becky Simmons
Title:
Creative and commercial American ceramics at mid-century
