david owsley museum of art: contemporary craft

Craft Since the Mid-1950's

The Contemporary Craft gallery documents the innovative work in craft media that began in America in the mid-1950's and continues today. Previously handcrafted objects used traditional forms to express function. During and immediately after World War II, however thanks to the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944 (the "GI Bill"), a new bread of artists-known as Studio craftsmen-attended art schools and universities where they were exposed to fine arts. They began using clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood to make unique or limited-edition works that emphasize content over function and technique. Ignoring their decorative art heritage, these innovators fashioned works that echo the period's formal concerns with color, imagery, and minimalism.

Initially, Studio craftsmen saw themselves as solitary artists working within the confines of their own studios. However, by the 1980's, participation in exhibitions to meet tenure requirements combined with a marketplace that had evolved from craft fairs into a network of galleries and art fairs. This led to a greater emphasis on production; and thus the establishment of large studios with numerous assistants resulted. At the same time contemporary painters, sculptors, and architects became increasingly intrigued with craft media, often augmenting their regular production with experimental works in craft media fabricated by independent workshops or technically proficient "hired guns." Although the Studio movement declined in the 1990s, today artists of diverse backgrounds use craft media to a greater extent than ever before as vehicles of contemporary expression.

Centers for Contemporary Craft in America

Unlike in the fine arts world where activity since 1945 has centered around New York, developments in contemporary craft largely have occurred around American educational institutions-primarily because many of the leading makers were employed by universities. Seattle, for instances, since the 1970s has been a mecca for contemporary glass because of its proximity to Pilchuck Glass Center, the summer glass program founded by Dale Chihuly.

The Midwest-including the state of Indiana-has provided a nurturing environment for contemporary crafts. Michigan is home to Cranbrook Academy of Art, one of the most important centers for graduate level craft education in this country-playing a critical role in the maturation of such seminal figures as ceramists Toshiko Takaezu. Similarly, for many years one of the leading clay programs in America was at Missouri's Kansas City Art Institute headed by Ken Ferguson-aided, at times, by studio assistant Ben Bates. Because of resident potter Warren MacKenzie and disciples such as Linda Christianson, a 2008 Ball State visiting artist, Minnesota remains a hub for functional Studio pottery. Similarly, although production potter Byron Temple primarily worked in New Jersey, his introduction to the potter's wheel occurred at Ball State. Finally, Alma Eikerman's revolutionary metalwork program at Indiana University, established in 1947, broke with prevailing thought and established jewelry and metalwork as sculpture rather than functional form.

I enjoyed viewing the Contemporary Craft Collection in the David Owsley Museum of Art. I was especially taken by the Leslie Leupp jewelry. I believe I remember seeing these pieces in my first metals textbook by Chuck Evans, Jewelry: Contemporary Design and Technique (I don't own a copy of this text so I just ordered it); I know for certain  there were pictures of Leslie's pieces on the wall in the little EIU metals studio. Those pieces opened my eyes and made me aware of a completely different world when it comes to metalwork and my assumptions of jewelry and function. A lot of Leslie's work was anodized so it has been a big influence on my work. Leslie Leupp taught my undergraduate metals professor David Griffin at Texas Tech as well as my graduate metals professor Billie Theide while she was studying at Indiana University. Billie also studied under Alma Eikerman at IU so these pieces are a part of my metalsmithing and contemporary craft roots. I spent a lot of time in this particular room of the museum and wished desperately that I had my dslr camera with me. I guess I'll have to take a trip back there in the future.

eiu: thank you

I was honored last Friday night at an awards banquet at Eastern Illinois University and received an Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award. Jill and I were able to spend some time on EIU's campus, I gave an artist talk to the Art Department, helped David Griffin (my first Metals professor) cast some pieces with his students, and Jill and I spent some time visiting with Dave and Daphne. It was such a pleasure to see people from our past and to have our accomplishments honored.

Dave and Daphne's mentorship is so meaningful to us and we cannot express how it has enriched our lives. They have both served as amazing role models for what it means to be creative, but more importantly what it means to be "good people”. The example that Dave set in following his passion in life and being true to who he is as a craftsman led me through difficult times in graduate school and again through tenure and I can say now that his example allowed me to become the person I am today, and to create the things I create, and teach the way I teach. I would not have made it through those difficult times if I hadn’t had Jill telling me to trust in the things that Dave had taught me at EIU.

This weekend Jill and I enjoyed reminiscing about our time at EIU and seeing the current changes. We have so many fond memories from our time in Charleston. Our time at EIU started us down a path that we never could have mapped out. Dave and Daphne played such an important role in our journey and we can't thank them enough for taking time to help celebrate our visit back to EIU. Thank you.

eiu: perspective

The Fam all went to EIU this weekend as I was in an invitational exhibition put on by my Sculpture professor from EIU, Jeffery Boshart. It was good to attend the closing reception at Tarble Arts Center and to see several familiar faces; people I went school with and professors I had for various courses. It was super good to connect with David Griffin, my Jewelry and Metals professor for my BA and MA. I've posted about Dave before, but it's worth noting again that he had the single largest influence on me becoming a teacher and for following my dreams of being a Metalsmith. It was so good to be able to thank him in person after all these years. 

Dave was kind enough to walk us around the new Dounda Fine Arts Center building (built by Architect Antoine Preduck). The building is simply stunning. I don't think I could imagine coming to work everyday and working in a space like this. It's just magnificent! I am so thrilled that EIU/Charleston has a building such as this and that my mentor gets to call this place home. He deserves it, that's for sure. During our tour, I was a complete idiot as I forgot my camera in the car and I was so shocked by the metals facility that I forgot to take my phone out of my pocket. I was simply in awe at the studio space Dave has built. He also walked us through the rest of the building and I have to say that each studio is of the same caliber as the Metals studio. Dwain's ceramic studio is superb and Jeff's Sculpture studio is ridiculously awesome (complete with overhead chain hoist and extremely tall ceilings)! I have attached some pics of Dave in the Metals studio and some pics of the Sculpture studio that I found online. The spaces are amazing.

I also got to talk to Dwain, Jeff, Mike Watts (Tarble Arts Director), Susan Braun (my fibers instructor), and Glenn Hild (my drawing instructor). In talking with everyone, I was reminded of how incredible kind most of my interactions were with these people and how encouraging most of them were. In talking with Glenn I told him how much I appreciated his guidance and the effect that he had in motivating me to do my best. His response struck me. He told me that my accomplishments were my own and that he had very little, if anything to do with how my life unfolded. He followed up by saying that we're all "replaceable" in the positions that we have and we need not worry about our future legacy. I think for the first time I realized the difference between my education at EIU and that of the U of I. The humbleness of the people at EIU is their greatest asset along with their perspective on what matters in life. Perspective is everything.

EIU's teaching strengths remind me of  what it takes to be a good parent: it's the day to day interaction and ability to show love that creates a good child. It takes being there all the time, even on the bad days: only being present on the good days or when there is something exciting or special happening is pointless. The people at EIU encouraged you to do your best for your own well-being as a person; not for acclaim, not for wealth, not for ego, not to belong, and certainly not to continue their own legacy. Staying true to why we do what we do is important; it becomes our internal compass that guides us in the right direction and leads us into new territory.

I so much appreciating Dave spending some time with us. It's so good to connect with the people that made a difference. It reminded me of why I'm interested and passionate about teaching, making, being a good husband, a good father, and contributing to society in a positive way.