:1
THE CIA "i ION GM •
AMERICA'S FOLK ART MAGAZINE The Museum of American Folk Art New York City SPRING 1990, Vol. 15, No. 2 $4.50
•
KELTER-MALCE
A •N•T•I•Q•U•E• S 361 Bleecker St / New York City 10014/ 212-989-6760
An early album quilt (70 x 92 inches) with exceptional quilting and trapunto work. We are always interested in purchasing exceptional quilts and textiles.
STEVE • AMERICAN FOLK ART •
WILLIAM MATTHEW PRIOR 1806-1873 Portrait of a child in white holding her favorite rattle, ca. 1840, Massachusetts. Oil on Academy Board, 10 x 14"(sight).
17 East 96th Street, New York, New York 10128. (212) 348-5219 Hours: 2 pm to 6 pm daily plus by appointment
LAURA FISHER
Album Sampler with Flags of Several Nations, ca 1885, Ohio.
1050 Second Avenue,Gallery #57, New York, New York 10022 (212)838-2596
New York City's largest, most exciting selection of:•Antique Quilts•Coverlets• Paisley Shawls•Beacon/Pendleton Blankets•Marseilles Spreads•Amish Buggy Shawls•Hooked Rugs• Vintage Decorative Accessories• American Folk Art•
24 American Flags, ca 1940, Midwest.
All Aflutter...
"Spirits of Other Apple Queens and the Present One" Jon Serl; oil on board; 351 / 2x 351 / 2"
CAVIN-MORRIS INC. 100 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y. 10013
212 226-3768 3
Photos: Steven Tucker
AMERICAN 窶｢ PRIMITTVE 窶｢ GALLERY
Willie Massey (1906-1990) "Owl with Tree of Life" 15" x 12" From a collection of Mlle Massey's mystical paintings and constructions.
Willie White "Eagles and Rockets" 28">( 22"
W
offer an outstanding selection ofOutsider Art, as well as a changing
inventory offolk art from fish decoys to weathervanes, whirligigs, and one-of-a-kind works of art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
596 Broadway, #205 New York, NY 10012 Mon窶認ri 10-6; Sat 11-5
Aarne Anton Marianne Sinram 212.966.1530
Navajo Weaving, Circa 1870, Germantown, 50" x 70"
a SUSAtiL rARRISP ANTIQUE QUILTS• FOLK ART • AMERICAN INDIAN ART
390 BLEECKER ST., NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK 10014 (212) 645-5020
OBERT F. NICHO SANTA FE Specializing in Pueblo Indian Pottery Prehistoric—Historic—Contemporary Antique Americana—Folk Art 419 Canyon Road • Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 •(505)982-2145
Yoakum
MASTER OUTSIDERS Traylor
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Edmondson
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CARL 200 West Superior
HAMMER
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Chicago, Illinois 60610
312.266.8512 7
AMERICAN ANTIQUES & QUILTS
Baltimore Album quilt Inscribed "The Brickmaker's Home, 1851, Mary E Gray Baltimore" Made for Ebenezer Stewart, owner ofa brick yard on Colombia Avenue, by the Ladies ofthe Colombia Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, in token offriendship and appreciation (Illustrated Old Quilts, William Rush Dunton,Jr, Catonsville, Md., 1946 Plate 18) 116 x 115 inches
BLANCHE GREENSTEIN THOMAS K. WOODARD 835 Madison Avenue New York, N.Y. 10021 •(212) 988-2906 •
We are always interested in purchasing exceptional quilts Photographs returned promptly. Telephone responses welcome
THE CLARION UM. 1 AMERICA'S FOLK ART MAGAZINE The Museum of American Folk Art New York Coy
Volume 15, No. 2
SPECIAL ISSUE:LIVING WITH FOLK ART
Alice J. Hoffman
TEN YEARS OF THE AMERICA COLLECTION
32
WORKING WITH FOLK ART
42
Didi Barrett
Spring 1990
Stars and Stripes All Over Lee Kogan
LIVING IN A BROOKLYN FOLK ENVIRONMENT
50
DEPARTMENTS EDITOR'S COLUMN
10
DIRECTOR'S LETTER
19
MINIATURES
24
BOOK REVIEWS
65
DEVELOPMENTS
71
MAJOR DONORS
72
MUSEUM NEWS
76
NEW MEMBERSHIP
78
SHOP TALK
81
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
88
Cover: Central Medallion 13 Star Flag Pieced Quilt; Artist unknown; Northeastern United States; Circa 1840;Cotton front and back;86 x 93"; Collection of Milton and Marilyn Brechner. Photo: Courtesy America Hurrah Antiques NYC.
The Clarion is published four times a year by the Museum of American Folk Art,61 West 62nd Street, NY, NY 10023, 212/977-7170. Telecopier 212/977-8134. Annual subscription rate for members is included in membership dues. Copies are mailed to all members. Single copy $4.50. Published and copyright 1990 by the Museum of American Folk Art,61 West 62nd Street, NY, NY 10023. The cover and contents of The Clarion are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Museum of American Folk Art. Unsolicited manuscripts or photographs should be accompanied by return postage. The
Clarion assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of such materials. Change ofAddress: please send both old and new addresses and allow five weeks for change. Advertising: The Clarion accepts advertisements only from advertisers whose reputation is recognized in the trade, but despite the care with which the advertising department screens photographs and texts submitted by its advertisers,it cannot guarantee the unquestionable authenticity of objects or quality ofservices advertised in its pages or offered for sale by its advertisers, nor can it accept responsibility for misunderstandings that may arise from the purchase or sale of objects or services advertised in its pages. The Museum is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation offolk art and feels it is a violation ofits principles to be involved in or to appear to be involved in the sale of works of art. For this reason,the Museum will not knowingly accept advertisements for The Clarion which illustrate or describe objects that have been exhibited at the Museum within one year of the placing of the advertisement.
Spring 1990
9
EDITOR'S COLUMN DIDI BARRETT
When the Museum of American Folk Art conducted a membership poll last year, one of the comments made by readers of The Clarion was that they would like to see more "lifestyle" articles in the magazine. This issue of The Clarion is our first foray into the lifestyle arena. As a museum publication with a scholarly orientation we have no intention of trying to compete with the home decorating magazines. That is neither our mission, nor our area of expertise. But we, too, are interested in why people collect, how they live with the things they collect and how they take care of their collections. We want to know how people integrate folk art into their lives. In this issue we look at three different ways that folk art and lifestyle become entwined. For a decade, the Museum of American Folk Art has been involved in a pioneering program which licenses adaptations of furniture and objects from the permanent collection and promised gifts. Alice J. Hoffman, the Museum's Director of Licensing and Home Furnishings, takes us through ten years of the innovative and successful program which has proved to be an important source of income for the Museum during a time of diminishing public and private monies. In our cover story, we visit the offices of Milton Brechner, who with his wife Marilyn, have been longtime friends and supporters of the Museum of American Folk Art. As recently as five years ago, Milton discovered American flag quilts — a genre he never knew existed — and since then has amassed a spectacular collection which is stunningly displayed in the offices of his Long Island, New York toy business. Our final article is something of a fairy tale — the story of a couple who are in the process of buying and moving into a contemporary folk environment created by octogenarian Joseph Furey in his Brooklyn, New York apartment. In this age when more and more folk environments are being recognized, only to have them deteriorate due to lack offunds or local support, this appears to be a tale with a very happy ending.
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THE CLARION Didi Barrett, Editor and Publisher Faye H. Eng, Anthony T. Yee, Art Directors Me11 Cohen,Publications Assistant Marilyn Brechner, Advertising Manager Hildegard 0. Vetter, Production Manager Craftsmen Litho,Printers Nassau Typographers, Typesetters MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART Administration Dr. Robert Bishop, Director Gerard C. Wertkin, Assistant Director Cheryl Hoenemeyer, Controller Deborah de Bauernfeind, Assistant to the Director Mary Ziegler, Administrative Assistant Sylvia Sinckler, Shop Accountant Jeff Sassoon, Junior Accountant Brent Erdy, Reception Luis Fernandez, Manager, Mailroom and Maintenance Collections & Exhibitions Elizabeth V. Warren, Curator Michael McManus,Director ofExhibitions Ann-Marie Reilly, Registrar Karen S. Schuster, Director ofthe Eva and Morris Feld Gallery Catherine Fukushima, Assistant Gallery Director Stacy C. Hollander, Assistant Curator/Lore Kann Research Fellow Diane Wittner, Assistant Gallery Director Mary Black, Consulting Curator Lee Kogan,Senior Research Fellow Departments Didi Barrett, Director ofPublications Beth Bergin, Membership Director Marie S. DiManno,Director ofMuseum Shops Susan Flamm,Public Relations Director Alice J. Hoffman,Director ofArt Services/Licensing and Home Furnishings Johleen D. Nester, Director of Development Edith C. Wise,Director ofLibrary Services Egle Victoria Zygas, Curator ofEducation Janey Fire, Karla Friedlich, Photographic Services Chris Cappiello, Membership Associate Mell Cohen,Publications Assistant Eileen Jear, Development Associate Programs Barbara W. Cate, Director, Folk Art Institute Lee Kogan, Assistant Director, Folk Art Institute Phyllis A. Tepper,Registrar, Folk ArtInstitute Dr. Marilyn Karp, Director, New York University Master's and Ph.D. Program in Folk Art Studies Dr. Judith Reiter Weissman;Coordinator, New York University Program Cathy Rasmussen,Director ofSpecial Projects Irma J. Shore, Director, Access to Art Eugene P. Sheehy, Museum Bibliographer Mary Linda Zonana, Coordinator, DocentPrograms Howard P. Fertig, Chairman, Friends Committee Museum Shop Staff Dorothy Gargiulo, Caroline Hohenrath, Sally O'Day, Rita Pollitt, Managers Karen Williams, Mail Order, Marie Anderson, Laura Aswad, Judy Baker, Olive Bates, Jennifer Bigelow, Sheila Carlisle, Elizabeth Cassidy, Shirley Chaiken, Ann Coppinger, Annette Ellis, Millie Galdstone, Elli Gordon, Cyndi Gruber, Carol Hauser, Marci Holden, Eleanor Katz, Nan Keenan, Annette Levande, Katie McAuliffe, Nancy Mayer, Nina McLain, Sandra Miller, Theresa Naglack, Pat Pancer, Marie Peluso, Colette Pollitt, Marguerite Raptzian, Mary Rix, Frances Rojack, Lorraine Seubert, Myra Shaskan, Lola Silvergleid, Kathleen Spear, Maxine Spiegel, Doris Stack, Mary Walker, Mary Walmsly, Gina Westby, George Wolff, Doris Wolfson. Museum of American Folk Art Book and Gift Shops 62 West 50th Street New York, NY 10012 212/247-5611 Two Lincoln Square(Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th) New York, NY 10023 212/496-2966 The Clarion
gazines, a division of The Hearst Corporation,
1990 The Hearst Corporation
ATE AND JOEL KOPP
H
MERICA*
URRAH
766 MADISON AVENUE • NEW YORK, N.Y. 10021 • 212-535-1930
Amish pieced quilt: "Trip Around the World" in a floating "Diamond in the Square" pattern, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, c. 1920. Wool-77" x 76"
12
THE BEST IN AMERICAN QUILTS
Courtesy By Modern Living. Photo by Kazuo Sugiyama
Taltashimaya Exclusive Licensee for The America Collection" in Japan
A
RICCO/MARESCA
Mary T.Smith & Freddie Brice May 5 - May 26, 1990
Mary T. Smith, enamel on tin, 30"H x 30" W
Hours are Tuesday- Friday llam - 6pm,Saturday lpm - 6pm 14 105 HUDSON STREET/NEW YORK, N.Y 10013/212.219.2756
„
Freddie Brice, enamel on wood door, 22"H x 46.5" W
Rare Paint-Decorated Highboy. Maple and pine, New Hampshire, circa 1760. The fanciful decoration—a true sampler of painting techniques— dates 1820-1840. H. 72"; W. 39"; D. 19".
Herrup&Wolfner
lv2e vE dansets8 d6 ay thtS ots .,aN werw daY yorlk, o-N 6:Yo.r1b 00 y2 a8 ppToein letpmheonnte: (212) 737-9051
THE TARTT GALLERY
Leroy Almon, Things that are Destroying the World, 1989, carved wood panel, 36 x 231/4" TOLLIVER, SUDDUTH, BLIZZARD, KITCHENS, WEBSTER, FINSTER, QUINN, THOMAS, ARMSTRONG, GRIFFIN, MILLER, McCORD, HARDIN, TARVER, PERKINS, WILLIAMS, COINS, JENNINGS, BURNSIDE, HOLLEY
2017 QUE STREET N.W. 16
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009
202-332-5652
"OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART HAS ALWAYS INSPIRED THE RICH INVENTIVENESS THAT SETS COUNIRY HOME APART." —JEAN LEMMON, EDITOR OF COUNTRY HOME MAGAZINE SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER TO BENEFIT THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART. FOR EACH SUBSCRIPTION YOU ORDER,COUNTRY HOME WILL CONTRIBUTE $5.00 IN YOUR NAME IN SUPPORT OF THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART. COUNTRY HOME portrays the country experience in its full richness. In our pages, you will delight in inspiring homes, wonderful antiques and collectibles, the intriguing work of artists and skilled craftsmen. We capture the hospitality and grace of fine country inns and the enduring heritage of America's cuisines and customs. MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK-ART In just the past year, for example, COUNTRY HOME has sponsored the educational program, and helped to promote the exhibition, AMERICA EATS: FOLK ART AND FOOD at the Museum. Dr. Robert Bishop and Editor Jean LemMon presented a seminar on collecting and home decor at Macy's New York. COUNTRY HOME provided support for the Museumcreated program to bring added exposure to the museum's "America Collection" at The Lane Furniture showrooms during the Fall '89 Market in High Point, North Carolina. Furnishings from the "America Collection" were featured in COUNTRY HOME's appearance on PBS "This Old House."
Amexa eats:loom &f...
The Museum, Carillon Importers, TBWA Advertising and COUNTRY HOME collaborated to produce "ABSOLUT AMERICANA." It's a celebration of the talents of leading contemporary American artists working in folk traditions and a wonderful extension of the award-winning Absolut Vodka advertising campaign.
We're proud to support the Museum of American Folk Art, and its many great contributions to the quality of American life.
If you subscribe now, you'll also make an important contribution to the Museum of American Folk Art. When we receive payment, COUNTRY HOME will remit $5.00 of your subscription fee to the Museum in your name for each subscription you order. Use the order card provided.
If the order card has been removed, please call us for details, 212-551-7149.
CountryHome® 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
17
PORTRAIT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON — ATTRIBUTED TO EDWARD HICKS Bucks County, Pennsylvania, c.1845. Oil on poplar panel, 29 x 25 inches.
DAVID A SCIIORSCH fnw4wea 18
30 EAST 76TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10021 212-439-6100
780-1849)
r..v1
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR DR. ROBERT BISHOP
Spring 1990
Gravestone Cast; Casting done by Ivan Rigby and Frances Duval; Gift ofIvan Rigby in memory ofFrances Duval.
Finally, because of a generous arrangement with the National Museum of American Art/Smithsonian Institution, a very important group of works of art from the collection of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. will be coming to the Museum. Most of the Hemphill collection has become part of the National
Museum holdings. His pioneering collecting efforts will now be visible in our Museum as well. Sixteen pieces, including paintings, sculpture and other folk objects will augment the very substantial pieces already given to our Museum by Bert Hemphill. Special mention should be made of the life-size carving of a lumber-jack given by Dorothy and Leo Rabkin. This dramatic piece joins the countless other masterpieces given to MAFA by these most generous friends. The executors of the Estate of Thomas Conway have made a gift of $225,000 to name the Conway Gallery at Lincoln Square. This donation is a significant addition to the endowment fund for the Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square. Tom Conway was a close personal friend, a supporter of the Museum and a donor to the permanent collection. This tribute to his memory is of great significance.
41.10M4SV 1.1!AU9 :50101.1d
As 1989 drew to a close, several wonderful events occurred for the Museum. Our permanent collection was significantly augmented by substantial gifts from several very special friends. Margo Ernst gave a remarkable collection of 27 woven American coverlets from the second and third quarters of the nineteenth century. This gift, in memory of Susan B. Ernst, together with the many coverlets already in the collection given by Trustee Cyril I. Nelson, provide for us an important segment of American textile history. Cy Nelson also recently added substantially to our holdings. Six very fine quilts, woven blankets and an embroidered coverlet are new collection additions. At the Accessions Committee meeting in December, the Museum took possession of seven decoys which were a bequest of Richard Bruce E. LaCont and formalized the acquisition of two paintings by Thornton Dial, Sr., a decorative metal chair by Richard Dial, a painting by Thornton Dial, Jr. and a painting by Ronald Lockett. The acquisition of these pieces was made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Metropolitan Life Foundation and a private donor. At the same meeting, a remarkable collection of ephemera, publications and notes relating to seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century gravestones and stone carvers and a collection of casts was received as a gift of Ivan Rigby in honor of Francis Duval. These holdings, together with the Daniel and Jessie Lie Farber Collection, place the Museum in the forefront of institutions concerned with this area of American creativity. An exciting new promised gift, "Musician with Lute:' by the Killingworth, Connecticut artist Clark Coe, has been offered by Nina and Gordon Bunshaft. The piece was included in the exhibit,"Always in Tune: Music in American Folk Art:'
Musician with Lute; Clark Coe; Killingsworth, CT; Early twentieth century; Woodfigure, metal and wood lute; Promised gift of Gordon Bunshaft. Jacquard Double Weave Coverlet: True Boston Town and Christian and Heathen motifs; Weaver unknown;Probably Ohio; Circa 1840; Wool and cotton; Gift of Margo P. Ernst, in memory of Susan B. Ernst.
19
A 19th century New York State Salmon selected from the collection of fish decoys currently on exhibit.
D AMNIAD
OBBEik
Photographs available upon request.
Specializing in fish decoys for over 12 years.
David Nichols • 481 York Street • York Harbour, Maine 03911 • 207-363-8230
:,:•:::. .
Group of finger puppets, carved and made by Edith Heller, school teacher, Whitney Point, N.Y., circa 1880.
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P.O. Box 1653 • Alexandria, Virginia 22313 •(703) 329-8612 20
CHERISHABLES MARILYN HANNIGAN
114f Federal Corner Cupboard in original paint decoration. Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, circa 1820-30. Pennsylvania paint decorated Windsor, circa 1780-1800.
1608 20th Street, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC 20009 (202) 785-4087
Fine antique quilts, hooked rugs, primitive and folk art, American paintings
LUDY STRAUSS THE QUILT GALLERY 1 611 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, Calif. 90403 (213) 393-1148
Mennonite Bars cradle quilt ca. 1900 Margaret (Mattie) Burkholder Martindale, Lancaster County, Penna. 40" x 41-1/2"
THE HOMETOWN SOURCE FOR
BILL TRAYLOR MOSE TOLLIVER WORKS AVAILABLE BY REV. HOWARD FINSTER AND OTHERS
LEON LOARD GALLERY
BILL TRAYLOR 22
22 x 14
2781 ZELDA ROAD MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36106 NATIONWIDE 1-800-235-6273 WITHIN ALABAMA 1-800-345-0538
Focus on Alabama Folk Art
We feature fine works by: Mose T,Jimmie Lee Sudduth, Lonnie Holley, Charlie & Annie Lucas, the late Juanita Rogers, and Rev. BE Perkins Gallery inquiries welcome Photographs of art available
SWEETGUM GALLERIES POST OFFICE BOX 5 2 0 2 2 2 5 S. DECATUR STREET MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36103 (205) 834-5544
Charlie Lucas, Colors Flying Through The Eyes. 1989. Mixed Media on paper. 22" x 30"
M.Finkel a Daughter. Americana Period Furniture • Early Textiles • Folk Art 936 Pine Street Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19107 215.627.7797
Seat Detail.
Pennsylvania arrow back chair in the original paint, c. 1825.
23
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MINIATURES NEWS AND EVENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
A AA frauAA Lamm* floes to "frOdwatatee fig "Augurs
tion of the Possum Trot environment from California. The Milwaukee Art Museum, in a campaign spearheaded by director Russell Bowman, raised more than $1.5 million for the purchase from a broad range ofcommunity supporters, reflecting says Bowman, the "wide appeal this collection has for a variety of audiences. The generosity of these donors has allowed the Milwaukee Art Mu-
Pittiaost Laomehee pawitiks 1895-1996 William Lawrence Hawkins, one of the most significant selftaught artists of the twentieth century, died January 23, 1990, in Dayton,Ohio from complications following a massive stroke in November. He was 94 years old and lived in Columbus, OH. Lee Garrett, a neighbor and artist, discovered Hawkins in 1981 and brought him to the
$ssitlisottiam's Acuskat follttile festival The Smithsonian Institution's 24th Annual Festival of American Folklife, the nation's block party, will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., June 27 to July land July 4to 8, 1990. This year's Festival will feature the U.S. Virgin Islands, the country of Senegal and "Music of Struggle' The latter explores the use of traditional music as a unifying force by folk communities. All events are free; food is sold on the site. For visitor information, Tel. 202/357-2700. 24
Man with a Pony;Edgar Tolson;1950; Hall Collection.
seum to build the most distinguished folk art collection between the two coasts'? "Highlights from the Hall Collection of American Folk Art" will be exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Museum through May 13, 1990. A major traveling exhibition and catalogue of the collection are planned for 1992 to 1993; a permanent installation will follow in 1994.
Joe Birchfield ofthe Roan Mountain Hilltoppers takes a break between performances at Folklife Festival.
attention of Roger McLane of the Ohio Gallery. In recent years, Roger Ricco and Frank Maresca represented the artist and mounted several exhibitions of his work. Hawkins' paintings have been widely acclaimed and were shown in many exhibitions, among them "A Time to Reap'? "Muffled Voices',' and a recent one-man show at the Edward Thorp Gallery in New York City. Hawkins' works are included in major public and private collections including the Museum of American Folk Art and the National Museum of American Art. Born in Clark County near Lexington, KY, he moved to Columbus in 1916. He served in the Army in France from 1918 to 1919, then worked at a variety ofjobs, such as truck driver and a laborer on construction projects. Hawkins used simple materials — plywood, masonite, some found objects, semi-gloss enamel paint and a single stubby brush — to create images of buildings, animals and genre scenes. As sources, he used photographs from newspapers,
Photo: Lee Garrett/Courtesy Ricco-Maresca Gallery
American folk art is, increasingly, finding a home in mainstream art museums. Following the purchase, in 1987, of the Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., Collection by the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., the Milwaukee Art Museum recently announced the acquisition, through purchase and gift, of the Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art, one of the country's premier private collections. The Halls are both art professionals who have written extensively about American folk art. Valued at approximately $2.3 million, the well-honed collection of 270 objects is wideranging — from an eighteenth century weathervane to works by contemporary self-taught artists. Among the objects are paintings, works on paper, sculpture, weathervanes, whirligigs, decoys, and a concentration of pieces by Kentucky carver Edgar Tolson. One of the highlights is a large intact sec-
William Lawrence Hawkins
magazines, and postcards which he stored in an old suitcase. The mundane images were transformed into spirited, bold, dynamic, highly personalized works of art. He painted in an expressionistic style and prominently incorporated his name and July 27, 1895, his birthdate, into his paintings. He often painted the frames around his panels. William Hawkins is survived by a brother Vertie Hawkins of Richmond, KY, twelve grandchildren, many great and greatgreat grandchildren. — Lee Kogan The Clarion
MINIATURES
Crossroads of Clay: The Southern Alkaline-Glazed Stoneware 'fradition will run through September 16, 1990 at McKissick Museum, Columbia, SC. The exhibit examines the African, European and Oriental influences on "Edgefield" pottery and shows how they meshed in rural 19th century South Carolina to develop a decorative and utilitarian pottery. The exhibition will travel
14)01,th a
The Bowknot As Decorative Motif features the bow, or bowknot — embroidered, appliquéd, carved, etched, painted,
printed or stamped on objects from the early American home — as the subject of a small gallery exhibition at the DAR Museum until September 2, 1990. Also at the DAR Museum through May 6, 1990 is Painted, Stenciled and Printed: Ornamental Decora-
Nip
The 17th Annual Museum Folk Fest will be held in Doylestown, PA, Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, 1990. Full picnic fare is served on meadows surrounding the Mercer Museum. Special demonstrations by one hundred skilled artisans and continuous entertainment will be provided. Visitors can also see the Mercer Museum,a castle that houses an encyclopedic collection of early American tools. For further information, Tel. 215/345-0210.
Fans of Tramp Art take note of a new exhibition on the subject at the San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum, through April 29, 1990. For further information contact Mary Ann McNicholas, Tel. 415/7750990. George Ohr: Modern Potter (1857-1918), continues at.the Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, through June 3, 1990. Included are some 82 glazed and bisque works that emphasize the beauty of Ohr's vessels as well as their eccentricity. Tel. 202/357-2700.
Alkaline-glazed jar; Circa 1850. Tramp art; Anonymous;Late 19th or early 20th century.
&tat Expo LH )etosak The American/International Quilt Association's second Quilt Expo Europa will be held in the historic town of Odense, Denmark in the Hans Christian Andersen Conference Center May 3 through May 6,1990."Quilts: A World of Beauty': "New Quilts from Old Traditions': and "Stitching the World Together" are some of the special exhibits planned. Winners ofthe international quilt contest,"Threads of Friendship': sponsored by Quilters' Newsletter Magazine, will be exhibited, as well. A distinguished faculty of25 international teachers has been assembled to offer a variety of workshops. For details, registration information or group
tion in America — an exhibition of domestic objects including furniture, metals, textiles and ceramics from the late eighteenth through the nineteenth century. For inquiries, Tel. 202/879-3254.
rates send a large SASE with 45¢ postage to Quilt Expo Europa II, C/O AIQA, 14520 Memorial Drive No. 54, Houston, TX 77079, Tel. 713/496-2903.
Wild Goose Chase Variation; Texas; Circa 1890; Collection ofKarey Bresenhan.
The Museum of International Folk Art of Santa Fe, NM will feature an exhibit called Village Clothing of Czechoslovakia through February 24, 1991. Into the Mainstream: Contemporary American Folk, Naive and Outsider Art and Celebrating Cultural Diversity: Selections from the International Folk Art Collection are two concurrent exhibitions at the Miami University Art Museum, Oxford, OH through August 5, 1990. Both exhibitions are based upon folk art in the collection of the Art Museum — The Cora Zemsky Folk Art Collection of contemporary folk and folk-inspired work and the Elma Pratt Collection of International Folk Art. For further information, Tel. 513/529-2232. 25
Photo: Richard Cunningham, Cunningham/Smith
Preparing black ash splintsfor basketry at Folk Fest; Mercer Museum in background.
Spring 1990
to Los Angeles; Columbus, GA and other locations. For inquiries contact Erin MacLellan, Tel. 803/777-8161.
Photo: San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum
Photo: University of South Carolina
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EPSTEIN/POWELL 22 Wooster St., New York, N.Y. 10013 By Appointment(212)226-7316 Jesse Aaron Rifka Angel David Butler William Dawson Charlie Dieter Mr. Eddy Antonio Esteves Howard Finster Victor Joseph Gatto(Estate) S.L.Jones Lawrence Lebduska Justin McCarthy Emma Lee Moss Inez Nathaniel Joe Polinski Old Ironsides Pry Nellie Mae Rowe Jack Savitsky Clarence Stringfield Mose Tolliver Floretta Warfel George Williams Luster Willis and others
Paramount Breaker Eckley,Pennsylvania Molly Maguires
Justin McCarthy (Oil on Board,24" x 24"),1968
Photo: Courtesy Laura Fisher Antique Quilts and Americana Gallery
MINIATURES
A 4itt toes Poise
Palk *mosey 1916-1996
A rare, visually and historically intriguing quilt has returned to its hometown of Lynn, MA, after a century's absence. Author Jennifer Regan first saw this 1889 documentary quilt at the Laura Fisher Antique Quilts & Americana Gallery in New York City and was fascinated by the historic information on the quilt's surface. The bold red and white quilt is inscribed in sepia ink, in a fine antique hand, with historic documentation of the founding and philanthropic activities of the Lynn-based "Boston Street Aid Society': Regan immediately contacted Kenneth Turino, Director of the Lynn Historical Society, about this significant finding. Soon
Willie Massey, a self-taught artist known mostly for his polychrome bird houses with wingless birds, died in a Nashville hospital January 13, 1990 of pneumonia complications following burns he sustained in a December fire at his home in Smiths Grove, KY. All the art work in his home was also
26
Detailfrom 1889"Boston Street Aid Society" quilt,
after, he put in motion the fundraising plan that completed this historical purchase. Happily, the efforts of this philanthropic group of "dedicated Christian ladies" have come to life again, and the quilt is reunited with the town of its origin. It will be on display early next year.
burned in the fire. Born in 1910, in Brown, KY, near Bowling Green, Massey began to build sculpture and paint after his wife died in 1955. Work by Massey was recently exhibited at the American Primitive Gallery in New York City. — Lee Kogan
1$ettatoitse lituselos haste% hew Eteattioe toiiiectoo. The Shelburne Museum of Vermont has announced the selection of David F. Sheldon to serve in the newly-created position of Executive Director beginning
July 1, 1990. Sheldon will lead the Museum in expanding its funding base and further developing the Museum's national membership. The Clarion
-11Ni
-11111 -
411 8TELLA
RUBIN Fine Antique Quilts and Decorations
) 11 di
12300 Glen Road Potomac, MD 20854 (Near Washington, D.C.) By appointment
(301)948-418 ,7
9111
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Streak of Lightning Quilt. Last quarter, 19th century wa3L. NIL NILE M.. Rt. 111M. MIL MILAN :=
Webb Family Dolls • Bernice Sims • Leroy Almon • Jimmy Lee Sudduth • Charlie Lucas
Southern Folk Art... the essence of a culture
Lynne Ingram SOUTHERN FOLK ART/SOUTHERN QUILTS 174 Rick Road Milford, NJ 08848
201-996-4786 immy Lee Sudduth • Born 1911 Mose Tolliver • Rev. Howard Finster • James Harold Jennings • Brother B. F. Perkins • Fred Webster Spring 1990
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PAINTINGS:ISADOR "GRANDPA'SOMMER
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118. Winter Scene, 1946, gouache, 14" x 20".
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107. Biblical Tree, 1948-52, oil on canvas board, 14" x 18"
Gregory Quevillon NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN AND ESKIMO ART ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH TOOLS ON CD-ROM
PO Box 306, South Dennis, MA 02660
508-362-8744 28
MARTHAJACKSON Specializing in 19th and Early 20th Century Quilts Always a large selection of fine quilts for your office, home or vacation house: appliqués, geometries, patchworks and Amish.
By Appointment Riverside, Connecticut 06878 (203)637-2152
"Iris" Reverse Appliqué Quilt 82" X 83" c. 1920's
Main Street Cellar, 120 Main Street New Canaan,CT 06840 (203)966-8348—Mon.-Sat. 10-5
American Folk Art Sidney Gecker 226 West 21st Street New York, N. Y. 10011
(212) 929-8769 Appointment suggested
GIRL WITH A BASKET OF CHERRIES Attributed to Henry Walton Ithaca, New York Circa 1840,28 x24 inches Oil on canvas in original untouched condition; original frame
(Subject to prior sale)
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BRIGITTe• SCHwoeR
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PRIMITIVE, FOLK & ESKIMO ART
(formerly Arctic Art)
David Alvarez Leroy Archuleta Dewey Blocksma David Butler Howard Finster Manuel Jimenez Lynne Loshbaugh Tom May Constance Roberts Billy Rodriguez Mose Tolliver
929 BROADWAY • DENVER, CO 80203 303 • 825 • 8555
MAIN STREET ANTIQUES and ART Colleen and Louis Picek Folk Art and Country Americana (319)643-2065 110 West Main, Box 340 West Branch, Iowa 52358 On Interstate 80 Send a self-addressed stamped envelope for our monthly Folk-Art and Americana price list
A handmade 19th c. tip-up toy in original paint. 30
WILLIE WHITE (1910•,er ,
Robert Reeves
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"Untitled," marker on posterboard, 28' x 27'
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN OUTSIDER/FOLK ART Representing
Seated Figure Glazed Sewer Tile Ohio, c. 1930 24" x 12" x 15"
David Butler Rev. Howard Finster Clementine Hunter O.W. -Pappy" Kitchens Rev. McKendree Long Sr Gertrude Morgan Jimmie Lee Sudduth and many other important Outsider artists
49 South Prado Atlanta, Georgia 30309 404-874-1755 By Appointment
GASPERI GALLERY 320 JULIA STREET • NEW ORLEANS LA 70130 (504) 524-9373 31
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The idea of a home furnishings and decorative accessories program, not just as a source of income for the Museum, but as an educational tool to reach a wider audience, was first conceived by the Museum of American Folk Art in 1978. "What better way to extend the work of the Museum:'Director Robert Bishop said at the time, "than to enter into a reproductions program that celebrates the style, craft and history of what we exhibit?" "It was a unique enterprise:' remembers Frances Sirota Martinson, Executive Vice President of the Museum's Board of Trustees. "Initially we questioned the appropriateness and the viability of the idea, but it has exceeded 32
TEN YEARS OF THE AMERICA COLLECTION BY ALICE J. HOFFMAN The Clarion
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A sampling ofauthenticated reproductions and approved adaptations of furniture,spanning over 250 years ofAmerican design, manufactured by The Lane Company and its upholstery and wicker divisions, Pearson and Venture.
Spring 1990
our expectations. Since then, other Museums have followed our lead!' In 1981, the licensing program known as The America Collection, representing over 250 years of American design from the late 1600s to the present, was formally introduced. "Our main goal' stated Dr. Bishop, "was to produce products to meet today's needs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to provide comfort and grace in a contemporary way, while remaining true to the heritage of each piece and maintaining the aura of the design period. There was no attempt to reproduce original construction methods, use original materials or expect pieces to be used in the same manner as the originals which inspired them. "As a result, this coordinated group of home furnishings and decorative accessories is a reflection and a reminder of the simple life and the ingenuity and wit of the folk artist who, out of necessity, created utilitarian objects which are now considered works of art. We've been able to bridge the gap between supply and demand for the original pieces, which today have become prohibitively expensive!' It has been ten years since the first products for The America Collection were developed and introduced into the market place. The America Collection represents one of the most comprehensive decorative home furnishings reproductions and adaptations programs ever established and proudly features more than a dozen licensees. The Collection features products for every room in the home. Dr. Bishop was prophetic when he stated, "the reproduction program will bring within reach of the public the very best of the past to be enjoyed today and for generations to come!' Today, the Collection can be found in over 2,200 stores nationwide and nineteen folk art shops in Japan. It represents one aspect of the Museum's educational outreach program and brings broad national and international attention to the Museum, as well as providing an important source of income for the Museum during this time of decreased Federal support for the arts. The America Collection has captured the attention of local and national press, appearing regularly in newspapers and magazines, as well as on 33
radio and television. A debt of gratitude is owed those that have covered this story. This support has been a major contributing factor in the success and growth of the Collection and the public's ever increasing knowledge of America's design heritage. Although the idea of a reproductions program was introduced in 1978, it was not until 1979 that a full-scale effort was embraced by the Museum. The Museum, in conjunction with American Heritage Publishing Co., presented a number of products based on pieces in the permanent collection of the Museum: cast iron "Amish Cottple" book ends; cast iron "Cat Shadow Bootscrapers"; needlepoint kits of "Orange Cat-Smutt";"In the Dog House" paintings; "Chalkware Cats"; Shaker labels of string beans, corn and applesauce;
"Project America is looking back in a new way. There is a great and ever increasing interest in rediscovering, reappreciating, and reusing our national treasures and our national heritage. There is renewed sense ofpride building in America — with optimism and growing awareness that the challenges ofourfuture are not beyond our grasp — that America is truly the land of unlimited possibilities. "The America Collection is one ofthe most significant introductions ever made by Lane. It reflects the rebirth ofpride Americans everywherefeelfor all things American. We believe Lane is notjust makingfurniture, it's making history." —R. Stuart Moore Chairman and CEO The Lane Company,Inc.
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The Clarion
1. Takashimaya introduced "American Folk Kitchens" with afull complement ofAmericanfood andfood productsfor theJapanese household. 2. Cast iron bookends patterned after chalkware Amish Couplefrom the permanent collection ofthe Museum â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one ofseveral items introduced by American Heritage Publishing Co.,in 1978. 3. "America's Bounty,"cotton stencilled rugs inspired by the Museum's Baltimore Album Quilt and Bird ofParadise quilt top, by Import Specialists, Inc., in 1990. 4. Reproduction ofa mid-18th century Secretaryfrom the Museum's permanent collection by The Lane Company.
Spring 1990
Shaker candlestands; and Peaceable Kingdom calendars. In 1980, the Museum hired Hermine Mariaux,a home furnishings marketing expert, as exclusive licensing agent for the Museum. Mariaux's challenge has been the creation of a complete home furnishings and decorative accessories reproduction program based on the Museum's permanent collection. As a liaison between the Museum and its licensees, Mariaux works with the Museum and its staff on the selection of objects for reproduction. Her merchandising and marketing expertise reflect thirteen years spent in publishing with The New York Times, House & Garden and Town & Country. In the early 1970s, Mariaux applied her marketing skills at both Valentino and Calvin Klein. She founded her licensing concern in 1976. The formal introduction of The America Collection and the beginning of the relationship between the Museum and The Lane Company, Inc., came in 1981. "The Museum came to us, upon the recommendation of Carl Levine, Senior Vice President of Bloomingdale's, and asked us to reproduce some of the country furniture from its permanent collection,' Stuart Moore, Chairman and CEO of Lane, remembers. "Mr. Levine and his staff worked very closely with the Museum and with us in the development of the furniture collection:' Lane has shown a dedication to producing a line of furniture for The America Collection that is not only versatile and appropriately designed for today's lifestyle, but which evokes special qualities typical of "works of art:' These pieces are to be treasured by the owner and handed down from one generation to the next. In addition to furniture by Lane and it's upholstery division, Pearson, The America Collection included a complete home furnishings and decorative accessories product line complete with printed fabrics; coordinated wallcoverings; decorative pillows; bed and bath linens; shower curtains and bath accessories; dinnerware and collectibles; candles and candle accessories; baskets; flowers; wreaths; housewares; kitchen and table linens; cookware; travel bags and accessories; home fra35
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grance; sewing patterns; rugs; barware; trays and caddy baskets. Design inspiration for the inaugural collection was based on the material culture of the early settlements of the Northeast and the Atlantic seaboard, particularly New England and Pennsylvania. Hang tags, considered essential educational elements of the program, provide historical background information and origin of design inspiration for each product in the Collection. Stan Hura, noted interior designer, created the first of what have become legendary room settings for The America Collection in Lane's showroom at High Point, North Carolina in 1981. The decorative home furnishings community is still talking about Hura's 1986 Cowboy Room, 1988 Boathouse and 1989 Wedding Reception. The formal marketing of The Amer36
"The America Collection has grown into a multi-million dollar businessfor Bloomingdale's. Every year sales have increased, in part because Lane has increased the scope ofthe Collection and kept itfresh â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which is very important. Furthermore, it's been wonderfulfor our image to be associated with the Museum ofAmerican Folk Art. The America Collection has proven its staying power and we expect it to last well into thefuture. That is most meaningful to Bloomingdale's." â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Carl Levine Senior Vice President ofHome Furnishings Bloomingdale's
1. Authenticated reproduction ofAmerican handcrafted carousel horse by Kessler Industries. 2. Double Wedding Ring,one ofa series ofsewingfabrics based upon folk art designs,from Springs Industries,Inc. 3. Situation ofAmerica,1848,an overntantelfrom the Squire Phillips house in Brookhaven,Long Island published as part ofseries of art posters by Hedgerow House,Inc. 4. In 1984,the Museum commissioned The Lane Company to reproduce sixteen pieces offurniture, including the Number 7 Shaker rocker.
Spring 1990
ica Collection line of products in stores across America came in 1982. Bloomingdale's "rolled out the red carpet" during its "America the Beautiful" promotion and featured "The America Collection" in three model room settings. American Express made a contribution to the Museum with each purchase made on an American Express card during the Bloomingdale's promotion. The America Collection continues to be featured in the Bloomingdale's furniture department where, according to Carl Levine,"sales have increased each year." Levine attributes this success to the versatile scope and freshness of the Collection and to the fact that The America Collection is distinctive by its affiliation with the Museum of American Folk Art. Reproduction paintings and home sewing patterns based upon the permanent collection and promised gifts to the Museum were added to The America Collection in 1983. In 1984, the Museum entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Takashimaya Co., Ltd, for The America Collection in Japan. The America Collection was introduced to Japan through folk art shops in nineteen Takashimaya department stores located throughout the country. The Collection included bed and bath items, fabrics, decorative accessories, home furnishings and more recently food and furniture. In 1984, the Museum also underscored its commitment to fostering the public's awareness of the art of the Shakers. The Museum commissioned Lane to reproduce sixteen pieces of furniture, including the "Number 7" Shaker rocker. Gerard Wertkin, the Museum's Assistant Director and resident Shaker expert, noted,"while modifications were made to improve comfort and flexibility for use in today's homes, adaptations retained the lines, design components and overall feeling associated with Shaker furniture' To celebrate the introduction of the Shaker collection, Poster Originals, Inc. produced a poster for the Museum based upon a mid-nineteenth century watercolor by Joshua Bussell, an elder of the Alfred, Maine Shaker Community. 37
The America Collection was expanded in 1985 with the introduction of The America West Collection. Based on the heritage of the Western states, it celebrated the pioneering spirit of the American frontier and the multi-cultural influences brought to the area by French, Spanish, and German immigrants. Once again, design inspiration came from the Museum's permanent collection and promised gifts. Graphic Mid-Western Amish quilts from Ohio and Indiana adapted for textile and wall coverings provided design motifs and a vibrant color palette. Import Specialists, Inc., a new licensee, introduced a line of area rugs for The America and The America West Collections in 1985. The line included plaid and twill rag rugs reflecting common Western American weaving tech-
In 1979, upon hearing ofDr. Robert Bishop's interest in expanding the Museum's reproduction program,!approached Dr. Bishop with the idea oflicensing the Museum to the Home Furnishings Industry. Substantial public awareness ofAmericanfolk art, which coincided with the budding "Country Style" in decorating, was gaining momentum. Having watched museum shops emerge and grow,Ifelt it was timefor the museum to license its holdings and make them accessible to the public through the reproduction process. Thefirst approach was made in thefurniturefzeld, and The Lane Company was chosen as the manufacturer which offered quality, diversity ofproduct and an enthusiastic management. With the support ofBloomingdale's and specifically its master merchants Lester Gribetz and Carl Levine, the program was developed as a major catalystfor the store's 1981 "America the Beautiful" promotion. Since then, the America Collection has both achieved exceptional visibility in the marketplace and enjoyed unprecedented sales successfor Museum products. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Hermine Mariaux President Hermine Mariaux,Inc.
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Folk Hearts 1990 Calendar
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The Clarion
1. The Museum pays homage to Thomas Chippendale with this adaption ofa 1760s Massachusetts wing chair, by Pearson,a division ofLane. 2. "Folk Hearts,"one ofthree 1990 calendars published by Zephyr Press. 3. "Indian Cross"and "Mirror Image," two wovenfabricsfrom a series inspired by Western and Southwestern textiles, by Valdese Weavers. 4. "The America Collection-Wedding Party/Bridal Suite," room setting by Stan Hura,Inc., at Lane showroom,High Point, NC,October 1989. 5. "Memories ofChildhood"(September 1990-December 1991)calendar by Gibson Greetings,Inc. Spring 1990
niques and cotton stenciled rugs with printed quilt patterns such as the Texas Star. That same year, Springs Industries, Inc., a licensee since 1984, introduced its first collection of fabrics for home sewers. A special exhibition was organized by the Museum, Lane and the Fairfield Processing Corporation to celebrate the fifth anniversary of The America Collection. The exhibit, "So Proudly We Hail,' mounted in the Lane showroom in High Point, North Carolina, depicted the history of each state on handquilted state banners. The exhibition was originally shown in April 1986 at The Great American Quilt Festival presented by the Museum,in New York City, at the time of the Statue of Liberty Centennial. Venture, a division of Lane, introduced a thirteen piece vintage wicker collection that year. Wicker, displayed in its own setting in the Venture showroom, or in combination with the wood and upholstered pieces from The America Collection in the Lane and Pearson showrooms, demonstrated the compatibility of all components of the Collection. Three new licensees: Valdese Weavers, Tyndale Lighting (by Frederick Cooper, Inc.), and Hedgerow House, Inc., joined the Collection in 1987. Valdese Weavers, manufacturer and distributor of woven fabrics, featured a collection of richly inspired Western and Southwestern woven textiles for upholstered and wicker pieces. Tyndale Lighting, manufacturer of lamps and lamp shades, presented a collection of ten ceramic lamps based on American quilt designs, two chandeliers, a series of graduated candle stick lamps related to those found in Mission churches, and a group of floor tray lamps â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including one with a handpainted top in an American gameboard pattern. Hedgerow House, Inc., publisher of art posters, introduced a collection of art posters based upon paintings from the permanent collection and promised gifts to the Museum. "Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog,'by Ammi Phillips, became an immediate best seller. In anticipation of the 1989 Bicentennial Celebration of the French Revolution, the Museum presented a fresh 39
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look, in 1988, at the French influence on American furniture design. French Provincial styles, first brought to Canada and New Orleans, were popularized by immigrants who were anxious to recreate Old World refinements in their new American homes. An armoire, popular in French homes along the Mississippi Valley, and a French-Canadian buffet with elaborate paneling were among the pieces recreated. Introductions for The America Collection in 1989 celebrated the American country lifestyle, nature and the changing seasons. Room settings at Lane, Venture,and Pearson reflected a time of awakening, new beginnings, a passion for gardening. Nature was invited inside; comfort meant an informal life40
style in the country or the city. The America Collection celebrated its fifth year in Japan with the introduction by Takashimaya of American Folk Kitchens, a full complement of American food and food products for the Japanese household. Based upon American Colonial and country foods and recipes, the line includes jams, marmalades, sauces, cookies, cakes, nuts, coffees, teas, mustards, salad dressings, vinegar and soups. In addition, Takashimaya presented its first furniture line for The America Collection, based upon eighteenth and nineteenth century New England and Pennsylvania furniture designs, scaled for Japanese residential and commercial interiors. Kessler Industries, a new licensee, was commissioned by the Museum to
manufacture authentic reproductions of American handcrafted carousel animals. Carousel figures have long been a favorite collectible among folk art enthusiasts. These hand-poured, finished and painted horses are a testament to the Museum's long-standing interest in the collection, exhibition and preservation of carousel animals. Wilton Annetale, a licensee since 1988,introduced its first full line for the Collection in 1989 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; metal trivets, mirrors and picture frames inspired by objects and quilts from the permanent collection of the Museum and quilts from the 1986 Great American Quilt Festival. Wilton Armetale fashioned trivets in the shape of the Darling Farm Flag Gate, Archangel Gabriel weathervane, Heart and Hand valentine, and The Clarion
_UM 1. Reflecting the Arts and Crafts style, this split rattan sofa was introduced in October 1989 by Venture, the wicker division ofLane. 2. Wifron Armetak'sfull line ofmetal trivets andframes are based upon piecesfrom the Museum's permanent collection and The Lady Liberty Medallion Quilt ly Marianne Fons. 3. Takashimaya Co., Ltd. provides a complete line ofbed and bath linens,fabrics, decorative accessories and homefurnishings in their department stores throughoutJapan. 4. Tyndale Inc.(by Frederick Cooper), manufacturers oflamps and lamp shades produces a handsome lighting collection. 5. Masterlooms, Inc. showroom at theJanuary 1990 Atlanta Floorcoverings Marketfeatured over 20 handmade rugs.
Spring 1990
the Mariner's Quilt, as well as mirror and picture frames with traditional quilt pattern borders. It's an exciting time for The America Collection as it begins its tenth year. Not only is "country" the overwhelming design choice for the 1990s, but the Collection has proven itself to have staying power, public acceptance, versatility, and a forward outlook. Handmade rugs were introduced at the January 1990 Atlanta Floorcoverings Market by Masterlooms, Inc., a new licensee. In 1974, the Museum mounted the first exhibition devoted solely to hooked rugs. Today, the Museum is proud to offer authentic reproductions and approved adaptations of floorcoverings in pictorial, geometric, and floral designs which capture folk art at its best. Each year"The America Collection" presents a folk art calendar. This year, Zephyr Press published three 1990 calendars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "American Folk "Folk Hearts;' and "Samplers': Each calendar features fine folk art images from the permanent collection, promised gifts to the Museum or private collections graciously lent to the Museum for this project. This year, Import Specialists, Inc., added "America's Bounty': a collection of cotton stencilled rugs inspired by the Baltimore Album Quilt and Bird of Paradise Quilt Top from the permanent collection of the Museum to its line of area rugs for the Collection. Gibson Greetings, Inc., will publish the 1991 and 1992 folk art calendars. The 1991 calendar, available this Spring, will feature a selection of winning quilts from "Memories of Childhood:' The Great American Quilt Festival 2 international crib quilt contest held by the Museum in 1989. The America Collection has always been designed to reach the widest possible audience. By working with high quality manufacturers to create products at affordable prices, the Museum has followed the tradition of American folk art to elevate utilitarian objects to works of simple beauty. With one eye on current market and style influences and the other on the past, the Museum has created its own heritage of style to be enjoyed now and in the future. 41
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WORKING WITH FOLK ART: STARS AND STRIPES ALL OVER BY
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The Clarion
Left, Crossed Flags on Simple Bar Background; Artist unknown; Area unknown;Circa 1900; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd; 73 x 65".
Milton Brechner loves the color red. "I think I was given a red blanket when I was born;' he says. He's had four red cars and countless red sweaters. So it's not surprising that he still gets excited every time he walks into his Long Island offices, where virtually every wall is wearing red — and white and blue. Brechner is Chairman ofthe Board of Dan Brechner Company, Inc., manu-
facturers and distributors of toys and stuffed animals. He collects American flag quilts. "I've always loved the American flag;' says Brechner,"since I was a kid. I loved the colors and the design. I've always been patriotic!' For fifteen years he and his wife Marilyn, Advertising Manager for The Clarion, had collected quilts — Amish, pieced, appliquéd. "But I never knew there was such thing as an American
Right, Centennial Quilt with Touching Stars and Flags Dated "1776"and "1876"; Mary C. Tillotson; Lawrence, KS; Circa JAN 'sanbpuv wenn H
1870; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd; 86 x 76". According to family tradition, this quilt was exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876.
Milton Brechner, Chairman of the Board of Dan Brechner Company Inc., seated at his desk in front of the Civil War Patriotic Quilt with Diamond Shape,Stars and Stripes; Artist unknown; Area unknown; Circa 1845; Cotton front and chintz back, pieced and appliqued;89 x 90". Spring 1990
43
flag guile' When he saw his first flag quilt about five years ago during an exhibition of patriotic quilts at, appropriately enough, America Hurrah, he was, as he says,"hooked!' Since then Brechner has collected at a steady rate. When he built a striking new building for his business in Floral Park three years ago, he had architect Debora Reiser design it with the quilt collection in mind. "Every wall,' Brechner calculates, "has a quilt on it, except one in the board room that has a picture of my mother and father:' Brechner's father founded the toy company 75 years ago as a small import business. It has since grown to employ 120 people in the New York office and
distribution center, and 1,000 Chinese women and girls — who also get room and board — in a factory built four years ago in Shen Zhen province. Sales in excess of $75 million a year go to amusement parks, arcades, zoos, aquariums, national parks, and the American Museum of Natural History — one of the firm's biggest accounts. All three of the Brechners' children are now in the business, too. While the quilts are really just Brechner's personal interest, they seem to be good for business, too. Customers love to look around the open plan offices and employees enjoy coming to work. "People are happier, more relaxed. You never hear hollering. The
Right, Centennial Memorial Quilt with Vertical Striped Flags; Artist unknown; New York State; Dated 1876; Cotton front and back, pieced; 751/2 x 54W. Inscribed under the pendant of Martha Washington is "1876;" inscribed under the pendant of George Washington is "1776:'
Left, Union Quilt; Artist unknown; Pennsylvania; Circa 1900; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliqued; 76 x 70". The four eagles identify this as a °Union quilt, most of which have a floral or compass-like motif in the center. The flag in the center is extremely rare; the red, white and blue banded border enhances the pa-
Photo: Courtesy America Hurrah Antiques, NYC
triotic quality of this quilt.
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The open plan offices of the Dan Brechner Company in Floral Park, NY, were designed with the quilt collection in mind.
The Clarion
Photo: Courtesy of American Hurrah Antiques, NYC
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Left, Centennial Kerchief Quilt; Artist unknown; Area unknown; Circa 1876; Cotton frontand back, pieced; 104 x84". Probably assembled from a quilt kit sold at the fair; since other examples show similar kerchiefs — in different placements. The sash work and star details were made of textiles also found in other examples of kerchief quilts.
colors are happy — it's an 'up' atmosphere;' he says. The quilts are all mounted on rag board in ultraviolet Plexiglas boxes to protect them from light and other hazards endemic to an office environment. They all have curatorial labels; and books and catalogues in which they have been featured are displayed around the offices. The earliest quilt in the collection dates from the 1840s; the latest is from World War II. "Most flag quilts were made during wartime;' explains Joel Kopp of America Hurrah, "though they were done at other times, as well!' One of the most unusual pieces in the collection is not a quilt at all, but a
Navajo rug — a handspun, transitional piece from about 1890 in the design of the American flag. There are also other works of folk art that reflect the flag theme. The quilts, however, clearly dominate: Quilts with big flags, little flags, flags in the corners, whimsical quilts and serious quilts. There is even a Baltimore Album quilt with an American flag in the center. "I don't think there is any other collection of patriotic quilts with the breadth of what they have:' says Kopp. "There's nothing else that I know of that comes close!' When asked how many quilts he now has, Brechner recalls the story ofa Mrs. Epstein, grandmother of a friend, who when asked how many grandchildren
Right, Conventional Flag with Horizontal Stripes; Artist unknown;Pennsylvania area; Circa 1890; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd; 770 x 72'. The horizontal stripes, with exceptional feather quilting, were probably added for design effect and practicality to cover the bed amply.
Office setting with quilt, Vertical Flags with Multi Border; Artist unknown; Ohio area; Circa 1885; Cotton front and back, pieced; 72 x84'. A folk artfish and plush toys fill the shelves.
Spring 1990
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she had would say,"I never count them, I just love them:' With 25-35 quilts, and a desire to display whatever he buys, Brechner is now beginning to hone the collection, to trade up from some of the first quilts he bought. These days he's offered a lot of American flag quilts — many similar to those he already has. And while he feels he's become fairly knowledgeable about condition and design, he still relies on Marilyn and on dealers like Joel and Kate Kopp to assure authenticity. He chuckles about the steady rise in quilt prices since he entered the field. "I've created a demand;' he says. "In the beginning I was paying $10,000 to
$15,000. But the last couple of quilts have been substantially more. For the rare, the unusual and the good, you have to pay!' Brechner makes it clear that he is in this field for the long haul. "This collection will never be sold:' he declares."When the new museum is built I would love to have the collection exhibited at the Museum of American Folk Art:' A momentary flash of anxiety crosses his face. "But our offices would be bare!' He recovers, thinking, no doubt, about what he could buy for all those bare walls.
Far right, Nine Flags with Six Stars; Artist unknown, thought to be African-American; Circa 1900; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd;96 x 86/ 1 4".
Didi Barrett is Editor and Publisher of The Clarion.
Left, Flag with Checkerboards and Stars; Artist unknown;Probably Ohio area; Circa 1890; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd;82 x 91". This quilt is framed
Photo: Courtesy America Hurrah Antiques, NYC
in triple banded borders.
Boardroom at Dan Brechner Company, Inc. On the far wall are portraits offounder Dan Brechner and his wife, Rhea. The quilt is Central Compass with Stars, Moons and Rainbows; Martha Hewitt; Michigan area; Cotton front and back, pieced and appliquéd; 1855; Soldiers hold wavy flags; flowerpots circle the scalloped border
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The Clarion
Photo: Courtesy America Hurrah Antiques. NYC
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LIVING IN A BROOKLYN FOLK ENVIRON MENT by Lee Kogan
nd hallway of the Brooklyn, NY apartment decorated by Joseph E. Fu 1981 to 1988. Above, Lesa Westerman and Addison Thompson, who recently purchased the apartment, seated on a bedroom cabinet.
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It is not uncommon for mainstream American artists to recognize the significance of the creative expression of self—taught artists.' What is unusual, however, is for two academicallytrained artists to purchase and live in a highly personalized space decorated by a self-taught artist. Addison Thompson, an architectural photographer, and his wife Lesa Westerman, a photographer specializing in hand color work, are doing just that in the five-room Brooklyn, New York railroad flat last occupied by Joseph E. Furey, an 83-year-old retired ironworker of Newfoundland ancestry. In July 1988, after fifty years, Furey moved out of the apartment, situated in a brick and limestone rowhouse in the Park Slope neighborhood. Two local muggings encouraged him to finally move in with his son and family in upstate New York. The environment was discovered by two startled maintenance men who called the building's new owners, Vincent and Kevin Kelley. Sensing the artistic importance of the work, Vincent Kelley immediately called the Assistant Curator of Painting and Sculpture of the Brooklyn Museum, Barbara Millstein, who then contacted the Museum of American Folk Art. As news of the apartment spread,2 the story atflurry of tracted popular interest. media coverage included feature stories in The Daily News, April 10, 1989; New York Newsday, June 14, 1989; Life Magazine, June 1989; The New York Times, July 13, 1989, as well as television spots on CBS, ABC,Fox 5 News, and Cable Network News. Undeniably pleased to assume his new role as an "officially recognized" artist, Furey began to refer to himself with a chuckle as "Le Artiste" for special emphasis. When he first started A
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work on the apartment, however, he says he "just wanted to make the place look nice:' Furey created a dazzling monumental environment of extraordinary originality and power. The polychromed walls, ceilings, moldings and doors of each room are embellished with a variety of materials, including paint, shells, small ceramic tiles, cut cardboard forms — most in the shapes of hearts and bow ties — plaster of Paris birds, mirror, lima beans, and paper collage pasted on top of two large scenic wallpaper panels. A coat of polyurethane produced a jewel-like finish on the painted surfaces. The shimmering mosaic is organized into small, balanced, self-contained units. The overall effect of this intricate composition of over 70,000 applied decorations is surprisingly harmonious, considering the mixture of color, design and materials. Repeated motifs evoke personal meaning for the artist: Hearts recall a loving wife and children; crosses, a deep faith; bow ties refer to an engineer colleague, "Bowtie George:' with whom Furey worked for many years. Within the total framework, different areas of the apartment suggest different moods, probably reflecting, in part, the span of time over which he worked on the space. The ceramic-tiled kitchen and bathroom are the most conventional, most likely because they were the first areas he altered. The dark hallway, with its densely-designed shell-encrusted walls, was among the last. Moldings frame the design components of the two front rooms where the colorful motifs "dance" rhythmically inside the borders. The highly complex, eclectic living room, with its designs curiously reminiscent of Pennsylvania German fraktur, was worked 52
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on over a period of years. Furey's creative efforts began more than twenty years ago with some kitchen and bathroom renovation, of which his conservative wife, Lillian, approved. His total absorption with embellishing every inch of space intensified after Lillian died in 1981 when, he says, he "was looking for something to do to pass the time and get over the grief!' Impatient by nature, Furey spent thousands of hours on designing plans, gathering materials and executing the work. Some early schooling in blueprint-reading and preparing was useful in plotting his designs and calculating the number of pieces required to fill in design areas. Thompson and Westerman had read about the apartment and were intrigued by what they had heard. This January, Thompson learned through a friend that the Brooklyn Museum was interested in photographic documentation of the Furey apartment and offered his services. When Westerman saw the transparencies, she was deeply moved and yearned to live in the apartment. She says, "it was magic:' The artists contacted Kelley Realtors and, after some negotiations, struck a deal. At this writing, they have gone to contract. Reactions from their friends and colleagues have varied. Some were offended, others enthralled, and some were interested, but not enough to want to live there. Thompson and Westerman recognize that the apartment needs a great deal of work, but believe in the space's artistic potential. Thompson and Westerman plan to consult Brooklyn Museum experts for restoration and conservation advice. One of the major problems is that the glue around many of the applied pieces has turned brown. The artists are considering whether to repaint over the 53
discolored areas or to strip them and reglue with non-browning adhesive. Other problems revolve around replacement of missing pieces — many of them gathered in a box — and the potential decomposition of the cardboard appliqués. Intending to maintain the integrity of the space, the artists hope to work with Furey, seeking his advice and possible participation in the restoration. Furey, who is recovering from pneumonia, said he would be delighted to meet Thompson and Westerman and help them, but cautioned that his active involvement would have to be arranged on a business basis. While the couple does not plan structural changes in the space, they do hope to personalize it for their needs. Westerman is a "kitchen" person and wants to adapt the living room, the apartment's hub, for modest food preparation by installing a few discreet appliances. The Furey kitchen, in the rear of the apartment, will be transformed into a nursery with oven hood and cabinets kept intact. The two bright front rooms — a sitting room and bedroom for the Fureys — will become studio space for the two artists. They plan to keep the floor treatment simple, with a possible border design. At first, the couple thought they would sand, stain, and varnish the existing pine floors, but they worry that the dust from scraping would forever embed itself into the applied materials. Thompson and Westerman are considering laying linoleum on the floor as an alternative. Westerman explains that with the intricate wall, ceiling, molding, and door designs, the eye needs a place with "little visual stimulation" to enhance and not conflict with the total effect. Window decoration will also be min54
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imal, they say, probably only shades to control the light. The couple plan to install a track system; Thompson may design the lighting fixtures. The artists intend to decorate with 1930s and 1950s furniture they own, including some steel stools, a steel and glass dining table, a Florence Knoll tweed covered two seater, a Herman Miller Eames armchair, and a red-andivory metal desk. They would also like to commission Furey to make a small piece of furniture or one of his decorative "castles" as accents. Once renovation is completed, the couple expect to open the apartment on a limited basis to students, archivists, and other interested people. Thompson and Westerman, who plan things together, have the desire, training and aesthetic sensitivity to offer this little gem of an urban environment an optimistic future. "It appears to be a fantasy ending to a saga of a folk art environment; and unfortunately, they rarely end happily these days;'says contemporary folk art scholar Didi Barrett, one of the first people to visit the newly discovered Furey apartment. "It's exciting, and encouraging, to find that there are people like Addison and Lesa who have the vision to appreciate Joseph Furey's work and the resources to preserve it for the future' Lee Kogan is Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Director of the Folk art Institute at the Museum of American Folk Art. A fellow of the Folk Art Institute, she is currently coordinating research for a forthcoming book on twentieth century folk artists. NOTES 1. American folk art was first recognized by American modernists such as Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Robert Laurent, Elie Nadelman and William Zorach; to this day it is often the contemporary mainstream artists who first recognize the work of a self-taught artist. 2. Furey's apartment was first documented in The Clarion, Spring 1989, pg. 34.
Spring 1990
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BOOK REVIEWS
HOWARD FINSTER: STRANGER FROM ANOTHER WORLD,MAN OF VISIONS NOW ON THIS EARTH By Howard Finster, as told to Tom Patterson 223 pages, illustrated Published by Abbeville Press New York, NY,1989 $35.00 hardcover HOWARD FINSTER: MAN OF VISIONS By J.F. Turner 242 pages, illustrated Published by Alfred A. Knopf New York, NY,1989 $40.00 hardcover This is a "buyer-beware-of-this-reviewer" situation. I've known some of the work of self-taught artists for 25 years, but I became aware ofthe size ofthis field and most ofthe artists, Finster included, less than three years ago. Once I discovered it, Ijumped in head over heels; but you should feel perfectly free to believe that I'm still in over my head. That said, I'll only add that artists like Finster encourage fools to rush in where wise men would stick to a sound investment,so I feel blithely liberated by the man. For all his recent popularity and success, Finster is not easy. His work is almost too serious to be taken straight. It is probably saved from obscurity by its cartoon quality, but I wonder how many of his new fans come to him on his own terms.("Look what I bought, honey! A sermon!") It isn't just that Finster is a stubborn, garrulous, egomanical, parsimonious, wittingly naive, coquettish, born-again, fundamentalist broken-record, as both these books tell us. If that were all, nothing would be more redundant than two biographies of a man who is already one of the country's most immoderate self-advertisers. Rump may stick his name on everything he touches but he doesn't plaster hisface on it. I grew up listening to this Baptist cadence, but Finster has developed the typical Bible Belt preacher's phoney-humble farmboy arrogance to a level that can take your breath away: "I'm not a genius. I'm just a stupid little sixth-grade student who gets his visions from Gorr The man could give lessons to a politician. Granted the line between politician and preacher is thin in this country just now — especially in the Spring 1990
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STRANGER FRorl ANOTHER WORLD
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South, where we have a strong tolerance for eccentrics — but few evangelists could get away with proclaiming himself(to pick just one of his forty or so self-proclamations out of a hat) the Second Noah. If the first Noah had had Finster's chutzpah and media connections there would have been no occasion for the flood. But Finster is also an artist. He possesses one ofthe most infinitely imaginative minds now working in America. Using overstocks and closeouts from hardware stores, working very fast (we are told), totally uncensored, he has laid himself as bare as any artist has dared. We know the dreams, the visions, the homespun yams, the astral projections, the visions of Planet Hell and Planet Heaven, the eccentric heroes, the homages to inventors, even the egotism, jingoism, frugality and sixth-grade education. Finster has painted himself directly, unguardedly, unapologetically — fantasy, aspiration, conviction, ego, ignorance, warts, guts and all since he started. He is a warning to anyone who thinks he can be an artist without conviction; a flung-down gauntlet, a slap across the face with his glove, to anyone who would call himself an artist without a mission. Both of these books, especially limner's, make very good arguments that the day will soon come when Finster will be taken very seriously indeed. Finster's particular conviction is that the world is coming to an end. His mission is probably a very scary one to some people. It is his intention to save your soul. Finster is one of thirteen children born in rural Alabama to a family that experienced
astonishing hardship: Brothers and sisters were killed or maimed in the most bizarre incidents. (I lost track of how few lived to adulthood; I think he lost track.) He left school around age twelve, was saved at thirteen, called to the ministry at fifteen and began preaching by sixteen. The first person he brought to God was his father. Finster has had visions all his life. (The first, when he was very young, was of an older sister before he had learned of her death. It scared him half out of his wits.) To supplement his income as an evangelist and preacher, Finster has worked with his hands all his life: Carpentry, cabinetmaking, plumbing, piano rebuilding. He lists 22 trades. He made and hawked salt shakers, clock cases and picture frames; contributed religious articles to his local newspaper; illustrated his sermons with chalk lectures; and, as he says at least forty times in these-two books,is reallyjust an old retired bicycle fixer. Everything in his life, step by step, has served as an apprencticeship for the artist he has become. Art Rosenbaum points out in lbrner's book: "A key to understanding Howard's accomplishments is to understand that he has taken an oral culture and turned it into a visual one...people in his church could remember the color of the tie he was wearing in the morning, but not the message ofhis sermon. He felt that those messages had to take visual form to be remembered:' Both Turner and Patterson have known Finster for years. They have visited him, collected his work, recorded his words and music, copied his poems.(I think Finster is a wonderful artist; his work is important and will prove seminal. But Tbrner's book contains some of the worst doggerel ever conunitted to print.)The author's dedication has been dogged to a fault. Finster speaks in the present, past, future, spiritual, temporal, planetary and the(what?)interplanetary or extra-planetary, I guess, all in one breath. Just to unravel this speech and set it into coherent chronology must have been a nightmare. Patterson takes the larger risk. After an introduction in which he sets the scene(and tells you Finster's history which you are going to read again and again in the following pages) he gives Finster the stage, or the book, and lets him speak in his own (rearranged,or arranged)voice. Patterson says at 65
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BOOK REVIEWS
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souri, butt feel there's something (certainly not in these two books) slightly denigrating in a forest of apostrophes. I have a fear that it allows readers to assume a patrician attitude if they're at all inclined. Also it's damned difficult to do well. George Bernard Shaw began spelling Eliza Doolittle's cockney and ended by throwing up his hands and asking his readers to imagine it for themselves. Turner has taken the same tactic for the most part. Both ofthese volumes contain good maps of Paradise Garden. Both contain good chronologies and bibliographies; there's a list ofexhibitions in Turner and a good index in Patterson. Both are rife with errors in crediting illustrations, photographers and sizes of paintings, probably more annoying to collectors and dealers than to the general reading public that I assume these books will reach. And for some reason, both tell you that Finster was the only self-taught artist to be represented in Paradise Lost!
approaches it. Turner seems afflicted with the same horror vacui as Finster. I can't think of anything he has left out except an index to tell you where to find it. We have a doctor's analysis of the synergism of nicotine (King B Sweet TWist) and caffeine. Apparently there is something of a hallucinogenic effect. He includes Finster's recipe for"How to Live Longer" which is original, practical and thorough: A complete selfhelp book in one page. Long, often contradicatory, statements from the dealers and collectors ofthis art and the artists who have been influenced by it(and admit it) help pull his book into focus. We hear from many of the professors of art who have invited Finster to speak at their schools; from the directors of galleries who have shown his work; from the museums who have added Finster to their permanent collections and from students who have listened to him speak. Turner doesn't often try to transcribe Finster's dialect, and it is a great relief. Understand that I come from Ozark, Mis-
Paradise Regained:American Visions ofthe New Decade, in the American Pavilion at
/ 2x He Could Not Be Hid; enamel on wood; 211 34" including painted and carved frame; 1977; #267; American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; from Howard Finster: Man of Visions.
the 1984 Venice Biennale, but neither tells you the two pictures that were shown. They were Howard Looks Upon a Piece ofPlanet on page 13 in'Rimer and 31 in Patterson; and It's a Pityfor a Beautiful World to Perish on page 166 in Turner and page 185 in Patterson. So, here are two fine books on a major contemporary self-taught artist that are to be read, not glanced at for their pictures or laid on display. They're to go on the biography shelf beside the very few serious investigations of the lives of other self-taught artists, notably the excellent biographies of St. EOM and Von Bruenchenhein. Now where are the writers who will give us considered, balanced, investigative work on some ofthe other masters of this field? On Gertrude Morgan and Pierce and Perates and Sparrow and Salvatore? And the secular McCarthy and Gatto and Frank Jones and Mary T. Smith and Serl and the beautiful Hawkins? And surely there is someone who will take the time to investigate Yoakum and Ramirez before they repeat the same generalizations and say it doesn't matter where Ramirez came from or Yoakum went, it's all such lovely art. It matters. There has been so little written about these artists it is pointless to recycle endlessly the same two or three paragraphs that we have all read on a dozen
.12316a p!all
the beginning that his book is a celebration of the artist not a scholarly analysis of the man or his work. It is the more anecdotal of the two, gossipy and light. From Patterson we get the dirt on his dealers (not very damning as it turns out, and only from Finster's side) and Finster's fling with the homosexual St. EOM(a funny story and not at all salacious.) Patterson has the better ear for Finster's speech if you're going to attempt to render his accent in print. The first three or so chapters of the book read like Faulkner. If he could have kept it up the book would have been a miracle."When our corn got dry, we cut the green tops off it and pulled the fodder off and brought it to the barn and fed it to the mules. And you could hear them mules eatin' a block away!' Or "And when I got up older, she [his mother] told me, says, 'Honey, when you seen Abbie down by the sawmill road you was three years old.' Say,'That's the same year I hit you with the 'tater fork.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The wisdom of the land and management of the crops is wonderful, but the later chapters get weaker, repetitious and boastful,(endemic here)and Finster has the same difficulty explaining his creative process as any artist would. Still, there are the country zingers. Regarding being famous: "The way I look at it, people're all people. Just like all the ducks is ducks:' Patterson's book has the better pictures of Paradise Garden and Turner's the better reproductions of Finster's paintings. The paintings in Patterson's book are often, well, frankly, too small to read. It's a shame the two men couldn't have collaborated on a larger book with better illustrations but it wouldn't have been possible. For one thing, neither is trying to write a coffee-table book; they're interested in biography. For another, they are too far apart in their viewpoints. Patterson is interested in the man. Turner is interested in the artist and his place in the world. For my taste (God, I wish drama critics would say that once in a while), Turner's book is the more useful to me just now. He also quotes Finster at almost chapter length, but tempers the Reverend's voice with interviews with wife, children (who made the wood-burned frames for Finster's early work), critics, collectors, dealers (their side, still not very damning) and other artists. Nothing is exhaustive, but this book
The Clarion
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T
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PERENNIAL LIBRARY HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS Available in Canada from Harper & Collins
Spring 1990
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BOOK REVIEWS
occasions. If you're going to write about somebody, take the trouble to find out, as Patterson and Turner have. We have passed the moment when we can rewrite the same three sentences about P.M. Wentworth and all the other "little is known abouts:' This bit isn't new;it's been said. But with the acceptance of Finster and gradually, grudgingly, one by one, Hawkins, Serl and all the others into what I'll call, for want of going off on a tirade, the "mainstream:' it makes their inclusion in this magazine superfluous. And one day when enlightenment strikes and people realize that art is the uncensored response of a skilled hand and an unjaundiced eye to the materials around them, it will finally render even this magazine unnecessary. Art is art. Just like all the ducks is ducks. — Lanford Wilson Lanford Wilson is a Pulitzer Prize—winning playwright; a founder and member of The Circle Repertory Company in New York and a member of the Dramatists' Guild Council. He is an avid (he would say fanatical) collector and student of twentieth century self-taught art. THE EARLY MAKERS OF HANDCRAFTED EARTHENWARE AND STONEWARE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY By M.Lelyn Branin 266 pages, black-and-white illustrations Published by Associated University Presses, Cranbury, NJ, 1988 $55.00 hardcover Collectors of antique American stoneware in particular, and all enthusiasts of early American ceramics in general,can be happy that Mr. Branin returned to New Jersey from Maine, where he researched his seminal book on Maine potteries. The volume under review, being devoted exclusively to the early earthenware and stoneware makers of Central and Southern New Jersey, fills a vacuum in the history of pottery making in America. Earthenware was produced in the Colonies as early as the seventeenth century, but it was not until the 1750s, when James Morgan discovered the vein of highgrade stoneware clay near South Amboy, New Jersey, that utilitarian stoneware production began on a large scale. No longer did the early Colonists of the seventeenth and eigh68
Two gallon, double-handled cooler by Abial Price from The Early Makers of Handcrafted Earthenware and Stoneware in Central and Southern New Jersey. teenth centuries have to use unhealthy, leadbased glazes and unsanitary, porous, and easily broken red clay. Because of their close proximity to the vein of stoneware clay, the early New Jersey potters not only influenced three to four generations of stoneware manufacturers throughout New York and New England, but they shipped the raw stoneware clay to potteries all over the Northeast United States well into the twentieth century. Although earthenware and stoneware were produced in New Jersey for 300 and 230 years respectively, there has been no single source documenting where and when potteries came into existence, went bankrupt, merged, and relocated. Branin's book describes the potters and their potteries in a concise and coherent manner, and in the appropriate historical context. The well-organized text uses four main groupings: the early Colonial period; eighteenth century potteries; early nineteenth century potteries; and late nineteenth century potteries. The individual potteries are presented chronologically within each grouping. The exciting aspect ofthe book is that much ofthe information is published for the first time. The majority of the research comes from primary sources, and has never before been available to collectors and scholars of antique earthenware and stoneware; all sources are clearly referenced at the end of each chapter, enabling easy access by the interested reader. The text is supplemented by many interesting figures and illustrations that add depth and breadth to the narrative. They include historical photographs of the potters and their manufactories;old billheads show-
ing the prices of stoneware and the various forms sold; maps showing locations of the potteries and claybanks in relation to transportation routes; and many photographs of various wares and the different decorations used by the potters to ornament them. Of particular interest, are the many small tables showing inventories, wills, deeds, cost of raw materials, toll rates on canals, and amount and types of wares produced by the various potteries. This data provides fascinating insight into the basic nature of the potting trade in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in New Jersey. In addition, there are more than twenty pages of interesting and fun-to-read appendices, indicating manufacturing statistics, census information about potters working in different towns, pottery payrolls, glaze formulas, wills and inventories, and even pottery floor plans. Branin's book represents scholarly research that is well organized and written in a manner that allows the reader to understand and follow the multitudinous facts that are necessary to describe the early potting trade in Central and Southern New Jersey. It is a necessary addition to the reference library of anyone interested in the ceramic history of the United States. — Steven B.Leder,Ph.D. Steven B. Leder, Ph.D, is Editor of Software Publications and is a collector of antique American stoneware. CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REDWARE POTTERY 1780-1904 By Jeannette Lasansky 60 pages, black-and-white photos and one color plate Published by the Union County Oral Traditions Projects, 1979 Reprinted 1989 $7.95 softcover Driving along the windy back roads of Pennsylvania and tracing the lives of the early potters has become a routine for Jeannette Lasansky and her many helpers. The results of these countless trips are recorded in Central Pennsylvania Redware Pottery 1780-1904. This reprint of the third book in the series is devoted to researching the handcraft industries of Pennsylvania. What she did for stoneware in her first book, The Clarion
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BOOK REVIEWS
Made ofMud — Stoneware Potteries in Central Pennsylvania 1834-1929, she repeats in this very thoroughly researched companion. Given the passage of time and its remarkable powers of erasing data, this series does a great service for folk historians and collectors. Over 650 potters in this roughly eighteen-county area are named and located. The book is divided into three sections. The first is an overview of the redware industry, the individual pottery and how it operated. The pottery cycle of the Stahl family of Lehigh County, for example, is described from the digging of local clays, their preparation, the throwing and drying processes, and the two-day, four-cordwood firing. It is easy to imagine this firing recurring throughout the redware industry. Many of the businesses mentioned were run by the same family for as many as three generations. In the second section the reader can appreciate the scope of Lasansky's research in primary sources. Hundreds of kiln sites have been uncovered and potteries detailed. Anecdotes abound, such as one potter complaining that another "didn't make his crocks right:' Wetting down the kiln shed roof before a firing or wrapping clay around a rope to make clay tubes are also described. A map is needed as the author leads us from one county to the next, going from town to town and pottery to pottery. Much of the data and anecdotal information presented in this second section are confusing without the visual organization such a map would provide. In the third section, over 150 earthenware objects are photographed — everything from roofing tiles to butter churns, bed pans to pipes, and the potter's tools themselves. Objects that were thrown, pressed, molded, and hand-built are presented with informative captions. Unlike stoneware, earthenware was rarely marked even when the two types were made in the same pottery; so the research assembled here may not have the same value to the redware collector as to the historian. However, the scope of the research is so complete that anyone interested in pottery should appreciate this book. —Meg Smeal Meg Smeal is a matriculated student of the Folk Art Institute of the Museum of American Folk Art. She is also a professional potter. Spring 1990
THE FINE ART OF QUILTING By Vicki Barker and Tessa Bird 160 pages, color and black-and-white illustrations Published by E. P. Dutton, New York, 1988 $29.95 hardcover The Fine Art of Quilting presents a look at the extraordinary range of diversity in form, style, and image that can be found today in contemporary quilting. The authors have included the work of forty-eight women quilters from Australia, northern Europe, and the United States; their ideas, work habits, and creations are presented through interviews and personal comments and a series of very high-quality photographs of their work. Thirteen of the quilters were interviewed in depth,and a number Of pages are devoted to extensive individual descriptions of their working habits, how they got started in quilting, their background and training, their general thoughts about or philosophy of quilting, and pictures of a representative sample of their work. For each of the thirty-five other quilters included, the authors have given a brief quote from each women along with two or three examples of her work. Although there is no question that the quilters included in the volume are masters of their art, and size and space limitations provided certain constraints on the numbers that could be presented, it would have been interesting for the reader to know the authors' criteria for choice when defining the parameters of the volume. Unfortunately, no information is provided about how these quilters came to be chosen over others, why some were selected for long entries and others for abbreviated ones, or why the coverage was limited to the regions noted rather than worldwide (the lack of material from Japan is especially felt, given some of the exciting work that has come out of that country in recent years). The volume, however, is a visual delight throughout and helps the reader to gain a better understanding of quilting as a true art form. The examples shown give a good demonstration of the changing and growing aspects of contemporary quiltmaking and make it clear that, for this group of quilters at least, the domestic and social functions of the quilt and quiltmaking have become less significant as the parameters are expanded
in the direction of art rather than craft. Although the relationship between the old and the new remains, the traditional boundaries of size, shape, and function are part of an ongoing process of experimentation, redefinition, and transformation, as the work of these artists so clearly demonstrates. The Fine Art of Quilting is valuable as a benchmark on the winding road of change in quilting, and as a statement that the older structural constraints no longer necessarily apply and that there are yet new paths to be taken. Many of the artists whose quilts are shown have come to quilting from a more traditional art background, having been originally trained as artists or illustrators, and many ofthem consider themselves to be "painters with fabric!' or "fabric painters!' This latter is sometimes quite literally true, as a number of these quitters have chosen to integrate the use of paint and fabric, painting or dying their fabrics as necessary in order to achieve the precise shading or tone that is critical to the piece. Each quitter in her own way makes the point that quilting has allowed "freedom from the weight of art history!' as Jo Budd of England succinctly puts it, yet encourages a blending of technique, color, and design that has great appeal as an art form. Many of them note that fabric suits them as a means of expression — whether it be soft and subtle, or bold and dramatic — in a way that paint does not, that the tactile and familiar qualities of textiles appeal to the imagination of maker and viewer alike. The Fine Art of Quilting provides quite a bit of background information on the quitters in the thirteen extended interviews and gives the reader a good sense of the woman behind the quilt. The enthusiasm and dedication of the makers is clearly evident in their comments (mostly presented in the quitters' own voices) and in their work. In this, the book moves from the presentation of the quilt as an art form to a more human and personal level, which, after all, is appropriate for items whose historical origins are grounded in everyday domestic use. A broad range of working techniques and philosophies is represented, from those artists who carefully map out a design every step of the way to those who are ready to pick up the scissors and start cutting once their imagination has taken 69
FOLK ART SOCIETY ()I AMERICA
An Invitation to Join the Folk Art Society of America The Folk Art Society of America is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization formed to discover, study, promote, preserve, exhibit and document folk art,folk artists and folk art environments. Membership includes a subscription to the quarterly publication, Folk Art Messenger, and all other privileges of membership.
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BOOK REVIEWS
firm hold of an idea. The interviews also show that the artists' inspirations for designs may spring from many sources â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from the prosaic (as seen in Therese May's "Radish Salt and Pepper Shakers"), to the dramatic (Helen Bitar's "The Coming of Magic:' inspired by the eruption of Mount St. Helens), to the political (Dinah Prentice's "Molesworth Mon Amour"), to unique and lovely variations on old patterns (Sabine du Tertre's Log Cabin designs). Although these women are emphatic in their belief that a freer use of the quilt form has encouraged greater degrees of individual innovation and an increased ability to capture and present impressions and ideas than did the more traditional patchwork structure, they still very much see themselves as part of the continuation of an important tradition, even while in many ways they are in the process of moving beyond it. As Pamela Gustayson Johnson notes, "I do not believe that the tradition is served by simply repeating it. My intention 70
is to expand on what has gone before!' A few small frustrations should be noted: For the most part, the quilters discuss quilts that are pictured in the book, but occasionally one or another will go into some detail about the design or development of a favored quilt or of one that posed particular problems in composition or production, and the piece is not shown; in these cases, the reader would have found it both interesting and helpful to see exactly what the artist was talking about. A similar problem occurs when a detail of a quilt is given, but no picture ofthe entire piece is available, which somewhat limits the comprehension of the quilt as a whole. Also, in a few instances, sizes were not given for some quilts, and an occasional typographical error resulted in the feet/inches conversions to meters/centimeters not matching These small problems notwithstanding, The Fine Art of Quilting can be enjoyed on many levels. For those who are new to quilting, a sense of the scope of the art is
given without ignoring the importance of mastering the traditional techniques, methods, and motifs that form the basis of the work, as many of the quilters emphasize in their interviews. The glorious sense of color, design, and individual imagery reflected in the pieces included can be fully appreciated by anyone, whether their interests are in contemporary quilting or in a study of new art forms. And the long-time quilter may find further inspiration for striking out in new directions, for moving beyond the tried and proven into an innovative and exciting realm where ongoing experimentation may bring a renewed sense of depth, vision, and feeling to a traditional and homely art. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jacqueline M.Atkins Jacqueline M. Atkins is a writer and former publisher. Her last book,Memories ofChildhood, was written for the Museum of American Folk Art's Great American Quilt Festival 2; she is now working on a book on Spanish-American textiles for the Museum. The Clarion
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DEVELOPMENTS JOHLEEN D.NESTER
"ABSOLUT AMERICANA" A unique arts and business partnership between the Museum of American Folk Art, Country Home Magazine and Absolut Vodka culminated in February with the presentation of "Absolut Americana!' an advertising campaign which incorporates objects commissioned from ten contemporary American artists working in the folk art tradition. The generous support of Country Home and Absolut, through corporate membership in the Museum, will assist in the presentation of exhibitions and educational programs which bring folk art to a wide national audience. The campaign was presented in a special one-time insert in the April issue of Country Home Magazine. Both Country Home and Absolut Vodka are long-time advocates and supporters of the arts. As mentioned in this column in the Winter 1990 issue of The Clarion, Country Home provides grants for the presentation of exhibitions, lectures, and concerts through its Cultural Events Support Program. The Museum has received support through this program every year since the program's inception. The following presentations were made possible by Country Home: Walking Tours at the Fall Antiques Show (1987); Film Festival (1988); and Lecture Series for "America Eats: Folk Art and Food (1989). Jean LemMon, Editor-in-Chief of Country Home says that "support of the arts has always been an integral part of the Country Home philosophy, so naturally we're pleased to be able to showcase the work of these prominent American folk artists!' Over the years, Absolut Vodka has created an innovative marketing strategy through an association with the arts. As a result, Absolut has established a stylish image which positions the brand as the choice of individuals interested in the arts. In 1985, Andy Warhol, Absolut's first commissioned artist, painted his now famous rendition of the Absolut bottle. A succession of Absolut-inspired creations by artists such as Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Spring 1990
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corporate headquarters in Teaneck, New Jersey. In order to ensure the presentation of the many programs developed by the Museum of American Folk Art each year, support from the corporate community is essential. The Museum constantly seeks unique and innovative ways of securing this support. The task becomes simplified and equally beneficial to all involved when corporate donors such as Country Home and Absolut, both of which maintain a philosophy of generously supporting the arts, are involved. The Museum greatly appreciates the generosity of these two companies and urges you, as members, to take a look at "Absolut Americana!'
Edward Ruscha, and Hans Godo Frabed have been the basis for past product advertisements. Michel Roux, President and CEO of Carillon Importers Ltd., the sole U.S. marketer of Absolut, remarked that "since its 1979 introduction to the United States, Absolut has been especially popular among people whose tastes and lifestyles are at the leading edge. For this reason, we have always been interested in supporting those artists and performers who are at the leading edge of their profession!' The support of contemporary American artists working in the folk tradition is the most recent strategy in Carillon Importers' marketing campaign. The objects which were commissioned are all based upon the wellknown Absolut bottle. The following artists have created works for this project: John Cross (woodcarving), Michelle Fitch (quilt), Kathy Jakobsen (painting), Thomas Langan(woodcarving), James Nyeste (pottery), JoAnn O'Callaghan (quilt), Janis Price (textile), Angie Roth (quilt), Mary Shelley (woodcarving), and Malcah Zeldis (painting). Each of the commissioned works has become part of the Absolut collection and will be displayed at
FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR BIBLIOGRAPHY The Museum received a grant of$9,500 from the H.W. Wilson Foundation to publish the Bibliography of American Folk Artfor the Year 1988. This publication, the second issue in a series inaugurated by the Museum last year, will provide an important research tool for collectors, scholars, and students of folk art. The volume will include more than 300 listings of books and exhibition and auction catalogues which were published in 1988; the number of entries has increased substantially over the 239 which appeared in the 1987 bibliography. The Bibliography of American Folk Artfor the Year 1988 was compiled by two former Columbia University reference librarians, Eugene P. Sheehy and Rita G. Keckeissen, both of whom are volunteers in the Library, under the direction of Edith C. Wise, Director of Library Services. The H.W. Wilson Foundation provides important support to library schools and arts organizations nationwide. The Museum is especially grateful to the Foundation for recognizing the Bibliography ofAmerican Folk Art for the Year 1988 as an important research tool and for generously supporting its publication.
"AbsolutAinericana"quill by JoAnn O'Callaghan and Angie Roth.
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MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART BOARD OF TRUSTEES Exective Committee Ralph Esmerian President Frances Sirota Martinson, Esq. Executive Vice President Lucy C. Danziger Vice President George F. Shaskan, Jr. Treasurer Mrs. Dixon Wecter Secretary Karen D. Cohen Judith A. Jedlicka Theodore L. Kesselman Susan Klein Kathryn Steinberg
Members Mabel H. Brandon Florence Brody Peter M. Ciccone Daniel Cowin Barbara Johnson, Esq. William I. Leffler George H. Meyer Cyril I. Nelson Cynthia V.A. Schaffner William Schneck Ronald K. Shelp Bonnie Strauss
Maureen Taylor Robert N. Wilson Honorary Trustee Eva Feld Trustees Emeriti Adele Earnest Cordelia Hamilton Herbert W. Hemphill, Jr. Louis C. Jones Margery G. Kahn Alice M. Kaplan Jean Lipman
DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Judith A. Jedlicka Theodore L. Kesselman Co-Chairmen Lewis Alpaugh Hoechst Celanese Corporation Gordon Bowman Corporate Creative Programs Frank Brenner Hartmarx Corporation
John Mack Carter Good Housekeeping Paul Chusid Squibb Corporation Jerry Kaplan Better Homes and Gardens Allan Kaufman Long Distance North
Francine Lynch Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. Rachel Newman Country Living Thomas Troland Country Home Barbara Wright New York Telephone
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Frances Sirota Martinson, Esq. Mrs. Dixon Wecter Co-Chairmen Paul Anbinder William Arnett Frank & June Barsalona Mary Black Susan Blumstein Judi Boisson Gray Boone Robert & Katherine Booth Barbara & Edwin Braman Milton Brechner Raymond Brousseau Edward J. Brown Charles Burden Tracy Cate Margaret Cavigga Edward Lee Cave Joyce Cowin Richard & Peggy Danziger David Davies Marian DeWitt Davida Deutsch Charlotte Dinger Raymond & Susan Egan Margo Ernst Helaine & Burton Fendelman 72
Howard Fertig Ted & Joanne Foulk Jacqueline Fowler Ken & Brenda Fritz Ronald Gard Robert S. Gelbard Dr. Kurt A. Gitter Merle & Barbara Glick Howard M. Graff Bonnie Grossman Michael & Julie Hall Lewis I. Haber Elaine Heifetz Terry Heled Josef & Vera Jelinek Joan Johnson Eloise Julius Isobel & Harvey Kahn Allen Katz James Keene Mark Kennedy Arthur & Sybil Kern William Ketchum Susan Kraus Wendy Lavitt Marilyn Lubetkin Robert & Betty Marcus Paul Martinson
Steven Michaan Michael & Marilyn Mennello Alan Moss Kathleen S. Nester Helen Neufeld Henry Niemann Paul Oppenheimer Ann Frederick & William Oppenhimer Dr. Burton W. Pearl Patricia Penn Leo & Dorothy Rabkin Harriet Polier Robbins Charles & Jan Rosenalc Joseph J. Rosenberg Le Rowell Randy Siegel Sibyl Simon Susan Simon Ann Marie Slaughter Sanford L. Smith R. Scudder Smith Richard Solar Hume Steyer Jane Supino Edward Tishelman Tony & Anne Vanderwarker John Weeden G. Marc Whitehead The Clarion
CURRENT MAJOR DONORS
The Museum of American Folk Art greatly appreciates the generous support of the following friends: $20,000 and above Asahi Shimbun Ames Gallery of American Folk Art Bear, Stearns & Co.,Inc. Ben & Jerry's Homemade,Inc. Judi Boisson Marilyn & Milton Breclmer Chinon, Ltd. Estate of Thomas M.Conway Country Home Mr. & Mrs. Frederick M. Danziger Mrs. Eva Feld Estate of Morris Feld The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Hartmarx Corporation William Randolph Hearst Foundation Kodansha, Ltd. Jean & Howard Lipman Joseph Martinson Memorial Fund Steven Michaan National Endowment for the Arts New York State Council on the Arts PaineWebber Group Inc. Philip Morris Companies Leo & Dorothy Rabkin Restaurant Associates Industries, Inc. Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, Inc. Two Lincoln Square Associates United Technologies Corporation Mrs. Dixon Wecter The Xerox Foundation $10,000-$19,999 Absolut Vodka Estate of Mary Allis Amicus Foundation Lily Cates Mr. & Mrs. Peter Cohen The Joyce & Daniel Cowin Foundation Inc. Culbro Corporation Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Deutsch Adele Earnest Fairfield Processing Corporation/Poly-fil Daniel and Jessie Lie Farber Walter and Josephine Ford Fund Taiji Harada Shirley and Theodore L. Kesselman Masco Corporation George H. Meyer Kathleen S. Nester New York Telephone Schlumberger Foundation, Inc. Samuel Schwartz Mrs. Gertrude Schweitzer and Family Mr. & Mrs. George F. Shaskan, Jr. Shearson Lehman Hutton Peter and Linda Solomon Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Robert Steinberg Spring 1990
Barbara and Thomas W. Strauss Fund $4,000-$9,999 American Stock Exchange The Bernhill Fund Bristol-Myers Fund Mr. & Mrs. Martin Brody The David and Dorothy Carpenter Foundation Tracy Roy & Barbara Wahl Cate Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. Mr. & Mrs. Edgar M.Cullman Mr. & Mrs. Richard Danziger David Davies Jacqueline Fowler Colonel Alexander W. Gentleman Richard Goodyear Hoechst Celanese Corporation Barbara Johnson, Esq. Margery and Harry Kahn Philanthropic Fund Lore Kann Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Robert Klein Wendy & Mel Lavitt Metropolitan Life Foundation Sallie Mae/Student Loan Marketing Association The Salomon Foundation Squibb Corporation The State Education Department, Division of Library Development, New York State Mt & Mrs. Stanley Tananbaum John Weeden The H.W. Wilson Foundation Robert N.& Anne Wright Wilson Norman & Rosita Winston Foundation $2,000-$3,999 American Folk Art Society American Savings Bank Estate of Abraham P. Bersohn The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation Capital Cities/ABC The Coach Dairy Goat Farm Country Living Mr. & Mrs. Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Exxon Corporation Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Einbender Cordelia Hamilton Justus Heijmans Foundation Johnson & Johnson Manufacturers Hanover Trust Marsh & McLennan Companies Christopher & Linda Mayer McGraw-Hill, Inc. Montefiore Medical Center Morgan Stanley & Co.,Incorporated The New York Times Company Foundation, Inc. Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. Betsey Schaeffer Robert T. & Cynthia V.A. Schaffner S.H. & Helen Scheuer Mr. & Mrs. Derek V. Schuster Joel & Susan Simon
Mr. & Mrs. Austin Super Mr. & Mrs. Richard T. Taylor Time Warner Inc. V.I.P. Fabrics David 8z Jane Walentas $1,000-$1,999 William Arnett The Bachmann Foundation Didi & David Barrett Mr. & Mrs. Frank Barsalona Michael Belknap Edward Vermont Blanchard & M. Anne Hill Bloomingdale's Bozell Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Braman Mabel H. Brandon Edward J. Brown Ian G.M. & Marian M.Brownlie Morris B. and Edith S. Cartin Family Foundation Edward Lee Cave CBS Inc. Liz Claiborne Foundation Consolidated Edison Company of New York The Cowles Charitable Must Crane Co. Susan Cullman Mr. & Mrs. Donald DeWitt Gerald & Marie DiManno The Marion and Ben Duffy Foundation Echo Foundation Ellin E Ente Virginia S. Esmerian John & Margo Ernst Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Ferguson Janey Fire & John Kalymnios Louis R. and Nettie Fisher Foundation Susan & Eugene Flamm The Flower Service The Franklin Mint Emanuel Gerard The Howard Gilman Foundation Dr. & Mrs. Kurt A. Gitter Selma & Sam Goldwitz Renee Graubert Terry & Simca Heled Alice & Ronald Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. David S. Howe IBM Corporation Mr.& Mrs. Yee Roy Jear Judith A. Jedlicka Joan & Victor L. Johnson Isobel & Harvey Kahn Kallir, Philips, Ross, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Kaplan Lee & Ed Kogan Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Lauder Estate of Mary B. Ledwith William & Susan Leffler Dorothy & John Levy James & Frances Lieu 73
BIRD FOR BIRD, THE FINEST GROUP OF DECOYS EVER TO COME TO AUCTION Decoys Unlimited is offering at auction the decoy collection of George W. Thompson: Included in this unsurpassed collection of over one hundred decoys are carvings by, Nathan Cobb, Elmer Crowell, William Bowman and the largest and finest group of Stevens Factory decoys ever assembled. Also included is a limited selection of quality decoys from other collections. CANADA GOOSE WATCH GANDER Sam Soper (1875-1942) Barnegat, New Jersey Ex. Mackey Collection. Exhibits: The Smithsonian Institution, The USIA Exhibit at the Osaka, Japan World's Fair, 1964, The IBM Science and Technology Gallery, 1970.
GEORGE CARRUTH HANDCARVED STONE OBJECTS
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2320 Main Street, West Barnstable, MA 01668 508-362-2766
CURRENT MAJOR DONORS
Macmillan, Inc. R.H. Macy & Co., Inc. Robert & Betty Marcus Foundation, Inc. Marstrand Foundation C.F. Martin IV Helen R. Mayer & Harold C. Mayer Foundation Marjorie W. McConnell Meryl & Robert Meltzer Michael & Marilyn Mennello Benson Motechin, C.P.A., P.C. National Westminster Bank USA New York Mariott Marquis Mattie Lou O'Kelley Paul Oppenheimer Cathy Rasmussen Ann-Marie Reilly Paige Rense Marguerite Riordan Mrs. John D. Rockefeller III Willa & Joseph Rosenberg Mr. & Mrs. Jon Rotenstreich Schlaifer Nance Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William Schneck Mr. & Mrs. Richard Sears 74
Randy Siegel Rev. & Mrs. Alfred R. Shands Ill Mr. & Mrs. Ronald K. Shelp Mrs. Vera W. Simmons Philip & Mildred Simon Mrs. A. Simone Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. Solar Sotheby's Mr. & Mrs. Elie Soussa Mr. & Mrs. Sanford L. Smith Sterling Drug Inc. Phyllis & Irving Tepper That Patchwork Place Anne D. Utescher H. van Ameringen Foundation Tony & Anne Vanderwarker Elizabeth & Irwin Warren Weil, Gotshal & Manges Foundation Wertheim Schroder & Co. Mrs. & Mrs. John H. Winkler $5004999 Helen & Paul Anbinder Louis Bachman
Arthur and Mary Barrett David C. Batten Roger S. Berlind Best Health Soda Robert & Katherine Booth Michael 0. Braun Iris Carmel Edward & Nancy CopIon Judy Angelo Cowen Edgar M.Cullman, Jr. Allan L. Daniel The Dammann Fund,Inc. Andre & Sarah de Coizart Mr. & Mrs. James DeSilva, Jr. Deborah Dunn Richard C. & Susan B. Ernst Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Howard Fertig Timothy C. Forbes Estelle E. Friedman Ronald Gard General Foods Mr. & Mrs. William L. Gladstone Irene and Bob Goodkind Mr. & Mrs. Baron J. Gordon The Clarion
Custom Made Stretchers for displaying Quilts & Hooked Rugs Rag Carpets sewn together for Area Rugs
Pie Galmat 230 w 10th S[ ,ny , ny. 10014 (212) 741 - 3259
CURRENT MAJOR DONORS
Robert M. Greenberg Dr. & Mrs. Stanley Greenberg Grey Advertising, Inc. Connie Guglielmo Cathy M. Kaplan The Charles U. Harris Living Trust Denison H. Hatch Stephen Hill Holiday Inn of Auburn Mr. & Mrs. Albert L. Hunecke, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Israel Guy Johnson Mary Kettenah Janet Langlois Mr. & Mrs. Richard M. Livingston Hemline Mariaux Robin & William Mayer Gertrude Meister Gad Mendelsohn Pierson K. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Arthur O'Day Geraldine M. Parker Dr. Burton W. Pearl Mr. & Mrs. Stanley M. Riker Spring 1990
Betty Ring Mr. & Mrs. David Ritter Trevor C. Roberts Joanna S. Rose Chuck & Jan Rosenak Richard Sabino Saks Fifth Avenue Mary Frances Saunders Sheraton Inn, Norwich Skidmore Iwings & Merrill Smith Gallery SONY Corporation of America David F. Stein Robert C.& Patricia A. Stempel Sterling Sound Texaco Philanthropic Foundation, Inc. Edward I. Tishelman Marco P. Walker Washburn Gallery Bruce Weber Anne G. Wesson G. Marc Whitehead Mr.& Mrs. Johh R. Young Marcia & John Zweig
The Museum is grateful to the CoChairwomen of its Special Events Committee for the significant support received through the Museum's major fund raising events chaired by them. Karen D. Cohen Cynthia V. A. Schaffner The Museum also thanks the following donors for their recent gifts to the Permanent Collection, Library and Education Collection: Robert Bishop Nina and Gordon Bunshaft Margot P. Ernst Elaine Sloan Hart; Quilts of America Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. Estate of Richard Bruce E. LaCont Cyril I. Nelson Dorothy and Leo Rabkin Ivan B. Rigby Elizabeth Wecter 75
MUSEUM NEWS COMPILED BY MELL COHEN
APRIL GALLERY OPENINGS
CHILDREN'S NEWSPAPER IS NAMED
Documents of Education: Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring is scheduled to open at the Museum of American Folk Art/Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets, New York City on Saturday, April 21, and run through June 24,1990. Included are approximately 200 American samplers and pictorial embroideries from a variety of regions that reflect the industry and artistry of countless teachers who guided the needles of American schoolgirls. Betty Ring,guest curator, is one of the best-known scholars and collectors in the field of early American embroideries. In conjunction with this exhibition a public lecture, the Forgotten Schoolmistresses, is planned for Wednesday, April 25,1990,6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at the Museum of American Folk Art Administrative Offices, 61 West 62 Street, 3rd floor, New York City. There will also be a Conservation Session on Samplers and Embroideries, on Tuesday, May 29, 1990, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Museum of American Folk Art/Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square. Also showing at the Museum will be the exhibition Photographic Visions: A Personal Look at Folk Art Environments by photographer Valorie Fisher. Folk art environments, also called grass-roots art, can be found across America. The work of self-taught artists working outside the art mainstream, they provide us with some of the most inventive, and best, examples of public art. Included will be 25 detail photos from nine environments.
Kevin Timpone, a first grader at PS 114 in Belle Harbor, New York,is the winner of the contest to name the Museum's "Yet-to-Be-Named Children's Newspaper." Following his suggestion, the publication will be known as Kids News. The contest drew twenty-seven entries from young people, mostly in the first
Solar System, a photograph of the Hubcap Ranch environment by Litto Damonte in Sonoma Valley, CA;1988.
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through third grades. Submissions came from as far away as Santa Barbara, California, and Canon City, Colorado, and from as close as West End Avenue. All contestants received a kazoo and a letter of appreciation for participating in the contest. Kevin Timpone also received a specially chosen wooden toy.
FOLK ART EXPLORERS' CLUB TOURS Discover the architectural diversity and rich history of the Museum's Upper West Side neighborhood in this fascinating walking tour Saturday, May 12,1990,led by Marvin Gelfand, a local tour guide. The tour will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Museum of American Folk Art/Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Street, and will end at about 3:00 p.m. at the same location. Deadline for registration, April 30, 1990. Members $10, guests $12.
Join the San Francisco Quilt Tour, May 30-June 3, 1990. Museum members are invited to join Quilt Connection members on this trip which will include tours of private and museum quilt collections and a full-day design workshop. Also, a tour to the New Orleans, Louisiana area is scheduled for November 1990. For inquiries about Spring Trips 1990, contact the Membership Office, Tel. 212/977-7170.
PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERNSHIP HONORS MYRA AND GEORGE SHASKAN Because of a generous gift to the Museum from an anonymous donor, New York City students in grades nine through twelve who visit the Museum of American Folk Art/Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square as part of a school trip may compete for a summerlong Museum internship. The internship is named in honor of Myra and George Shaskan, a Museum Trustee, who have a long-standing commitment to Museum education. This program will allow a young person to work this summer in the Museum's Curatorial Department. After participating in a school trip to the gallery, interested students can write a 250 word (or less)essay about any aspect of their experience. One essay will be selected from each participating school. Judges will choose five finalists from each borough. All finalists will receive a prize. The two winners, chosen from
among the 25 finalists, will serve as Museum interns during the summer of 1990. Interns will research and assemble a mini-exhibition for display at the gallery. Payment will be 10 percent above the minimum wage for hours worked. The deadline for submission ofessays is May 15, 1990. Finalists and winners will be notified by June 1, 1990. All essays become the property of the Museum. Essays should be typed or legibly handwritten and must include the name ofthe student, class level, and the name and address of his or her high school. Mail essays to: Curator of Education/Shaskan Internship; Museum of American Folk Art;61 East 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023. For more information call the Museum's Education Department Tel. 212/977-7170.
The Clarion
MUSEUM NEWS
PATRON MEMBERS ENJOY PRIVATE VIEWING
The Museum reports with sadness the death of Gertrude Schweitzer on November 10, 1989. She was an artist whose works are in collections at several prominent museums. Gertrude was always an enthusiastic supporter and real friend of the Museum. Many of the beautiful objects which she has given us through the years have added significantly to our permanent holdings. She did much to assist the Museum in preserving America's great folk heritage. She will be truly missed.
On the Sunday prior to the Sotheby's auction of the collection of the late Bernard M. Barenholtz, more than 150 patron members and their guests enjoyed a special private viewing of the collec-
tion at the invitation of Sotheby's. The Museum thanks Nancy Druckman, director of folk art for Sotheby's, for her generous hospitality in hosting this special reception.
Left to right: Martin Johnston, Dr. Robert Bishop, Steve Miller and Lucile Turecki at the private viewing at Sotheby's.
Burt and Helaine Feridelman with friend examine a quilt at the Barenholtz preview.
On January 1, 1990 after succumbing to heart failure, longtime Museum friend Barry Cohen passed away at the age of 54. He was a pioneer and renowned collector of American folk art with a special passion for redware and stoneware pottery. Barry Cohen was an artist who has been widely exhibited and collected. He is particularly well-known as the founder of Community Environments, a government agency that sponsored environmental workshops for New York City children.
SIGN-LANGUAGE GALLERY TALKS The Museum of American Folk Art is pleased to announce sign-language interpreted gallery talks will be held on the first Monday ofevery month at 7:00 p.m. at the Eva and Morris Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets, New York City. For TTY users, please call New York Relay Service at 1 800/662-1220. Communications assistants will relay your message to an available staff member at the Gallery telephone number 212/595-9533. All other callers dial direct 212/595-9533.
oipOdgj spo :solotld
IN MEMORY
M USEUM'S TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS Mark your calendars for the following Museum of American Folk Art exhibitions when they travel to your area during the coming months: January 29-April 23, 1990 Stitched from the Soul: Slave Quilts from the Ante-Bellum South Huntsville Museum of Art Huntsville, Alabama 205/535-4350 February 15-April 17, 1990 Beneath the ice: The Art of the Fish Decoy Museum of American Folk Art New York, New York 212/977-7170 March 18-May 12, 1990 American Wildfowl Decoys: An Art of Deception Folk Art Center Asheville, North Carolina 704/298-7928 April 2-May 14, 1990 The Pennsylvania German Hex Sign: A Photo Panel Exhibition Schuylkill County Council for the Arts Pottsville, Pennsylvania 717/622-2788 April 2-May 28, 1990 Access to Art: Bringing Folk Art Closer Museum of Arts and History Port Huron, Michigan 313/982-0891
Spring 1990
April 8-June 3, 1990 Life in the New World: Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art Columbia Museum of Art Columbia, South Carolina 803/799-2810 April 24-June 24, 1990 Documents of Education: Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring Museum of American Folk Art New York, New York 212/977-7170 May 6-July 1, 1990 Amish Quilts from the Collection of the Museum of American Folk Art Wichita Falls Museum and Art Center Wichita Falls, Texas 817/692-0923 May 28-September 3, 1990 The Pennsylvania German Hex Sign: A Photo Panel Exhibition Hershey Museum of American Life Hershey, Pennsylvania 717/534-3439
Please contact Michael McManus, Director of Exhibitions, Museum of American Folk Art, 61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023, telephone 212/977-7170 for further information.
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OUR INCREASED MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1990
We wish to thank the following members for their increased membership contributions and for their expression ofconfidence in the Museum:
Susan Apsley, Jersey City, NJ Mrs. Eldridge Arnold, Greenwich, CT Mrs. D. Richardson Arthur, Glenmont, NY Barbara Balik, Sherman Oaks,CA Patricia A. Begley, New York, NY Vin Borrelli, Attleboro, MA
W. Scott Carlson, Minneapolis, MN Allan L. Daniel, New York, NY Mt & Mrs. Donald Dewitt, Beverly Hills, CA Mr.& Mrs. S.M. Feder, New York, NY Mrs. Alfred Gellhom, Durham, NY Emanuel Gerard, New York, NY Kathleen Kobel,Ft. Smith, AR Mr. & Mrs. William Koster, New York, NY Gwen Lata, Leonia, NJ Eleanor M. Mason, Baltimore, MD Blanche Moss,Los Angeles, CA Cynthia Nagel, New York, NY
Jacque Parsley, Louisville, KY Mr. & Mrs. Henry Pfeiffer, Chatham, NJ Mt & Mrs. Douglas Pollitt, Chappaqua, NY Martin & Estelle Shack, Bellmore, NY Francisco F. Sierra, New York, NY Catherine M. Spencer, Jamesburg, NJ Virginia A. Stevens, Raleigh, NC Beth Storms, Evansville, IN Diane Thomson, Morristown, NJ Mr. & Mrs. John Wezmar, New York, NY C. Lawrence Whitman, Baltimore, MD Mr. & Mrs. James Wyeth, Wilmington, DE
OUR GROWING MEMBERSHIP OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1990
The Museum trustees and staff extend a special welcome to these new members:
David & Ellen Abramson, Nyack, NY Catherine A. Allen, Westport, CT George Alvarez-Bouse, New York, NY Bridget Amatore, New York, NY Marie E. Anderson, New York, NY Mary Ann Apicella, New York, NY Lawrence & Natalie Appel, New York, NY Lila Applebaum, Tenafly, NJ Mt & Mrs. James Arliss, New York, NY Eric Armstrong, Spinnerstown,PA Mrs. Tom Asher, Atlanta, GA Page Ashley, New York, NY James K. Baker, Columbus,IN Roger & Marcia Baker, Woodside,CA Mrs. Anthony V. Barber, New York, NY Nancy E. Barnes, Ho Ho Kus, NJ John M. Barrett, New York, NY Katherine Bartholomaus, Brooklyn Heights, NY John C. Baughman, Clarksboro, NJ Lisa Bayne, Redmond, WA Patricia Becker, Holmdel, NJ Roberta Beech, New York, NY Susan Berman, New York, NY Barbara Bienstock, Los Angeles, CA Carol Billings, New York, NY 78
Joyce Bishop, Flourtown, PA Mr. & Mrs. H. Gerard Bissinger New York, NY Helen B. Bludgett, Stamford, CT Thomas S. Bronsky, Huntington Beach, CA Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY Jack E. Brown,Phoenix, AZ Valerie S. Brown, New York, NY JoAnn Bruce, Monroe, NY M.M. Bruneau, Ridgewood, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Bunshaft, New York, NY Caroline Burchfield, Lakeville, CT Marcy Burns, Wyncote,PA Elizabeth J. Burpoe, New York, NY Fran Butkovsky, Floral Park, NY Robert A. Cafazzo, Beverly, MA Cecile Cammarata, Brooklyn, NY Kacey Sydnor Cameal,Gloucester, VA Betty Carrie, Florham Park, NJ Pamela Carrington, New York, NY Marian G. Carson, Robersonville, NC Mrs. Calvin W. Carter, Tampa,FL Kay Ann Cassell, New York, NY Mrs. Edwin J. Cassidy, Roosevelt Island, NY Elizabeth M.Cassidy, Brooklyn, NY June Castle, New York, NY Mr. & Mrs. J. Cate, Newport Beach, CA Robert R. Cavano, Rocky River, OH Babette Ceccotti, Weehawken, NJ Shirley Chaiken, Guttenberg, NJ
Mr. & Mrs. B. Chalfin, Tenefly, NJ Mr. & Mrs. B. Chalfm, Tenafly, NJ Tim Chambers, Sikeston, MO Robert S. Chapell, Atlanta, GA William Ciaccio, Bronx, NY Therese M. Ciesinski, Montclair, NJ John C. Clark, New York, NY Christine Clawson, Fort Lee, NJ Sallie Clotworthy, Beverly Hills, CA Marisa Cohen, New York, NY, Pearl Cohen, Astoria, NY Thomas Colville Inc., New Haven, CT C. Duncan Connelly, Atlanta, GA Debby Cooney, Washington, DC Ronald E. Cooper, Flemingsburg, KY Janet Cooper, Cresskill, NJ Susan A. Crabtree, San Diego, CA Tim & Linda Craighead, New York, NY Margaret Crawford, Los Angeles, CA Jane & Jeff Crewe, Littleton, MA Susan Cronin, Hanover, MA Jean Cronin, Farmington, CT Lisa Taylor Crouse, Malibu, CA Steve Crowley, Westport, CT Bernice Cummings, Great Neck, NY Dennis Curran, Albertson, NY Mrs. R. Cushman, Port Washington, NY Dahill family, New York, NY Sylvia N. Dalton, Charlotte, NC Renee Darvin, Brooklyn, NY The Clarion
OUR GROWING MEMBERSHIP
Linda Dawson, Basking Ridge, NJ Jean Pugh de Tamowsky, Baton Rouge,LA Dr. Barbara DeConcini, Atlanta, GA Jack & Geri DeFontaine, Mt. Vernon, NY Kim DeMeulemeester, Grosse Pointe, M1 Arlene Demirian, New York, NY Jennifer Dengel, New York, NY John Denton, Hiawassee, GA John A. Derosa, Fairfield, CT Elizabeth H.Dickson, Manchester, MA Jennifer Doherty, LaGrangeville, NY June S. Dolberg, Bronx, NY Mrs. G. Duclow, Philadelphia, PA Betsy Duncan, Atlanta, GA Eastern CT State Library, Williamantic, CT Eleanor Edelman, Bronxville, NY Roy Egan, Sewickley, PA Paul Ehrenfest, Stony Brook, NY Ralph & Joan Ehrlich, N. Massapequa, NY Betty Eisenstein, Pasadena, CA Thomas & Susan Ela, Milwaukee, WI Ira Ellman, Madison, CT Mary L. Emory, Haverford, PA Regine Ewert, Toledo, OH Sally Faile, New York, NY Blanche T. Farley, Troy, NY Mary Ruth Faux, New York, NY Mary D. Feeney, Woodhaven, NY B. Feldstein, New York, NY Dale Fetterolf, Flourtown, PA Tove Fevang, Borgen, Norway Laura Fisher, New York, NY Barbara Flehmann, Greenbrook, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Fleischer, New York, NY Susan M. Foshay, Halifax, Nova Scotia Lore Kann Foundation, Watermill, NY Laurel Fox, Milford, NJ Karen Ann Frasco, New York, NY Duncan A. Fraser, Jr., Garden City, NY Annette Jaffe & William Friedman, New York, NY Nancy T. Frohlich, Landrum, SC Prof. Koniko Fujii, Osaka, Japan Karen Fuller, McLean, VA Julie Funk, Toledo, OH Dr. Ofelia Garcia, Atlanta, GA Charlene Garfinkle, Santa Barbara, CA Campbell Geeslin & family, White Plains, NY Joanne Gehlert, Bend, OR Joan Gelman, New York, NY Edith Gerver, Norwalk, CT Mary P. Gillaspy, Oley, PA Pam Glick, New York, NY Rachel Glick, New York, NY Richard B. Gold, Milford, NJ Richard Gold, Hartford, CT Jimmie Lou Goldberg, Bayside, NY Julie Goldblatt, New York, NY Ellen S. Goode, Florence, AL
Spring 1990
Thomas C. Gordon,Jt,Richmond, VA Myra & Sam Gotoff, Chicago,IL Inge Graff, New York, NY Kathi S. Grant, Evanston,IL Sidney & Sandra Glecker, New York, NY Angela R. Greenbush, Staten Island, NY Mrs. Laddie L. Griglak, Perryopolis, PA Linda Grishman, New York, NY Helen J. Grishman, Pleasantville, NY Stephen H. Gross, New York, NY Sharon Gross, New York, NY Joyce Gross, Petaluma, CA Diana M. Gurieva, New York, NY Constance Haenggi, Houston,TX Sue Haffner, Clovis, CA Mrs. C. Haines, North Plainfield, NJ William & Marisol Hamilton, Pleasantville, NY Jeanne H. Hansell, Washington, DC George D. Harris, Jr, New York, NY Suzanne M. Harter, Chicago, IL Sarah Hartwig, Pittsford, NY Sally Hawkins, Atlanta, GA Scott A. Heffley, Kansas City, MO Beth B. Henderson, Dallas, TX Bobbie A. Hennessey, Katonah, NY Charles Herrmann, Middlebury, VT William Heyot, New York, NY . Marvin Hoffman, New York, NY Moira Holden, San Francisco, CA Felicia Melero Holtzinger, Yakima, WA Charles Hood, Orlando, FL Jill Hoy, New York, NY Carroll J. Hughes,Southington, CT Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV Ernest W. Hutton Jr., Brooklyn, NY Julia T. Igoe, New York, NY Annette Jackson, New York, NY Astrid Jaeger, Neu-ulm, West Germany Mary Jo Johnson, Conneaut Lake,PA Jean M. Johnson, Hudson, OH Elta P. Johnston, Jackson, MS Ralph Kaplan, Greenport, NY Ann Kasper, New York, NY Jacob J. Kass, Largo, FL M. Kaufman, Woodside, CA Karen L. Kaufman, Wantagh, NY Marylou Kavaler, New York, NY Jayne F. Keller, Fleetwood,PA Jean Kellett, New York, NY Dr. & Mrs. George Kendrick, Waxahachie,TX Madeleine Killeen, Fayetteville, NC Mr. & Mrs. George Kirkham, Mentor, OH Liza Kirwin, Washington, DC Michael Klasfeld, New York, NY George S. Klein, Tenafly, NJ Margalice Koelme, Wauwatosa, WI Peter Kohlman, Bronx, NY Arlene Kollinger, New York, NY
Anita Kopf, Ossining, NY Hazel P. Korper, New York, NY Gloria Kowan, Great Neck, NY James Kozyta, New York, NY Elizabeth & Richard Kramer, St. Louis, MO Patricia L. Kraus, New York, NY Sherrill Kraus, New York, NY Barbara ICrauter, New York, NY Irene R. Kuhn, Cranford, NJ Ramona Lampell, Westlake Village, CA Lynn & Burton Lane, New York, NY Mrs. Herschel G. Langdon, Des Moines,IA E. Susan LaScala, Schuylkill Haven,PA Susan Lavan, Chicago, IL Ann J. Leger, Jersey City, NJ Jean Leitzinger, New York, NY Mrs. Dorothy Leonard, Belle Plaines, IA Donna Leonhart, New York, NY Jeanne Lesem, New York, NY Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Levine, Westport, CT Ed Lewis, Short Hills, NJ Richard Lidz, Princeton, NJ Deborah Ann Light, Sag Harbor, NY Marion Line, Richmond, VA Kathy Livingston, Woodcliff Lake, NJ Lohrmann/Lilley, West Chester, PA C.K. Lord, Carpinteria, CA Shriley Love, Syracuse, NY Janet Lowenthal, Chevy Chase, MD Lucky Street Gallery, Key West, FL May Macki, Brooklyn, NY Barbara Macklowe, New York, NY Mary Ann MacLellan, Larclunont, NY Julia Spangler Madden, Clarksville, MD James Mahon, New Canaan, CT Abby Maizel, E. Greenwich, RI May Malcki, Brooklyn, NY Frances R. Malamud, New York, NY Joan & John Malizio, Lynbrook, NY Doug Manship, Jr., Baton Rouge,LA Ann Marenakos, Stonington, CT Marie Mariani, Paris, France Gem W. Marston, Columbia, CT Bruce P. Mattoon, Foxboro, MA Robin Power Mayer, New York, NY Joan Mazur, New York, NY Joan McAllister, New York, NY Mitchell McCartney, New York, NY Max M. McCauslin, New York, NY Bruce L. McInnes, New York, NY Nancy McKinney, Nassau Bay, TX Mrs. Gertrude Meister, Jamaica, NY Marvin Melnikoff, Springfield, PA Mt & Mrs. Leigh M. Miller, New York, NY Myron Miller, New York, NY Ann Mitchell, Longmeadow, MA Mary Mitchell, New York, NY Patricia Monahan, Massapequa, NY Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA 79
OUR GROWING MEMBERSHIP
Norma Morris, New York, NY Elizabeth Mulholland, Ithaca, NY Kevin 0. Murphy, Ambler,PA R. Myers, Palmetto, FL Kathleen Nester, Mohnton,PA David Newcomb, New York, NY Michele B. Nissman, Los Angeles, CA Mrs. Elizabeth Norris, New York, NY Marian North, Katonah, NY Mimi Novak, Franklin Lakes, NJ Gladys Nutt, Wilmette,IL Ann O'Reilly, Seattle, WA Barbara A. Oleksa, Hull, MA Kate Ortner, Cincinnati, OH John Orzano, Islip, NY Carolyn C. Otis, Arcata, CA Sandra Owwing,Los Angeles, CA lludy Pace, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Sue Painter, Farragut, TN Ken Pakula, Overland Park, KS Park Slope Framing, Brooklyn, NY Sylvia Patterson, New York, NY Mrs. Duncan V. Patty, Auburn, CA Lucinda Payne, Dobbs Ferry, NY Kathryn Payne, Los Altos, CA Fay C. Pease, Alameda, CA Lisa Pedicini, New York, NY Maureen Penner, Jersey City, NJ Audrey J. Perry, Washingtonville, NY Pamela Peterson, New York, NY E.G. Peterson, Redding Ridge,CT Jane A. Pickering, Berea, OH Joan Pishvanov, Springfield, VA Eileen Pollack, Hartford, CT Marla Powers, Kendall Park, NJ Fay Prewitt, New York, NY Mary R. Price, New York, NY Bob Prisby, Pittsburgh, PA Banuna Quates, Greenville, AL Barbara J. Quirk, Bedford, NH Peggy A. Rabkin, New York, NY Evelyn Randolph, Ambler, PA Harley J. Refsal, Decorah,IA Mary Rezek, Burnham,IL Ricco/Maresca Gallery, New York, NY Jacob Rice, Vineyard Haven, MA Diane Rigo, New York, NY Robert H. Roach, Chicago, IL Suzanne Rocheleau, Upper Darby, PA Joan Rodzenko, Nesconset, NY Mary Beth Rollings, Leland, MI Margaret S. Rose, Greensboro, NC Dr. & Mrs. John W. Rosenberger, New York, NY Joseph B. Rosenblatt, New York, NY Buff Rosenthal, New York, NY Mrs. Claire A. Rosenzweig, London, England Joyce & Gary Roth, New York, NY
80
Marcia K. Roth, New York, NY Jack & Vicki Rovner, New York, NY Elizabeth Rowan, West Newbury, MA Barbara Rubin, New York, NY Roz Russell, Tomball,TX Doug Russell, Monroe, CT Leslie Rutz, Chicago, IL Audrey Sabol, Villanova, PA Nondy Salant, Armonk, NY Shirley Sanborn, Jefferson, NH Peggy Sanford, Weston, CT Ellen Schiffinan, Weston, CT Larry Schlachter, Summerville, GA Karen T. Schlesinger, Brooklyn, NY Thomas Lanigan Schmidt, New York, NY Helene Schonberg, New York, NY Schrieber, Plano, TX Mary Schwartz, Armonk, NY John David Seay, Bardstown, KY Jayne T. Sedmak, Ambler, PA Judith Seed, New York, NY Cynthia Seibels, New York, NY Eleanor S. Seibold, New York, NY Sandra Semel, Stamford,CT Barbara T. Semenza, New York, NY Tom Shanley, Hamden,CT Sheldon Shapiro, Clarkson Valley, MO Mary J. Shapiro, New York, NY Jan Sharp, New Canaan, CT Ellen L. Shepherd, New York, NY Sandra Doane Sherman, Worthington, OH Todd Alan Shryock, Lawrence, KS Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Siegel, New York, NY Sandra S. Simcox, Indianapolis, IN Dusty Simi, Sergeantsville, NJ Andrea Simon, New York, NY Susan P. Singer, New York, NY Mary Denise Smith, Staten Island, NY Janet Piper Smith, Ann Arbor, MI Jon Snyder, New York, NY Lila Soil, New York, NY Anne E Spencer, Cuttingsville, VT Andrea Spurgeon, Brooklyn, NY Martin Staff, New York, NY Anne Stafford, Manhasset, NY Mrs. Ruth M. Stahl, Grand Isl, NY Robin C. Stark, New York, NY R.C. Stay, Santa Fe, NM Betti Steel, New York, NY Kathleen Stenson, Jacksonville, FL Sally Stephenson, Middlebury, VT Philip M. Stem, Washington, DC Phyllis Stemau, New York, NY Lynn Steuer, New York, NY Kathenne Stone, New York, NY Lisa Stone, Neshkoro, WI Lee Stookey, Brooklyn, NY Gwendolen Story, Brooklyn, NY Robert 0. Stuart, Litnington, ME Kuria째 Sudo, Berkeley, CA Mr. & Mrs. Timothy P. Sullivan, New York, NY
Karen Sundell, Omaha, NE Heidi Sutter-Wright, Jersey City, NJ Mrs. Kenneth D. Sutton, Dallas, TX Carol J. Sweeney, South Salem, NY Robert H. Sweet, New York, NY Gordon & Mary Jane Swenarton, Morristown, NJ Bill Colihan & Susan Switzer, New York, NY Marion Szala, Hadley, MA Joseph Taveroni, River Vale, NJ Leith Termeulen, New York, NY Linda S. Thacher, New York, NY Waldeck Thiel, Brookfield, CT Nancy Thomas Gallery, Yorktown, VA Alan J. Thompson, Wilmington, DE Angela C. Thompson, Mahopac, NY Touche Ross International, New York, NY Victoria Towns, New York, NY Elizabeth Trace, Peekskill, NY Milton & Gloria Trexler, Brooklyn Heights, NY Mr. & Mrs. John C. Trindl, Wirmetka,IL Tulsa City Library, 1111sa, OK Mark Ulrich, New York, NY Don Underwood, New York, NY Susan Unterberg, New York, NY Jeannie Van Hoff, Richland, WA Karin Van Valkenberg, Seattle, WA Mr. & Mrs. Cyrus L. Vance, New York, NY Allen Ransome & Randall Vansyok, Fly Creek, NY Teodoro Vidal, San Juan, PR Noemi Masliah & Sandy Wagner, New York, NY Michael B. Walker, Vaughn, WA Donna R. Waltrip, Savannah,GA Charlene Warren, Correctionville, IA Rebecca Weber, Piedmont, CA Marshall Weinberg, New York, NY Paul & Linda Weiss, Scarsdale, NY Nina Weitzman, Philadelphia, PA Eve Granick & David Wheatcroft, Lewisburg,PA Fifi White,Shawnee Mission, KS James R. White, Gaithersburg, MD E. Jane White, New York, NY Robyn White, New York, NY Sandy White Antique Quilts, Cerritos, CA Ralph F. Wilernan, Jr,Chapel Hill, NC Joan S. Williams, Glen Allen, VA Ruth Wilson, So. Fort Mitchell, KY Brian Windsor Americana, Staten Island, NY Natalie Wolcott, New York, NY Lucille Wolfe, New York, NY Penelope Wood, New York, NY Mr. 8z Mrs. Robert Wood,Equinak,PA Manuela Yokota, Laguna Niguel, CA Eric M. Zafran, Boston, MA Lad Zidek, Chicago,IL Debbie Zoullas, New York, NY The Clarion
MUSEUM SHOP TALK KAREN LEE WILLIAMS
The Museum of American Folk Art Book and Gift Shops offer a selection of handcrafted pieces inspired by the simplicity, purity, and quiet elegance of Shaker design. MINIATURE SHAKER CHAIRS Tilter — 97/16"H x 45/8"W x 39/16"D — $134.95 Brethren's Arm Chair — 11'/ 1 46"H x 5/ 1 4"W x 45/16"D — $209.95 Rocker — 9/ 1 4"H x 49/16"W x 5'3/16"D — $131.95 High Chair — 81 / 4"H x 313/16"W x 3"D — $104.95 Shipping: $7.00 each Woodcrafter Donald Mack hand crafts miniatures of chairs originally made at the Shaker community in Mt. Lebanon, New York in the mid 1800s. Mack turns the legs on a lathe, steam-bends the slats, assembles and glues the chair before painting or staining it and adding the seat which is woven with one-quarter inch cotton hand— dyed tape. The ball-and-socket feet on the rear legs of the titter chair are a Shaker design which permitted the sitter to lean back while the rear legs of the chair remained flat on the floor. Each chair is made of maple and available in a choice of three finishes: maple stain, black buttermilk paint, or barn-red buttermilk paint. A variety of color combinations is available for the tape seat: black/red, brown/beige, medium-blue/red, and black/ white. In addition, any seat can be woven in a solid color chosen from the above selection.
hand—rubbed wax finish in a honey color. Operating on a quartz battery, it is designed to stand freely or hang on the wall. The bonnet is removable and the clock's hinged door opens in front to reveal the case where the pendulum and weights hung in the original clock.
SHAKER OVAL WOODENWARE Oval carrier with handle: 12/ 1 4"L x 8"W x 10"H — $59.95 Oval wooden boxes: No. 1 — 4/ 1 2 "x 3" x 11 / 2"— $26.95 No. 2— 5" x 3/ 1 4"x 1/ 1 4"— $30.95 No. 3 — 51 / 2"x 378" x 2/ 1 4" — $33.95 No.4— 6/ 1 4"x 4/ 1 4"x 2W— $41.95 No. 5 — 7" x 47/8"x 3" — $45.95 Shipping: $5.00 first item; $1.00 each additional item Frye's Measure Mill makes a variety of reproduction Shaker wood products using antique, water-powered woodworking machinery. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, they began making Shaker boxes in the 1960s at the request of the Canterbury, New Hampshire, Shaker community. The Shakers used them to store household and workshop items such as dried herbs, spices, thread, buttons, and nails. These unique boxes are made of maple and given a hand—rubbed fruitwood finish. The distinctive Shaker pointed joints, called "swallowtails': are held by copper tacks. Functional yet beautiful, they are a lovely accent to any decor when displayed alone or as a grouping. Oval carriers with handles were originally used by Shaker sisters to carry freshlycut herbs. The simple, graceful lines of this piece make it the perfect container to use as a centerpiece or to hold knitting or sewing. MINIATURE SHAKER CLOCK 25" H x 5"W x 4/ 1 2"D —$123.95 Shipping: $10.00 each This one-third scale miniature of a Shaker tall clock from Old Chatham, New York, is crafted of pine by Bill Scherer and has a
Spring 1990
HOT OFF THE PRESS!SPECIAL BOOK OFFER FOR MEMBERS! America Eats: Forms ofEdible Folk Art by William Woys Weaver, one of the country's specialists in the development of American cookery, is available in softcover for $16.95 ($13.50 for members), plus $4.50 shipping. With ninety illustrations and forty-two traditional recipes tested for today's kitchen, the book offers a taste of America's folk art past, and recipes of early Colonial cooking. An excellent gift for the cook, collector, or those interested in the history of American culture. ORDERING INFORMATION • List individual items and prices and then total your order. • Museum members may deduct 10%. • Next, add 8.25% sales tax if mailed to New York City. Add local sales tax if mailed elsewhere in New York State. • Last, add shipping and handling charges. • Send check, money order, or credit card number with expiration date(MasterCard! VISA/American Express) to: Museum of American Folk Art Book and Gift Shop, Two Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023, Attention: Mail Order, Dept. CR. • Include your name, street address, and daytime telephone number. • Allow four weeks for delivery. 81
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Miniature High Poster Bed With Tester. Oley Valley, Berks County, PA., c. 1830 Original black, yellow, white and smoke decoration on a red ground, excellent condition.
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We offer an authentic selection of outstanding FISH DECOYS by these noted carvers: Oscar Peterson Cyril Bethel Jess Ramey Lawrence Bethel Mr. Fred Isaac Goulette Vernon Baggs Slim'' Ripley Martin Pestrue Ross Allen Frank Mizra Judd DuRay Cliff Larson John Snow Joe Rhole Ben Poupart Rod Zurn William Veihl -Hook- Peterson Ray Veihl
Used in memorial services for George Washington. Authenticated by Shelburne Museum.
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"Home From the Sea"
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Oil on Canvas
NIS
RONALD COOPER RICH FITZ HOMER GREEN RALPH GRIFFIN LONNIE HOLLEY CHARLIE KINNEY JOE LIGHT ROSIE LEE LIGHT RUTH MAE MCCRANE IKE MORGAN ROYAL ROBERTSON BERNICE SIMS SINGLETON HENRY SPELLER MARY T SMITH JIMMIE LEE SUDDUTH JAMES "SON" THOMAS MOSE TOLLIVER FELIX VIRGOUS WILLIE WHITE NEW ORLEANS BLACK INDIAN BEADWORK
BARRISTER'S GALLERY 526 ROYAL STREET NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130 (504) 525-2767
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MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLKART BOOK AND GIFT SHOP 62 West 50th Street 247-5611 Monday-Saturday -10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m
Across from Radio City Music Hall
SHOW YOU CARE WITH THE CARD THAT SHARES. Extensive travel benefits and services provided at no extra cost include: • Up to $300,000 Travel Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance • Up to $15,000 Auto Rental Collision Deductible Reimbursement • Up to $3,000 Supplemental Lost Luggage Protection • Emergency Cash & Airline Tickets
With the Museum ofAmerican FolkArt Custom VISA"card every time you use your card the issuing bank will make donations to support the Museum of American Folk Art at no additional cost to you. The distinctive design of the MAFA Custom VISA" card will identify you as one of thousands who care enough to make a difference. In restaurants, hotels, anywhere you use your card, you spark the interest of others who may want to help.
MBNA Americas"'Is one ofthe world's leading Issuers of credit cards. Committed to servicing our members'needs, MBNA America'm offers cardholders 24-hour-year-round Customer Satisfaction, one hour processing for credit line increase requests, a lost card registration service and an emergency replacement card service.
The MAFA Custom VISA card Is Issued absolutely free of an annual fee to our membersfor one full year. The annual fee after the first year is a low $20, and the competitive Annual Percentage Rate is just 18.9%. Other special features include a line of credit up to $5,000 and immediate cash availability.
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Transaction Fee For Bank and ATM Cash Advances, Transaction Fee For Cash Grace Period For Repayment At least 25 Days from 2% of each Cash Advance,$2 Minimum,$25 Maximum; statement closing date Advances, And Fees For Of Balances For Purchases TvrAa nestaecatciohncFaescast,FAo ,,. A cncceess12 check cash Aiciov amnacxeiL . Paying Late or.Exceeding Average Daily Balance Advance, Minimum,$ Method of Computing the Annual 8.9% 1 Fee: $15. The Credit Limit Late Payment Fee:$15, Over-the-Credit-Limit (including new purchases) Balance for Purchases Percentage Rate The information about the cost of the card described in this application is accurate as of 2/90. This information may have changed after that date To find out what may have changed, call 1-800-847-7378.
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Farmington •
ntiques wcAcnd
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600 EXHIBITORS — many under tenting
Antiques W kend MAY5& 6, 1990
1
Saturday 9-6
June 9 - 10
1
Sunday 9-4
Sat. 10 am - 6 pm Sun.9 am -4 pm Free parking Admission: $3.00
Admission $3.00 ($2.00 with ad)
over 700 Quality Antique Dealers
700
The nation's great new show of the 90's - coinciding with the opening of Brimfield. just 15 miles to the north. Absolutely open - rain or shine - with most dealers under cover.
1 1
FREE PARKING (PsmA)
No Pre-show Buying Among Exhibitors Will Be Permitted. Early Buying - Saturday 7 AM $25($20 with ad)
Stafford Springs Speedway
A national antiques event with leading dealers offering folk art,china,quilts,baskets, glass, clocks, dolls, primitives, advertising, jewelry,silver, Americana,vintage clothing, paintings, Orientalia, lighting, tools, toys, a great variety of reasonably priced country and formal furniture, and 1000's of fine collectibles. 1
Early Admission Saturday at 7:00 am - $20.00 Farmington(CT)Polo Grounds Exit 39 off 1-84,9 miles west of Hartford
Route 140, Stafford Springs, CT (508)839-9735 1111 REVIVAL PROMOTIONS,INC.
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Don Mackey Shows,Inc.
Revival Promotions, Inc. I'. 0. lio\ 7,K8, Gr,ilton, MA (1 I 7,I()
835 Bonita Drive, Fripp Island, SC 29920, (803) 838-4761
DICK McINTYRE Broker Call or write for listing
Shelly Zegart Quilts, etc. ANTIQUE QUILTS We have a quilt you'll love!
Collectable Old Decoys
For color photos and current catalogue, please send $7. Postage Paid.
Authenticity and satisfaction guaranteed. MasterCard/VISA accepted. 12-Z River Hill Rd. Louisville, Ky. 40207
(502) 897-7566 By Appointment
SPECIALIZING IN MAKERS OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST Nis Auction bidding NS Appraisals
title *100'4
8407 WEST THIFID STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90048
NEW STONE 213 658-5969 AGE
Robert Cargo
FOLK ART GALLERY Southern, Folk, and African-American Quilts Antiquesâ&#x20AC;˘Folk Art
Robert E. Smith, Welcome to the White House Washington D.C., 15" x 20", mixed media on poster board, 1989.
Robert Cargo FOLK ART GALLERY 2314 Sixth Street, downtown Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 Open weekends only and by appointment
205/758-8884 Home phone
Saturday 10:00-5:00, Sunday 1:00-5:00
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JAY JOHNSON
America's Folk Heritage Gallery
1044 Madison Avenue,N.Y., N.Y. 10021 Tues.-Sun. 11-6 Closed Mon. 628-7280
JAY JOHNSON RUBENS TELES
VISIT OUR NEW SHOP
JAY JOHNSON 492 Piermont Avenue, Piermont, N.Y. 10968 (914)359-6216 Hours: Thurs.-Sun. 12-5 Farmer Noah by Barbara Moment© 1989 22" x 28" Acrylic on canvas and wood
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
America Hurrah American Primitive Gallery Ames Gallery of American Folk Art Antique Associates at West Townsend Barrister's Gallery Sandra Berry Bobber — David Nichols Suzanne Brown Gallery Robert Cargo Folk Art Gallery Carruth Studio Inc. Cavin-Morris, Inc. Cherishables Antiques Cognoscenti, Inc. Collectable Old Decoys Country Heritage Markets Country Home Magazine Country Living Magazine Harris Diamant Bases for Art Leslie Eisenberg Folk Art Gallery Epstein/Powell M. Finkel & Daughter Laura Fisher Folk Art Society of America Pie Galmat Gasperi Folk Art Gallery 88
12 4 62 61 84 63 20 63 87 74 3 21 82 87 57 17 11 82 83 26 23 2 70 75 28
Sidney Gecker American Folk Art 29 Gilley's Gallery 31 Grass Roots Gallery 62 Grove Decoys 83 Carl Hammer Gallery 7 Theodore S. Harmon— Decoys Unlimited 74 Harper & Row 67 Hayes Antiques 82 Hedgerow House 58 Herrup & Wolfner 15 John C. Hill 83 Hirschl & Adler Folk Inside Back Cover Stephen Huneck 56 Lynne Ingram — Southern Folk Art & Southern Quilts 27 Martha Jackson 29 Jay Johnson 88 Kelter-Malce Inside Front Cover June Lambert Antiques 20 Leon Loard Gallery of Fine Arts 22 Main Street Antiques 30 Maryland Bank of North America 85 Steve Miller 1 Museum of American Folk Art Book & Gift Shop 84
The Nantucket Collection Newbury Fine Arts New Stone Age Robert F. Nichols Gallery Outside-in Susan Parrish Gregory Quevillon The Quilt Gallery Robert Reeves Sandi Wickersham Resnick Revival Promotions Roger Ricco/Frank Maresca Stella Rubin John Keith Russell Brigitte Schluger Gallery David Schorsch The Linda Nelson Stocks Studio Sweetgum Galleries Takashimaya Co., Ltd. The Tarn Gallery Toad Hall Eldred Wheeler of Houston Thos. K. Woodard Yankee Doodle Dandy Shelly Zegart Quilts
60 59 87 6 57,59 5 28 22 31 64 86 14 27 Back Cover 30 18 84 23 13 16 60 64 8 82 87 The Clarion
Hirschl & Adler Folk 851 Madison Ave, NY 10021 (212)988-3655
JOHN KEITH RUSSELL ES,
Set of Six Labelled Shaker Side Chairs, Mount Lebanon, New York All Original
bPRING STREET,SOUTH ,SALEM, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, AL,Y. 10590 (914)763-8144 • TUESDAY-SUNDAY 10:00-5:30