demonstrate the stages in the development of the fin­ The.:. Tational ished work, This material will become part of the per­ manent collection o f the Museum of Contemporary Adz isorl} Boa rd Crafts, to be used for display and for circulating edu­ cational units of the Amencan Craftsmen's Council. > The National Advisory Board held its annual meeting The nine enamclists who were commissioned are: at the close of the Lake George Conference. The dis­ C Margaret Craver, , Robert J. King. Mary cussion ranged through a variety of subjects including Ellen McDermott, . Earl B. Pardon, membership, jurying. regional conferences, and a code Ronald Pearson, and Joseph Trippetti. of ethics for craftsmen. It was suggested that all affi­ Finally, the contemporary enamel work is shown c:! liates who have formulated a Code of Ethics send one against the background of sixty enamels of outstand­ copy to ACC for a study leading to a possible Na­ October 19,59 G old m l' dal ing historical a nd artIstic qual ity, chosen from museum tional Code. collections in this country, This part provides a point winner hv Dirk Hubers David Campbell reiterated his belief that the contin­ of perspective for the exhibition as a whole, shows the ued growth of ACC depended upon a mutual effort historical use of various techniques, provides the op­ among individual members, affiliated groups, and portunity for comparisons with contemporary work ACe. The ACC does not intend to impose any rigid and finally, inspiration for the enamelist. Some enam­ pattern upon its members, but only to lead them in the eli sts interviewed stated frankly that the study of directions they themselves believe are best. Wall decoration: "A {Jostles," Rochester In stitute of Technology; and J, Sheldon enamels in museum collections formed the basis of The following statement was agreed upon as the by Joser'" Tripperri Carey of the Department of Design, University of their own endeavors. objective of the National Advisory Board: "The pur­ Kansas. Vase bv The assembling of the enamel exhibItion was an pose of the N,A.B. is to develop, through the coopera­ THE ENAMEL There are twenty-five countries reprcsented by na­ Jean T. O'Har'u ambitious project. with the inevitable restrictions of tion of already organized community, state or regional tional collections at the Exhibition. They include: Ar­ time and space. Not every cnamelist of importance craft groups, an agency which will act as a liaison be­ gentina. Austria, Brazil. Canada. Czechoslovakia, EXHIBITION could be visited or interviewed for possible inclusion tween the craftsmen of the U.S. and the American Denmark, Finland, Fra nce, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, BY ROBERT LAURER in the exhibition. nor docs the limited space in the Craftsmen's Council, the only na tional orga ni zation India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Museum allow for an unrestricted display. As the first devoted to the interests of craftsmanship, Ncthe rlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzer­ monumental survey of contemporary enamels in this "The N.A.B, will function on an advisory level in In the last few years there has been a marked increase tigate the older techniques not too generally practiced land. USSR, and Yugoslavia, In addi­ country, it is bound to have considerable impact. such matters as community or regional needs, estab­ of interest in the art of enameling in the United States, now, to experiment with new techniques and mate­ tion , works hy Miro (Spain) and by Chinese, Guate­ lishing and using the facilities of regional ACC centers Many full- and part-time craftsmen have been at­ rials, and consider the eminent possibilities of archi­ malan, Morrocan, Siamese and Tunisian artists were under a full or part time director, visual aids, plan­ tracted to this medium, technical books in considerable tectural applications of their art. loaned by private museums and collectors. ning eooperat ive work seminars and regional con­ numbers have appeared, and classes have done much Personal contacts with enamelists, for the purpose At the close of the Ostend Exhibition in October, ferences, the establishing of marketing outlets and to promote the popularity of enameling, The time of assembling the exhibition, resulted in some interest­ the seventy-three American ceramic pieces will tom exhibitions. and the relationship of ACC membership seemed appropriate to survey, by means of Museum ing footnotes and observations. One conclusion was Europe under the auspices of the United States Info(­ to the development of a sound regional craft program, exbibition, the field of contemporary American enam­ that enamelists are even more insular than othcr crafts­ mation Agcncy. The American Exhibitors were: F. "National meetings of the N,A.B. will be held at such eling, The qualitative significance of the movement men, if that is possible. ln a small town, three enamel­ Carlton Ball, Raul A, Coronel, Joel E. Edwards. Vi­ times as the Annual Conferences are held. In years could be best ascertained through an exhibition of se­ ist s, all successful, full-timc cra ftsmen, did not know vika & Otto Heino, John Mason, Alan R. Meisel, when the annual conferences are not held, regional lected works by outstanding enamelists in the country, of the existence of each other in such proximity. An­ Harrison McIntosh. Francis J, McNellis. Gertrud & N.A,B, conferences will be planned for. Enamels by over seventy contemporary American other concerns the importance of sound technical . Elena M, Netherby, Antonio Prieto, Paul " Membership in the N.A.B. devolves on the Presi­ enamelists (totaling over 300 individual objects) from books: an enamelist whose work is represented in the The United States E,\hibit has won the Grand Prix des Soldner. Henry T. Takemoto, Peter H, Voulkos. Mar­ dent of any craft group or art group which has an every part of the nation were chosen for the exhi­ exhibition had learned the technique solely from Nations at the Second International Congress of Con­ guerite Wildenhain and of ; affiliate group membership in the ACe." bition, which opened at the Museum of Contcmporary books, never having seen any enamels, except in pho­ temporary Ceramics at O,tend. Belgium, In addition , Hawaii; J, Sheldon Carey, Angelo e. Crafts on September 18, An illustrated catalogue has tographs, Many enamelists regretted the lack of op­ to this prize for the hest national exhibit. the United Garzio, John Mathews, Kansas; Dirk Hubers, Jacque­ been published to accompany the display, Represented portunities in the past to see enamels by others promi­ States entries received the largest share of thc ten gold line Bartling Ward. Louisiana; Olin Russum, Mary­ in the exhibition are older, established artists, whose nent in the field, With the recent upsurge of intcrest in and twenty-three silver medals awarded for individua l land; J, David Broudo. Verdelle Gray, William Wyman, names are well known, and younger artists, who have enameling, however, this situation should improve. works, Gold medals went to : Dirk Hubers, New Or­ Massachusetts;, J. T. Abernathy. Maija Grotel!. Marc won local attention, but who are not yet nationally Three distinguished enamelists, active since the leans, Louisiana, and David Weinrib, Stony Point. Hansen. William E. Pitney, Marie Woo, Michigan; known, Traditional, representational types of work in 1930s, have done much to spur today's wide-spread New York. Silver medal winners were: Peter VoulkQS Jim Bryan, Mississippi; Kenneth R, Ferguson, Mon­ such ancient techniques as Limoges and cloisonne, are interest and activity in enameling in the United States: and Henry Takemoto, both of , and Olin tana: Edwin & , Gerald Williams. New included, as well as many examples of abstract and Kenneth Bates, Karl Drerup and Edward Winter, An Russum. Monkton, Maryland, The United States Ex­ Hampshire: Ted Bielefeld, Fong Chow, James A. non-objective design, Experimentation in older tech­ acknowledgement of the importance of their contri­ hibit was arranged by the American C raftsmen's Crumrine. Val M. CUshing. Hui Ka Kwong. Dean It is not too early to mention that Christmas is niques is to be found, and in new materials and tech­ bution and inAuence is made in the exhibition through Council at the request of the United States Informa­ Maxfield Mullavey. Theodore Randall, , coming. As in other years, the best suggestion niques as well, Some enamelists are reviving certain of retrospective one-man shows within the main body of tion Agency. Thc American ceramists were chosen by James & Philip Secrest, Ro bert Turner, David Wein­ FORUM can make for a rewarding gift to a the neglected, traditional techniques, such as basse­ the exhibition. a jury consisting of Meyric R. Rogers, former Curator rib, , New York: Charles Lakofsky, friend is a membership in the ACC, which in taille, champleve, and en resille. On the other hand, Another important aspect of the exhibition consists of Industrial Art at the Art Institute of Chicago and Leza McVcy, . OhIO: Roger D, Cor­ addition to tangible benefits such a Museum the repousee and encrusted teChniques, and oxidation of nine especially commissioned works by outstanding presently Curator of the Garvan Collection of L.lfly saw, Oklahoma; Nancy Wickham Boyd, Vermont; previews and a Craft Horizons subscription, en­ effects are being rather widely explored. It is hoped enamelists, each illustrating a different technique, The American Decorative Arts at Yale University ; Fran., Robert Spcrry, Washington: Harvey K. Littlcton, ables your friends to share in the effort to pro­ that the exhibition will encourage enamelists to inves- commissioned pieces arc accompanied by panels which Wildenhain of the School for American Craftsmen, Wisconsin. mote craftsmanship in America.