Craft Horizons with CRAFT WORLD/Publication of the American Crafts Council
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SEPTEMBER 1978 craft horizons With CRAFT WORLD/Publication of the American Crafts Council L~tter from Chairman Barbara Rockefeller to all members American Crafts Council of the Board of Trustees and state representatives The world of crafls and the needs of craftsmen have changed dra Tightells Its Belt matically ill the 38 years since Aileen Webb establislled the American Crafts Counci/, Public interest in crafts and the /lumber and needs of craftsmen have grown at a very rapid rate, In recognition of the for Future Expansion changes and with a desire to perform the most efjective service for In a sweeping move to revise 'and into ACC's 44 West 53rd Street craftsmen, the Board of the American Crafts Coul/cil at its lune meeting appointed a Long-Range Planning Committee, The commit strengthen the financial structure building necessitates closing for tee was charged with the responsibility for recommending priorities of the American Crafts Council, renovations until the spring of of actioll and laying the groundwork for future growth within the the Board of Trustees, meeting 1979. MCC will then reopen primary goals of ACe, i.e., to presellt to the public the best of Ameri· at the home of Aileen O. Webb with a show to be announced. Its can craftsmanship, to foster the recognition of the value of craft in in Shelburne, VT, July 29-30, present program of traveling ex everyday life, and to help insure the dignity of the craftsmaker in a instructed Samuel Scherr, Presi hibitions will continue and re viable economic life. dent, to cut $200,000 from the ceive even greater emphasis. The first meeting of tllis committee focllsed all the needs for ex remaining 1978 budget, effecting CRAFT HORIZONS' Editor Rose panded programs. To do this it is essential that ACC operate from a a $400,000 reduction in 1979, Slivka revealed plans to reduce sound fillancial basis. III the past, when expenses olltrall income, the great friend of the craftsman, Mrs. Webb, made up the difjerence. and to simplify operations down magazine size to an 8%-x-l0% When she could no longer do this from her personal funds, she set to basic programs by August 15. inch. "standard" format from its up all endowment. Due to inflation, coupled with programs to meet H represented termination of em present distinctive 9xl11A inches, increased demands, the endowment has been greatly depleted so that ployment for some 18 people, or beginning with the December it does /lot produce enough income to close the budget gap. a 35 % cut in staff, many of 1978 issue. While this reduces We recognize that an organization cannot flourish and grow on a whom have been with ACC for paper costs, Slivka made clear sound basis unless it is willing to live within its means. Therefore, the years. Most severely affected was the determination of the CRAFT trustees have instructed the President to institute immediately a cut the administrative area. All ef HORIZONS team to continue to back ill expenditures of $200,000 in order to establisll a firm financial "upgrade the quality of the maga base for future growth. forts went into maintaining the In taking this action, the Board reaffirms its faith ill the validity of major existing programs-the zine in content. concept, and cov ACC and pledges itself to build toward a positive and creative future. Museum of Contemporary Crafts, erage." The previous decision to We t1'llst that you understand the necessity of our decision and will CRAFT HORIZONS magazine, and increase publishing frequency support our action. the slide-library services-al with CRAFT WORLD in the alter though all have been affected by nate months is being reviewed. Sincerely, austerity cuts. In addition, allot Final decision will be announced ment of funds to the regions cov in the October issue. ering the balance of 1978 were "Your Portable Museum," halted. This means regional ac ACC's nationwide audiovisual tivities must operate out of any service. will be maintained with funds remaining from ACC's one staff person, and production ACC Sells 29 West 53rd original allotment or out of funds of new slide kits will be curtailed. generated regionally. The ACC library will be open for Building to MOMA Underscoring the necessity for use by ACC members only-on the present radical move, Samuel Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fri Negotiations were completed on at 29 West 53rd are restricted Scherr said: "We are engaged in days from 1: 00 to 5: 00 p.m. August 4 for the sale of the Mu funds, earmarked for renova decisive action to restructure and There were tears August 11 seum of Contemporary Crafts tions at ACC headquarters and strengthen the American Crafts when the 18 staff members were building to the Museum of Mod for permanent housing only. Council as an organization that regretfully informed one by one ern Art, it was announced by "We have an exciting future responds to the new needs of a in meetings with Sam Scherr that Barbara Rockefeller, Chairman and we must not stop planning vastly growing craft movement. the ACC simply did not have the of the Board, and Samuel Scherr, for it even though we are going In the past, Aileen O. Webb, money to meet its full financial President of the American Crafts through changes at this time. We ACC founder and Honorary responsibilities and needed to Council. Negotiations for the lot must keep our eye on the long Chairman, gave unlimited sup trim down to the very bone in adjoining the second building view. ACC has thl! history of port, meeting each annual deficit order to survive and to build vig presently housing CRAFT HORI achievement, the talent, and the over the years. Our purpose is to orously on that survival. They ZONS, the library, and adminis will to do it. What we are trying build a more effective organiza had been prepared with a memo trative offices, at 44 West 53rd to do now is to develop a plan for tion. To achieve this it is vital to on August 4 from Scherr that Street, are simultaneously under a capital fundraising campaign establish a stable financial base." went to the entire staff: "A special way. ACC anticipates a building and the support of members, gov Paul Smith. Director of the committee of the Board of Trust expansion program after the ernment, foundations, and cor Museum of Con temporary ees and I met to review ACC's functional needs and capital porations," said Scherr. Crafts, announced the museum overall program and to seek solu funding requirements have been The Board of Trustees ex will proceed with its upcoming tions to the Council's serious determined. While it may seem pressed confidence both in main Peter Voulkos retrospective ex budget deficit. Reluctantly but ironic for these negotiations to be taining its commitment to the hibition, October 21-December unanimously, the Board agreed taking place at a time of cut long-needed expansion in exhibi 1 (which may be extended until that effective this month, a budget backs, the $1,475,000 to be real tion facilities and in the burgeon the end of the month). Then the cut of $200,000 must be insti- ized from the sale of the building ing activity in the craft field. museum's move across the street continued on page 8 Craft Horizons/Craft World , i CRAF'T WORLD of Craft Horizons ACCNEWS Vol. XXXVIII ex: NO.6 ~ Rose Slivka, Young American Winners CREATIVE Editor-in-Chief Patricia Dandignac, AGING Man.aging Editor Focus of New York Fete Michael Lauretano, On September 26, the seven Young Kathy Keizer moved to Art Director award-winning artists of the Boston just two years ago. In that Edith Dugmore, "Young Americans: Clay/Glass" Assistant Editor short time she has launched a competition will appear in New nonprofit craft group for the Michael McTwigan, York for a unique event under Editorial Assistant elderly called Project Homespun, scoring their achievement: a slide which seeks out elder crafts Isabella Brandt, presentation and commentary by Editorial Assistant makers, then tries to match them the artists about their work, at Tobin, Marks with a market for their product. Anita Chmiel, Donnell Library Auditorium. Advertising Department She's had experience in this kind The artists will be brought to Seattle, WA (clay), Graham Editorial Board Marks of Manhattan, KS (clay), of service with Courage Home Junius Bird Farley Tobin of Bostic, NC crafters in Minneapolis. "When I Arline Fisch moved to Boston," she recalls, "I Persis Grayson (clay), and Steve Weinberg of Station, NY ( ). realized there was nothing like it Robert Beverly Hale here," And that's how Project Lee Hall Polly Lada-Mocarski Homespun began: KeIzer visited Harvey Littleton nearly 50 community centers, Ben Raeburn craft schOOls, and senior centers Ed Rossbach Lucero, A ndrea Gill in the Boston area, May Natalie Tabak New York by a grant from the In nine months Homespun has Aileen O. Webb Mobil Foundation, Inc. Inter located 25 elder craftspeople who Frans Wildenhain now sell their work in three nationally known artists Wayne John Gill Higby and Dale Chihuly, who shops: Handicrafts of New En Published monthly, except January, March, gland, Craftsman's Gallery, and and May, and copyrighted 1978 by the with Joyce Moty were jurors for American Cralts Council, 44 West 53 the competition, will introduce Wild Goose Chase. Luigi Pardi, Street, New York, NY 10019, Telephone: in his mid-80s, met KeIzer 212-977-8989, Aileen 0, Webb, Honorary the program with remarks about Winter Market Chairman of the Board: Barbara Rockefel developments in clay and glass.