Via Modernica's blog, I found my way to Ackerman Modern, an awesome overview of work by art, craft and design power-couple Evelyn & Jerome Ackerman.
 
 
The site includes a timeline, history and bibliography of published articles on the Detroit-born couple who influenced California modernism in almost every medium imaginable including metals, ceramics, textile weaving, screen printing and wood working. They were insatiable makers and the output summarized on the site is remarkable and inspiring. Perhaps you've seen Evelyn Ackerman's "California Poppies" from 1970 in crewel embroidery:
 
 
I especially loved these finger puppets, originally sold in the mid 1960s as a do-it-yourself kit and included in the California Design IX exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum:
 
 
According to the website, the Ackermans had work in every single California Design exhibition from 1954 to 1976. If you are interested in ceramics, textiles or jewelry, I highly recommend tracking down vintage copies of the exhibition catalogs from those shows and getting to know the Ackermans and their community.
 
[Images: Ackerman Modern]

0 Comments