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On today’s episode, we’ll discuss the life and work of industrial designer, Evelyn Ackerman, who’s work was prolific during the Mid-Century California Modernism era in the 50s and 60s But what makes this episode even more exciting is that we’re joined by her daughter, Laura Ackerman-Shaw, who offers a unique perspective and personal insights on the incredible work of her mother.
Laura Ackerman-Shaw, is a Stanford University graduate with a bachelors and masters degree in English literature, boasts 35 years of experience in publishing and has been the Executive Director of Ackerman Modern since 2015. She passionately preserves and promotes her parents’ design legacy through museum exhibitions, presentations, scholarships under their name, preserving their archive of work, writing articles, and licensing her parents products with brands like Design Within Reach and CB2. Based in the Bay Area, Laura, her husband Marc, and their son Aaron live in a vibrant mid-century modern Eichler home, embodying the artistic essence inherited from her renowned designer parents.
Evelyn Ackerman, alongside her husband Jerome, was a leading figure in Mid-Century California Modernism. Her colorful and whimsical designs spanned ceramics, mosaics, tapestries, woodcarvings, and hardware, embodying the Bauhaus philosophy of blending art, craft, and industry for accessible quality goods. Her design style ranged from geometric minimalism to biomorphic abstraction to figurative stylization, highlighting her intuitive use of pattern, color, line, proportion, and composition.
Evelyn and Jerome’s pieces from the early 1950s through the early 1980s gained recognition nationally and internationally, noting the cultural nuances encountered in Evelyn’s creative journey. Her and her husband’s timeless creations adorned postwar modern interiors, fueling California’s housing boom, have been seen in museums and even on sets in movies and television. Despite retiring from manufacturing in 1979, their legacy endures, captivating collectors today and resonating with a new generation drawn to their collaborative spirit and unwavering dedication to their artistic vision.
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Here's where to follow the Ackerman Modern legacy to stay up to date on exhibits and future brand collaborations:
https://ackermanmodern.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ackermanmodern/CB2 Collection as part of their Design Legends series:
https://www.cb2.com/collections/ackerman-modern/1IG Reel of her work:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gk90qrpYl/ -
In today's episode, I’m joined by the incredible designer, Meryl Vedros, as we dive into the remarkable life Gunta Stölzl, a visionary force at the iconic Bauhaus in Germany. We uncover what it truly meant to be a woman navigating the male-dominated world of design during the early 20th century.
From her groundbreaking textile designs to her influential role as the only female master at the Bauhaus, we'll explore the enduring legacy of Gunta Stölzl and how her innovative spirit continues to inspire designers around the globe.
As the only female master of the Bauhaus, textile artist Gunta Stölzl is arguably the single most influential figure in the modern history of Western woven art. Under her leadership, the school's weaving workshop was transformed from a neglected department to one of its most successful facilities. During her tenure, she updated the focus from pictorial work to more industrial designs, introducing radical ideas from the world of modern art to weaving, and initiated experiments in materials and methods that helped shift weaving into the modern age.
Sources
2019 Book “Bauhaus Women: A global perspective”
2022 Daily Art Magazine article
1999 Bauhaus Book by Anja Baumhoff
2012 Talk at The Barbican Centre in London by daughter Monika “Bauhaus: Art as Life”
Diary entries from Gunta herself.Slit Tapestry Red/Green
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Dessau-1925-1931/Wall-Hangings-and-Carpet/i-4h4SxCp
Tapestry Paintings / Designs
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Dessau-1925-1931/Designs-for-Carpets/i-6fRNWJH
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Dessau-1925-1931/Designs-for-Wall-Hangings/i-xJrzrhM
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Dessau-1925-1931/Designs-for-Wall-Hangings/i-tJbfVbH
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Dessau-1925-1931/Designs-for-Carpets/i-CqVr29m
From Sketch to Final
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Weimar-1919-1925/Designs-for-Wall-Hanging/i-VxXtPrN
https://www.guntastolzl.org/Works/Bauhaus-Weimar-1919-1925/Wall-Hangings-and-Carpet/i-3ZMsh3B
Thank you Meryl Vedros!
https://www.vedrosstudio.com
https://www.instagram.com/vedrosstudio/
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