Also showing:
Lynn Christiansen
Maybe lust one more
2015 Polk Street
VELVET DA VINCI
San Francisco. CA 94109
415.441.0109
www.VelvetDaVinci.com
Show runs April 3rd-30th 2009
Opening Reception:
April 3, 2009 5:30-8:30 pm
The Works Gallery 303 Cherry St. Philadelphia, PA
215 922 7775 www.snyderman-works.com
L E T T E R S
Welcome
to Our
In-box
UKricanl
ciatt
Alison Berger’s studio graced our
February/March 2009 cover.
Good Content
I just finished reading the
February/March issue—it was
incredibly full of good con-
tent. My colleagues and I are
working on the next series of
events for the Fiber Biennial
in Philadelphia beginning in
February 2010, so it was quite
timely that you covered the
Banners of Persuasion exhibit
in London and Miami (“A
Tale from the Dark Side”).
Maria Porges’s article
on Bruce Metcalf’s traveling
exhibit (“The Miniature
Worlds of Bruce Metcalf”)
was also relevant for us. We’re
just finalizing an agreement
to represent his work at
s o f a
New York, and will mount
a solo exhibit of his work at
our gallery (Snyderman
Works) in September 2009.
Between “The Wide
World of Craft” on Philadel-
phia, and the feature about
Judith Schaechter (“Through
the Looking Glass), this issue
has been an embarrassment of
riches for us here in Philadel-
phia. I’m scheduled to have
lunch with the directors of
both the City Planning Com-
mission and the Office of Arts
and Culture for the Creative
Economy. I plan to give them
each a copy of the issue as
a way of familiarizing them
with the cultural attention
Philadelphia has been receiv-
ing nationally of late.
R IC K S N Y D E R M A N
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The “ Big Blur” in Practice
Your Editor’s Letter in the
February/March issue (“The
Big Blur”) transported me
back to the early 1980s when
I organized a discussion panel
at the National Council on
Education for the Ceramic
Arts on this topic. I was joined
by Dr. Judith Schwartz, who
shared my view that the uni-
versities turning out “crafters”
did not care about industries
that they could directly affect.
When I graduated in 1977
from Alfred University with
a B.F.A. in ceramics, I was
aware of the difficulties in es-
tablishing myself as a potter.
Fortunately, I was somewhat
aware of how to apply my
skills in industry.
In 1984
1
become a re-
search engineer at American
Olean Tile Company with the
responsibilities of a designer.
Our new business teams real-
ized that design led the whole
product process, and we be-
gan to place more emphasis on
“what” to make and less on
“how.” We sourced tile from
abroad, and for five years my
primary focus was interfacing
with ceramic designers around
the world. First, I was shocked
that outside the u.s. there
were true designers, not engi-
neers, leading new product
design and creativity. Second,
I learned of the education
these designers went through
to contribute to industry,
which was their primary
