1984-85
Evelyn creates 40-piece
series of cloisonné enam-
els© , detail, Stories
from the Bible, donated
to the Renwick Gallery,
National Museum
of American Art,
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington D.C.
1990s
Jerome, semi-retired,
produces one-of-a-kind
ceramic pieces and par-
ticipates in numerous
exhibitions.
1994
Evelyn and Jerome arc
included among a select
group honored as
Legends of Design dur-
ing West Week, Pacific
Design Center, Los
Angeles.
2000-2001
M ade in California:
Art, Image and Identity,
içoo-2000, Los Angeles
County Museum o f Art;
California Pottery:
Mission to Modernism
.
Museum o f Modern Art,
San Francisco.
2005
Their work is included
in the book
California
Design: The Legacy
o f West Coast Craft and
Style
by Jo Lauria and
Suzanne Baizerman.
2007—08
Jerome continues to
produce ceramics such
as the glazed stoneware
See No Evil© and
Teapot with Figures ©
+
September 12: The cou-
ple celebrate their both
wedding anniversary.
+
September 13: They are
honored with the Henry
Award by the Museum
of California Design for
their contribution to
mid-century California
design.
2009
Evelyn and Jerome
Ackerman, organized by
the Museum o f California
Design, Palm Springs
Modernism Show,
February; Masters o f
Mid-Century California
Modernism: Evelyn
and Jerome Ackerman,
organized by Mingei
International Museum,
San Diego, California.
View full timeline at
americancraftmag.org.
“ W h a t s h e h a d w a s u n iq u e .” A s h e r c r e a t i v i t y b lo o m e d , s o d id
e r a ’ s p r o d u c t lin e . T h e i r c r o s s - d i s c i p li n a r y a p p r o a c h w a s u n u s u a l
f o r d e s ig n e r - c r a fts m e n , b u t “ E w y a n d I a lw a y s h a d a g r e a t c u r io s it y
a b o u t m a t e r ia ls ,” J e r o m e s a y s . “ W e w a n t e d t o s t r e t c h . W e e n jo y e d
t h e e x p lo r a t io n .”
T h e i r c a r e e r f lo u r is h e d w i t h t h e p o s t w a r h o u s in g b o o m in t h e
G o l d e n S t a t e , le d b y d e v e lo p e r s s u c h a s J o s e p h E i c h le r , w h o d e -
s ig n e d v a s t c o m m u n it ie s in t h e m o d e r n is t s t y le . ( S h o r t ly a f t e r t h e y
c a m e w e s t , th e A c k e r m a n s m e t E ic h le r a n d h e a s s u r e d t h e m , “ I ’ll b e
b u ild in g e n o u g h h o m e s t h a t i f y o u s e ll a p o t t o e v e r y b o d y w h o b u y s
o n e , y o u ’ll b e o k a y .” ) A c k e r m a n fu r n is h in g s le n t w a r m t h , t e x t u r e
a n d a v e r y C a lif o r n ia p a le t t e o f h ig h ly s a t u r a t e d c o lo r s t o t h e s e in t e -
r io r s p a c e s .
“ J e r r y a n d E v e l y n w e r e in t h e r ig h t p la c e a t t h e r ig h t t im e , p r o -
d u c in g w o r k t h a t w a s e x t r e m e ly w e ll d e s ig n e d a n d id e a l f o r th e s e
c le a n - lin e d m o d e r n i n t e r i o r s ,” o b s e r v e s B i ll S t e r n , d i r e c t o r o f th e
M u s e u m o f C a lif o r n ia D e s ig n , a d d in g , “ T h e ir s is th e k in d o f m o d -
e r n is m t h a t h a s n o t b e c o m e d a te d . I t ’s s t ill f r e s h .” “ T h e w o r k is t im e -
l e s s ,” c o n c u r s G e r a r d O ’ B r ie n , o w n e r o f R e f o r m G a lle r y in l . a .,
w h ic h s p e c ia liz e s in C a lif o r n ia M o d e r n . Y o u n g c o lle c t o r s , O ’ B r ie n
s a y s , h a v e t a k e n to th e w o r k o f th e A c k e r m a n s , d r a w n to its w h im s y ,
p la y fu ln e s s a n d s t r o n g s e n s e o f n a r r a t iv e a n d c h a r a c t e r , a s w e ll a s
t o t h e ir p e r s o n a l s t o r y , “ t h e lif e t h e y b u ilt f o r t h e m s e lv e s , th e id e a
o f t h e m b e in g a t e a m , t o g e t h e r a n d s h a r in g , a n d c a r in g h o w t h e y
w e n t a b o u t t h e ir c r a f t . ”
038 american craft jun/julo9
