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S C H A N T Z G A L L E R IE S .C O M
G u m t r e e l e a v e s ,
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Russell Johnson
To the E d ito r
F r o m O u r I n b o x
This is just a quick note to let
you know how excited I am
about the evolution of
American
Cra/f magazine over the past
year. I am finding vibrancy,
authenticity, inquisitiveness,
and professionalism in every-
thing you are doing these days -
from magazine to blog to
tweets. Huzzahs to you and
everyone whose commitment
to excellence and humanity
shines through daily.
I don’t suffer fools easily,
and I don’t throw roses indis-
criminately. You guys are
rocking it.
-N A N C IE M IL L S P IP G R A S
Editor and blogger
M osaic A r t N ow
I just received the latest issue
and found myself reading it cover
to cover without a break. I found
that much of the dialogue con-
cerning the current economy
was enlightening, despite remind-
ing me that everyone out there
is struggling. It’s helpful to read
about my fellow makers who
keep going forward, keep try-
ing, and endure.
I put down the magazine
feeling like there is true hope
for this industry.
-D A M IA N V E L A S Q U E Z
Furniture maker, A C C trustee
Albuquerque, N ew M exico
I was pleased to see the Adolph
Gottlieb stained glass windows
reproduced in “Craftspotting:
Crafting Manhattan” [Oct./
Nov. 2011]. Your readers should
know that the windows that
now exist are only a fragment
of the original project. The cur-
rent installation does not reflect
Gottlieb’s intent.
The challenge for Gottlieb
was to create a glass wall five
stories high, which he spent the
better part of two years plan-
ning. That façade, which was
unique, consisted of 91 panels
installed in a repeat pattern that
Gottlieb carefully devised. The
windows you illustrate are two
of the panels installed one above
the other - a pairing Gottlieb
did not intend. Gottlieb’s con-
cept was something far larger
than a calendar of Jewish holy
days. As was the case with his
Pictograph
paintings, the artist’s
arrangement of images across
a surface invited viewers to con-
template their own sense of the
meanings of rituals, traditions,
cycles of worship, and, ultimate-
ly, of the religion itself.
It is unfortunate that we
cannot bring back the original,
which was a much grander and
more elaborate vision than the
panels that remain.
-S A N F O R D H IR S C H
N ew Tork
The cover of the August/Sep-
tember issue of
American Craft
gave great promise of reading
pleasure, because of “70 Years
of Making: Celebrating Ameri-
ca’s Handmade History.”
The article reflects many
worthy moments in American
craft during the past 70 years.
But I was deeply saddened by
the glaring omission of a high
point in American craft: the
groundbreaking touring
