Women’s Contribution to the Rise of the Arts and Crafts Movement in America
The rise of the Arts and Crafts Movement in America was, in part, due to the work of women artisans. In turn, these women benefitted socially and economically from their endeavors. Of all the organizations operating during that time, the Newcomb Pottery succeeded in reaping accolades on an international level as well as promoting women as artists in early 20th century American society. Originating in Britain, the Arts and Crafts movement was fairly short-lived, only spanning from the years 1880-1920’s, roughly.
The Arts and Crafts movement was sparked by the rise of industrialization and mass production in England; writers and art critics such as John Ruskin and William Morris believed that, “mechanization, standardization, and the emphasis on the economic value of work that characterized the factory system had ruined the craftsman’s ability to be in charge of his own labor and had robbed him of dignity.” These anxieties ignited a re-evaluation of handcraftsmanship and workmanship in everyday life, and therefore leveling Britain’s class system.
The movement focused on decoration for the home– textiles, metalwork, furniture, bookbinding, and pottery. Looking back to nature, William Morris wanted the movement to encompass and emphasize simplicity of form, ornament as a secondary to decoration, and pattern. Craftsmen were influenced not only by Gothic Style and medieval architecture, but also looked to non-western works, namely, Japanism. These ideas began to circulate in America after the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, resulting in the foundation of a number of schools, clubs, and other organizations that focused on the production of arts and crafts.
The introduction of the Arts and Crafts movement to America was a pivotal time for women nationwide. They were considered fundamental to the movement; a number of women formed Pottery organizations from 1877 to the early 1890s; contrary to popular belief, “women designers guided the Arts and Crafts movement [in America] for nearly two decades before the movement’s major male figures arrived.” These women believed that the movement would generate change in America, and knew that their handcrafted efforts would overcome the cheap, mass-produced works. This inspired the very first generation of “grassroots arts and crafts designers – McLaughlin, Storer, Wheeler, and others – to [work hard] to elevate the economic value of and improve demand for Arts and Crafts objects.” Their efforts succeeded greatly and by the mid 1800s had created an enormous expansion in Arts and Crafts production, therefore creating many new jobs for women.
These jobs, however, were controversial for women; on one hand the movement focused on the creation of items for the home, which women were socially bound to as homemakers. Furniture, wallpaper, tapestries, vases, and tiles could all be created within the home, justifying participation for women. The movement soon became a lifestyle, as women were obligated to improve the character of the household. On the other hand, it was socially unacceptable for the woman to work outside of the home doing paid work. Women needed to find a way to break from the societal norms but still reflect feminine capabilities and maintain the mainstream ideal of womanhood.
The foundation of many organizations such as The Boston Society of Arts and Crafts, Hull House, Newcomb Pottery, and Rookwood gave women the opportunity to learn about art, techniques, and most importantly establish a social structure. “Social contact helped women develop as artists and find customers, patrons, and clients… These advantages helped women overcome educational, technical, and social barriers.”
The Newcomb College was founded in 1895 for women by William Woodward under Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was unique from any other pottery in the country as it was the only college in the Deep South and was the only pottery to be intimately connected with a University. As with many other colleges, the women were taught as decorators while men were hired to produce the actual wares. Though the college was designed to employ women, it had been assumed that they could only handle the lighter workload of design. However, women drew or selected the shape of the pottery they wanted and a potter would throw them.
Though Newcomb had a modest beginning, from 1898 and onward, the college began sending its’ student’s works across the country to different shows and expositions held by various Arts and Crafts societies. After presenting their pottery at the Chicago Society and Minneapolis Arts and Crafts Society, Newcomb received a bronze medal at the Paris Exposition of 1900, and was the first significant recognition that American art potteries received in Europe. The exposure prompted endless requests for the Newcomb College, and therefore provided the women of Newcomb with monthly incomes of $15-$40 per month, roughly $450-$1,200 in today’s economy.
These colleges grew to develop their own recognizable styles, and Newcomb was no different. Mary Sheerer, instructor and overseer of the Newcomb College stated that, “The whole thing was to be a southern product, made of southern clays, by southern artists, decorated with southern subjects.” The pottery was to be decorated with southern motifs, especially the flora and fauna such as magnolias, live oaks, and wisteria. It was important that no two pieces looked alike, “for fear the decoration should become mechanical by repetition… each should be fresh-inspired by the form and demands of that special vase or cup.”
The colleges decision to encompass Southern nature was a nod to Ruskin’s philosophy to stray from historical forms which were so popular in the 19th century. For Newcomb, the variety in plant life was abundant year-round, and is what made the college so completely unique; though many designs were stylized or conventionalized, many of the species found on the pottery can be identified, and “provide a miniature guide to the flora and fauna of Louisiana.”
The years between 1890 and 1900 were classified as the “Early Years” for the college, and students looked to Japanism and Chinese motifs for inspiration. Non-western art influenced many in the Arts and Crafts movement, both in Europe and America during this time. The pottery from this period can be characterized by the bright underglaze colors and transparent glazes (Fig. 1.). The throws were fairly simple, restricted to simple plates and vases. There were little to no pieces that had been carved into for texture, and remained relatively simple. Students during this time often experimented with different motifs and glazes, as the standard glaze had not been established yet, however students typically used an under-glazing technique developed by Louise McLaughlin at Rookwood in the late 1870s.
After Newcomb had been exposed to the Paris Exposition of 1900, the following fourteen years were a growth period for the college. They had established the famous sage green and cobalt blue color schemes under clear glazes, which is what Newcomb is now recognized for. Many of these works were inspired by instructor Arthur W. Dow, who taught classes in Ipswich, Massachusetts for the students of Newcomb. Dow introduced the ‘concepts of line, notan, and color,’ and encouraged students to learn representation not from the model but from ‘percieving or creating fine relationships of line, masses, or relations of light and darks, and color.” Using tonal gradation, distinct outlines, and flat patterns, (fig. 2.) the line work is clearly more defined and refined, using a cleaner, tighter technique. Students carve deeply into the clay to create texture and depth, and therefore gives off a more complex look. The formative years for the Newcomb College were dedicated to developing their unique style. Students were now more confident in their work than before – using deep incised lines to create relief on vases and bowls. Also during this time, Newcomb’s potter Joseph Meyer experimented with reduction fired copper to produce brilliant red pieces (fig. 3.). Women were still being influenced by Japanism, but were now also incorporating Egyptian and Aztec influences into their pieces; continuing the notion that non-western art was playing a huge role in the Arts and Crafts movement.
As the decade came to a close, the Arts and Crafts movement began to die out due to the start of WWI. Priorities had shifted, and suddenly handcraftsmanship became less important than waging war. An abundance of jobs became available to most women during the war years, and enthusiasm for the movement faded. During this time, bookbinding and metalwork became more popular to the public interest than pottery. The Newcomb College continued to produce pottery up until 1948, and the arts and crafts program became a thing of the past when Sadie Irvine retired in 1952.
The Arts and Crafts movement, although short lived, provided thousands of well-paying jobs for women across the country – they found a way to break societal and economical barriers and produce beautiful works of art for the home, all while receiving a free education and exposure internationally thanks to the Newcomb College. Women contributed greatly to the success of the Arts and Crafts movement in America, and the work that came from it continues to have an impact today.