BEYOND CRAFT Exhibition to Open 8/27 at Canton Museum of Art

Canton, Ohio -- The Canton Museum of Art (CMA) will present the first major traveling exhibition of the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection, a dazzling assemblage of artworks -- ceramics, fiber work, furniture, glass, jewelry and works on paper -- acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2010. Beyond Craft: Decorative Arts from the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection opens August 27, 2015 and will be on view through October 25. A special Opening Night Party will be hosted on Thursday, August 27, from 6:00 - 9:00pm.

The exhibition will showcase 85 objects by 50 artists -- including Olga de Amaral, Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, Sam Maloof, Richard Marquis, Albert Paley, Ken Price, Peter Voulkos and Toshiko Takaezu -- and highlight important studio objects made from the mid-1960s to the 2000s with a focus on the 1960s-80s, the collection's great strength.

Leatrice and Melvin Eagle began by collecting works of clay in 1960 and the medium remains at the heart of their collection to this day. Lee's early training as a ceramist led to a lifetime devotion to clay, a passion that Mel has shared with her over the years. As the couple became sophisticated observers of the field and their preferences took shape, they successfully assembled a museum-quality collection of ceramics, fiber art, furniture, jewelry and prints, paintings and drawings. Their passion grew beyond living with objects to encompass a deep respect for art and artists, as well as a lifelong commitment to promoting and supporting their work through institutional and personal involvement.

Beginning with the 1973 establishment of Eagle Ceramics -- a business that provided the resources to make and teach ceramics -- the Eagles immersed themselves in the art community and began forming relationships with many prominent artists. From 1979 to 1983, Montgomery College, Eagle Ceramics and the American Hand Gallery in Washington, D.C., collaborated to present of a series of workshops, lectures and exhibitions called "Making It in Clay." These events enabled the Eagles to meet prominent artists and the couple started collecting their works in depth. Ralph Bacerra, Don Reitz, Adrian Saxe and Michael Cardew have remained touchstones for the Eagles and lasting friendships with the artists resulted from these initial meetings. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Eagles were inspired to acquire collection subsets in jewelry, fiber and furniture and expand their significant holdings in West Coast ceramics, particularly those made in the 1960s and 1970s during the heyday of the Funk movement.

The Collection

The heart of the Eagle Collection is ceramics, particularly works made by California-based artists, such as Peter Voulkos and his students John Mason, Ken Price, Paul Soldner and Stephen de Staebler, who revolutionized the field by advocating a sculptural and abstract aesthetic rather than the functional forms that had previously predominated contemporary clay. The Funk Movement of the mid 1960s and 1970s is amply represented by important clay works by Robert Arneson, Clayton Bailey, Viola Frey, Michael Frimkess, David Gilhooly, Howard Kottler and Marilyn Levine. Second-generation ceramic artists that further cemented California's reputation as an incubator for innovation in the field, including Ralph Bacerra, Michael Lucero, Ron Nagle and Adrian Saxe, are also featured. In addition, clay art by ceramists such as Rudy Autio, Jack Earl, Edward Eberle, Ken Ferguson, Wayne Higby, Don Reitz, Toshiko Takaezu, Robert Turner and Betty Woodman provide an introduction to functional, narrative and sculptural trends that were developed in other regions of America in the post-World War II period.

The Eagles collected selectively in other decorative arts media, honing in on artists whose innovations, aesthetics and techniques established studio craft as a relevant and dynamic art form. Highlights include furniture by Wendell Castle and Sam Maloof, two of the most renowned American studio furniture-makers who are represented in the exhibition by early works from the 1960s and 1970s. Major abstract wall-hangings by the Colombian artist Olga de Amaral and American artists John Garrett, John McQueen and Cynthia Schira comprise the fiber art in the collection. Jewelry and metalwork by Glenda Arentzen, William Harper, Eleanor Moty, Albert Paley, Earl Pardon and Joyce J. Scott offer a view into the diverse work of pioneering American jewelry artists.

An aspect that sets the Eagle Collection and this exhibition apart from others is the presence of paintings on paper and drawings by many of the artists, including Robert Arneson, Rudy Autio, Viola Frey, Richard Shaw and Peter Voulkos. Adding this facet of these artist's careers to the exhibition broadens the understanding of their aesthetic and creativity.

Catalogue

Beyond Craft is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue that includes a full list of the entire 160-piece collection. It features an essay by the distinguished scholar Janet Koplos on prevalent issues in the craft field during the 1960s-80s and their intersection with contemporary art of that time as well as their relevance and legacy today. A general discussion of the Eagle Collection and its formation is authored by Cindi Strauss, curator of Modern and Contemporary Decorative Arts and Design, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Approximately 45 featured works from the collection have in-depth entries written by Susie J. Silbert and Cindi Strauss.

Generous funding is provided by Volunteer Angels, Arden Riddle Museum & Gallery, Gasser Jewelers, Giant Eagle, Susan Wise, Scott L. Trenton & Robert G. Lucas.

Beyond Craft: Decorative Arts from the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

The Canton Museum of Art (CMA) is one of Ohio's premier museums for an exceptional visual arts experience. CMA is recognized for powerful national touring exhibits; dynamic CMA-original exhibits; an unrivaled Permanent Collection of American watercolors and contemporary ceramics; and innovative education outreach programs, in-Museum classes and workshops. For more information, including hours, exhibits and special events, call 330.453.7666, visit www.cantonart.org.

Canton Museum of Art Hours:
Hours - Monday: Closed; Tues - Thurs: 10am - 8pm; Fri - Sat: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 1 - 5pm

Location: The Canton Museum of Art is located in the Cultural Center for the Arts, 1001 Market Avenue North, Canton, Ohio 44702. Free onsite parking is available around the Museum. Call 330.453.7666 for information and directions or visit our website at www.cantonart.org.

Admission: Regular admission is $8 Adults; $6, Seniors and Students (with valid I.D.); Museum Members are Free; and Children 12 and under, Free. Tickets are available at the Museum Ticket Office during Museum hours. For group visits, discounts, and tours, please call Lynn Daverio at 330.453.7666 at least two weeks prior to your visit for reservations and/or to request a docent-led tour.

Pictured: Richard Marquis, Broken Grey #1, 1979, glass, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection, gift of Leatrice and Melvin Eagle. © Richard Marquis.