Alexander Girard

Alexander Girard   1907-1994

“Art is only art when it is synonymous with living.”

It is mid January and we are in the midst of winter here in North America.  Even Santa Fe, which is usually not bitter cold has seen a blast of chilling winds and snow.  It is a perfect time to spend an afternoon (or two) at a museum.. We are blessed with many fine museums and galleries, here, and one of my favorites, of which I often write, is The International Folk Art Museum.

One wing of the museum was designed in 1981 (opened in 1982) by Girard to house the Girard Family Foundation Collection of Folk Art.  Over 100,000 pieces collected by Girard and his wife, Susan, are in the collection and are on view, many displays  were designed by Girard himself. 

This fascinating array of folk art from around the world cannot be appreciated in a single viewing.  Indeed, every time I visit I find objects that I had overlooked.  Small ceramic pieces arranged in a depiction of village life, fiber flowers, and, of course, examples of very fine textiles.  These objects were not created in factories, nor manufactured in lots of thousands to be sold on the open market.  Rather, each has been created by craftsmen and represent the artistic considerations of their ethnic backgrounds.

The Spirit of Folk Art
The Girard Collection at the Museum of International Folk Art
Henry Glassie, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., NY, in association with the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe

While Girard is known as a great collector of folk art, there is another aspect to this man’s contributions to the field of art

He is probably one of the least known, but at the same time , one of the finest designers of textiles in modern times.  Born in New York, he was raised in Italy where he studied architecture.  Eventually, he moved to Detroit and worked as a designer for Ford and Lincoln Motors and as a color consultant for General Motors.

Fortunately for us New Mexicans, he and his wife, Susan moved to Santa Fe in 1952 and became the director of textile designs for Herman Miller until 1973.  His designs reflect his training in architecture and are known for his explosive use of color.  He designed over 300 textiles, as well as, wallpapers and decorative prints, furniture and other decorative objects. 

Plazzo, 1976
Alexander Girard
collection of the Art Institute of Chicago

One of his designs was issued in collaboration with Jack Lenor Larsen (in fact this was the only Girard design Larsen produced).  Entitled “Palazzo”, this piece was unique in several ways.  It was a triptych of a European city featuring stylized buildings, bridges and archways.  Instead of using vibrant color, this piece, intended as a furnishing fabric, was screen-printed in white and shades of brown on a brown linen ground fabric.  The textile was given by Larsen, from his collection, to the Art Institute of Chicago and was featured in an exhibition 

“The 20^th-Century Textile Artist” in 1999 at the Institute.

Christa C. Thurman, Curator of Textiles

The Herman Miller collection is reissuing some of Girard textile designs. 

Also, Girard Studio was created by the Girard family to “preserve and promote the design legacy and archive of Alexander Girard”.  Its mission is “Reintroducing Girard to the public”.

Of interest to those of us dining in Santa Fe, the interior of the famous Compound restaurant was designed  by Girard in 1966.

The Year -15

The Year – 15

We are one week into the new year,2016.  I came upon several facts about textile history occurring in the years –15.

On March 21,2015 The Textile Museum, Washington D.C., moved into their new home on the campus of George Washington University.  See my blog, “At Last- New Textile Museum “, 4/15/15.  

You can access their schedule of events for the coming year at museuminfo@gwu.edu.

In 1915 Estelle Lester Laverne was born.  Estelle established Laverne Originals, later, Laverne International.  She was a pioneer in integrating applied design in textiles with the fines arts.

In 1815 Lowell established a mill in Waltham, MA, later to become ( in Lowell MA) one of America’s largest textile manufacturing sites and a model for US industrialization.  See my blog “The Lowell Experiment”, 8/30/15.

In 1515 the first nationalized factories for tapestry weaving opened in France.

In 1315 the Lyons silk industry was developed by Italian immigrants.

In 715 wool dyeing was established in Rome.

To view textiles from the past, a collection of  vintage magazines is helpful ( and inexpensive to purchase from flea markets, thrift shops and vintage book stores).  

My Holiday Wish

This Holiday Season, I wish you peace.

The History of the Christmas Greeting Card

Holiday Cards

Although we have had a few cold days, this is the first real taste of winter here in Santa Fe and I am writing a few greeting cards to mail .  Years ago, I sent out many more holiday cards, perhaps email has made a difference in my habits. Nevertheless, I still like to select meaningful greetings to those friends and relatives we are not able to visit as often as we would wish.

The history of sending printed holiday greetings tells of Sir Henry Cole, a Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  In  May, 1843, Cole commissioned his friend, John Callcott Horsley, a former pupil of the National Academy known for his illustrations to produce a Christmas greeting card in an initial edition of 1,000.  The card was produced on cardboard and measured 5 1/8inches x 3 ¼ inches and was a handpainted triptych    The images depicted were of a family raising glasses of wine in a toast with side scenes of charity giving for the poor.  The greeting read “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You”.  Subsequently, an additional edition was printed, the cards selling for 1 shilling each.  This was an essentially providential market ploy for Cole as he had helped introduce the first postage stamp (Penny Post) three years earlier.

The first printed cards available in America were available from the lithograph firm of Prang and Mayer in 1847.  The first American president and first lady to send White House cards during the Christmas season was Calvin Coolidge in 1927 and the first “official” White House Christmas card was sent in 1953 by Dwight Eisenhower.

The tradition of sending cards included merchants sending their greetings to valued customers and charity organizations soliciting donations.

Today many card manufacturers offer free email cards.

Vintage greeting cards are easy to find. as well as many reproduction cards.  In December,2013 an original Cole card was sold at auction for 4,200 pounds (over $6,000 dollars).

Here are a few cards from my collection depicting children dressed for Santa.

1915 - Reproduction 1860's - 1926

1918 - 1918 - 1913

" A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You"

 Henry Cole ( and Margy)

Holiday Shopping

Hitting Those Sales

Because the Thanksgiving Holiday was late this year we have one less week until Christmas.  Actually, Hanukkah is being celebrated extra early.  So one must be out and about enjoying the holiday shopping experience (unless, of course, you are one of the plan-ahead people who finish their gift list in July).

There are alternatives to fighting for parking places at the mall.  My  poor car was hit the other day by a woman who pulled out of a space without looking, fortunately no one was injured, but it surely didn’t put me into good spirits.

Many shoppers are online, many use catalogs.  But whatever method you use there are occasionally price shocks.  For instance, one might think a safe gift would be a scarf for the hard-to-buy-for gentleman on your list.  In one of my favorite blog resources,  The Wall Street Journal featured a small article “The Wrap Game” Nov.9, 2013 .  Illustrated were 5 scarves of various fiber contents ranging in price from $75 to $605 !!!!

But that wasn’t bad enough.  In the Style and Travel section, Tuesday, Nov.21, 2013 Christina Binkley wrote an article entitled “Sweater Sticker Shock”.  These basic-looking sweaters carried  a heafty, not-so-basic tag of $1,250 to $2,000.  For a sweater!! And they didn’t have any jeweled trims or hand embroidered embellishments, nor a faux fur collar.

 I don’t know about you, but to me this seems crazy!!  This week I was going through my “idea”file.  I’m sure you all have a folder of creative ideas, cut from favorite magazines.  This idea was from Threads Magazine, 2011.  The article, “Brocade to trim” by Judith Neukam, raised innumerable possibilities of using a design element cut from a fabric remnant, adding beads, sequins, or embroidery.  This can then be appliquéd to any garment.  Think of a plain blazer or small clutch bag. 

  Or scour your stash of crochet pieces to use as a collar or cuffs for a sweater.  Using less expensive purchases,personalized by your hand work, makes a truly unique gift that shows how much you care ( not to mention your incredible creativity).

Happy shopping, the Holidays are here!  

Sporty Cycle Fashions

Cyclist’s Fashions

I recently read an article by Karen LeBat writing for The Berg Fashion Library entitled “Bicycle Clothing”.  This caught my eye since my husband is an avid cyclist.  Here in Santa Fe cycling is very popular as the weather is generally conducive to the sport throughout the year.

LeBat wrote of early cycling (mid 1800’s) clothing problems for women and Victorian notions of femininity and modesty issues. 

I actually found a print by Rudolph Ackermann (1819) of women astride English bicycles with drop seats allowing female riders to wear their long skirts.  Ackermann was a London print maker and businessman who established The Print and Picture Emporium at 101 Strand, London.  Coincidentally, Ackermann also dabbled  as an inventor and patented mechanisms for carriages.  He also obtained patents for various bicycle components, although it is not clear that he actually invented these components or merely bought the patent rights.

Ackermann's print advertising "Ladies Hobbyhorses" now exhibiting at 40 Brewer Streeet
Published May, 12, 1819 at  R. Achermanns, 101 Strand

By the late 1800’s women’s fashions introduced knickerbockers also known as “bloomers” named after Amelia Jenks Bloomer an American reformer.  “Bloomers” were loose, boxy trousers, gathered at the ankle or knee and worn by women and girls for participation in athletics. 

Men’s cycling clothing consisted of vests with insignias of their racing clubs worn over long shirts.  Special shoes and headgear soon appeared.

According to LeBat, in the early 1920’s, only the professional cyclists wore specialized clothing and the average cyclist wore popular casual clothing.  Today there is a large textile industry dedicated to sports clothing, utilizing the most advanced fibers and garment designs. Cyclists, both men and women, now wear body-fitting shorts and shirts in vibrant colors to increase their visibility.  Also necessary are gloves to facilitate grip and glasses to protect from the wind and sun.  But one of the most important accessories is the helmet, aerodynamically shaped.  Many states require bikers to wear helmets, and I cringe whenever I see riders without them,

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving

This week we celebrate the harvest and a day of thanks which entails journeys to the homes of relatives, near and far.  Tradition mandates large dining room tables laden with turkeys the size of ostriches and several side dishes followed by desserts laden with calories.

But that is not the meaning of Thanksgiving.  We have much to be grateful for and should not require a special day to show our appreciation for friends and family.  We must also not ignore those less fortunate but strive every day to share our bounty with others.