RIPPLES: MARGUERITE WILDENHAIN AND HER POND FARM STUDENTS

January 24-March 13, 2002

RIPPLES: Marguerite Wildenhain and Her Pond Farm Students is both a commemoration and a celebration of the historic importance and educational significance of this pioneer artist's contribution to the world of ceramics. This exhibition, the first to focus exclusively on the work of Wildenhain and her students at Pond Farm, shows the contribution and influence of Wildenhain's teaching in the United States for over 50 years. It includes about 115 objects-more than 60 by Wildenhain and 52 of her Pond Farm students who continue to make their living working as artists.

Billie Sessions, Ph.D.
Exhibition Curator

This exhibition, which continues a recurring theme of ceramics in the Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum's exhibition and collection program, is significant in three ways. First, by defining more precisely Wildenhain's contribution to the world of ceramics and ceramics education, it reinforces the artist's presence in the history of the art. Second, it attempts to define how Wildenhain's Bauhaus-originated teaching method, enhanced by her individual experience and strong personality, influenced a group of former Pond Farm students. Third, it is the first traveling exhibition of this magnitude and nationwide significance organized by the Museum.
Dr. Billie Sessions, CSUSB Art Education Professor, has dedicated eight years to researching the life and work of Wildenhain. She has spent the past four years curating the exhibition. During that time she consistently had one very valid thought in mind: For such an important and influential artist and teacher, Wildenhain was not receiving enough recognition. This fact defined Dr. Sessions' curatorial objective—to bring that deserved recognition to the artist. The exhibition has become a valid means in establishing Wildenhain's earned place in the history of applied arts and art education.

Eva Kirsch
Museum Director

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I. Exhibition traveled to:

• Nora Eccles-Harrison Art Museum Utah State University, Logan, Utah
  May 23-July 31, 2002
• The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art New York State College of Ceramics Alfred University, Alfred, New York
  October-December 2002

II. An accompanying the exhibition 120-page catalog presents Marguerite Wildenhain in the context of three decades of her teaching a pottery workshop at Pond Farm. The catalog, which reflects the structure of the exhibit, consists of two parts:

I. Wildenhain

• Foreword (Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum Director, Eva Kirsch
• Acknowledgements (exhibition curator, Dr. Billie Sessions)
• Main essays (exhibition curator, Dr. Billie Sessions)
• Essay by art/ceramics historian, Elaine Levin
• Many archival, documentary photographs within text
• 62 full-page color photographs of Marguerite Wildenhain's works

II. Pond Farm students, who remain active artists/potters.

• Short essay on Wildenhain's teaching methodology (exhibition curator, Dr. Billie Sessions)
• Short essay by former "Pond Farmer" and student of Wildenhain, Richard Johnston
• Several archival, documentary photographs within text
• 54 color photographs (1/4 of page) of works by Wildenhain's students -"Pond Farmers" and quotes from "Pond Farmers" about Wildenhain, her teaching and the influence she had on their lives.
• Short biographies of all "Pond Farmers" in the exhibition
• Exhibition checklist

Price: $28.00

If you want to purchase the catalog, please call Sharidy Cunningham at (909) 537-7373, e-mail her at: scunning@csusb.edu or send your order via mail.

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Marguerite Wildenhain
Photography credit: Peter Hegland

Marguerite Wildenhain, 1983
Photography credit: Wayne Lee