Art & Art History ETDs

Publication Date

7-6-1972

Abstract

All the art forms have undergone much ferment in the Twentieth Century. The ferment can be attributed, at least in part, to many radical changes in the nature of our society, such as, advances in technology and the effects of the mass media. These advances have had a particular effect on contemporary crafts since the crafts have always been intricately tied up with technical process. Often the result has been a basic change in the statement, form, and material of the craftsmen. The changes we see evidenced today in the crafts had their beginnings in the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, men who pioneered ways of relating old crafts to the new machine age were examined in this thesis in order to trace the evolution of change within the crafts in the twentieth century. In addition, the influences on ceramics and jewelry of painting, sculpture, and architecture were studied in this thesis. These art forms have always had some influence on the crafts. However, as traditional boundaries between arts and crafts disappear, a new impetus from the painting and sculpture fields is felt in ceramics and jewelry. Architecture, also, has had an increasing impact on jewelry. The thesis concluded that American crafts are unique in the history of world crafts. They no longer serve only the utilitarian needs of the society. These crafts have demonstrated new ways they can function for modern man. Further, the traditional craft processes have been broadened to include many advances and materials of the scientific age. Finally, it has been the modern American craftsmen who has defined, for the most part, the philosophical direction of contemporary American crafts.

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Arts

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

UNM Department of Art and Art History

First Committee Member (Chair)

Carl Erich Paak

Second Committee Member

Ralph Wayne Lewis

Third Committee Member

Howard David Rodee

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