Welcome to Roy Slade's artworld!

Ceramic studio c1979

The studios needed to be updated and expanded; the student body grew and the nature of art and design changed. Moreover, over the years, photography and printmaking had been added to the original disciplines: architecture, ceramics, design, fiber, metalsmithing, painting and sculpture. Space studies were made and long range plans developed; eventually, the New Studios by Rafael Moneo, were opened in 2002.

As President, I worked closely with the students, encouraging the Student Council to be active and supportive. In the studios, I would visit, often in the evenings, to talk with students. During reviews, both for first and second year students, I went to the studios to critique the work of each student. I made small sketches of their work, with notes; in their first and second year. In this way, I could discuss progress not only with the students but with the faculty. At the end of each day of review, I chaired a meeting of the faculty to discuss collectively each student. The faculty was not expected to do as I did, see the work of every student; rather they worked in rotating teams. Over the course of two years, faculty did eventually review each students work. Students set up their work in their studio, critique space or anywhere suitable. Other students and staff were encouraged to visit but never during a faculty critique.

Cranbrook Art Museum lower galleries: degree show.

RS 'one last word........'

The critique was on a one to one basis; student and faculty. I had done away with the old system of faculty going around as a group. I saw faculty arguing amongst themselves, the loudest voice prevailing and egos clashing. Often, the poor student was forgotten as arguments raged on between faculty. To have individual faculty visit and discuss each student’s work was far more humane and constructive. I benefitted greatly from seeing the work in each department; a way of evaluating faculty as well as students. Nothing in my schedule was to intrude or interfere with students reviews; the critiques were sacrosanct. At the same time, reviews were demanding and exhausting for faculty, students and the President!

Nick Cave 1989 fiber graduate: performance in front of

Keith Haring mural, north gallery, Cranbrook Art Museum.

What better way to relax than at the ‘Bad Art Bar’; I got to know my students well at work and play! The students, being in a graduate program, were aged from their mid twenties to early forties; some were even older. The ratio of male and female students varied but, overall, was about equal. Students came from all over the country and world. The international nature of the Academy, starting with the founder George Booth and architect Eliel Saarinen, was established from the beginning and continued through the student body. Students came from the Far East, Europe and Latin America. The diversity of ethnic and contrasting cultures was evident; presenting an invaluable opportunity to learn from one another. I always felt that our emphasis was less on teaching and more on learning. The Academy offered many opportunities to learn from fellow students, faculty, staff, curators, visiting artists and, hopefully, the President.

Academy students dressed according to their discipline. The painters and sculptors wore torn jeans and sweaters, stained with paint, plaster or whatever! The ceramicists were covered with clay; the printmakers wore their ink stains proudly. Fiber students had woven clothes or printed textiles, colorful and rich. In contrast, the designers were easy to identify; always dressed in black.

Amongst the many social activities, the annual Christmas party was always fun. I was dressed up, often with the help of the fiber students, as Santa Claus. With my white hair and beard, red rouge cheeks and padded stomach, I gave many a loud “Ho Ho”! Naturally, I had to have an elf and that was Bob. I should mention here that I was, and I am, known as “Roy” to everyone, from students to staff; that’s how I expected to be addressed and was.

Robert Yares, known as “Bob”, was my assistant and is a friend forever! I met Bob when he was working for the Michigan Art Train. I had flown to Marquette, a god forsaken place, particularly in the winter. Bob met me at the airport and drove us to the hotel. By the time we got to the hotel, a short ride, I was so impressed by our conversation that I offered Bob a job as my assistant; just like that! I never regretted that immediate decision; he accepted. Bob had an art degree, knew the state of Michigan, its communities and legislature. His quiet personality, humor and dedication were appreciated. Words can not express my gratitude to Bob for all that he did for the Academy and me during my years as President. His responsibilities were many including working with the Women’s Committee; Studio Council; Annual Auction; Design Michigan; College Art; receptions and fund raisers. His work with the students and alumni was invaluable; he knew them all. I am happy to say that Bob was appointed this year (2008) to be Alumni Director for the Academy; well deserved.

As my Christmas elf, he was unforgettable and, to the designers, unforgivable! Bob would dress for his role at Yuletide, including a resplendent false beard. On, and in, the beard he would sprinkle lots and lots of talcum powder. Bob would then make a point of warmly embracing the design students, as ever, dressed in black. His embrace deposited the white powder on their black dress, among hilarious laughter. The Japanese students were unsure if this was a Western tradition; there was much bowing and smiling, in clouds of white talcum! Kathy and Mike McCoy tried to avoid this annual dusting; without success. The black dressed designers were dusted with white; appropriate for a Michigan winter?!

The future careers of our graduates varied according to their discipline; as did the way they got jobs. Usually, designers and architects went into offices to pursue their individual careers. Other students were planning on trying to survive by making art. Many graduates, particularly in the Fine Arts, would seek teaching positions; hopefully in higher education. The usual way was to attend the annual meeting of the College Art Association.

The meetings occurred in late January; I will never forget my first meeting in 1969 at Chicago. As an impoverished faculty member, I boarded an airport bus to go downtown to the conference hotel. On the bus, a young lady got up, waving in the air a plastic sheet holding slides. “Anyone want to see my slides?’ she shouted as she went up and down the aisle. I was newly arrived in America and thought that she may be a hooker!

Later, in the hotel lobby, I found lots more young men and women offering their slides and portfolios; a prostitution of a different kind. These were young art students and graduates eagerly seeking jobs; soon to be sadly disillusioned. After scurrying around, looking at job announcements, arranging interviews, waiting in corridors and being interview, the aspiring teachers soon got disillusioned; few got jobs. Three thousand attendees included college presidents, deans, department chairmen and faculty from coast to coast. The meetings rotated in the same way from New York to Los Angeles. Of course, lectures and panel discussions were taking place but the real drama was in the job hunt; a cultural slave market.

Years later, these meetings for me became a blur of people: colleagues and friends. The milling crowds in lobbies and bar were teachers and artists I knew; some to meet, others to avoid. At times, I thought that these conferences were hell on earth; certainly that was true for those job hunting, particularly naïve and aspiring graduates.

At Cranbrook, to prepare our students, I met with those intending to go to College Art. I explained the grim reality of the search and interview; too often, a harrowing and demeaning process. The resume, application and search process was discussed; the students were prepared. Moreover, one of my best decisions, the Academy provided a suite where our students could come; rest; make contacts; meet one another. A staff member was there to help in whatever way possible; faculty would visit the suite as would alumni. I was ‘in and out’, giving encouragement and advice whenever I could. On one evening, we would have a Cranbrook reception for alumni and students; contacts were made and goodwill assured. Everyone was pleased with this initiative; to have a place to meet and leave messages was invaluable and much appreciated.

In 1978, the conference was in New York at the Hilton; a large enough hotel for the thousands that attended. At that time, John Mills was Dean. He had worked, as Registrar, with my predecessor, Wally Mitchell. While I was considering coming to Cranbrook, John was most influential and persuasive. He worked with me as Dean for a year; then he passed his Bar Exam and became a lawyer. John and his wife Kathy remain good friends to this day; he is also our legal advisor and has served us well with his advice and guidance.

John Mills felt that an alumni reception should be held at the Hilton to introduce me as President of the Academy. The idea was a good one as there were alumni from around the country and many in Manhattan. Over 200 people turned up and crowded the meeting room; overwhelming. I met many distinguished alumni, famed artists and designers. The bar bill was such that John had to get additional credit to pay.

At a later meeting, again at the New York Hilton, a suite was rented; the views down Sixth Avenue were spectacular but the windows were dirty. I must admit to a fetish about clean windows and phoned reception to see if the windows could be cleaned. Being fifty floors up, that may sound ludicrous but the windows were accessible from within the room. The next morning, at 7AM, there was a knock on the door. A female staff member, sleeping in the adjoining room, was rudely awakened. She came to the door asking who was there and the reply was, “I’m the window cleaner”! “No, it’s not” was her reply, thinking that it was some student or even me, always an early riser. With choice language and much cursing, in her curlers and nightgown, she opened the door to find the window cleaner standing there with bucket and squeegee. I am not sure who was more embarrassed; her or the window cleaner. She fled to the bathroom and locked the door.

I do not think I was forgiven for not telling her of my request. She never thought windows could be cleaned at that high a floor; not knowing the windows were accessible from the inside but only by the hotel staff. She admonished me but the windows were cleaned! As ever, many a tale could be told but this one reflects the fun we had. My staff shared my sense of humor, may be one of the reasons that they were with me. We laughed a lot but worked hard.

During my eighteen years as President, over a thousand students graduated. Commencement took place in the Greek Theatre, weather permitting. That day was the most anxious time for me; the most tension and pressure I had all year. I had to make the final decision whether the weather would permit us to go outdoors. At that time of year in Michigan, the weather is unpredictable with showers and storms. By 1PM, three hours before the ceremony, I had to decide if the 400 chairs, stage and theatre could be set up outside. Everyone wanted Commencement to occur outside, as the Greek Theatre was a gorgeous setting, perfect for graduation. The parents, visitors and students sat in a rising hemicycle, with the faculty and speakers on stage; the graduating class sat in the front row. With sun, blue sky, passing clouds, tall trees and colorful blossoms, the setting was idyllic. Much better for the ceremony to be outside; rather than held in an assembly hall at the schools or a lecture theatre. Rainy weather made that inevitable at times. I did have ultimate authority over many issues but had no control over the weather?!

Commencement was a time of celebration and sadness. To see our graduates receive their diplomas was cause to celebrate but to see them leave, in a way, was sad. Over two years, we got to know our students. I talked to each and everyone; reviewed and critiqued their work. At the Academy, we worked, lived and played together as a community of artists. I can not remember every student but I have memories of many. I always said that the Academy is not to be judged by what the students do but rather by what the alumni do. In the achievements of its artists, designers and architects lies the ultimate judgment and lasting influence of Cranbrook.

Speeches were made and diplomas awarded at Commencement. On one occasion, a ‘gorilla’ appeared on stage and, on another, a dance performance occurred. For me, the words of the student who spoke on behalf of the graduating class were the most important. Indeed, that was the true in 1981, when graduating student Lynn Barnhouse spoke.

“Hopefully, we will all leave here realizing the Cranbrook experience was planned. Now we are on our own. To experience the best means we have to give our best. This is really only the beginning.”



Alumni

To compare the bowl by Maija Grotell with a teapot by a

recent graduate, the fact that there is no pervading style

at Cranbrook is obvious; yet there is innovation and

influence..........

“In retrospect, Cranbrook, by its more prominent graduates, had a decisive influence on the look of Twentieth Century America.”Wolf Von Eckardt, The New Republic, June 24, 1978.

From the beginning, I realized how important and influential the alumni of the Academy were. Unfortunately, they felt neglected; many were angered. The initial restoration of Saarinen House, with the subsequent press in the fall of 1977, did much to reassure them of my intentions to honor the past. As the newly appointed President, I made every effort to reach out to alumni. In New York, at that College Art reception I met distinguished alumni: Tony Rosenthal; Mary Walker Phillips; David Rowland, Donald Lipski and many more.

I made contact with other alumni by mail and, during my travels, through personal contact. I met Florence Knoll, Architecture ‘39; Edmund Bacon, architecture ’41; Jack Lenor Larsen, Fiber ‘51; Fumihiko Maki, Architecture ’53; Chungi Choo, Metalsmithing ’65.

The common thread was a commitment to innovation and excellence; apparent in the many alumni that I met in this country and abroad. From California to New York to Japan, I visited with our alumni in their homes and studios. The influence of Cranbrook is truly international, with alumni throughout the world. Their achievements and influence are widely acclaimed; rightly so.

To reach out and keep in contact with alumni, I introduced an alumni publication that I named “Outline”. The quarterly magazine, coordinated by Agnes Fleckenstein, was sent to alumni, containing news of their achievements and Academy activities. Each faculty member contributed with news of their discipline and students. The magazine, designed by design students, was an invaluable outreach to our alumni. Eventually, with the help of the staff, Agnes published an Alumni Directory; designed by Denise Heckman ’95.

Alumni receptions, visits and meetings occurred throughout my travels as President. As ever, my assistants Roberta, Bob and Agnes organized and arranged such meetings; the efforts were worthwhile. The support forthcoming from alumni was evident in many ways: from financial support through annual giving and bequests to gifts of works of art to the museum collection or for the annual art auction. Alumni who were college professors had faith again in the Academy, which they recommended to their students for graduate study. Other alumni gained support, financial and otherwise, from the companies with which they worked. Alumni acted as advocates; bringing support and funds to the Academy.

At Cranbrook, again, I had a multitude of roles; president, director and artist. I dressed accordingly; always most comfortable in jeans and sweatshirt. In Michigan, in the snows and bitter cold, I had to dress warmly. On my first Thanksgiving there, in 1977, I went out to dinner. When I returned, after a blizzard, I found the snow drifts had covered the grounds. Out in the courtyard of Saarinen House were Bertoia wire chairs, lost under the snows; I never saw the chairs again until the following April. Years later, I told that story to Graham Beal; he was in Los Angeles, being considered for the position of director of the Detroit Institute of Art. I wished to advise him of the Michigan winters. He did become Director of the DIA; later, Graham sent a Christmas card. The photograph was of the yard of his Detroit home; his garden chairs were under snow. Inside was written the message, “You were right! Merry Christmas!”

Talking to the students in their studios, I wore jeans. The studios were working places, covered in clay and paint; as were the stools! The graduates seemed to remember what I said. My favorite phrase was to talk of “the primary experience” of art and life. I railed against the secondary experience of reproduction and video; I wanted my students to look at original art and at nature. In this regard, I agree with Eliel Sarinen who believed that to understand art and life, “One must go down to the source of all things: nature.” Students would talk on the primary experience; few would forget. I met with many alumni throughout the world; all were changed by their time and studies at the Academy. For those fortunate enough to have been at Cranbrook; the experience lives with you forever. I continue to keep in touch with my students and they with me. Agnes and I have had many a meeting in recent years with alumni. Rarely a week goes by without hearing from, talking to or meeting with a former student. Dean Sakamoto is at the School of Architecture at Yale; he is director of the gallery.  We have visited him there and in Hawaii.  In Miami, Richard Miltner is at the Wolfsonian Museum; we visit often and correspond regularly. Richard studied metalsmithing with Richard Thomas; now he is an outstanding exhibition designer and curator. In East Hampton, the designer, David Gresham has a summer home just across the ferry from Shelter Island. We visit and dine; always laughter. Nick Cave is Head of Fashion at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; he studied fiber. We were fortunate to see, in Chicago, his exhibition of fantasy costumes, objects and huge fabrics; a most impressive and colorful event. Our embrace was a warm one for Nick is an extraordinary artist. Each year, we get a Christmas card from another fiber artist, Kyoung Ae Cho; she never forgets and neither do we. Indeed, we hear from and see many students; too many to mention here. We take pride in their achievements and accomplishments; that is the true value and evaluation of the Cranbrook experience.

Always, I tried to encourage students in their endeavors; never wanting to impose. I made suggestions and gave support for their individual creativity. During one review, I was looking at the work of a metalsmithing student, Sandra Osip. Her work intrigued me; a shell like form in curved metal sheets, rather beautiful. I talked to her about the beach, shells and rocks. I mentioned how Henry Moore studied natural forms of wood and rock for inspiration; the library had books on drawings by Moore. Sandra was delighted with my support and suggestions; I felt no one else had seen the potential and promise in her work. My enthusiasm and encouragement seemed to motivate her. Years later, at a Michigan Artists Award ceremony, Sandra was honored for her sculpture. After receiving her award, she came down from the stage and straight to me. To my complete surprise, she embraced me and whispered, “Thank you”.

Unexpected but welcome, such appreciation means everything to the teacher; that is what I am and, hopefully, will be always. A few years ago, on a rare visit back to Cranbrook, Agnes and I met Heather McGill on Academy Way. I had appointed her Head of Sculpture and was pleased with everything she had achieved. However, on this occasion, Heather wanted to thank me; not on her behalf but that of students. She said that she had met endless graduates and they talked of me and my influence on them. As new students, I insisted as part of orientation, they must hear my lecture on Cranbrook. I felt that every incoming student should know about the history, architecture and influence of the Academy. After that, I got to know them through formal student reviews and informal studio visits. Late in the evening, or any time, I would wander through the studios. I would talk to the students about their work; hopefully, making constructive suggestions and encouragement. Heather said that so many graduates had told her how influential I had been and how much they appreciated my advice and encouragement. I was deeply touched by their comments and the fact that Heather wanted me to know. I thanked her.


Tony Rosenthal

As I travelled and met alumni, I had many experiences. Often, I was unaware that some distinguished artists, whom I admired, had studied at Cranbrook. When I first arrived in 1967 in America, I spent six weeks wandering the streets and visiting the museums of Manhattan. I remember being most impressed by a large sculpture in the middle of Astor Place, near the Cooper Union. “Alamo” 1966 was a 15’ high cube of steel, painted black, planted upright on its diagonal axis; that could be rotated. The installation had taken place that year; one of the first outdoor and contemporary sculptures on permanent display in Manhattan. The sculpture is there to this day, a familiar landmark of the East Village. The sculptor is Tony Rosenthal.

I was impressed and wrote about the work in ‘Studio International’; I included a slide of the sculpture in my lectures. At the Hilton Hotel, in that first alumni reception of 1978, a quiet and grey haired gentleman came up to me and introduced himself, “I am Tony Rosenthal”. I was delighted to meet him and told him how much I had admired his sculpture, which I had first seen ten years ago. Tony smiled and said, “Well, I did study with Carl Milles at the Academy.” I was dumfounded to find that the sculptor, who created one of my favorite sculptures, was a Cranbrook artist! Rosenthal was studying journalism at the University of Michigan. He was invited to make some sculptures for the 1939 Worlds Fair and decided he needed to study; he did so, for six months at the academy, with Carl Milles. Tony regarded himself as an Academy graduate. We became firm friends and remain so to this day. Agnes and I look forward to visits with him in Southampton; across the ferry from Shelter Island where we spent our summers.

Tony Rosenthal was invited to create an outdoor sculpture in the grounds adjacent to Cranbrook Art Museum. The work in rusted steel was 10’ high x 26’ wide x 25’ deep and titled “Cranbrook Ingathering”. Tony considered the work as his homage to Ray and Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen and his fellow artists at the Academy. The installation occurred in 1980; with an exhibition and brochure “At Cranbrook: Tony Rosenthal”. In the publication, I concluded my introduction, “As an individual, Tony Rosenthal has sensitivity, humanity and wit. His eye and understanding allows him to manipulate forms of great scale and size. He is always sensitive to the surroundings and knows well how to articulate a space and form. From the cube sculpture at Astor Place to the Cranbrook sculpture, the work has provided great enrichment and excitement for many. His art is an art for the people, that without compromise, remain sculpture.”

Rosenthal has created large works installed outside to free standing sculptures to wall pieces. He has received commissions; exhibited widely and his work is in major museum and private collections. My favorite sculpture remains the cube; there are versions other than “Alamo”. At the University of Michigan is “Endover”; “Marty’s Cube” is on view in Miami; and “Cube 72” is at the Guild Hall, East Hampton. I was happy, as was Tony, that “Cranbrook Cube” 1984 was part of the exhibition “Design in America” shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rosenthal had studied with Carl Milles in the early days of the Academy; forever afterwards, Tony was considered a Cranbrook artist.

Duane Hanson

Another artist that I had admired for years was Duane Hanson. I had seen his figurative sculptures in Europe where the artist first gained recognition for his tableaux of war and of Bowery bums. Later, he began his series of life like figures of the American middle class; his social satire. Hanson’s sculptures are of everyday people; rendered so real, wearing actual clothes, you expect them to walk and talk. In the late seventies, a travelling exhibition of his sculptures was organized; at the Whitney Museum drawing record crowds. As Director, I signed the contractual agreement that would bring this touring exhibit to the Corcoran in late 1977. I regretted not being able to do the installation and meet the artist at the Corcoran as, by that time, I had left to be President of the Academy. Much to my surprise, after arriving at Cranbrook, I found that Hanson was a graduate, having studied with Carl Milles.

After two years of study, Duane Hanson graduated with his MFA in 1951. Duane admired the Swedish sculptor Milles and was of Swedish descent himself. I got to know Duane well; visiting him and his wife, Wesla, in their home in Florida. The first visit was memorable. Agnes and I had driven to Davie, arrived at his address, parked the car and approached a simple ranch house. We knocked the door, no answer. The door was ajar and we pushed open to see Duane sitting at the table talking to a woman. A child was standing against the wall and a dog lay sleeping in a basket. I called out his name but no response. Suddenly, the back door opened and in walked Duane Hanson. We were nonplussed until we realized that the figures, even the dog, were sculptures. Duane explained that he had bought the house from an elderly couple; the furniture was theirs, the sculptures were his. “The Self Portrait with Model” 1979 was the work that I had talk to; mistakenly. The Hanson family lived next door in a large, contemporary house; we got to know them well.

At Cranbrook Art Museum, I had the privilege of presenting two exhibitions of his work in 1985 and 1990. The exhibitions were a great success, receiving lots of press and TV coverage and bringing in the crowds. Even in the museum world, there were divergent views as to whether these figures were art or merely wax works. I thought that Hanson was a great sculptor; Duane thought otherwise. He once confided in me that he regarded himself as a painter?! Of course, he liked to pose his models, dress the figures but, most all, the painting fascinated him. I was intrigued and began to look afresh at these sculptures; indeed, the painting and rendering of flesh and detail is remarkable. The articulation and representation of surface is to be admired. At another time Hanson is quoted as saying, “First of all, and above all, I’m a sculptor.” Whatever, I have always felt these sculptures to be true Americana, like Pop Art, a part of our life and culture.

Not only did I visit with Duane on a number of occasions but he came with me and a Cranbrook group on a visit to Sweden. He was proud of his Swedish heritage and had shown me his grandfather’s entry papers to America. For the first time, Duane saw Millesgarden and he met King Carl Gustav.

Many books have been written on him from “Duane Hanson” by Kirk Varnedoe to the Plains Art Museum “Duane Hanson: Portraits from the Heartland”. Duane Hanson visited me at Cranbrook on a number of occasions; he was happy to come back. The Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Kansas organized the exhibition “Sculptures by Duane Hanson” that was presented at Cranbrook in 1985. Martin Bush wrote the catalog. Later in 1990, at the time of another Hanson exhibit, Duane and his family visited and stayed at Cranbrook; on that occasion they inscribed the following in my copy: “To my good friend, Roy the ROI. Thanks for a great time at Cranbrook. Yours in art. Duane, Wesla, Duane Jr. Jan 15, 1990.” In 1996, Duane Hanson died in Florida at the age of 70; his art lives on.

Millesgarden summer 1986 "10 American sculptors- Carl Milles' students at Cranbrook".  The artists

included Fran Rich, Tony Rosenthal, Duane Hanson, Carroll Barnes, Harry Bertoia, Marshall Fredricks, Tex Schiwetz and Lilian Swann Saarinen.

Millesgarden is situated on an escarpment overlooking Stockholm (top).  At a reception, words of welcome were given by the director, Staffan Carlen.  Above right to left: Staffan Carlen, RS, Duane Hanson, The King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustav, Pat Hartmann and Queen Silvia.

Fran Rich

Another sculptor that studied with Carl Milles was Fran Rich. I decided to say a few words on Fran as she was a good friend and a supporter of the Academy. No three artists could more unlike in their work than these three sculptors: Rosenthal, Hanson and Rich. I selected them for this reason; more needs to be written, and has been, on many more alumni.

From Tony’s abstractions to Duane’s realism to Fran’s bronzes, the differences are marked and obvious. The reason to bring this forward is to emphasize that there is no such thing as a Cranbrook ‘style’. The emphasis is on individual creativity, imagination and innovation. The one common thread is the pursuit of excellence.

Frances Rich studied with Carl Milles and kept up a correspondence with him throughout his life. She came to the Academy in 1937 and was a sculpture graduate 1940. Her story is fascinating. She was the daughter of the famed Hollywood actress and movie star Irene Rich and appeared in movies before becoming a sculptor. Her marble sculpture, known as “The Spirit of Nursing”, was unveiled in Arlington National Cemetery in 1938. Fran reached the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy WAVES, leaving the service in 1946. She moved to Palm Springs where she worked in her studio. She spent years in Santa Barbara, caring for her mother.

Fran became a good friend. In the early 80’s, I visited her in Palm Springs and in Santa Barbara, where I met her mother, Irene; then in her nineties. Fran came to Sweden on a Cranbrook trip. She visited us at Cranbrook and we had an exhibition of her bronzes. On one unforgettable evening, while Fran was staying at Saarinen House, the phone rang; I answered. A woman’s voice, throaty and deep, asked “Is Frances there”. I replied she was and asked who was calling. I will never forget that regal reply, “This is Katherine”!

Katherine Hepburn was a close friend to Fran, who had met the young and aspiring actress on her arrival in Hollywood; at the train station. Katherine was calling to wish her friend with her exhibition at Cranbrook. The call and conversation went on and on; at times, even from a distance, Fran sounded annoyed. She came back to the living room and said, “Katherine was going on and on about how people will forget her whereas my bronzes will last forever; life was unfair. It’s always the same when I have a show. I tell her that she is a great actress and will be remembered as such.” Of course, I agree; who will ever forget “The African Queen” with Humphrey Bogart or her many movies with Spencer Tracy? Who knows? Art does live on; for today, we do continue to enjoy and appreciate the art of past centuries and civilizations.

In the early 90’s, Fran moved to Payson, Arizona; where Agnes and I visited her. Frances Rich died there in 2007, at the age of 97. I was grateful to her for her friendship and support. For the Cranbrook Collection, she gave her sculptures and financial gifts. In 1982, Fran had generously supported the publication “A Search for Form” that was part of the celebration of the founding of the Academy in 1932; a glorious fifty years!

.....and more

I made contact with other alumni by mail and, during my travels, through personal contact.  Many alumni, throughout the country, were gracious to open up their homes and studios; I thank them for their kindness and hospitality.  Agnes and I remember alumni receptions at the design office of Gerry Kavanaugh in Los Angeles; the showrooms of Knoll in New York City; the home of Chad Overway in San Francisco; the studio of Richard Fluhr in Houston; the beach house of Jean Fahey in Hawaii; the design office of  Larry Kesler  in Washington DC; the architecture studio of Don Knorr in San Francisco; the design showroom of Jack Lenor Larsen in Manhattan.

Meeting with alumni and gaining their support was most satisfying; they were pleased with the restoration and recognition of Cranbrook Academy’s great past and ongoing influence.  Indeed, that renewal of alumni commitment and support was one of the achievements of which I was most proud.  Most of all, I appreciate their guidance and friendship.

Over the years, I met Marshall Fredericks, Sculpture ’33; Carl Feiss, Architecture ’33; Harry Weese, Architecture ’38; Florence Knoll, Architecture ‘39; Ben Baldwin, Architecture ’39; Carroll Barnes, Sculpture ’40; Ralph Rapson, Architecture ’40; Ray Kaiser Eames, Painting ’41;  Don Albinson, Sculpture ’41; Brigitta Bertoia, Painting ’41; Edmund Bacon, Architecture ’41; Robert Sailors, Fiber ’43; Gyo Obata, Architecture ’46; Ruth Adler Schnee, Design ’46; Ed Rossbach, Ceramics ’47; Don Knorr, Design ’48; Louis Redstone, Architecture ’48; Stuart Hodge, Painting ’49; Robert Beauchamp, Painting ’50; Ivan Majdrakoff, Painting ’50; David Rowland, Design ’51;  Harvey Littleton, Ceramics ’51; Jack Lenor Larsen, Fiber ’51; Kent Cooper, Architecture ’52; Gerry Kavanaugh, Design '53; Fumihiko Maki, Architecture ’53; Toshiko Takazeu, Cremics ’54; Niels Diffrient, Design ’54; Lyman Kipp, Sculpture ’54; Julius Schmidt, Sculpture ’55; Lawrence Barker, Painting ’55; Frank Gallo, Sculpture ’55; James Hubell. Sculpture, '56; George Bayliss, Painting ’56; Marie Woo, Ceramics 56;  Diane Fitzpatrick, Painting ’57; Glen Michaels, Painting ’58; Townsend Wolfe, Painting ’59; Shunsuke Yakamoto, Architecture ’60; John Glick, Ceramics ’62; Ray Fleming, Painting '62; Martin Prekop, Painting ’62; Mary Walker Phillips, Fiber ’63; John Torreano, Painting ’63; Robert Kidd, Fiber '64; Lynton Wells, Sculpture ’65; Chungi Choo, Metalsmithing ’65; Susan Smyly, Sculpture ’65; Tino Zago, Painting ’66; Aris Koutroulis, Printmaking ’66; Carol Wald, Painting ’67; John Berry, Design ’68; Winifred Lutz, Sculpture ’68; James Surls, Sculpture ’69; Daryll Hughto, Painting ’69; Eugene Pijanowski, Metalsmithing ’69; Gretchen Bellinger, Fiber ‘70; Tom Bonhert, Ceramics ’71;  Margie Hughto, Ceramics ’71; Alanzo Sandoval, Fiber ’71; DeLoss McGraw, Printmaking '72; Nancy Brett, Fiber ’72; Anne Wilson, Fiber ’72; Don Lipski ‘Ceramics ’73;  McArthur Binion, Painting ’73; Linda Arndt, Ceramics ’73; George Mason, Ceramics ’73; Joan Livingstone, Fiber ’74; Susan Yelavich, Painting ’75; Lorraine Wild, Design’75. 

I tried to make an initial selection to represent the various disciplines over the years; these are names of but a few alumni with established reputations.  The list is endless and is ongoing, for many recent graduates are distinguishing themselves………

Over one thousand students graduated during my time at Cranbrook.  I have kept in touch with some and remember even more: Albi, Sven, Nora, Lynn, Gladys, Chris, Michael, Andrew, Peter, Jennifer, Charles, Barbara, Karl, Mary Anne, Ada, John, Mary, Dana, Gerry, Robert, Andrea, Steve, Camille, Tom, Richard,  David, Patricia, Addison, Ted, Wendy, Govert, Alice, Allen, James, Richelle, Gard, Carole, Jane, Tom, Paul, Kirk, Terence, Ed, Craig, Leila, Ben, Laura, Lisa, Sandra, Chad, Ralphie, Neal, Dean, Kate, Ko, Gary, Harry…………..

A Search for Form

Eliel Saarinen: Kingswood

Carl Milles: Orpheous

“Art is not a thing apart, an ornament added to life. It is the outward expression of man’s struggle toward the ideal.”
George G. Booth, founder. 1917.

“George Booth’s idea (Cranbrook) has immeasurably improved the human environment of our nation and the world…it has given American craftsmen an international preeminence in the world of art.”
Lloyd Herman, Director, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. 1982.

“A Search for Form” was published in 1982; part of the celebrations of the Academy’s founding in 1932. For fifty years, the Academy has inspired artists, architects and designers. Their influence has been profound in this country and throughout the world. The achievements of these alumni is evident in art, design and architecture; certainly worthy of celebration. The publication described the founding, architecture, philosophy, alumni, achievements and influence of the Academy. The people and place were represented in black & white photographs; along with quotes from distinguished individuals, writers and alumni. This modest brochure was a precursor to the major exhibition and catalog, “Design in America: The Cranbrook Vision 1925-50”. Indeed, the brochure was useful in raising funds for that exhibition; another presentation folio, with the same title, was part of successful fund raising.

As President, I felt that the Fiftieth Anniversary was a perfect opportunity to celebrate both the architecture and achievements of the academy. Already, the initial restoration of Saarinen House had brought national attention; particularly the article by Paul Goldberger in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, April 1978. Later, in June, an article by Wolf Von Eckardt appeared in The New Republic. The critic wrote of the decisive influence of Academy graduates on the appearance of contemporary America. In April, 1982, Martin Filler wrote an article, well illustrated, in House & Garden; in which he stated that at Cranbrook there was a belief in an opportunity for ceremony and celebration, creativity and pleasure. I agreed and felt our anniversary was a perfect opportunity for celebration. I did so not only with the publication but through exhibitions, alumni reunions, events and a portfolio of faculty prints. I am nothing if not a promoter; most importantly, the recognition and acclaim deserved to come to Cranbrook. Much more press and acclaim came with “Design in America” but the fiftieth anniversary publication, “A Search for Form”, was the beginning. The following extracts give insight into life and work at the Academy, 1982.


‘Today, the Academy comprises 150 graduate students working in nine major disciplines: architecture, ceramics, design, fiber, metalsmithing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. Granting the Master of Fine Arts degree and the Master of Architecture degree, this unique institution has consistently encouraged two basic goals: the pursuit of excellence and the exploration of interchange between artistic disciplines.

‘Unlike many institutions, the Academy has always sought to remain small in size. This unusual philosophy reflects a desire to afford students and teachers a closeness that would be unobtainable in a larger institution. Despite its small size, or perhaps because of it, The Academy and its exceptional Museum play an important role in the cultural life of the region and the state.

‘Nine artists-in-residence, each one heading a department, make up the faculty. Like the President, each is a practicing artist whose continuing growth helps stimulate and guide the students. Each student finds the Academy an environment where self-knowledge and skills may be obtained along with a broadening of aesthetic capabilities. These educated and talented students of many ages, races and nationalities have completed undergraduate work and have been accepted at the Academy on the basis of their potential as professionals.

‘True to the Academy’s basic philosophy that every faculty member is an outstanding professional in his or her own right; working, growing, exhibiting and demonstrating in a living way and without dogma, the pursuit of excellence is not for the student alone – but also for the teacher. The result of this philosophy, coupled with personal closeness and strongly individualistic methods, is almost a tutorial approach to artistic development. As one student commented, ‘The most important thing here is desire. We can make the experience whatever we want to make it….but all the elements – superb facilities, inspiring landscape, challenging peers and open minded faculty – are here to help us along the way.’

‘To some, life at the Academy may seem idyllic and even sheltered, but such a simple impression belies the intense work ethic and struggle to which faculty and students alike are committed. Indeed, that intensity, excitement and excellence is something one can feel in the air at Cranbrook. A student arrives to find, just as it was fifty years ago, that there is no formal curriculum, no distinct style or aesthetic dominating the learning environment but an expectation of hard work. Said one faculty member: ‘I try to impress immediately upon my group that waiting for inspiration is a romantic fantasy that rarely yields results.’

‘But the 150 colleagues at Cranbrook do not just disappear behind closed doors. As a place of living art, Cranbrook’s raison d’etre continues to be an intense exchange of feelings and ideas between people and departments. Life at the Academy goes on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the potential for encounter is cultivated at every turn. Each student has an individual working space, which with outstanding facilities, is ‘conducive to artistic productivity.’ A recent graduate expressed her thoughts in this way, ‘It’s been my feeling that the Cranbrook experience is a primary experience. We all come here for different reasons and we all have different goals…but we interact with each other in very direct firsthand ways, and these encounters generate energy and ideas that influence our work.’

‘Individual growth has always been fundamental to the educational philosophy of the Academy. In the early years Eliel Saarinen talked often of the growth of the seed, relating this phenomenon to design and the creative process, the balance of inward energy and outer forces. He felt that,’…in order to understand both art and life, one must go down to the source of all things: to nature.’

’Today, growth continues to be emphasized. One artist-in-residence talks of the Academy as ‘a place where the student germinates, grows and evolves, for the environment encourages an in-depth questioning of self.’ Students arrive with the natural curiosity of a graduate and the high expectation to do something very important. That expectation, founded on the tradition of past influences and present achievements, is the continual challenge and opportunity afforded by Cranbrook.’


I was grateful to Fran Rich for providing funding and to the many individuals who worked on the publication. The design was by a student, Craig Minor, and cover photo by another student, Steve Rost. My photographs of the architecture and grounds were included; I worked on the drafting with Richard Taft and Janet Burke. A friend from Washington DC, Dick was President of Taft & McKibben Inc.; he had worked on fund raising and development at the Corcoran and was a consultant for Cranbrook.

Janet Burke was Director of Public Relations for Cranbrook Educational Community, 1978-84. She took a special interest in the Academy and made a significant contribution to publications of all kinds for the Academy and Museum. Janet helped establish the first copy of ‘Outline’, the alumni quarterly. In discussing the initial concept, Agnes Fleckenstein remembered Janet saying ‘we had to define our audience’ and ‘publish at least four times a year to retain reader interest’. I suggested the title ‘Outline,’ a word with a multitude of meanings; a term for drawing; outreach; a line to alumni? At the time of “Design in America,” Janet produced a related special section as part of ‘The Cranbrook Quarterly’, the community-wide journal she edited, and worked with Agnes and me in assisting journalists from across the country, all eager to cover the major exhibition. Janet regularly promoted Cranbrook Art Museum exhibitions, large and small. On one occasion, in promoting a modest display of rock and roll album cover art, she recalls,” As I was very familiar with the local rock radio stations, I blanketed them with information about the exhibition. They all loved the idea and repeated the Public Service Announcements as if it were breaking news. As a result, the Museum was besieged by young people that weekend, overwhelming the small staff on duty.” That Monday morning, I asked what she had done; an overachievement?!

After leaving Cranbrook, JB Communications was the firm she started; with Academy graduate Bonnie Detloff Zielinski as designer. Together they won many prestigious awards for their work. Janet (who now uses her maiden name, Chorkey) continued to work on various Cranbrook endeavors including "The Cranbrook Vision: A Community Perspective," a 1986 master plan document. She was, and is, a good friend. Today, she and husband Ron Rosalik reside in Michigan and Florida; Agnes and I have happy visits with them. Like many staff, we remain friends sharing memories and, as with Janet, a lively sense of humor.


To honor the alumni and their achievements was one of the purposes of the anniversary celebrations. In “A Search for Form”, many were mentioned, some were quoted; let us conclude with their words.

“It was a place where people from all over the country – all over the world – came to work. The impact of different thoughts, different people from different places, made it the most exciting and challenging of environments.”
Susan Symly, Sculptor.

“Cranbrook was the genesis for my developing a serious commitment to my work. The situation was not unlike working in my studio today. There you were in your own space, faced with yourself and your problems and with your own decisions.”
Nancy Brett, Painter.

Eero Saarinen

The work of Eero Saarinen epitomizes the search for form; his architecture has no one style yet is distinctive.  Cranbrook Academy of Art has been referred to as ‘the Bauhaus of the Midwest’, but there is no one dominate style or apparent aesthetic.  The commitment is to diversity of expression and excellence; as evident in the work of artists of the Academy.

Eliel Saarinen and the young Eero 

Eero and Eliel Sarinen with J Robert F Swanson

Eero Saarinen was born 1910 in Finland; he moved with his family to United States in 1923, to Cranbrook in 1925.  He travelled and studied in Europe; he gained his BFA from Yale in 1934.  His practice with father Eliel started in Bloomfield Hills 1936; Eero’s brother in law Robert Swanson a frequent associate.  Eero taught at the Academy 1939-41.  He died at the age of fifty one; his architecture brought him international acclaim and recognition.  The recent exhibition and publication “Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future” pays tribute to this remarkable and influential architect; part of the Cranbrook family and legacy.  These images are of his architecture that helped change the face of twentieth century America.

Dulles Airport Terminal