Alma Eikerman
Alma Rosalie Eikerman | |
---|---|
Born | [1] Pratt, Kansas, U.S. | May 16, 1908
Died | January 3, 1995 Bloomington, Indiana, U.S. | (aged 86)
Nationality | American |
Known for | Silversmith and jewelry designer |
Awards | Indiana Governor's Arts Award |
Alma Rosalie Eikerman (May 16, 1908 – January 3, 1995) was an American
Early years and education
Alma Rosalie Eikerman was born in rural Pratt, Kansas, one of seven children.[2] Eikerman's parents were creative in their own right: her mother designed clothing and hats while her father built additions onto their home and farm.[3] She began her undergraduate education at Kansas State University during the onset of the Great Depression. She worked as a waitress throughout her time as an undergraduate, making 35 cents per hour.[3]
In 1934, Eikerman earned her undergraduate degree
After six years of teaching in public schools, Eikerman enrolled in graduate studies at
Career
After obtaining her graduate degree from
In 1947, after returning to the U.S., she was asked to join the faculty at Indiana University. Eikerman originally taught watercolor painting, design, drawing, and jewelry. In the jewelry and metalsmithing courses, she taught ten to twelve undergraduate students and three to four graduate students. Eikerman would remain professor in the metals program at Indiana University until her retirement in 1978.[5]
Her notable students include Helen Shirk,[7] Marjorie Schick,[7][8] Susan Ewing ,[7] Cindy Eid,[7] Lin Stanionis,[7] Marilyn da Silva,[7] and Jack da Silva .[9]
Work abroad
Her dedication to the development of the program and the students led Eikerman to travel often, gain new skills, and make new connections with other metalsmiths. She pursued opportunities to study with renown metalsmiths and silversmiths around the world. She participated in a Handy and Harmon workshop at the Rhode Island School of Design, led by Erik Fleming, who she would later study with in Stockholm. Eikerman's experience at this workshop precipitated her later travels abroad and apprenticeships.[5][3]
In 1950, Eikerman went on sabbatical from Indiana University to apprentice in all over the world.[10][11] She was accepted to study with Karl Gustav Hansen in his Kolding, Denmark,[12] studio where she worked with master craftsman Henrick Boesen.[3] Later, Eikerman would move to Stockholm to study under Erik Fleming ;[12] Munich to work with Michael Wiler; and Paris to work with Cubist sculptor Ossip Zadkine.[5][3]
When she returned from Europe, Eikerman introduced European hollowware techniques, including teapots and serving dishes, to the jewelry and metalsmithing program at Indiana University.[11]
Associations and exhibitions
In 1970, she founded the Society of North American Goldsmiths.[11] Eikerman was an active member in the College Art Association, Indiana Artist Craftsmen, and World's Craft Council.[11]
Throughout her lifetime Eikerman's work has appeared in over 200 exhibitions, including
Eikerman worked on several side projects, including 1980 design plans for a home in Bloomington, Indiana. The house featured white walls, red carpeting, and cathedral ceilings.[11]
Honors and awards
Eikerman received many honors and prestigious awards. She received the honor of Distinguished Professor from
Throughout her career, Eikerman received grants from the Carnegie Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts.[11]
In 1993, the American Craft Council's Gold Medal. In the same year, she was honored with an Indiana Governor's Arts Award for her contributions to arts education by then governor of Indiana, Evan Bayh. In 1980, the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Association bestowed Eikerman with a Distinguished Teaching Award in the Fine Arts.
Eikerman was dedicated to her students, many of which went on to become successful artists. In 1981, she received the distinguished teaching award from the IU College of Arts and Sciences Graduate School Alumni Association. Later in 1986, Eikerman accepted a Doctor of Fine Arts from Miami University.
Death and legacy
Eikerman died in Bloomington, Indiana on January 3, 1995.[10] In her honor, the Alma Eikerman Jewelry Design and Silversmithing Fellowship was created at Indiana University Bloomington.[6] Eikerman is widely credited with making the metals program in the Fine Arts Department of Indiana University into one of the best in the country.[10]
References
- ^ Alma Rosalie Eikerman gravestone
- ^ "Alma Eikerman's Legacy Still Inspires Metalsmiths, Jewelry Designers". Limestone Post Magazine. 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ^ a b c d e Hanafee, Susan (July 14, 1985). "A Jewel of a Jeweler". The Indianapolis Star. pp. 14–15. Archived from the original on 2019-03-02. Retrieved March 1, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Alma Eikerman". American Craft Council. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Biography: Alma Eikerman". Temple University. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved March 6, 2016. [dead link]
- ^ a b "Alma R. Eikerman was IU Professor". The Indianapolis Star. January 6, 1995. Retrieved March 1, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-300-09331-5.
- ^ "Oral history interview with Marjorie Schick, 2004 April 4-6". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ISBN 978-1-57990-698-6.
- ^ a b c "Alma Eikerman". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Untold Stories of May Wright Sewall and Alma Eikerman – Voices from the IU Bicentennial". blogs.iu.edu. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8352-2897-8.
Further reading
- Baden, Linda, "Alma Eikerman: The Questions Remain The Same". Ornament, August 1985, volume 9, issue 1, pages=29–33.
- Farris-Larson, Gail, "A retrospective exhibition of the jewelry and metalsmithing of Alma Eikerman and forty Indiana University alumni metal-artists". Metalsmith, Winter 1986, volume 6, pages 46–47.
- Kirkham, Pat. Women Designers in the USA, 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference. Yale University Press, 2002.
- Georgescu, Ann. "Alma Eikerman's Legacy Still Inspires Metalsmiths, Jewelry Designers", Limestone Post Magazine, May 5, 2017.