Mrs. Norman Morse donated the Craft Alliance records to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-St. Louis on January 29, 1971. Mary Colton donated additional records on November 2, 1982.
Fifteen St. Louis area artists, educators, lawyers, and sociologists founded Craft Alliance in summer 1964. As a non-profit, cultural and educational organization, the Alliance promoted the production, enjoyment, and understanding of the craftsman artist.
In June 1964 Craft Alliance started a bi-monthly newsletter called "Craftsman" to seek new members and publicize the organization's aim. With the help of community contributions, the Alliance established a permanent gallery on McPherson Avenue in the heart of the St. Louis gallery area and held its first gallery showing in December 1964.
The exhibition represented 28 midwestern craftsmen. Its success assured craftsmen and the art public that St. Louis would be receptive to their needs. Thereafter, Craft Alliance sponsored monthly exhibits, showcasing the works of regional artists in glass, metal, jewelry, sculpture, wood, and textiles such as weaving, stitchery, macrame, and batik. To ensure high quality craftwork, the Alliance implemented a three-person rotating system. The Alliance's board of directors chose new jurors each fall.
Efforts of Craft Alliance to increase public awareness culminated in a monthly lecture series on crafts and related subjects. Initially held at Washington University, the meetings became a permanent part of Craft Alliance's activities.
In its early years, Craft Alliance focused primarily on producing regional exhibits, maintaining its lecture series, and publishing a newsletter. Craft Alliance's staff consisted of a part-time gallery director and community volunteers who helped with show hangings, sales, and mailings.
In 1968 Craft Alliance started a six-week summer program called "Youth Summer 68" with funds from the St. Louis Mayor's Council on Youth Opportunity. The program offered classes to 25 neighborhood youths, ages 12-16, in areas such as ceramics, weaving, enameling, and jewelry making. The program's success led to the establishment of the Neighborhood Craft School in 1969, the only professional craft instruction in the city for school age children. A director and three professional artists conducted the classes at the Second Presbyterian Church in the inner city. Funding for the program came from the Missouri State Council on the Arts, the Camelot Fund of the Arts and Educationl Council of Greater St. Louis, the St. Louis Mayor's Council for Youth Opportunity, and the Second Presbyterian Church of St. Louis.
In 1970 Craft Alliance moved into a 73 year old historic building at 6640 Delmar in University City. There they opened a second school above the Gallery, the Center for the Creative Arts, to serve students in the greater metropolitan area. In addition, the new school offered classes to adults for the first time.
In 1973, Craft Alliance legally became two separate non-profit organizations: The Gallery, and the tax-exempt Education Center. Both organizations remained under one president and board of directors, but each had its own director and bylaws. The Alliance provided membership in the Gallery to anyone whose work had been accepted and approved by a group of artists working in the applicant's medium. Membership in the Education Center was open to anyone who paid annual dues.
In 1976 Craft Alliance renovated space next to its Delmar location and began new programs with grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council. Entitled New Directions Program, they included a speaker's bureau, the "Apprentice-in-Residence" program, and the "Studio Workshops." The slide library and speaker's bureau provided information about Craft Alliance to the general public. The "Apprentice-in-Residence" program enabled students from area high schools to work under a master craftsman in the student's particular medium. The Alliance held the programs outside for two summers enabling students to demonstrate their craft to the public. The "Studio Workshops" programs provided instruction in how to construct equipment needed by professional craftsmen for woodworking, metalsmithing, loom construction, and ceramic kiln building.
In 1978 the Alliance started a summer arts camp, the Allied Arts Institute, for 10-15 year old children. The five-week program gave students a chance to explore music, drama, dance, mime, and body arts. In 1979 Craft Alliance launched a successful capital funds drive which enabled them to purchase and renovate the Delmar building.
In addition to grants from state and federal agencies, Craft Alliance also received money from private donations. Other fundraising activities included dinner parties and the publication of calendars, cookbooks and craft fair guides. Craft Alliance also joined the World Crafts Council, the American Crafts Council, the Handweavers Guild of America, the Community Potters Association of St. Louis, and the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Craft Alliance Records (1964-1982), document the Alliance's founding and subsequent 18 years as a cultural and
educational organization in St. Louis dedicated to promoting the enjoyment and production of hand-crafted art.
The collection contains budgets, bylaws, correspondence, financial statements, funding requests, renovation information, meeting minutes, exhibition schedules, individual exhibitors' resumes, Education Center program schedules, press releases, newsclippings, newsletters, scrapbooks, and photogprahs.
The bulk of the collection documents the individual artists whose work was exhibited at Craft Alliance Gallery between 1964 and 1982.
The collection is divided into seven series: (1) Administration, 1964-1979; (2) Finances and Fundraising, 1964-1979; (3) Education, 1971-1979; (4) Gallery, 1964-1982; (5) Newsletters, 1964-1980; (6) Photographs, 1964-1979; (7) Scrapbooks, 1965-1982.
SERIES DECRIPTION
SERIES 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE, 1964-1979, FOLDERS 1-39
Arranged alphabetically. Contains correspondence of Craft Alliance presidents from 1964 to 1979 (folders 15-25). Includes Gallery and Education Center bylaws, the history and purpose of Craft Alliance, the code of ethics for Craftsmen, and introduction to the Gallery, exhibition schedules, meeting minutes, new location information, leases, lawsuits, news releases, and Rules and Regulations of Craft Alliance and the Gallery.
SERIES 2 - FINANCES AND FUNDRAISING, 1964-1979, FOLDERS 40-63
Arranged alphabetically. Contains funding applications and proposed budgets for various education programs and building improvements. Includes correspondence, donor agreement forms, invitations, and newsclippings from Camelot Fundraisers of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. Includes Gallery and Education Center financial statements, tax-exempt status forms, architectural plans for the Delmar building renovation, parking agreements with Smith Hardware and Commerce Bank, and correspondence with University City's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority.
SERIES 3 - EDUCATION CENTER, 1971-1979, FOLDERS 64-77
Arranged alphabetically. Contains brochures, budgets, correspondence, course schedules and evaluations for the Education Center. Includes Education Center job description, Lecture Series brochure, New Directions Workshops flyers and memorandum, and an Education Center Procedure Manual.
SERIES 4 - GALLERY, 1964-1979, FOLDERS 78-163
Arranged chronologically by date of exhibition. Contains exhibition announcements, exhibitors' agreements, resumes of
exhibiting artists, inventories of artwork, correspondence, newsclippings, and show reviews.
SERIES 5 - NEWSLETTERS, 1964-1980, FOLDERS 164-166
Arranged chronologically. Contains the newsletters "Craftsman" and "C.A. Capsule."
SERIES 6 - PHOTOGRAPHS, #'s 8381-8458, 1964-1979, FOLDERS 167-168
Divided into two subseries: (1) Artwork (8381-8428), 1964-1979, folders 167-168. Arranged chronologically according to exhibition date. Contains representative photos of the artwork exhibited at the Alliance's Gallery; (2) Individuals (8429-8458), 1968-1974, folder 169. Arranged alphabetically. Contains photographs of board of directors, students, and exhibiting artists.
SERIES 7 - SCRAPBOOKS, 1965-1982, VOLUMES 1-5
Arranged chronologically. Contains newsclippings and some exhibition photographs.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1 (21984)
SERIES 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE, 1964-1979
1. Annual Reports, 1965-1971
2. Board of Directors elections, ballots, lists of directors, memos, 1968-1980
3. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes (Gallery and Education Center), 1966-1967
4. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1971-1973
5. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1974
6. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1975
7. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1976
8. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1977
9. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 1978-1979
10. Calendar Notices - Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, 1969-1970
11. Calendar Notices - Convention and Tourist Board of Greater St. Louis, 1964-1970
12. Calendar Notices - media and craft magazines, 1968-1969
13. Calendar Notices, 1969-1970
14. Code of Ethics for Craftsmen, 1963
15. Correspondence, Craftsmen, 1964-1967
16. Correspondence, Craftsmen, 1968-1971
17. Correspondence, Delmar Building Repairs, 1970-1978
18. Correspondence, Farley, Dorothy (President, 1968-1969), 1968-1969
19. Correspondence, Gallery, 1964-1979
20. Correspondence, Harris, Jim (President, 1976-1977), 1976-1978
21. Correspondence, Helfman, Muriel Nezhnie (President, 1966), 1964-1977
22. Correspondence, Helfman, Muriel Nezhnie and Entzeroth, Robert, 1964-1966
23. Correspondence, Karros, Delores (President, 1970-1971), 1970-1971
24. Correspondence, Smith, Wilda (President, 1969-1970), 1969-1970
25. Correspondence, Weber, Phyllis (President, 1966-1967), 1965-1967
26. Craftsmen Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 1970-1978
27. Craftsmen Members List, 1968-1975
28. Education Center Bylaws, 1971-1978
29. Exhibition Schedules, 1973-1981
30. Gallery Bylaws, 1964-1975
31. Graphics, 1964-1982
32. History and Purpose of Craft Alliance, 1964-1972
33. Introduction to Gallery, n.d.
34. Lawsuit, 1969-1977
35. Leases, 1964-1977
36. Mailing and membership lists, letters, brochures, 1964-1975
37. New location information: prints of property for sale, 1973-1974
38. News Releases, 1974-1981
39. Rules and Regulation of Craft Alliance and Craft Alliance Gallery, 1966-1973
40. Apprentice-in-Residence Program, Jan. 1977-Oct. 1979
41. Artist-in-Residence Program, 1975-1976
42. Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, 1968-1977
43. Auction Allegro - benefit for building fund, invitations, program brochures, press releases, 1979
44. Buying Service - correspondence, purchase orders, lists of needed supplies, 1977-1978
45. Camelot Fundraiser, 1969-1979
46. Capital Funds Drive, 1977
47. Craftsmen in the classroom, 1973-1975
48. Correspondence, 1966-1977
BOX 2 (053335)
49. Education Center Statement for Cash Receipts faculty wage, budgets, and tuition, 1978
50. Expansion and Grant Information, 1968-1977
51. Fundraising Calendars - correspondence, 1972, calendar, 1970-1971
52. Fundraising Ideas, n.d.
53. Neighborhood Craft School, 1968-1970
54. Neighborhood Craft School, 1971-1980
55. New Directions Program, 1974-1977
56. "Project 70," 1970
57. Renovation - architectural plans, 1978-1979
58. Renovation - correspondence, with Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, 1971-1978
59. Renovation - parking agreements, property contracts, related documents, 1979-1980
60. Statement of Earnings, 1975-1979 (returned to donor, 9/05)
61. Summer Programs, 1968-1969
62. Treasurer's Reports, 1965-1974
63. Treasurer's Report, 1965-1974 (returned to donor, 9/05)
SERIES 3 - EDUCATION, 1971-1979
64. Allied Arts Institute, 1977-1979
65. Apprentice-in-Residence Program, 1976-1977
66. Apprentice-in-Residence Program, May-Aug 1977
67. CASA and Craft Alliance, 1976-1977
68. Correspondence, 1971-1977
69. Course Evaluations, 1977
70. Course Schedules, 1970-1977
71. Course Schedules, 1978-1982
72. Job Descriptions for Education Center, 1976
73. Lecture Series brochure - "Crafts In Primitive and Contemporary Societies, 1971
74. New Directions Worshops, 1976-1977
75. Press Releases, 1977-1978
76. Procedure Manual, n.d.
77. Workshops, 1971-1979
SERIES 4 - GALLERY, 1964-1982
78. Exhibition Announcements, 1964-1979
79. American Craft Heritage Show, Jun-Oct 1964
80. Carbondale Show, Feb 1965
81. Tom Schafer, Apr 1965
82. Jewish Community Centers Association Artfair, May 1965
83. Shiko Manakata, June 1965
84. Weaving Show (Oct 1965), Jun-Oct 1965
85. Otto Natzler, Jun-Dec 1965
86. Maryville College Craft Show (Oct 1965), July-Sept 1965
87. Nick Labino (Jan 1966), Jan-Apr 1966
88. Printmakers Show, June 1966
89. Printmakers Show, June 1966
90. Nik Krevitsky, Oct 1966
91. Christmas Plaques (Dec 1966), Sept-Dec 1966
92. Harvey Littleton (Jan 1967), May 1966-Jan 1967
93. "Here and Now" exhibit at Famous-Barr (Oct 1968), 1968-1969
94. Porcelain Show (Jan 1970), Feb-Jun 1969
95. Show Reviews, Sept 1970-Sept 1971
96. Show Reviews, Oct 1971-Aug 1972
BOX 3 (22105)
97. Macrame (Jan 1971), 1969-1971
98. Kent F. Ipsen (Feb 1971), 1970-1971
99. Olaf Skoogfors (Mar 1971), 1966-1971
100. Charles Bartley Jeffery (May 1971), 1970-1971
101. Henry Serenco, Jun 1971
102. Otto Charles Thieme, Gerald E. McCarty, Richard R. Prillman (Jul 1971), May-July 1971
103. Tom Reedy, Elliott Pugol, Larry Peterson (Aug 1971), May-Aug 1971
104. Jerry Chappell (Sept 1971), 1971-1972
105. Victor Spinski, Sept 1971
106. Ruth Ginsberg-Place, Oct 1971
107. William Harper (Nov 1971), 1971-1972
108. Boris Dudchenko (Jan 1972), 1971-1972
109. Jack Cannon, Feb 1972
110. Larry Edman, Mar 1972
111. Robert Ebendorf, Mar 1972
112. Alma Lesch, May 1972
113. Bob Allen, Jun 1972
114. Young Professionals, Jul 1972
115. Young Professionals, Aug 1972
116. Janet Kuemmerlein, Sep 1972
117. Carl Sande, Oct 1972
118. Brent Kington, Nov 1972
119. Show Reviews, 1972-1973
120. Vernon Brejcha (Jan 1973), 1972-1973
121. Marvin Bartel, Feb 1973
122. Harvey Mueller, May 1973
123. Herbert Friedson, Jun 1973
124. Young Professionals, Jul 1973
125. Young Professionals, Aug 1973
126. David C. Riegel, Sep 1973
127. Carol Ridker, Oct 1973
128. Heikki Seppa, Nov 1973
129. Joel Phillip Myers (Jan 1974), 1973-1974
130. Michael Chipperfield, Feb 1974
131. Naomi Towner, Mar 1974
132. Wearable Art by Metalsmiths, Apr 1974
133. Tom Lawless, May 1974
134. Salt Show, Jun 1974
135. Young Professionals, Jul 1974
136. Young Professionals, Aug 1974
137. Arthur T. Towata, Sep 1974
138. Catherine Milovich and Daniel Edler, Oct 1974
139. Priscilla Sage (Nov 1974), 1974-1975
140. Gilbert Johnson (Jan 1975), 1973-1975
141. Libbie Crawford and Ed McEndarfer (Feb 1975), 1973-1975
142. Dan Gunderson and Gerry Evans, Mar 1975
143. "Sets, Etc." Apr 1975
144. Bill Hinz (May 1975), 1974-1975
145. Shirley Cobble and Diane Itter (Jun 1975), 1974-1975
146. Young Professionals (Jul 1975), 1972-1975
147. Young Professionals, Aug 1975
148. Eugene and Hiroko Pijanowski, Sept 1975
149. Jim Cantrell and Fiammetta Hsieh-Rubin (Oct 1975), Mar-Oct 1975
150. "Baskets by Five," Nov 1975
151. Ellen Craib and Frederick Warren (Jan 1976), 1975-1976
152. Henry Serenco and Laureen Vlaisavljevich (Feb 1976), 1975-1976
153. David Shaner, Mar 1976
154. Bi-Centennial Show, Apr 1976
155. Virginia Julyan and Robert Hunter, May 1976
156. Phyllis MacLaren and Bob Allen, Jun 1976
157. Young Professionals, Jul 1976
158. "Feat of Clay," Aug 1976
159. Joan Sterrenburg, Nov 1976
160. "Around The Table," Aug 1978
161. Art Of The Upper Amazon, Oct 1978
162. Molas, Dec 1978
163. Exhibition Announcements, 1980-1982
SERIES 5 - NEWSLETTERS, 1964-1980
164. "C.A. Capsule," 1968-1969
165. "Craftsmen," 1964-1970
166. "Craftsmen," 1971-1980
SERIES 6 - PHOTOGRAPHS, 1965-1979
167. Artwork, 1964-1972
BOX 4 (22110)
168. Artwork, 1973-1979
169. People, 1968-1975
Living with the Arts Conference, June 8-9, 1970
SERIES 7 - SCRAPBOOKS (MICROFILM), 1965-1982
Volume 1. Newsclippings and Photographs, 1965
2. Newsclippings, 1966-1967
3. Newsclippings, 1968-1972
4. Newsclippings, 1973-1978
5. Newsclippings, 1979-1982
Catalog for the 1983 National Wood Invitational
Show announcement card for Northwest Coast exhibit
Catalog for Northwest Coast exhibit
Show announcement card for Cranbrook exhibit
Class brochure for Fall 1989
Fall 1989 Newsletter
1974 Progress Report
July 1977 list of Gallery Craftsmen members
Working papers for The Artist/Craftsman catalog
Catalog for the Artist/Craftsmen exhibit, April 1972
INDEX
Allied Arts Institute, f. 40
Apprentice in Residence/Educational Outreach Program, f. 40, 65-66
Artist in Residence, f. 41
Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, f. 40, 42, 45
55, 58
Auction Allegro, f. 43
"C.A. Capsule" Newsletter, f. 1, 164
Camelot Fund, f. 45
Capital Funds Drive, f. 46
CASA, f. 67
Craft Alliance, f. 1-169; v. 1-5
Crafts, f. 1-169; v. 1-5
"Craftsman" Newsletter, f. 1, 165
Craftsmen in the Classroom, f. 47
Crawford, Libby, f. 1-39, 169
Creative Arts Centers, f. 53-58, 64-67
Cummings, Richard, f. 1-39
Curtis, Mabel, f. 1-39
Durham, Minerva, f. 1-39
Education, f. 1-169; v. 1-5
Education Center, f. 53-48, 64-77
Exhibition, f. 29
Farley, Dorothy, f. 1-39
Gallery, f. 1-169
Gateway Craftsmen, f. 36
Graphics, f. 31
Harris, Jim, f. 1-39, 169
Helfman, Muriel Nezhnie, f. 1-39, 167
Helfman, Sheldon, f. 1-39
Karros, Delores, f. 1-39
Kistner, Jody, f. 3-9, 15-26
Land Clearance Authority of University City, f. 57-59
Lawless, Tom, f, 1-39, 133, 169
Lecture Series, f. 73
Mayor's Council on Youth Opportunity, f. 53, 54
Milovich, Catherine, f. 1-39, 138, 168, 169
Missouri Advocate for the Arts, f. 50
Missouri State Council for the Arts, f. 55
National Endowment for the Arts, f. 55
Neighborhood Craft School, f. 42, 53-54
New Directions Program, f. 55-74
Portman, Darwin, f. 1-39
"Project 70" f. 56
Renovation, f. 57-59
Show Reviews, f. 95, 96, 119
Suits, David, f. 1-39
Swift, f. 1-39
Towata, Arthur, f. 1-39, 137, 169
Washington University, f. 73
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUISN
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu