Alma Rosalie Eikerman (May 16, 1908 – January 3, 1995) was an American
metalsmith
A metalsmith or simply smith is a craftsperson fashioning useful items (for example, tools, kitchenware, tableware, jewelry, armor and weapons) out of various metals. Smithing is one of the oldest metalworking occupations. Shaping metal with a h ...
,
silversmith
A silversmith is a metalworker who crafts objects from silver. The terms ''silversmith'' and ''goldsmith'' are not exactly synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product may vary gre ...
, and
jewelry designer who was instrumental in building the metals program at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
, of which she retired
Distinguished Professor Emeritus. She was a founding member of the and studied under several internationally renowned metalsmiths, such as
Karl Gustav Hansen
Karl Gustav Hansen (1914–2002) was a Danish master silversmith and designer. He is considered a pioneer of Scandinavian silversmith design, and was active during the Scandinavian modern-period.
Early life
Karl Gustav Hansen was born 10 Dece ...
. Eikerman's work has appeared in over 200 exhibitions, including ''
Objects: USA'' at the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
.
Early years and education
Alma Rosalie Eikerman was born in rural
Pratt, Kansas
Pratt is a city in and the county seat of Pratt County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,603. It is home to Pratt Community College.
History
19th century
Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after ...
, one of seven children. 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.
She began her undergraduate education at
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public insti ...
during the onset of the
Great Depression. She worked as a waitress throughout her time as an undergraduate, making 35 cents per hour.
In 1934, Eikerman earned her undergraduate degree
in history, literature, and language from
Kansas State. She began her career as a public school music and art teacher in
Pratt, Kansas
Pratt is a city in and the county seat of Pratt County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,603. It is home to Pratt Community College.
History
19th century
Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after ...
and in
Winfield, Kansas.
[ ]
After six years of teaching in public schools, Eikerman enrolled in graduate studies at
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
, where she studied design, painting, and took her first jewelry course.
In 1942, Eikerman transferred to
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
to complete her graduate degree in painting, design, art history, and metalsmithing.
Career
After obtaining her graduate degree from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...
, Eikerman returned to Kansas to teach jewelry design and silversmithing at
Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
.
It was during this time that Eikerman developed her skills in metalsmithing and moved away from strict jewelry design.
Shortly after beginning her work at
Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
, Eikerman worked for the
Red Cross
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
, serving in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
(1944–1945.) It was this European experience that exposed Eikerman to
Florentine jewelers, which would foreshadow much of her later professional interests.
After the war, Eikerman returned to
Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
to teach.
In 1947, after returning to the U.S., she was asked to join the faculty at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
. Eikerman originally taught
watercolor painting
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to ...
,
design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...
,
drawing
Drawing is a visual art that uses an instrument to mark paper or another two-dimensional surface. The instruments used to make a drawing are pencils, crayons, pens with inks, brushes with paints, or combinations of these, and in more mod ...
, and
jewelry
Jewellery (British English, UK) or jewelry (American English, U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be at ...
. 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.
Her notable students include ,
Marjorie Schick,
,
Cindy Eid,
Lin Stanionis,
Marilyn da Silva
Marilyn da Silva (Birth name, née Grrevank; born 1952) is an American sculptor, metalsmith, jeweler, and educator. She teaches and serves as a department head at the California College of the Arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. Da Silva has won n ...
,
and .
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
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the ...
, 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.
In 1950, Eikerman went on
sabbatical
A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work.
The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...
from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
to apprentice in all over the world.
She was accepted to study with
Karl Gustav Hansen
Karl Gustav Hansen (1914–2002) was a Danish master silversmith and designer. He is considered a pioneer of Scandinavian silversmith design, and was active during the Scandinavian modern-period.
Early life
Karl Gustav Hansen was born 10 Dece ...
in his
Kolding, Denmark,
studio where she worked with master craftsman
Henrick Boesen.
Later, Eikerman would move to
Stockholm to study under ;
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
to work with
Michael Wiler; and
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
to work with
Cubist
Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassemble ...
sculptor
Ossip Zadkine
Ossip Zadkine (russian: Осип Цадкин; 28 January 1888 – 25 November 1967) was a Belarusian-born French artist. He is best known as a sculptor, but also produced paintings and lithographs.
Early years and education
Zadkine was born on ...
.
When she returned from Europe, Eikerman introduced European hollowware techniques, including teapots and serving dishes, to the jewelry and metalsmithing program at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
.
Associations and exhibitions
In 1970, she founded the Society of North American Goldsmiths.
Eikerman was an active member in the
College Art Association
The College Art Association of America (CAA) is the principal organization in the United States for professionals in the visual arts, from students to art historians to emeritus faculty. Founded in 1911, it "promotes these arts and their understa ...
,
Indiana Artist Craftsmen, and
World's Craft Council.
Throughout her lifetime Eikerman's work has appeared in over 200 exhibitions, including ''
Objects: USA'' at the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
. The Smithsonian exhibit traveled to 25 U.S. states and 11 European countries. Her work was featured in the
Museum of Contemporary Crafts
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), based in Manhattan, New York City, collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the mus ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
. Prices for her work varied between hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Eikerman worked on several side projects, including 1980 design plans for a home in
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area. According to the Mo ...
. The house featured white walls, red carpeting, and cathedral ceilings.
Honors and awards
Eikerman received many honors and prestigious awards. She received the honor of Distinguished Professor from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
in 1976 and retired as
Distinguished Professor Emeritus in 1978.
Throughout her career, Eikerman received grants from the
Carnegie Foundation and
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federa ...
.
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
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 1 ...
.
Death and legacy
Eikerman died in
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area. According to the Mo ...
on January 3, 1995.
In her honor, the Alma Eikerman Jewelry Design and Silversmithing Fellowship was created at
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship campus of Indiana University and, with over 40,000 students, its largest camp ...
.
Eikerman is widely credited with making the metals program in the Fine Arts Department of
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
* Indiana Univers ...
into one of the best in the country.
References
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.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eikerman, Alma
1908 births
1995 deaths
American metalsmiths
American silversmiths
Women silversmiths
Columbia University School of the Arts alumni
Indiana University faculty
Wichita State University faculty
American jewelry designers
Women jewellers