Martha Longenecker (May 18, 1920 – October 29, 2013) was an American artist, professor of art, and founder of the

Mingei International Museum Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, that collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft, and design. The museum was founded in 1974, and its building opened in 1978. The word ' ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California.

Early life

On May 18, 1920, Longenecker was born in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

, Oklahoma. At 9 month old, Longenecker arrived in California by train. Longenecker grew up in

Monterey Park, California Monterey Park is a city in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately east of the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. It is bordered by Alhambra, California, Alhambra, East Los Angeles, ...

, and

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

Education

Longenecker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and a minor in English from the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

. Longenecker studied painting with Millard Sheets. Longenecker earned an Art Education Credential and a Masters of Fine Arts degree from

Claremont Graduate School The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California, United States. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium which includes five undergraduate and two grad ...

. Longenecker made her first visit to Japan in 1952. There she expanded her knowledge of the Japanese arts and crafts movement called ''"mingei"''. Longenecker undertook postgraduate research in Japan, where she studied from

Shoji Hamada A is a door, window or room divider used in traditional Japanese architecture, consisting of translucent (or transparent) sheets on a lattice frame. Where light transmission is not needed, the similar but opaque '' fusuma'' is used (/close ...

(1894–1978) and Tatsuzo Shimaoka (1919–2007). In 2007, Longenecker received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...

Career

Longenecker created her ceramic arts from her own ceramic studio in

Claremont, California Claremont () is a suburban city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of Los Angeles. It lies in the Pomona Valley at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had ...

. From 1944 to 1964, Longenecker exhibited her ceramic arts through Dalzell Hatfield Galleries. In 1955, Longenecker developed a ceramic program at

(SDSU) in

, California. From 1955 to 1990, Longenecker was Professor of Art at SDSU, where she taught ceramic and design history. In 1974, with the financial support from her husband, Longenecker incorporated Mingei as a nonprofit organization. Longenecker oversaw the development of the first Mingei museum, which opened in May 1978 at University Town Centre in San Diego. In 1978, Longenecker became the museum director. Longenecker also oversaw the architectural design and the development of the

at a new facility located at Plaza Dr Panama in Balboa Park in San Diego, which opened in August 1996. It is a 41,000 square-foot facility. By 2005, Longenecker had publisher 33 books. In October 2005, Longenecker retired as the museum director of Mingei International Museum. In October 2013, Longenecker established Mingei Legacy Resources Foundation.

Awards and recognitions

* 1998 Distinguished Service Medal. Given by

. * 2003

Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese honors system, Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge feat ...

, Gold Rays with Rosette. Given by Emperor of Japan. * 2005 Honorary Fellow of the American Craft Council. * 2011 Inducted into the San Diego Women's Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Longenecker's first husband was John Longenecker. Longenecker's second husband was Sydney Martin Roth. Longenecker had two children. Longenecker lived in

La Jolla La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood in San Diego, California, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature o ...

community of

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. Following a stroke, on October 29, 2013, Longenecker died at Scripps Memorial Hospital in

. She was 93 years old.

Legacy

* 1998 Martha W. Longenecker Director's Chair Endowment Fund.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Longenecker, Martha W. 1920 births 2013 deaths 20th-century American women artists Museum founders San Diego State University faculty Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class Artists from Oklahoma City Artists from San Diego University of California, Los Angeles alumni Claremont Graduate University alumni 20th-century American philanthropists 21st-century American women