Career Frederic Allen Whiting

1 career

1.1 arts , crafts movement
1.2 indianapolis museum of art
1.3 cleveland museum of art
1.4 american federation of arts

career
arts , crafts movement

whiting’s passions education , art, namely arts , crafts , handiwork, came while worked establish himself leader in arts community. career started in business, made transition world of art after meeting c. howard walker (1857-1936) of society arts , crafts, boston on ship bound england in 1898. friendship struck, , 2 years later walker offered whiting paid position secretary society of arts , crafts, boston. society outgrowth of european societies 1 founded william morris encourage craftsmanship despite industrial age. whiting remained in position 12 years, establishing himself national advocate industrial , decorative art objects, craftworks, , public education.

whiting’s personal interest in handiwork prioritized in both of professional careers in arts institutions , in personal life well. whiting organized literary journal handicraft , published first time society of arts , crafts, boston in 1902. served original editor publication, had clear focus on educating audience , connecting community distributing essays artists , craftsmen, advertising craft shows, , listing local lecture , demonstration opportunities.

whiting founded national league of handicraft societies in 1907.

indianapolis museum of art

following resignation secretary of society of arts , crafts, boston, whiting officially entered museum profession in 1912, when accepted position director of john herron art institute in indianapolis (now indianapolis museum of art). time, well-known within american arts community vocal supporter of arts , crafts movement. although whiting remained in indianapolis less 1 year, many of efforts here prefigured innovative programs later institute @ cleveland museum of art, including establishing training program museum docents , gearing public education @ younger audiences. whiting recommended director of cleveland museum of art, through personal connection, lockwood de forest, brother metropolitan museum of art’s president, robert de forest.

cleveland museum of art

cleveland museum of art under construction

the earliest years of cleveland museum of art (known colloquially cma ) involved intimate group of people, executors named wills of horace kelley , john huntington. having garnered both favor , respect among colleagues while serving secretary of society of arts , crafts, boston , director in indianapolis, whiting positioned leading candidate directorship of newly established cleveland museum of art. @ meeting on december 15, 1913, after serving few short months president of board of trustees cma, board hired first salaried staff member, unanimously appointing whiting museum’s first director. whiting’s position secured, museum solidify goals , mission. twelve members of board of trustees acknowledged in first museum bulletin, issued in april 1914. july of same year, number had begun swell in order accommodate rapidly growing project.

frederic allen whiting opening of cleveland museum of art

whiting’s plans cleveland museum of art centered on life’s mission: education. collection developed in earliest stages of cma’s founding included art considered accessible, relevant, , useful community. according whiting, cleveland industrial town … [the museum] should @ least reflect if not somehow promote it. purpose, in words of first director, called immediate, concrete objects. reflecting later on these decisions in collecting , public programing, in address cleveland conference educational cooperation on april 20, 1925, whiting explained how believed such objects benefit communities not in cleveland, across globe:

in considering meaning should given term education [we look] @ question standpoint of interest of community whole. of vital importance community members of emerging generations should oriented respect society of become part, respect natural environment in find themselves, respect themselves, abilities , needs. important these individuals qualified productive life. important should enabled draw personal joy , satisfaction wealth of experience life of community affords. , finally, important individual result of educational experience shall consciously contribute general welfare , betterment of community.

while covering geographically diverse regions, whiting managed comprise museum of objects. in fact, sought objects of domestic use, materials cleveland people relate , appreciate. 1916 inaugural collection had hundreds of vases, bowls, plates, pottery, , other objects which, during period, not traditionally found in major museums. similarities provided constant variable allowed daily-life comparisons, while differences in design intrigued museum goers. possible whiting sought acquire such artifacts saw obvious element of handicraft in them. in many ways, handcrafted vases of antiquity handmade goods produced in arts , crafts movement.

further insisting on relevance of museum local community, whiting took part in establishing annual cleveland may show craftsmen , women. in 1914, brought idea cma board of trustees, recommending creation of annual exhibition of ohio born or trained artists, managed jury , hanging committee chosen exhibiting artists. while museum hesitant assume responsibility time , expenses involved organizing local arts show, whiting convinced cleveland art association include works local cleveland artists in fifth spring exhibition, , agreed event hosted cleveland museum of art. impressed event’s success, cma took on project in 1919 , organized first annual exhibition of artists, later referred may show. may show continued cleveland tradition until 1993.

during seventeen-year tenure director of cma, whiting established object-based collection of fine art , artifacts, decorative , industrial arts directly related cleveland community. pioneered cma’s collections policies, , encouraged museum further collections in egyptian , asian art after receiving substantial donations of each in 1914. whiting oversaw original construction of cma, ensuring state-of-the-art facility house museum’s growing collections, anticipating concerns preservation , conservation throughout building process. built museum’s framework staff , volunteer employees, hiring first curator, registrar, education specialist, superintendent of building , grounds, registrar, , librarian. additionally, whiting hired staff of professional docents provide tours visitors, , first museum director in allow visitors draw among artworks in galleries. experimented new display techniques , educational programming, allowing whole second floor of museum dedicated galleries children.

to whiting’s dismay, cma board of trustees chose broaden focus of museum in order include accession of master artworks become competitive institutions such metropolitan museum of art in new york , museum of fine arts, boston. when offered position president of american federation of arts in 1930, decided pursue commitment education there.

american federation of arts

whiting resigned position @ cleveland museum of art in 1930 become president of american federation of arts in washington, dc. unfortunately, experience whiting not one. in addition, financial problems arose organization catalyzed decision leave. retired afa in 1936 @ age of 63. in letter harold clark, said of experience:

fact is, harold, essential success in undertaking died out of me during disappointing struggle against uncooperative board in washington. enthusiasm , confidence in value of work doing essential part of success , drained out of me.

regardless, in 6 years of employment @ afa, there shift in focus whiting brought educational priorities institution. set forth number of initiatives regarding topic. under wing, afa began publish reference , teaching guides, student workbooks, slides, , films distributed educational programs across country. whiting’s overall international footprint established through collaborative initiatives met organize circulating exhibitions , ‘bring them people.’ work directly appreciated international crowd.