|
Title: |
H. Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter Papers |
|
Repository: |
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722 http://www.wrhs.org |
|
Creator: |
Winter, H. Edward and Thelma Frazier |
|
Dates: |
1908-1976 |
|
Quantity: |
6.21 linear feet (9 containers and 1 oversize folder) |
|
Abstract: |
The H. Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter were successful and popular artists in Cleveland, Ohio, during the period 1932-1976. Edward, whose legal name was H. Edward, was primarily an enamellist, and his wife Thelma was a ceramic sculptor. Edward studied in Vienna, Austria, and introduced many simple sifting techniques he learned there to the United States. He was the first to use enameling to make large bowls and plates of enamel on copper, and murals on copper and steel. He was associated with the Ferro Corporation in Cleveland for many years. Thelma pioneered ceramic sculpture in glaze and color in the U.S. and was also involved with Edward in creating many large enamel murals for churches and corporations. Both taught and wrote quite extensively, and their work was exhibited widely and often. Edward served as a technical illustrator for the army during World War II. The collection consists of biographical information, writings, correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks. The collection pertains to the Winters' art work during the period 1932-76, and the presence of the various writings makes it useful for understanding new methods and techniques of enamel and ceramic art introduced by them. The correspondence is useful for understanding the day-to-day activities of the operation of an arts and crafts business, as well as the personal relationship of the Winters during World War II and the lives of soldiers who remained on the home front. Also included is some material on the Moravian Church in Ohio, the Moravian Music Foundation, Eliot Ness and his alleged wife, Elizabeth Katherine Ness, a Peter family genealogy and Ferro Corporation correspondence, brochures and clippings. |
|
Identification: |
MS 4503 |
|
Location: |
closed stacks |
|
Language: |
The records are in English |
H. Edward (1908-1976) and Thelma Frazier (1903-1977) Winter were artists who lived in Cleveland, Ohio. Both studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art where they met. They were married in 1939. Edward was primarily an enamellist and Thelma's major craft was ceramic sculpting, although she also took up enameling later in her career. Edward studied enameling with Josef Hoffman and Michael Powolny at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna, Austria, in 1931. When he returned to the United States, he brought with him many simple sifting techniques that had not been used on this side of the Atlantic Ocean before. Until his time, enameling had only been used for jewelry and small ash trays. Edward became the first to use the technique to produce large bowls and plates of enamel on copper, and murals on copper and steel. He was associated with the Ferro Corporation in Cleveland for many years. Thelma Winter was a pioneer in her own right. She was one of the first artists in the United States to create ceramic sculpture in glaze and color. After she turned her attention to enameling, she and Edward created many large enamel murals for churches and corporations. Both Edward and Thelma taught art classes, Edward at the Cleveland Institute of Art (1935-1937) and Thelma at Laurel School (1939-1945), the Cleveland Institute of Art (1945-1950), and elsewhere. Both also wrote quite extensively, Edward writing Enamel Art on Metals, Enameling for Beginners, and Enamel Painting Techniques, and Thelma authoring The Art and Craft of Ceramic Sculpture. The Winters also published often in periodicals and art magazines, yet they were first and foremost artists, Edward working in a style of decorative and abstract expressionism in flora and fauna, and Thelma in a semiabstract but more stylized form of sculpture, decorative enamels, and ceramics. Both artists exhibited widely and often, and both are represented in the Cleveland, Butler, and Everson museums of art. Both were elected as permanent Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts. Edward, born in Pasadena, California, was of English and Canadian descent; Thelma, a native of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, was a descendent of the early Moravian settlers there.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Harold Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Ferro Corp.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Cleveland Institute of Art
The H. Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter Papers, 1908-1976 consist of biographical information, writings, correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks.
This collection pertains to work of two very successful and popular artists in Cleveland, Ohio, during the period 1932-1976. Due to the presence of the various writings by the Winters, the collection is useful for an understanding of new methods and techniques of enamel and ceramic art that were introduced by them. By virtue of the extensive amount of correspondence generated throughout their careers as artists, the collection is useful for an understanding of the day-to-day activities of the operation of an arts and crafts business. Also, the personal relationship of the Winters is illuminated in a series of letters written by Edward to Thelma during World War II. Edward served during the war as a technical training illustrator. These letters also describe the lives of soldiers who remained on the home front during World War II. Upon the death of Thelma Winter, the Winter home on Magnolia Street, personal papers, and much of the Winters' art work was bequeathed to the Western Reserve Historical Society.
None.
Separated Material: Separated MaterialAll photographs and prints have been removed to the photographs and prints collection.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4503 H. Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Estate of H. Edward and Thelma Frazier Winter, 1978.
Processed by Richard Hite and Robert Ray in 1990.