Breaking Ground: A Century of Craft Art in Western New York

This is the first book that fully explores the rich history of craft art in the region of Western New York. In the early 1900's, Western New York became the hub of the American Arts and Crafts movement with the founding of the Roycroft community in East Aurora; Gustav Stickley's furniture workshops in Syracuse;and Steuben Glass in Corning. In 1950 the NY School of Clay-Working and Ceramics at Alfred University, developed by Charles Fergus quickly became a leader in its field. In 1950, Aileen Osborn Webb, a major patron of the craft movement, founded the School for American Crafts (SAC) at the University of Rochester. The region still boasts of professional artists and programs, making the area a vital community for the arts. This book features four master artists: Wendell Castle (wood), Albert Paley (metal), Michael Taylor (glass), and Wayne Higby (clay). It concludes with a selection of contemporary work by other notable artists. This 157 page, 9" x 11" book is beautifully illustrated, and contains original interviews with the four artists mentioned.