Douglas Donaldson (1882 – 1972) was an American metalworker. He was born in Detroit and professionally active in Los Angeles. He was one of the most influential proponents of the Arts and Crafts movement in Los Angeles.
Biography
Donaldson taught design, metalwork and jewellery at numerous schools in and near Los Angeles, including his first position, director of manual arts, That roop Polytechnic (succeeded by Rudolph Schaeffer). Subsequently, he was a teacher at the new Chouinard School of Art and head of the art department, at Los Angeles Manual Arts High School. After teaching at Otis Art Institute, he established his School of Decorative Design, in Hollywood, California, in the 1920s.
Collaboration with Wife
Donaldson and his Wife, Louise Donalson, were appointed to select applied arts entries for the Southern California section of the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. Donaldon’s gold-medal-winning entry for the fair was a covered chalice distinguished by elaborate repoussé and enamel work and crowned by a delicate opal finial carved in the shape of a bird.
He established a decorative arts guild with his wife, showing distinctive crafts gathered nationwide. In 1925, he was elected first vice-president of Southern California’s newly organized Arts and Crafts Society. He was associated with Arts and Crafts movement artisans, including Ernest Batchelder, James Winn, Ralph Johonnot, and Rudolph Schaeffer; he emphasized to his students that ‘the conception of beautiful ideas must lead the way — the technical processes simply being the words which compose the language of art.’
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Trapp, K. R., Bowman, L. G., Oakland Museum., Renwick Gallery., & Cincinnati Art Museum. (1993). The arts and crafts movement in California: Living the good life. Oakland, Calif: Oakland Museum.
Design Store
Books| Arts and Crafts
Textiles of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement
$32.99 (as of April 24, 2024 06:50 GMT +10:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Paint by Sticker: Dogs: Create 12 Stunning Images One Sticker at a Time!
Arts & Crafts: From William Morris to Frank Lloyd Wright
Paint by Sticker: Plants and Flowers: Create 12 Stunning Images One Sticker at a Time!
Arnold Schwartzman
(as of April 24, 2024 06:50 GMT +10:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Paint by Sticker: Travel: Re-create 12 Vintage Posters One Sticker at a Time!
More Metalworkers
-
Crafting a Timeless Legacy: Hennell British Gold and Silversmiths
The Hennell dynasty, founded in 1736, emerged as a leading name in British silver and jewelry craftsmanship, leaving a lasting legacy.Read More →
-
Paul Du Bois: Bridging Art and Applied Design
Paul Du Bois, a prominent Belgian artist, melded monumental sculpture and applied arts. He was influential in the innovative Les XX group and Art Deco movement.Read More →
-
Cylinda Line Teapot by Arne Jacobsen
The Cylinda Line by Arne Jacobsen revolutionized design, blending form and function, epitomizing neo-functionalism. Its precision and elegance redefine daily essentials.Read More →
-
Alwyn Carr: The Lustrous Journey of a British Silversmith and Enamelist
Alwyn Carr, a prominent British silversmith, is celebrated for his Arts and Crafts movement influence and collaboration with Omar Ramsden, yielding enduring and valuable craftsmanship.Read More →
-
Gundorph Albertus: Danish Silversmith and Designer Extraordinaire
Gundorph Albertus, a renowned Danish silversmith, is celebrated for his iconic Cactus and Mitra flatware patterns, which continue to captivate enthusiasts and collectors. Read More →
-
Fred G. Minuth (1884 – 1966) American Silversmith
Fred G. Minuth, an American silversmith, co-established the Frank S. Boyden Co, later the Boyden-Minuth Co, in Chicago in 1903. The company, still in operation, produced ecclesiastical objects, jewellery, and silver trophies.Read More →
-
Flemming Eskildsen (b.1930) Danish designer and Silversmith
Flemming Eskildsen, a renowned silversmith born in 1936, made significant contributions to Georg Jensen and Royal Copenhagen, showcasing versatility and visionary leadership.Read More →
-
Peter Raacke (b.1928), German metalworker and designer
German metalworker Peter Raacke, renowned for his Mono-a cutlery and Papp series furniture, studied design at the Staatliche Zeichenakedemie and the Werkschule in Cologne. His work received recognition and awards for industrial design.Read More →
-
The Legacy of Erna Zarges-Dürr, German Silversmith
Erna Zarges-Dürr, a renowned German silversmith, crafted meticulously proportioned silver pieces with modern ornamentation. She received recognition at international exhibitions.Read More →
-
Albert Reimann (1874 – 1971) German Metalworker and Educator
Albert Reimann, a prominent metalworker and educator, founded the School for Small Sculpture in Berlin in 1902. The school flourished but was tragically destroyed in 1943.Read More →
-
Jean Dunand: A Master of Sculpture, Metalwork, and Lacquer Artistry
Jean Dunand is a Swiss sculptor, metalworker, and artisan. He was born in 1877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and died on the 27th of December 1942.Read More →
-
Johan Rohde (1856 – 1935) Danish Architect & Designer
Johan Gudmann Rohde (1856 – 1935) was a prominent Danish painter, lithographer, and designer, known for influential designs in silverware and jewelry. He played a significant role in promoting the Danish Arts and Crafts movement.Read More →
-
Dagobert Peche (1887 – 1923) Austrian Artist and Designer
He devised wholly new, amusing forms, frequently in simple materials like tole and cardboard; the conditions caused by World War I dictated the use of low-cost raw materials. Read More →
-
Albert Paley (b.1944) American Modernist Metal Sculptor
Albert Paley, an American modernist metal sculptor, creates ornamental yet functional metalwork. His works blend old and modern techniques, earning him numerous awards and recognitions.Read More →
-
Bernard Instone: Master Silversmith and Enameller (1891-1987)
British silversmith Bernard Instone, born in 1891, revolutionized jewelry design with his enameled silver work, blending traditional techniques with individual creativity. His legacy continues to inspire artisans today.Read More →
-
Edward Spenser (1872 – 1938) British metalworker
Edward Spenser (1872 – 1938) was a British metalworker, silversmith, and jeweller. He was professionally active in London. Spencer was a junior designer at the Artificers’ Guild. When Montague Fordham took over the Guild in 1903, Spenser became chief designer. Read More →
-
Paul Haustein – Versatile Master of the Decorative Arts
Paul Haustein, born in 1880, gained fame through his versatile skills, such as enamelwork and metalworking. He worked for prestigious companies, taught metalworking, and his innovative design, like his lauded Art Deco tureen, influenced design movements significantly.Read More →
-
Wiwen Nilsson (1897 – 1974) Swedish Silver Designer
Swedish Silver Designer Wiwen Nilsson (1897-1974), known for simplicity and elegance in his work, made notable contributions to art and design. He extensively trained in renowned art spaces, and his art has won several accolades.Read More →
-
Arne Petersen (1922 – 2002) Danish Metalworker
Arne Petersen, a Danish metalworker, gained recognition for his 1975 stainless steel and brass Bottle Opener. His work was exhibited internationally.Read More →
-
Alessandro Mazzucotelli (1865–1938), Italian Metalsmith
Alessandro Mazzucotelli, a celebrated Italian metalsmith, was known for his innovative designs and craftsmanship, blending tradition with modernity to create timeless pieces.Read More →
-
Sigurd Persson (1914 – 2003) Swedish metalworker & glassware designer
Sigurd Persson, a renowned Swedish designer, crafted sterling silver objects and cutlery, exhibiting in prestigious museums worldwide and winning numerous awards and medals.Read More →
-
Raymond Subes (1893 – 1970), French metalsmith
Raymond Subes, a renowned French metalsmith, produced intricate wrought iron designs and metalwork collaboration with architects, emphasizing straight lines and geometrical simplicity.Read More →
-
Douglas Donaldson (1882 – 1972) American Metalworker
Douglas Donaldson, influential American metalworker, was a key figure in the Los Angeles Arts and Crafts movement. He taught, collaborated with his wife, and established a decorative arts guild.Read More →
-
Discovering the Wonders of Metalsmiths Around the World
A metalsmith is an artisan who creates useful objects from diverse metals. It entails shaping metal with a hammer, refining metals from their ores, casting it into various forms, and filing it to the desired dimensions. Smith and related surnames are typical occupational surnames. Read More →
-
Jacob Prytz (1886 – 1962) Norwegian Metalworker and Designer
Jacob Prytz (1886 – 1962) was a metalworker and designer from Norway. He was born and raised in Oslo, where he also worked.Read More →
-
A Brief Overview of Carl Cristian Fjeringstad: Life and Legacy
Carl Christian Fjerdingstad was a Norwegian designer born in Kristiansand and active in Blaricum (Norway), the Netherlands, and Paris. Carl Christian Fjerdingstad worked as a designer for Orfèvrerie Christofle in Paris and a silversmith for Henry van de Velde. His work combined French designs with the hammered surfaces and round shapes of Danish silverware.Read More…
-
Henri Navarre (1885 – 1970) French Metalworker
Henri Navarre was a French sculptor, architect, silversmith, and glassmaker who was influenced by Maurice Marinot and exhibited his work at Galerie Edgar Brandt and Maison Geo Rouard.Read More →
-
Why was Edgar Brandt a Leader in the Field of Ironwork?
Edgar Brandt, a French metalworker, was a pioneer of 20th-century ironwork, known for blending traditional and modern techniques in his innovative designs.Read More →
-
Bertel Gardberg (1916 – 2007) Finnish Jeweller and Metalworker
Bertel Gardberg was a Finnish jeweller and metal worker. Between 1938-1941 he studied at Taideteollin Korkeaukoulu, Helsinki. He began his working life in Copenhagen. Gardberg moved to Helsinki where he maintained a studio between 1949-1966. He was responsible for stainless steel and silver designs produced by the Georg Jensen Solvsmedie; Galeries Lafayette department store, Paris…
-
Achievement – Heraldic Term – Dictionary of Silverware
Achievement is a symbol that only belongs to one family, and can be engraved or enamelled to establish provenance and date.Read More →
-
Julius Olaf Randahl (1880 – 1972) Swedish Silversmith
Julius Olaf Randahl, a Swedish silversmith, created exquisite silver pieces inspired by nature. His work can be found in museums worldwide.Read More →
-
Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) Italian Sculptor, Furniture Designer
Harry Bertoia was a sculptor, printmaker, jeweller, and furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo, Udine, and worked in the United States professionally. During World War Two he worked with Ray and Charles Eames on moulded-plywood technology. He worked primarily as a sculptor from the mid-1950s onwards. His sculpture was prominently featured in many…
-
Friedrich Adler (1878 – 1942), German Sculptor and Designer
Friedrich Adler, born in Germany in 1878, was a versatile artist known for his work in art, design, and teaching before his tragic death in Auschwitz.Read More →
-
Carl J. Jucker (1902 – 1997) Swiss Metalworker
Carl J.Jucker was a metal worker from Switzerland. He studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule, Zürich, from 1918-1922. He studied under Muche between 1922 and 1923. He studied at Bauhaus with Christian Dell, Paul Klee and László Moholy-Nagy.Read More →
-
Georg Arthur Jensen Silverware Designer and Manufacturer
Georg Jensen was a Danish metalworker. He was born in Faavad. He was apprenticed as a goldsmith. cl895-1901, he studied sculpture, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi, Copenhagen. Read More →
-
David Mellor (1930 – 2009) British metalworker and manufacturer
David Mellor, a renowned British artist and designer, made significant contributions to metalwork and industrial design, including the iconic traffic light system in the UK.Read More →
-
Alma Eikerman (1908 – 1995) American Jewellery Designer and Silversmith
Alma Eikerman (1908 – 1995) was an American jewellery designer and silversmith. Eikerman was born in Pratt, Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State College in Emporia with a B.Sc. in 1934 and an M.Sc. in 1942. Read More →
-
Christian Dell (1893 – 1974) German Metalworker Designer
Christian Dell, a German silversmith and Bauhaus metal workshop foreman, pursued industrial design and returned to silversmithing, leaving a legacy of modern lighting designs.Read More →
-
Jan and Joel Martel (1896 – 1966) Twin Brothers and French Sculptors
Jan and Joel Martel were French sculptors known for their impactful work with various materials. Their notable projects include the Paris exposition’s tourism pavilion and WWII memorials.Read More →
-
Arno Malinowki (1899 – 1976) Danish Sculptor and Metalworker
His jewellery designs of a kneeling deer, a dolphin in the rushes, and butterflies on a flower, which he created in 1937, were produced for many years. In 1940, he created the ‘Kingmark’ to commemorate King Christian’s seventieth birthday. It was mass-produced and worn by Danes to demonstrate their allegiance to Denmark and opposition to…
-
Harold Stabler (1872 – 1945) British Ceramicist, Enameller, Jeweller and Silversmith
Harold Stabler’s lengthy, illustrious career began in the Arts and Crafts movement and extended into the modernist era. Over the 50 years or so he devoted to the arts, he created an astounding diversity of highly regarded pieces, both unique and mass-produced, in various mediums and styles. Read More →
-
Emmy Roth (1885 – 1942) German / Israeli Silversmith
Emmy Roth (1885 – 1942), a German Jewish silversmith, created innovative metalwork influenced by Baroque and modern design, gaining international recognition.Read More →
-
Gunilla Jung (d. 1939) Finnish Silversmith and Lighting Designer
Gunilla Jung was a glass and lighting artist and Silversmith. She designed glassware for Karhula (later Iittala) in the 1930s at the Institute of Applied Arts in Helsinki. Maybe best known for her pioneering lighting projects, such as in Helsinki’s Savoy Theatre. Taito created her first silver designs and, later in the 1930s, others by…
-
Carlo Guiliano (1831 – 1895) Italian Goldsmith and Jeweller
Italian jeweller Carlo Giuliano, is revered for his artistic innovation and eminence in late 19th-century fine jewellery. Known for his archaeological style and exquisite enamel decoration, his influence endured even after his business closed during World War I.Read More →
-
Jean Puiforcat (1897 – 1945) French Art Deco Silversmith
His silver work was based on the geometric series and had smooth surfaces. Pieces were embellished with ivory, onyx, lapis lazuli, and rosewood. He also used gilding.Read More →
-
Erik Magnussen (1884 – 1961) Danish Silversmith and Designer
Erik Magnussen was a renowned Danish silversmith and designer, known for his Art Deco and Cubist inspired designs. He operated various workshops in Denmark and the United States.Read More →
-
Lino Sabattani (1925 – 2016) Italian Metal Smith
Sabbatini worked as a silversmith from a very early age. He learned metalworking techniques and became interested in shapes derived from natural materials. The Boule teapot and example of his early work was designed for T. Wolff in Germany.Read More →
-
Paul Kiss (1885 – 1962) Hungarian Metal Worker
Paul Kiss was Hungarian metalworker he was born Belabalva (now Romania). He was professionally active in Paris. Read More →
-
Robert Welch (1929 – 2000) English designer and silversmith
He studied painting at the Malvern School of Art under Victor Moody from 1946 to 1947 and 1949 to 1950. Silversmithing at Birmingham College of Art between 1950 and 1952. Between 1952 and 1955, he studied silversmithing at the Royal College of Art in London, mentored by Robert Gooden.Read More →
-
Hugo Leven (1874 – 1956) German Sculptor and Metalsmith
Leven studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule and then at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. He worked in his father Louis Leven’s studio for a time, had numerous contacts with French artists who had a strong influence on him, and quickly became known. Engelbert Kayser hired him as the first employee in his studio. From 1895 to 1904,…
-
Samuel Yellin (1885 – 1940) Polish American Blacksmith
Samuel Yellin, a renowned American blacksmith and metal designer, left a lasting legacy through his innovative craftsmanship, with recognition from prestigious institutions.Read More →
-
Tias Eckhoff (1926 – 2016), Norwegian Designer, Metalworker, and Ceramicist
Tias Eckhoff (1926 – 2016), a renowned Norwegian industrial designer, created timeless classics like RBM Ana, Maya cutlery, and Glohane tableware, receiving widespread recognition.Read More →
-
Gilbert Poillerat (1902 – 1988) French Designer and Metalworker
Gilbert Poillerat (1902-1988), a prominent French designer and metalworker, created intricate wrought-iron furniture, collaborated with renowned artists, and exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1928.Read More →
-
Carl Hugo Pott (1906 – 1985) – German Metalworker & Silversmith
Carl Pott (1906-1985) was a German designer and metalworker influenced by Bauhaus and modern architecture trends, known for unadorned forms and award-winning designs.Read More →
-
Alfons Bach (1904 – 1999), German Industrial Designer
In New York City, Bach planned the remodelling of Sach’s and the Seneca Textile Building. His work was shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in early contemporary industrial art shows. In Stamford, Connecticut, he created his own home in 1938. He oversaw the construction of the Ridgeway Center, one of the country’s earliest shopping…
-
Marianne Brandt (1893–1983) German Painter Designer and Metalworker
The modernist German designer Marianne Brandt was one of the few women associated with the Bauhaus to make her reputation outside the traditional arts and crafts sectors related to women such as textiles, weaving and pottery. Read More →
-
Christopher Dresser (1834 – 1904) – British Industrial Designer
Christopher Dresser (1834 – 1904) was a pioneering British industrial designer and botanist, known for his innovative, modern silverware designs. An influential figure in design history.Read More →
-
Paul Howard Manship (1885 – 1966) – American Sculptor
Paul Howard Manship was an American Sculptor. He was influenced by Hindu and Buddhist Indian Sculpture. He began his artistic education at the St. Paul School of Art in Minnesota, and he attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts before moving onto New York City’s Art Student League. Throughout his subsequent career, he created more…
-
Carl-Gustaf Jahnsson (1935 – 1994), Swedish Silversmith and Designer
Carl-Gustaf Jahnsson (1935 – 1994) was a renowned Swedish silversmith, designer, and industrial designer, known for his innovative church silver designs and work with Ikea.Read More →
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.