Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman – 2013 Modern Masters Award

Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman, artist/designers (active from 1952-2012)

Both growing up in depression-era Detroit,  Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman met as art students and moved to California  in 1952. They became part of the growing community of artists including Beatrice Wood, Charles and Ray Eames, and Max and Rita Lawrence, who formed Architectural Pottery. Joe Eichler encouraged them, telling them that for every house he built, there was a customer for their pottery. 

Featured in prestigious design shows and magazines such as Home and Garden, the Ackermans became influential leaders in modern ceremics, tapestry, wood and mosaic. Their designs were sold at prestigious stores including Bloomingdale’s and Bullock’s.

Over the years, the Ackermans’ creations have become part of American design. Their imprint on ceramics, mosaics, weaving, and fabrics has become iconic. Their work is featured in many museums throughout the country including the Smithsonian and was part of last year’s “Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945–1980,” sponsored by the Getty Foundation. 

Evelyn Ackerman passed away in 2012 but we are blessed by her legacy. Today, the Ackermans' fifty-year collaborative partnership has been rediscovered by both design historians and a new generation of mid-century collectors. A book by Daniel Chavkin and Lisa Thackaberry on the Ackermans’ inspiring story and exceptional work will be published in spring 2014 by Pointed Leaf Press.

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