Finding Aid for the Southern California Designer Crafts records, 1957-1982
Processed by Linda Klouzal in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Joan Benedetti and
Kelley Wolfe Bachli, 2009; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2009
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Southern California Designer Crafts records
Date (inclusive): 1957-1982
Collection number: 1837
Creator:
Southern California Designer Crafts
Extent:
4 document boxes (2 linear ft.)
Abstract: Records of the contemporary craft organization, Southern California Designer Crafts (SCDC), from its founding in 1957 through
1982. A nonprofit organization, SCDC supported cooperation, networking, and critical dialog among craftspeople; the professional
development of craft artists; and education about craft art. The collection includes SCDC's administrative documents pertaining
to its affiliation with craft and trade organizations, juries and standards, exhibitions, publicity, membership, meetings,
governance, and financial documents.
Language: Finding aid is written in
English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
After Southern California Designer Crafts was disbanded, its files were given to the Edith R. Wyle Research Library of the
Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM), and then were transferred, along with the CAFAM records, to the UCLA Library in 1998.
Processing Note
Processed by Linda Klouzal in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Joan Benedetti and
Kelley Wolfe Bachli, 2009.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Southern California Designer Crafts records (Collection Number 1837). Department of Special Collections,
Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
Biography
Southern California Designer Crafts (SCDC) was a nonprofit artists' guild active in Los Angeles. When it was founded in 1957,
its name was Southern California Designer Craftsmen. SCDC sought to facilitate cooperation among craftspeople, the professional
development of craft artists, and public education and research in crafts. Their programs were aimed at increasing social
contact between craftspeople and the opportunity for artists to exchange technological, business, and professional information
regarding exhibiting, selling, teaching, and producing crafts. They sponsored exhibits of craft work, films, workshops, demonstrations,
lectures, and discussions. SCDC was affiliated with local, regional, and national craft organizations, which included the
American Craft Council and Artists for Economic Action. SCDC also coordinated efforts with such organizations as the California
State Craft Congress and the California Visual Artists' Alliance to secure legislation on behalf of the arts. Membership was
originally limited to artists chosen by jury, but later became open to anyone involved in craft art.
Scope and Content
The Southern California Designer Crafts (SCDC) Records include administrative documents pertaining to the following: memberships
in craft and trade organizations; correspondence; minutes for committee, membership, and recording secretary board meetings;
exhibition papers, including catalogs; financial and tax documents; governance; publicity and sales; and projects and events.
SCDC meeting minutes and by-laws contain discussions of many aspects of the organization and its objectives including information
about the governmental structure of SCDC; the professional development of artists; the definition of craft; art education;
pricing for artists' works; ethics; and art standards. Of special interest are documents pertaining to SCDC's efforts with
its affiliated organizations to increase governmental support for the arts in California. The California Visual Alliance folder
contains information on efforts to promote artists' input into governance for the arts including references to specific legislation.
At a Visual Arts Conference in 1975 artists throughout California gathered for the first time to formulate policy for presentation
to the state legislature regarding artists' economic needs. Two months later, then Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. agreed to
sponsor a bill creating a new State Arts Council composed of artists.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Southern California Designer Crafts.
Related Material
The Southern California Designer Crafts Records, along with the Mandell Gallery Records, were given to the Craft and Folk
Art Museum. When the Craft and Folk Art Museum Records were donated to and processed at UCLA, three collections were created:
Southern California Designer Crafts Records, Mandell Gallery Records, and the Craft and Folk Art Museum Records. For a complete
description of the Mandell Gallery
Records and the Craft and Folk Art Museum Records, please see separate finding aids under these titles.
Container List
Box 1, Folder 1
American Crafts Council (ACC)
1964 September - 1973 June
Box 1, Folder 2
Announcements
1964 January - 1973 July
Box 1, Folder 3
Artists for Economic Action (AEA)
1975 March - June
Box 1, Folder 4
Board of Director's Meeting Minutes
1961 October - 1979 October
Box 1, Folder 5
Bus Tour Project
ca. 1977 May
Box 1, Folder 7
California Arts Commission (CAC)
1975
Box 1, Folder 8
California Confederation of the Arts
1976 July - 1977 November
Box 1, Folder 9
California State Craft Congress (CSCC)
1966 April - 1973 August
Box 1, Folder 10
California Visual Artists' Alliance
ca. 1975 March - October
Box 1, Folder 11
Committee Meetings, SCDC
1974 September
Box 1, Folder 12
Correspondence (folder 1 of 10)
undated
Box 1, Folder 13
Correspondence (folder 2 of 10)
1973 April - December
Box 1, Folder 14
Correspondence (folder 3 of 10)
1974 January - December
Box 1, Folder 15
Correspondence (folder 4 of 10)
1975 January - December
Box 1, Folder 16
Correspondence (folder 5 of 10)
1976 January - December
Box 2, Folder 1
Correspondence (folder 6 of 10)
1977 January - December
Box 2, Folder 2
Correspondence (folder 7 of 10)
1978 January - November
Box 2, Folder 3
Correspondence (folder 8 of 10)
1979 February - June
Box 2, Folder 4
Correspondence (folder 9 of 10)
1981 June - October
Box 2, Folder 5
Correspondence (folder 10 of 10)
1982 June - September
Box 2, Folder 6
Exhibition Catalogs
1958 February - 1978 January
Box 2, Folder 7
Exhibition Correspondence, Miscellaneous
1960 April - 1978 January
Box 2, Folder 8
Exhibition, Oakland Museum, Ceramics and Glass
ca. 1973 November - 1974 January
Box 2, Folder 9
Exhibition, The Western Edge
ca. 1980 July - August
Box 2, Folder 10
Fact Sheets
ca. 1977 May - 1980 March
Box 2, Folder 11
Grants, Applied for
1973 December - 1979 December
Box 2, Folder 12
Juries and Standards (Handbook of Craft Standards)
1961 November
Box 2, Folder 13
Ledger, General
1960 June - 1964 May & 1970 October - 1973 November
Box 2, Folder 14
Ledger Book
1979 October - 1982 January
Box 2, Folder 15
Membership Lists
1957 April - 1981 January
Box 3, Folder 1
Membership (General), Meetings
1962 May - 1979 October
Box 3, Folder 2
Newsletter, SCDC
1962 May - 1982 February
Box 3, Folder 3
Photos, SCDC Members, Artwork, and Shows
undated
Box 3, Folder 4
Publicity
1959 March - 1966 February
Box 3, Folder 5
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 1 of 7)
1957 April - 1958 May
Box 3, Folder 6
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 2 of 7)
1958 October - 1959 May
Box 3, Folder 7
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 3 of 7)
1959 October - 1960 May
Box 3, Folder 8
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 4 of 7)
1960 June - 1961 June
Box 3, Folder 9
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 5 of 7)
1961 July - 1962 July
Box 4, Folder 1
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 6 of 7)
1962 August - 1963 May
Box 4, Folder 2
Recording Secretary's Minutes and Reports (SCDC) (folder 7 of 7)
1963 October - 1964 June
Box 4, Folder 3
Sale, Membership -- Laguna Beach Museum Exhibit
ca. 1973 November
Box 4, Folder 4
Secretary -- Corresponding Secretary Procedures
1976 August
Box 4, Folder 5
Slide Collection Files, SCDC Members
undated
Box 4, Folder 6
State Board of Equalization
1976 January
Box 4, Folder 8
Taxes (Exempt Status and Tax Returns)
1961 December - 1981 February
Box 4, Folder 9
Transcripts, Court (a panel)
undated (February, no year)
Box 4, Folder 10
Treasurer's File
1973 October - 1982 February
