The Power Of Two, Mary Einstein Wright & Russel Wright

The POWER of TWO Mary Einstein Wright & Russel Wright

Published on the occasion of the exhibition The POWER of TWO THE RIVERSIDE GALLERIES at Garrison Art Center, Garrison, New York August 29 – November 8, 2015 © 2015 Garrison Art Center. All rights reserved.

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Curators: Carinda Swann and Maryann Syrek Catalog concept and text: Carinda Swann Catalog design and photography: Frank Famularo

The POWER of TWO Mary Einstein Wright & Russel Wright

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Two years ago Ann Wright, daughter of Mary and Russel Wright, approached Garrison Art Center about the possibility of offering an exhibition featuring her mother’s fine art work, which had been in storage for over 90 years. When we met to look at the work, Annie showed up with various portfolios, correspondence, personal papers, newspaper articles and other generally fascinating materials. It was astonishing to us that the beautiful works had never been shown and most, if not all, were completed when Mary was in her late teens and very early twenties. Adding to the intrigue, Annie pulled out a portfolio of never-shown theatrical designs by her father, completed around the same time as Mary’s work, and several years before the couple met. As we dug deeper, Mary’s involvement in the success of Russel Wright became increasingly evident. In fact, a strong case can be made that they made equal contributions to the unprecedented success of the Wright brand. An exhibition concept began to fall into place. We were keenly interested in revealing the various talents of the undersung half of this power couple and also wanted to share Russel’s early heartfelt passion

Russel, Mary and Ann Wright, 1951.

for and exceptional talent in theatrical design. Annie has worked closely with us to ensure that this presentation of her parents shows not only the strength of their business partnership, but the love and respect that clearly existed between them.

In addition, we would like to acknowledge Allison Cross, Executive Director of Manitoga: Russel Wright Design Center, for her assistance and for the title of the show, The Power of Two. We are deeply grateful to those who have entrusted the Art Center with treasures from their collections: Ann Wright, Dan Macey and Paul Savidge, Laura and Gary Maurer, Melissa Meyers and Wilbur Foster, and Bill Roos and Scott Olsen. The generous assistance of several others helped make the installation one we are very proud of, and we sincerely thank them: Frank Famularo, Julia Famularo, Eric Hine, Lisa Knaus, Andrew Rouse, Melissa Schlobohm, Dolores Strebel, Elizabeth Turnock and Kim Waldhauer.

– Carinda Swann and Maryann Syrek, Curators

The Power of Two features the work individually and collaboratively of Mary Einstein Wright (1904-1952) and Russel Wright (1904-1976). In 1927 they became partners in marriage and in business. By the time of Mary’s death in 1952, their significant contribution to design in the 20th century was established, and Russel Wright was a household name. Their well-paired talents combined to be far more than the sum of two parts. With Russel’s innovative designs and commitment to “good design is for everyone” paired with Mary’s innovative talent as a marketing strategist and her unique sales skills, they pioneered a sea change in millions of American homes and laid the groundwork for today’s astonishing level of lifestyle branding. Given the unprecedented success of the Wright brand, it is surprising to many that both Mary and Russel’s early aesthetic passions lay elsewhere.

When they met, Mary had already begun a career as a fine artist working in New York City. Russel made a name for himself at Princeton in the early 1920s as a theatrical designer and was also intently pursuing a career in New York City. Although the provenance of the theatrical designs seen in this exhibition is unknown, it is estimated that they were completed prior to his meeting Mary. Most of Mary’s drawings, shown here for the first time, were also completed prior to meeting Russel.

Beginning in 1923 Russel spent his summers designing and directing at the Maverick Art Colony’s theatre. In the spring of 1927 Russel gathered a group to go to Woodstock and work under his direction at the Maverick Theatre. He solicited a number of helpers from the Art Colony participants one of whom was Mary Small Einstein who was there studying sculpture with Alexander Archipenko. That fall Mary and Russel returned to New York City and married. Russel worked as technical stage manager under director Rouben Mamoulian and designer Lee Simonson, after which he was hired as stage manager and designer for George Cukor’s famous group in Rochester, New York, a job he says he could not have handled without Mary. The couple managed

to survive four months working day and night. It was an arduous job for both, and they returned to New York in search of less demanding stage work. Unfortunately, that was not to be, and the Rochester job was Russel’s last experience in theatre.

Life became increasingly difficult and bills continued to build.

Mary suggested that they could design objects like those sold in Madison Avenue shops. For Russel the transition from theatre to product design was natural, but he knew nothing of what was in vogue. Thankfully Mary did, so he decided to undertake her suggested projects and began with the $800 they had managed to save. Soon Mary found some interest in the small plaster reproductions of the large-scale circus animals Russel had made at Maverick, which they produced in various metals. The circus animals quickly became popular, and the Wrights decided to approach the large department stores. This initial design venture was met with enthusiasm and was featured in the top magazines: Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar and many more. From objets d’art, Russel turned to designing useful items, beginning with a line of spun pewter bar accessories. In spite of the Depression, Mary was able to sell these to New York stores that ordered and reordered. Her direct contact with press and buyers all over the country, not to mention her winning charm, became one of the Wrights’ greatest assets. The pair dreamed up an impressive variety of functional, unique and beautiful objects, which Russel acknowledges “often stemmed from Mary.” Their influence on the gift trade was powerful.

The works shown in this exhibition attest to the clear aesthetic kinship of this complementary couple, whose innovations changed the lifestyles of millions. Often there is discussion among art and design experts on where the line between the two should be drawn. Mary’s letters to Russel, which show her participation in the design process, and her artistic talent evident in these early drawings make that line even less distinct.

RUSSEL WRIGHT Russel Wright’s artistic talent emerged early. His tenacity also emerged at a young age, and he found odd jobs to pay for art lessons. At the Cincinnati Academy of Art, he became known as the “child prodigy in short pants.”

Illness set Russel back in school, but he worked hard and at age 16 graduated from high school. To please his father, Russel agreed to enter law school. Judge Wright, however, thought Russel too young and allowed him a year off before entering Princeton. This gave Russel the opportunity to attend art school in New York City, where at the Art Students League he discovered his passion for three dimensional work.

A faculty member at the Art Students League, Boardman Robinson, hired Russel to tutor his children. There were endless encounters with the “literary and intellectual lights” who visited his employers. At the end of that summer, Russel was transformed into a healthy young man of 18 in long trousers who had tasted the “food” he had yearned for all his life. Russel considered this the most wonderful summer of his life.

summer was the circus, around which he planned satirical sketches and created large papier-mâché circus animals.

Realizing that the legal trade held no interest for him, Russel left Princeton in 1924 to begin his career in theatrical design.

The next few years brought a number of jobs at various theatres in New York City and summers at the Maverick Festival, where there was no shortage of enlightened and talented people— one of whom was Mary Small Einstein.

They married in fall of 1927 and returned to New York City to embark upon a partnership that was to become one of the most influential in modern design.

Ultimately, Russel’s theatrical efforts, as tenacious as they were, did not prove to be the career of his dreams, but he credits those years for teaching the skills of his future. These hard-earned lessons turned out to be the lifeblood of the profession Russel helped to form—industrial design.

With trepidation Russel left for Princeton in 1923, grateful at least for its close proximity to New York City.

He quickly found himself involved with Princeton’s newly student-formed Theatre Intime designing scenery. His grades began to suffer, and his advisor E. Baldwin Smith was obliged to inform Russel’s parents of the decline. Never was there a more glowing letter written about poor grades.

“Frankly I consider the boy remarkable, and...I am sure that he is going to make a very big mark for himself. Incidentally, his set for an Elizabethan play is the most artistic and accomplished thing of its kind that I have ever seen.”

With his freshman year behind him, Russel spent the summer of 1923 in Woodstock at the Maverick Art Colony designing and directing their annual festival. His theme that Cubist theatrical set piece for the Maverick Festival

by Russel Wright, ca. 1924.

Left (top and bottom) ink drawings by Mary Wright, ca. 1923. Right (top and bottom) “Hokus” and “Whoozoo” by Russel Wright, 1930.

“Libbiloo” by Russel Wright, 1930.

“Rodeo” by Russel Wright, 1930.

The provenance of The Rivals portfolio of stage and costumes designs by Russel Wright is unknown. It is shown here for the first time and thought to be from a Maverick Festival production in the mid-1920s or from the period right after Mary and Russel married when he worked as stage manager and designer for George Cukor’s theatre in Rochester, New York. The portfolio includes 17 original

watercolors on cotton rag paper with 8 stage sets and 9 costume designs, pictured on the following pages. Those familiar with The Rivals, a comedy of manners play by Richard Sheridan, will note how well Russel’s designs portray the frivolity of the satirical style so popular in the English theatre of the mid-1700s.

These four costume designs are estimated to be from the same time period as The Rivals portfolio. The stylistic approach of the period in costume design is evident in these. An aesthetic comparison can be made to the

designs of Norman Bel Geddes, who was an established theatrical designer at the time and for whom Russel worked for a short period. It is not known, however, if these were completed prior to his working with Bel Geddes or after.

MARY EINSTEIN WRIGHT Mary Small Einstein Wright was the eldest child and only daughter of Milton I. D. Einstein and his wife Alma Stix Einstein. She grew up in New York, attended the Lincoln High School, the Ethical Culture School and the Masters Academy in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She was later admitted to the architectural department of Cornell University. At age 15 Mary made her first tour of Europe and continued to travel extensively. In Paris she took an active part in an American literary group headed by Ernest Hemingway and was often pointed out in the Paris style columns as a woman of great beauty and charm.

After moving to New York City, still a young woman, she entered the field of book illustrating and designed book covers for the firm of Covici Friede Publishers. Clearly, she had already developed her skills as an artist, although it is not certain whether she had formal training or was self taught. In either case, her talent was evident, as seen in the drawings presented here, mostly completed in her late teens and early twenties.

In 1926, in a letter to her aunt, Alfred Stieglitz says of Mary’s work, “Finally the moment came today. I opened your niece’s portfolio. How well I knew that they were not to be looked at casually! The drawings are astounding. The painting extraordinary.” It was in this same year that a book of poetry by Herbert S. Gorman Notations for a Chimaera was published with illustrations by Mary. A review in the May 30, 1926, New York Times Book Review notes,“... if she [the mythical chimaera] is not puffed up with pride at the beautiful and striking portrait as done by Mary Small in the Aubrey Beardsley manner, she will be an ungrateful and ungracious creature indeed.”

As a young artist with a career already gaining momentum, Mary decided to attend the Maverick Art Colony to study

sculpture with Alexander Archipenko. There she was wooed

by Russel Wright to assist with his Maverick Theatre, and within a few months they married.

The artist of the elegant portrait of Mary Einstein Wright on the opposite page is not known. It is similar in attitude and style to a bust of Mary made by Alexander Archipenko, presumed to be completed when she was studying sculpture with him in the mid-1920s. Given the lack of a signature, the sure hand and the fine ink lines on top of the charcoal, there is conjecture that this may be attributed to Mary herself.

These small drawings, images only about two inches, show a particularly sure and sensitive hand. The elegant curving lines reveal an impressive consistency and confidence. The date of these is estimated to be about the time Russel Wright was designing the large-scale circus animals at the Maverick Festival which became the models for the small metal circus animals that Mary and Russel produced some years later. The aesthetic kinship between Mary’s small fantastical figures and Russel’s circus animals is uncanny, especially given they met several years later.

The details shown here are of small ink drawings, the letters themselves only about an inch, on 9 x 12 bond paper. It appears that Mary often worked in series, and it is likely that there exist more of this alphabet series.

These small drawings are presumed to be from the early 1920s.

The small ink drawings that follow reveal a young artist whose talent and skill showed much promise.

It is estimated that these works were completed from 1921 to 1924 when Mary was in her late teens.

Ink drawing by Mary Small from “Notations for a Chimaera” by writer and poet Herbert S. Gorman, published 1926.

Illustrations by Mary Einstein Wright appeared in a book of poetry by Herbert S. Gorman published in 1926. One hundred copies were printed, numbered and signed by the author. A review in the May 30, 1926, New York Times Book Review notes,“...if she [the mythical chimaera] is not puffed up with pride at the beautiful and striking portrait as done by Mary Small in the Aubrey Beardsley manner, she will be an ungrateful and ungracious creature indeed.�

These three paintings appeared in an exhibition at the Opportunity Gallery on East 56th Street in New York City.

There are partial labels attached to the back of the pieces written in Mary’s hand that show “Mary Small Einstein, 8 Prospect Place, Tudor City.” Unfortunately, no date is

shown, but the purchase price of each was $25. The pieces at the top are both titled “Adoration of the Magi.”

The title of the painting at the right is partially missing and illegible.

These four small etchings by Mary Einstein Wright are likely some of her last fine art works. Although a date is difficult to determine, Ann Wright ascribes these prints to some time during the ten years that Mary and Russel lived in Garrison and began planning their new home. It was during that decade from 1942 to 1952 that Russel designed the grounds of Manitoga and the house that was to become “Dragon Rock.� Unfortunately, building did not begin until right after Mary’s death in 1952.

PARTNERSHIP During their 25-year marriage and partnership Mary and Russel Wright’s combined talents brought more to the table than dinnerware. Their innovative thinking about how to make good design an option for the ordinary American family set the stage for an unprecedented interest in lifestyle trends.

Almost immediately after their successful first venture in product design, the introduction of Russel’s small circus animals in 1920-30, they embarked upon the manufacture of spun metal serving pieces. The items became so popular that often the lathes were spinning all night in the lower level under the couple’s bedroom.

The punch set at the right is representative of the elegance of Russel’s line of spun aluminum serving pieces and table top accessories so popular at the time.

Also in the early 1930s, the couple began a limited production of Russel’s latest unique concept, sculptural wooden serving pieces. At the end of the decade, Russel designed American Modern dinnerware. Manufacturers were not interested, thinking the design plain and not at all beautiful. Mary and Russel decided to personally finance its production. Through brilliant design, color, marketing, management and affordability, American Modern proved to be what Americans wanted, and the Wright’s financial risk was richly rewarded. The line grossed $159,000,000 during the 20 years it was produced.

Mary and Russel Wright in the late 1940s marketing the durability of the 1946 new line “Casual China.”

Also in the late 1930s, the couple conceived of a project to gather talented designers, craftspeople and manufacturers with a collective mission of bringing “American” design to a national audience. The American Way project (1940-42) included nearly 80 artists and craftspeople who offered both machine-made and handmade works. Mary developed and marketed the project, but also designed a number of machine-made items prized for their handmade look.

Although a number of serving carts in various materials were designed by Russel Wright, this 1940s serving cart is attributed to both Mary and Russel. The two-tiered bar service cart is made of aluminum incised with the “Fallen Leaves” pattern designed by Mary for other metal serving accessories during the American Way project. The sturdy rolling cart includes a small pitcher and several canisters that are thought to be hand hammered as are other details on the cart itself.

MARKETING

Russel Wright was not known for his social graces and appeared to have no interest in changing. Mary, with her sophisticated upbringing and natural charm, served to fill that necessary part of the business partnership. It is clear that her career as a fine artist came to an almost immediate halt after their marriage in 1927. She provided stability, financial assistance and business acumen along with a natural talent for sensing market trends. Naturally, it was she who became the business, sales and marketing departments of Wright’s Accessories. Mary did, however, find many opportunities for her creative talents and was an active participant in the design conversation with Russel.

Written during one of Mary’s many jaunts around the country researching and promoting the Wright brand, the pages of the letter shown here are typical of the correspondence from Mary to Russel. Clearly an important voice in the design end of business, Mary also had a knack for dreaming up unique titles and names for colors. But it was her tireless

work making the rounds to the best department stores giving demonstrations and speeches and befriending management and floor sales employees that set Russel on a course to the monumental success he was soon to experience.

COLLABORATION

Along with nearly 80 other designers and craftspeople, Mary and Russel each designed a number of items for the American Way project that they launched in 1940 as an organization to bring good and affordable design to the forefront of American lifestyle. Mary designed a number of aluminum serving accessories showcasing her “Fallen Leaves” design. In addition, she created wooden bowls and serving items said to have been inspired by Native American chopping bowls, as well as baskets and textiles.

The two wooden bowls pictures above are almost identical in form, one signed by Russel Wright and one by Mary Wright.

Mary’s bowl is made of white oak, which she branded as

“Frosted Oak.” It should be noted that it was also Mary who coined the term “blonde wood” for Russel’s natural maple furniture. The Russel bowl is from his Oceana line of the early 1930s, a unique collection of sculptural wooden serving pieces in maple. Certainly Mary’s interest in a more primitive look can be noted in a comparison of the two bowls. On the following page is pictured a pair of jam jars that are also nearly identical, one by Russel in maple and one by Mary in Frosted Oak. There is a good deal of discussion among experts on which of the two designed these.

(Top) A selection of pieces from Mary Wright’s Country Gardens collection by Bauer. Mary Wright’s Frosted Oak square cheese board.

(Bottom) Russel Wright’s Oceana jam jar in maple (l) and Mary Wright’s jam jar in frosted oak (r). Mary Wright’s Frosted Oak serving spoon.

(Top) Mary Wright’s Country Gardens by Bauer covered sugar and creamer. Covered sugar and creamer from Mary and Russel Wright’s Sovereign Line

by Knowles. (Bottom) A selection of Mary Wright’s Country Gardens by Bauer. Mary Wright’s Frosted Oak cigarette holders.

The Sovereign Line, a selection shown here, is back stamped with Mary & Russel Wright and Sovereign Potteries, a Canadian company that Russel’s sister was connected with. A very limited production in only two glazes, speckled pastel pink and blue, make pieces in this line very rare. Even the date of manufacture is not clear. The forms in this line and others similar became known as the “Knowles Wright Shape” and are still considered by many experts in the field as the most beautiful.

A spread from “Guide to Easier Living,” 1951

In 1950 Mary and Russel Wright threw themselves headlong into a new project, a how-to book on household management that would make life easier and faster, resulting in more leisure time for families. The essential premise of the book was that informal living did not preclude good design and in fact could put good design front and center. Simon and Schuster published Guide to Easier Living, which quickly became a best seller and has since been reprinted numerous times and sold millions of copies. The book gave instructions on how to do any home-care related item one could conjure, from childproofing a room to emptying ashtrays to handling servants. It is difficult to imagine just how any homemaker could manage it all. Nevertheless, they read and reread it

and set into action much of the Wrights’ advice, changing mid-century household practices. Undoubtedly, the delightful and instructive illustrations and the Wrights’ insistence on leaving behind old-fashioned traditions appealed to American women. Even today, the book holds interest and certainly is an important piece in the documentation of American culture.

Two years after the publication of Guide to Easier Living, Mary Einstein Wright passed away. Russel then began construction of the home they had planned during their final years together: Dragon Rock. Today, Dragon Rock is open to the public at Manitoga: Russel Wright Design Center in Garrison, NY.

SOURCES Albrecht, Donald, Robert Schonfeld, and Lindsay Stamm. Shapiro. Russel Wright: Creating American Lifestyle. New York: H.N. Abrams, 2001. Print.

Kerr, Ann. The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Russel Wright.

Paducah, KY: Collector, 1998. Print.

Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center, Garrison, NY..

Pierce, Dianne. Design, Craft and American Identity: Russel Wright’s “American Way” Project, 1940-2.

December 2010. Thesis abstract.

Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton, NJ. Wright, Mary, and Russel Wright. Mary and Russel Wright’s Guide to Easier Living. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 2003. Print.

The autobiographical papers of Russel Wright.

Personal papers and correspondence from the collection of Ann Wright.

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