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Byrdcliffe
as a Utopian Community
Lesson
Comparing Byrdcliffe to other utopian communities, artists' colonies,
and social movements.
Objective
Students will be able to place Byrdcliffe in historical context by comparing
and contrasting it to other utopian communities, artist colonies and social
movements.
Activity
Ask students to research two or three of the communities listed below
and compare them to Byrdcliffe. Identify the similarities and differences
to Byrdcliffe’s approach to artistic expression, labor, social reform,
business methods, etc.
Background
Information
Byrdcliffe was an attempt to create an Arts and Crafts lifestyle. Whitehead
created a community of like-minded people within a natural landscape that
reflected the teachings of Ruskin and Morris. The Byrdcliffe art colony
dabbled in almost every art form associated with
the Arts and Crafts movement. Although committed to the stylistic characteristics
and healthy living associated with the Arts and Crafts movement, Whitehead
was not interested in participating in the social reforms of the period.
Ralph Whitehead
resisted referring to Byrdcliffe as a utopian community. Why do you think
so? (See articles in exhibition catalogue by Nancy Green and Tom Wolf.)
Questions
to Guide Student’s Research
- Who
were the founders? When was the community founded?
- What
are the major characteristics or goal(s) of the colony, community or
movement?
- Compare
and contrast their stylistic approach and/or philosophy to Byrdcliffe.
Possible
Sources
Oneida Community, Oneida, NY
www.oneidacommunity.org
www.nyhistory.com/central/onieda/htm
The Shakers,
CA
http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/shakers.html
www.hancockshakervillage.org/old/shakers.html
Hull House,
Chicago, IL
http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html
http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/newdesign/ja.html
Toynbee
Hall, London, England
http://www.toynbeehall.org.uk/history.htm
http://www.utopia-britannica.org.uk/pages/homebase.htm
Rose Valley
Shops, Moylan, PA
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/view1.asp?dep=1&item=1991.145
http://w1.igateway.com/clients1/rosevalley/history.htm
Roycroft,
East Aurora, NY
http://www.roycrofter.com/
http://www.bigeye.com/elberth.htm
Stickley
and Co., Syracuse, NY
http://anc.gray-cells.com/p_gs.html
Arequipa
Pottery, Fairfax, CA
http://www.museumca.org/exhibit/exhi_arequip.html
http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2000/11/10/27699.html
Greene &
Greene, Pasadena, CA
http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/architecture/greeneandgreene/
http://www.gamblehouse.org/
Frank Lloyd
Wright
http://www.pbs.org/flw/
http://www.wrightplus.org/
St. George
Guild, Sheffield, England
http://www.sheffieldgalleries.org.uk/coresite/html/ruskin.asp
http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/news/0210jru.html
Kelmscott
Press, Hammersmith, England
http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/middleages/case5.html
http://www.morrissociety.org/
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