American Craft Council Honors Wendy Maruyama
The Aileen Osborn Webb Awards 2009 honors artists in the craft field.
The American Craft Council recognized 11 recipients of the Aileen Osborn Webb Awards for 2009, including Wendy Maruyama, professor in the School of Art, Design and Art History.
About the award
Named for the founder of the American Craft Council, the Aileen Osborn Webb Awards honor those who have demonstrated outstanding artistic achievement, leadership and service in the craft field.
Another view of Maruyama’s “Vanity,” which features a video made by Maruyama and featuring her sister, Karen Maruyama, an actress and SDSU graduate.
Maruyama was one of seven individuals inducted into the College of Fellows. Since 1974, the council has bestowed the title of "Fellow" on 254 artists, nominated and elected by a committee of their peers. Those elected have demonstrated extraordinary artistic ability and must have worked at least 25 years in the discipline or career for which they are being recognized (nonartists may be named Honorary Fellows).
About Maruyama
Maruyama, known for her innovative, expressive and provocative work, heads the woodworking/furniture design program in the School of Art, Design and Art History. She also received her undergraduate degree from SDSU, where she has taught since 1989.
Previously, she held the same position at California College of Arts. Maruyama has an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology and is the recipient of a Fulbright Grant to England and travel grants to France and Japan, visits abroad that provided her with sources of inspiration.
"Her distinctive work," Robert Long once wrote, "sparks the imagination of students, collectors and fellow makers."
Profoundly swayed by her family's experience, her new work, Executive Order 9066, refers to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
These individuals will be honored at a luncheon during the American Craft Council’s leadership conference “Creating a New Craft Culture” in Minneapolis on Oct. 16.
Other award recipients
Other recipients of American Craft Council awards, include:
- The Gold Medal: Paul Soldner
- Fellows: Adela Akers, Glenda Arentzen, Tony Hepburn, Gyöngy Laky, Toots Zynsky
- Aileen Osborn Webb Award for Philanthropy: Robyn and John Horn
- Award of Distinction for Contributions in the Field of Craft: Helen W. Drutt English
- Honorary Fellow: Lois Moran
Past SDSU recipients include Arline Fisch and Helen Shirk, both professor emeriti.
