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Four Enamel on Copper Plates

Creator: jade snow wong
Offered by: Good Design

Description
Four enamel on copper plates. Signed Jade Snow Wong.

Jade Snow Wong was born in 1922 and grew up in San Francisco's Chinatown, in a immigrant chinese family. She and her family lived in rooms which were part of her father's clothing factory. At that time the Chinese were isolated from the White American population in Chinatown, due to the effects of the 1882 Chinese exclusionary act. As the fifth daughter in a traditional chinese home she was neither expected to get a college education nor would the family have the means to send her. The expectation was that she would marry and have children and take care of her husband, children and her husband's parents. Jade however had dreams.

In 1950 she wrote a wonderful memoir, which I loved reading, about growing up in Chinatown in an immigrant family and fullfilling her dreams despite the skepticism of her parents . The book titled "Fifth Chinese Daughter" was a global success. Jade went to Mills College on a full scholarship while working and living in a faculty dean's home. It was there that she learrned about American culture. She studied economics and sociology and intended to become a social worker. As part of her education she took a class in crafts, taught by Carlton Ball, a renowed artist/educator in Caliifornia crafts.

Jade Snow Wong Graduated Mills College, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1942. She continued her ceramics education at night after work, with the ceramics group at Mills and took classes one with Bernard Leach.

Jade wanted to see if she could earn her living from making ceramics. She had no money to begin a business but ingeniously decided to see if one of the stores along Grant Avenue would allow her to sit at a potters wheel in their window and make pots which would be for sale. The store owner would be given 15% of her sales. From the moment she entered the window she drew crowds. After some time she was able to rent space from her father and have a bigger studio. She sold her pottery and enamels at fine stores.

She participated in ceramics shows and museum shows. In 1947 her work appeared in one of the good design shows at MOMA, called "100 useful objects of fine design." In 1948 The Metropolitan Museum bought a large green enamel bowl, currrently on display, from the Ceramics National Show in Syracuse in which she participated. She had a solo exhibit in 1952 at the Art Institute of Chicago which went on to four additional museums. The ceramics from that show were then kept in their crates for the next 50 years. In 2002 a retrospectiive of her work was put on by the Chinese HIstorical Society of America.

These plates are signed by the artist Jade Snow Wong San Francisco for V. C. Morris. The V. C. Morris Gift Shop for which these plates are signed and were sold, was a store that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright re-designed an existing warehouse to become a store. The building served as a "proof of concept" for the circular ramp at the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and remains an important architectural site in San Francisco today.

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Origin:	United States, California
Period:	1920-1949
Materials:	Enamel on Copper
Condition:	Good. excellent some light scratches on one
Creation Date:	1948
Number of Pieces:	4-5
Styles / Movements:	Studio Craft, Collectible Design, Mid Century
200 Lex Booth #:	46
Patterns:	Modern
Incollect Reference #:	737597

Dimensions

Diam.	7.75 in;
Diam.	19.69 cm;

Message from Seller:

This revolutionary space showcases over 50 of the finest antique and vintage dealers, who present an extraordinary mix of antique, vintage, and 21st Century finds – furniture, accessories, lighting, fine art, and fine jewelry. We are an all-inclusive design resource for both designers and consumers THE GALLERY AT 200 LEX: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9:30 AM – 5:30PM FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 646-293-6633 OR EMAIL THEGALLERY@NYDC.COM

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