Greg Bloomfield, New Zealand furniture maker, has recently returned from New York, where he spent a year making 7 works for his show with the dealer gallery "Leo Kaplan Modern".
Greg wrote this story for us.
My involvment with the U.S.A furniture makers began in 1981. I discovered what I feel about furniture when I worked for a year in a studio with Gary Knox Bennett - the doyen of American furniture. I then began an eight year working relationship with the great Wendell Castle. Then it seemed important to test and build my reputation in Europe and so I worked in France for three years exhibiting successfully in London and Paris.
I returned to New Zealand and worked seriously to win national focus. I did this with support from the Arts Council and I showed in 20 New Zealand exhibitions. Then the climate changed. Creative NZ lost it's will to support craft artists, as the advocacy had gone. Policy change to a goal centered, rather than art form approach, left me admitting I would have to leave New Zealand to survive.
Creative NZ refused four successive applications for funding so I headed back to U.S.A specifically to find dealer representation in N.Y.
I had been offered a show at the Peter Joseph Gallery in 1995 but couldn't afford to send work and Peter died. So in 1999 I had to re-establish myself and with the backing of Wendell and Gary, Leo Kaplan took me on board. A year later my first show with him was a sellout. My second show has just recently opened on 17 Nov, 2000 at:
Leo kaplan Modern
During 2001 I will make work for Leo Kaplan to show in Nov 2001. The work will show at the Rotorua Museum befor being sent to N.Y.
View images of Greg's work, which New Yorkers are buying.
This is a marvellous success story, but at the same time it is a commentary, no one making decisions about our world class craft artists want to do anything about.
Greg Bloomfield
Email:Greg@bloomfield.co.nz
The Fuller Building
7th Floor, 41 East St
N.Y 10022
Ph: 212 872 1616
Fax: 212 872 1617
Email:Terry@LKmodern.com
R.D.8 Upper Plain Rd
Masterton
New Zealand
