Esther Webb Houseman (1910 – 1992) lived most of her life in Dallas working in the fields of crafts and design. In 1933, with Velma Davis [Dozier], she established the Dallas School of Creative Arts; together they were referred to as “The Lady Blacksmiths.” Their school served as a working and teaching studio and offered instruction primarily in metalsmithing with the addition of other art disciplines including photography, printmaking and creative design. The school was also a social gathering place for Dallas artists during the Great Depression of the 1930s. World War II brought an end to the school due to the shortage of metal, but soon after the war Esther and Velma reestablished their school as the Craft Guild of Dallas, which continues today. The collection includes artwork, clippings, correspondence, documents, photographs, publicity, and published works relating to Esther’s own personal work and that of the Dallas School of Creative Arts and the Craft Guild of Dallas.
Please take a look at the detailed finding aid available through Texas Archival Resources Online here:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/smu/00102/smu-00102.html
Image: Courtesy of Esther Webb Houseman art work and papers, Bywaters Special Collections, Hamon Arts Library, Southern Methodist University