 The logo for the Silvermine Guild of Artists (now called the Silvermine Arts Center) was designed by prominent industrial designer and artist John Vassos., but his association with the organization is almost forgotten. The logo is a broad tree, divided into five branches representing the union of Painting, Sculpture, Drama , Music and Dance. The symbols hold reference to a common allegiance, among the basic human arts. Vassos thought the arts must be rooted in a place like Silvermine which was a very significant place to John Vassos who lived very close to it on Comstock Hill in the Silvermine area of Norwalk, Connecticut. Vassos was the President of the guild for 10 terms, in 1936, 1940, 1941, 1949-1955 and raised significant funds for the center using his considerable influence with RCA, where he worked as a consultant designer for almost four decades. The school building was named the John Vassos building in honor of his fundraising and leadership of the organization, as noted in the New York Times on May 27, 1950 which discusses the $50,000 gift received for the building. I am not sure if the sign is still there, please let me know if you are there. When he died, an exhibition "A Tribute to John Vassos, 1898-1985" was held for him in the "Vassos Gallery" which examined his leadership of the organization and role as a driving force behind the development of the Silvermine Guild. Fellow artist and Silvermine member Carlus Dyer in his moving tribute to John Vassos at the opening of the Vassos memorial exhibit, said that "Vassos was the most outstanding of its artist members.. and was vital to the expansion of the Guild as an art center of national status." His wide contributions to this organization are not mentioned on the Silvermine Story on their website, one of many exclusions for John Vassos. I hope that my work rediscovering Vassos and my new biography can help shed light on his significant contribution to this important regional art center and to American industrial design in the 20th century.
16 Comments
Lee Levey
7/19/2016 12:46:18 pm
I have read your book with great interest for numerous reasons. I bought John's house on Comstock Hill some 13 years ago and began my research. We made may of the same stops along the way to find the depth to his story. To me, the most interesting aspect to his story was the personal and social life he lived here in Silvermine and NYC. His involvement in the Guild, Silvermine, Norwalk and the many friends, influences and enemies he developed along the way. I would enjoy talking with you about the things you left out of the book. Contact me at your leisure..
Lee Levey
4/15/2017 06:51:15 am
Contact me through email or call my office at 203-847-0374
Crystal
4/14/2017 06:11:47 pm
I am a great great niece of John Vassos and spent much time in that house, as my Grandfather lived there for a long time. I'm curious if there has been any updates to the house or any photos as I have many childhood memories there?
Lee Levey
4/15/2017 06:58:16 am
It would be great to talk to you about John Vassos and your memories of the house. My wife and I bought what we call "John's House" about 13 years ago from a couple that purchased it from, I will assume, your grandfather Paul. The house was in a state of disrepair and we set out to restore and renovate the structure. It is now a landmark as plaques by the local historical commission and the State of CT. Email or call me in my office, 203-847-0374.
Leah Thiel
6/28/2020 04:02:53 pm
I have numerous B/W photos of the Vassos house from 1938, when he hosted the Greek Ambassador (Demitrios Sicilians), a party at which my mother and her family attended. If you would like to see the photos I would be glad to send to you. All photos are outside, on the lawn.
Marianne Josem
9/5/2016 05:26:17 pm
My parents were friends of John and Ruth through the Silvermine Guild. John gave my parents a canvas he painted - I don't know if he created it specially for them and for a specific location in my family home. After the death of my father in 2007, my brother and I gave the painting to the Guild as we felt this was where it belonged to be honored and appreciated. I remember the John and Ruth coming to my parents home on many occasions - his stories about leaving Greece and being in the war and Ruth smoking a cigarette in a long cigarette holder. To my dismay, afterwards I heard of the some of the people he befriended when he was younger - Henry Stack Sullivan and Ernest Hemingway among others - and wished I could have asked him questions about his time with them and their impact on his life.
Andrea Sandor
6/25/2019 10:31:22 am
I have a copy of terrific map of Silvermine that says Map Drawn by John Vassos Copyright 1945. Are there any good copies available?
Lee Levey
6/26/2019 07:34:11 am
When the Silvermine Tavern closed sever years ago, the owner gave all of the remaining posters to a local resident for safe keeping. A number of posters were given to the Norwalk Association of Silvermine Homeowners for membership rewards. I spoke with Leigh Grant yesterday about the posters and they can be made available individually for $30, the poster mailing tube and postage. Let me know if you are interested.
Andrea Sandor`
6/26/2019 09:43:10 am
I am very interested - is there more than 1 poster - where can I see the selection? Thanks for your question. I was going to recommend that you contact Silvermine Arts Center or the Norwalk Association of Silvermine. Thanks Lee for your comment and directing Andrea to the right place. I have only seen the poster in the archives and am so happy that it lives on through the remaining posters given to the Norwalk Association.
Lee Levey
6/26/2019 10:19:48 am
There is only one poster that was created by John Vassos of Silvermine, so no selection is available other than what you have. The poster was designed and printed in the late 1940's or early 1950's. They will probably never be reprinted.
Brian Doyle
1/20/2020 09:03:31 am
I have enjoyed reading about our customer and friend John Vassos. We were young in the early 60's and I bought a business, an established service station aka B&T Texaco gas station attached to the General Store across from the Broadriver bakery. We met many a famous person who lived in the area. My brother was an expert well educated auto mechanic and Mr John Vassos realized that early on. You see Mr V's owned a very one of a kind 57 Ice Blue Cadillac Eldorado that he customized to his liking by having the tail fins removed from this nearly new Cadillac. This car 's engine was again a hot rodders dream it was powerful, fast and somewhat finnicky . Mr. Vassos preferred it to run smooth and quiet after all he was John Vassos and this was afterall a Cadillac so once John V discovered my brother was the only one who could preform delicate procedure's on his very special custom Cadillac he would spend friendship time at our gas station. My brother who also was a hunter spent many visits to Mr Vassos home and also wandered around the many fields with a few of John's favorite hunting dogs and perhaps a rifle or a camera? I have a question regarding his Custom Car does anyone know what ever happened to it? lost? left behind? hidden in some dark ol barn? whatever? another question what ever happened to his very personalized mail box? I can still see it in my minds eye? I was once told that we were not suppose to paint or alter a mail box but this was John Vassos' mailbox and he celebrated his loving dogs with a personal rendering and was never asked to remove their beautiful images. Any help would be appreciated, thank you Brian Doyle Thank you Mr. Doyle for your beautiful memory of John Vassos! I knew about his Cadillac and the removal of the fins to John's aesthetic liking but not his relationship with your brother, the expert car mechanic and the Texaco station. I asked his niece about the car and she thinks that it was sold many years ago. She recalled it being very large and impressive. I really appreciate you taking the time to recall this memory on this website tribute to John Vassos.
Leah Thiel
6/28/2020 04:11:05 pm
Danielle, I have many B/W photos from my moms scrapbook of when John Vassos hosted the Ambassador from Greece (Deitrios Sicilians) at his home in Silvermine. If they are of any interest to you please LMK and I will take pictures and send to you. I believe the date is 1938. 6/29/2020 06:59:16 am
Hello Leah, Thanks so much for writing about these photos in your mom's scrapbook. I would love to see these photos! Thanks so much. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDanielle Shapiro, Ph.D. is a writer and author of the first biography of John Vassos, modernist Greek-American industrial designer - John Vassos: Industrial Design for Modern Life. She is based in Baltimore, MD and blogs at www.johnvassos.com. Categories |
RSS Feed