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C. Jeré is a metalwork artist of wall sculptures and household accessories. C. Jeré works are made and marketed by the corporation Artisan House. Curtis Jere is a compound nom-de-plume of artists Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels. The two founders combined pieces of their own names to create the C. Jeré signature. Modernism magazine interviewed Jerry Fels shortly before his death in October 2008. According to the resulting article in the Spring 2007 issue of Modernism magazine page 116, the company was founded in 1963 by Fels and his brother-in-law Curtis (Kurt) Freiler. Freiler was the production chief and Fels was head of design. Their goal was to produce "gallery-quality art for the masses." Kurt and Jerry sold Artisan House in 1972. Sold and resold, the company still produces metal sculptures including reintroductions of popular mid-century designs. Artisan House sculptures are no longer made in California. Production went overseas to China in 2003.

Vintage C. Jeré works are highly collectible and can sell for thousands of dollars.

C. Jeré works range from representational to highly abstract. Some of the older techniques, such as enameling and the bronzes, haven't been used in decades.

[edit] References

• According to Elle Decor Magazine (UK Edition) July 2007; Curtis Jere Metal Wall Sculptures are the current Hot Shopping. They called jere sculptures, "Possibly our top vintage discovery this year".
• ArtNet entry for "Curtis Jere Co."
• AskArt entry for "Curtis (C. Jere) Jere"
• Dickenson, Susan Pyle (2008). "Made of Mettle," Home Accents Today
• Fogarty, Kate (2007). "The Talented Mr. Jeré," Modernism Magazine, Spring, p. 116.
• Pure Contemporary blog entry about C. Jeré
• http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architects/100/campion_platt/platt_slideshow_092007?slide=11
• http://www.housebeautiful.com/dip-in-the-blue-0408(Famous designer Frank Roop calls Curtis Jere pieces Highly collectable)
• Metropolitan Home magazine September 2007 featured an article on Curtis Jere sculptures as well as a photo in their "collect" section.
• New York Magazine mentions Curtis Jere art on "the it list" Feb. 2008 http://nymag.com/anniversary/40th/strategist/43901/
• Dwell magazine - February 2008 - http://www.dwell.com/articles/nice-looking-glass.html
• Stuff Magazine - July 2009 - retro wall sculptures are suddenly hot, especially those in the style of Curtis Jere http://stuffboston.com/hot100-2009/archive/2009/07/28/hot-art-wall-sculptures.aspx

[edit] External links

• Artisan House official website