Constance Abernathy

Constance Abernathy
Born (1931-06-20)June 20, 1931
Died June 18, 1994(1994-06-18)
Alma mater University of Michigan
Spouse(s) J. T. Abernathy

Constance Abernathy (born Constance Davies in June 20, 1931 – Died in June 18, 1994) was an American architect, jeweler, and associate of Buckminster Fuller.

Architecture

Abernathy worked on a special project studying with Buckminster Fuller to create the geodesic dome egg carton form of architecture, and functioned as Fuller's secretary maintaining sections of his files and archives.[1][2] Between 1966 and 1971, she directed Fuller's New York office.[3]

Jewelry

Beginning in 1977, Abernathy became a jeweler.[3] In New York City she befriended and worked with many famous artists. Among her artist friends were many well known painters and sculptors like Larry Rivers, Peter Reginato, Peter Young, Ronnie Landfield, and Dan Christensen. In the 1980s her works started to include precious gems and cast parts she created. Her big bead necklaces were collected by Clarice Cosby and many others.[4][5] Her works are in the collections of the Cooper Hewitt and Museum of Art and Design.[3][4]

Personal life

She was born in Detroit, Michigan, Abernathy attended Cass Technical High School and University of Michigan Architecture school (class of 1953).[6]

She married J. T. Abernathy, a potter and art professor at University of Michigan in the 1950s but their union did not last long. She left Ann Arbor, Michigan for Paris shortly after, arriving in the swinging scene of the Paris 1960s. She worked as an architect all over Europe and married a filmmaker.

In the early 1990s she was diagnosed with cancer and she succumbed to her illness in 1994. Before she died she had a farewell party for her closest friends; and she distributed her worldly possessions among them as her way of saying goodbye. She died two days before her 63rd birthday at home in her Chelsea apartment in New York City soon after her party.[7]

Archive

References

  1. ↑ cdlib.org website retrieved May 12, 2009
  2. ↑ thirteen.org website retrieved May 12, 2009
  3. 1 2 3 "Constance Abernathy". Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  4. 1 2 "Museum of Arts and Design Collection Database". madmuseum.org. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Data Base, Museum of Arts and Design, retrieved February 4, 2009
  6. 1 2 "Constance Abernathy visual materials.". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  7. ↑ susan supercharged. "Susan Supercharged". superchargedamf.blogspot.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
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