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Ray Eames
Ray Eames – A Designer with an Artistic Eye
Ray Eames (1912–1988) was an American designer and artist whose practice was closely connected to space and architecture. Together with her husband, Charles Eames, Ray significantly shaped design in the 20th century: but Ray Eames was far more than just the "female half" of the duo – she brought a distinctive artistic style and a special sense of colour, material and atmosphere to their collaborative work.
Early Years and Artistic Training
Born Bernice Alexandra Kaiser in Sacramento, California, Ray Eames initially studied painting at Bennett Women's College and later at the renowned Art Students League in New York, in context of the latter her studies under Hans Hofmann, an influential modernist painter and forerunner of Abstract Expressionism, were particularly influential. Eames' works from this period demonstrating her keen sense of composition and colour effects, that later had a decisive influence on Eames design.
Role in the Eames Office
After marrying Charles Eames in 1941 the couple moved to California and established the Eames Office in Los Angeles — an interdisciplinary workshop for design, film and architecture. This creative environment gave rise to some of the most famous furniture designs of the 20th century, which are now classified as Mid Century Modern Design — including the iconic Eames Chairs, such as the Eames Lounge Chair and the Eames Plastic Chairs. Ray played a key role in the design, colour, material selection and presentation of the design. Her contributions ranged from sketches and collages to textile patterns and the staging of exhibitions and film projects.
Ray Eames
Ray Eames's Design Signature
Ray Eames was a master of detail. She combined rational design with poetic precision, whereby her preference for playful, visually appealing elements is evident, for example, in the colourful fabric patterns later produced by Vitra and in the sensitive material composition of many Eames products. The graphic design of exhibitions such as Mathematica and her contributions to short films by the Eames Office – including Powers of Ten, which is strongly influenced visually and conceptually by her aesthetic – also bear her signature.
Legacy and Late Recognition
Ray Eames played a decisive role in shaping design – but for a long time, her role remained in the shadow of her famous husband. Only in recent decades has her independent achievement increasingly come into the focus of experts and the public. Museums, exhibitions and publications today honour Ray Eames as a central figure in contemporary design whose design legacy ranges from iconic furniture and experimental films to a new, holistic understanding of design that connects art, everyday life and technology. The designs of Ray and Charles Eames are still produced and appreciated today. They represent not only timeless aesthetics and functionality, but also Ray's visionary view of the world.