The Fort Ord Arts & Crafts Center

The mission of the Arts and Crafts Division is to "promote morale, increase efficiency and to further the knowledge, skills and innate creative ability of all military personnel. Through active participation in a constructive program of arts and crafts during off-duty hours... cultural awareness and enhancement of the military community. (AR28-40)

The United States Army Fort Ord Arts & Crafts Center was one of the largest and most complete facilities of its kind in the world. It was rated number one on the Department of the Army. It had 2,500 formal classes each year in 65 disciplines with a daily average of 700 participants. The success and development of this great art complex is credited to Mr. Richard Puckett, Arts & Crafts Branch Director and his staff (please see photo)

The arts and crafts complex was located between 2nd and 3rd Avenue off 8th Street. It consisted of six buildings, with 16 fully-equipped shops, an art gallery featuring monthly exhibits, and a special children's classroom. It catered to 40 to 60 major areas of interest, ranging from painting and graphics to bronze casting and glass blowing. There was a main sales store, which offered a complete range of arts and craft supplies plus a gift shop. There was an Auto Crafts Center and Autobody shop with 16 bays for all aspects of body repair from welding to sandblasting.

The arts and crafts facilities and sales stores were open to active and retired military, including their families, civil service and NAF employees and their families. The gift shop was open to the general public.

PHOTO'S:

This web site is a work in progress. If you would like to add/correct any text or photos please contact: E-mail: Deborah Silguero, Student and Website Coordinator - Senior Capstone project Fall 1997, Visual and Public Art Department
In Progress also: Featured stories about the staff that helped keep the Ft. Ord Arts & Crafts Center successful.

A Special Thanks To:

Richard E. Puckett, Art & Crafts Branch Director

David Allen, Art Instructor

Walter Avery, Shop Dir. and Sign Shop Illustrator

Richard Lutz, Sculpture shop Dir. & Special Project Dir.

Shirley Bender, Rec. Asst.

Charles Jackson, Instructor

Steve Jackson, Asst. Dir.

Charlie Kamrath, Wood shop Dir.

Alfred Norman, Sales Store & Instructor

Jim Oteri, Auto Shop Instructor

Eillen Gedes, Graphic Instructor

A very Special Thank You to Mr. Nobuo Shiromoto,
Photo shop Dir. ( 19--/1996) whose Photography has been the soul of this website.

LINKS MAIL

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