The Eameses are considered two of the most important and influential figures in all of twentieth century design. Charles Eames was born in St. Louis, MO. He briefly attended Washington University before finding work at a local architecture firm. He had established a private architectural practice by 1930.

In 1936, he was awarded a fellowship to study at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI. There, he met Eliel Saarinen, Director of the Academy, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, and Ray Kaiser. Kaiser had studied painting under Hans Hofmann, and had come to Cranbrook to study weaving. She married Eames in 1941; Bertoia, designed and crafted her wedding ring.

Eames was eventually appointed head of the experimental design department. Working in collaborating with Eero Saarinen, he first gained public recognition through the 1940 "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition sponsored by the Museum of Modern Art. He and Saarinen were awarded a prize for an innovative plywood chair, but given the wartime shortage of materials, it could not be mass produced. Page 2 >