Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Robert Blackburn, 1970 December 4. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Robert Hamilton Blackburn and Ruth Fine. Interview about Romare Bearden with Bob Blackburn, 2002-2004. Ruth Fine papers, 1929-2016. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview of Robert Broner conducted 1974 May 3-8, by Dennis Barrie, for the Archives of American Art. Broner speaks of growing up in Detroit; his early interest in art due to his brother's influence; attending Cass Technical High School and Wayne University; his U.S. Army service during World War II; getting his Masters' at UCLA; teaching and life at Auburn University; going to New York and working in Stanley William Hayter's studio; taking a course from Stuart Davis at the New School; Hayter and Davis as teachers; printmaking; Robert Blackburn's printing shop; his preference for printmaking over painting; returning to Detroit; the establishment of a printing press and printmaking at the Society of Arts and Crafts; becoming the art critic on the DETROIT TIMES; the development of his work; and printmaking in Michigan. He recalls Sarkis Sarkisian, Robert Blackburn, and Emil Weddige.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Broner (1922-) is a painter and printmaker from Detroit, Michigan.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 51 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Painters -- Michigan -- Detroit -- Interviews Search this
Three scrapbooks, 1959-2010, assembled by Regina Serniak Stewart document her career as a costume designer, painter, board member and Executive Director of the New York Artists Equity Association.
Scope and Content Note:
Three scrapbooks, 1959-2010, assembled by Regina Serniak Stewart (b. 1942) document her career as a costume designer, painter, board member and Executive Director of the New York Artists Equity Association.
The scrapbooks contain: letters from Robert Blackburn, Victor Candell, Domenico Facci, Edward M. Kennedy, Sara M. Kuniyoshi, Larry McMurtry, Jack Stewart, and letters from various museums and galleries; costume sketches, 1963-1974, for the Paterson, New Jersey Lyric Opera Theatre; curriculum vitae, awards and profiles of the artist; photographs of Stewart, her work, and events; and printed material including clippings, articles, programs, brochures, flyers, and exhibition catalogs. The collection also includes some loose printed materials consisting of collectors' guides to kitchen utensils and stoneware co-written by Stewart and an article and exhibition catalog about her painting.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 2 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Scrapbooks, 1959-2010 (Boxes 1-2; 0.7 linear ft.)
Series 2: Printed Materials, circa 1977, 2003-2008 (Box 2; 0.1 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
Regina Serniak Stewart (b. 1942), a painter, administrator, and writer in New York City is the Executive Director of the New York Artists Equity Association.
Stewart is a graduate of the Cooper Union School of Art and Achitecture whose paintings have been exhibited in New York and throughout the United States. In addition to painting, Ms. Stewart was a set and costume designer for the Paterson Lyric Opera Theatre, a jewelry designer, an art consultant, and an art instructor. She was elected to the board of the New York Artists Equity Association in 1989 and is now Executive Director.
Provenance:
Donated by Regina Stewart, July 27, 2010.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Collagists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
An interview of Robert Blackburn conducted 1970 December 4, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art. Blackburn speaks of his early life in Jamaica and New York; the influences of his youth including school, gangs, religion, art, music, and culture; the Harlem Community Art Center; studying with Charles Alston; the difficulties suffered by Black artists trying to gain recognition in a white-dominated art world; attending the Art Students League and studying under Vaclav Vytlacil and Will Barnet; his work with children; his film work at the Harmon Foundation; financial problems; the Printmaking Workshop; attending New York University's School of Visual Arts and the Cooper Union School; Black people in the arts; and the influence of music on his paintings. He recalls Jacob Lawrence, Will Barnet, Vaclav Vytlacil, Wallace Harrison, Tatyana Grosman, Grace Hartigan, Sam Francis, and Robert Rauschenberg.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Blackburn (1920-) was a printmaker from New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hr., 28 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Occupation:
Printmakers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
An interview of Charles Henry Alston conducted 1968 October 19, by Al Murray, for the Archives of American Art.
Alston speaks of his family background, early interest in art, and education at Columbia University; the social and cultural scene in Harlem in the late 1920s, and the street life there; coming into contact with some of the most important figures of the Harlem Renaissance; the differing problems faced by black and white artists; teaching; commercial art; figurative and abstract art. He recalls Romare Bearden and Robert Blackburn.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles Henry Alston (1907-1977) was a painter and educator from New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 7 minutes.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others. Funding for this interview provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Robert Hamilton Blackburn and Jeff Donaldson. Interview with Bob Blackburn, circa 1972. Jeff Donaldson papers, 1918-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Rainbow : prints from Bob Blackburn's Printmaking Workshop : a cultural presentation of the United States of America / exhibition director, Judy Collischan ; exhibition curator, Noah Jemisin = L'arc en ciel : gravures de l'atelier Blackburn : une présentation culturelle des Etats-Unis d'Amerique / directrice de l'exposition, Judy Collischan ; conservateur de l'exposition, Noah Jemisin
