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Fendrick Gallery records

Creator:
Fendrick Gallery  Search this
Names:
Barbara Fendrick Gallery  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Arneson, Robert, 1930-1992  Search this
Bailey, William, 1930-2020  Search this
Benes, Barton Lidic  Search this
Brush, Daniel  Search this
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Cottingham, Robert, 1935-  Search this
Drake, James, 1946-  Search this
Dreyfuss, John, 1949-  Search this
Dusenbery, Walter, 1939-  Search this
Frankenthaler, Helen, 1928-2011  Search this
Gilliam, Sam, 1933-2022  Search this
Johns, Jasper, 1930-  Search this
KaskeyRaymond J., 1943-  Search this
Lalanne, Claude  Search this
Lalanne, François Xavier  Search this
Maria da Conceição  Search this
Paley, Albert  Search this
Raffael, Joseph, 1933-  Search this
Summer, Carol  Search this
Tenneson, Joyce, 1945-  Search this
Woodyard, William  Search this
Extent:
106.4 Linear feet
0.008 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Account books
Photographs
Date:
1952-2001
Summary:
The records of the Fendrick Gallery measure 106.4 linear feet and 0.008 GB and span the years 1952 to 2001. The bulk of the collection is comprised of artist's files that document the gallery's relations with and representation of over 300 contemporary artists and sculptors, including Robert Arneson, William Bailey, Daniel Brush, Wendell Castle, Robert Cottingham, James Drake, John Dreyfuss, Walter Dusenbury, Roger Essley, Helen Frankenthaler , Sam Gilliam, Jasper Johns, Raymond Kaskey, Claude and Francois Lalanne, Albert Paley, Joseph Raffael, Carol Summer, and numerous other artists. Also found are subject, exhibition, commission, administrative, and financial files, as well as files documenting the gallery's relationship with other museums and galleries.
Scope and Content Note:
The records of the Fendrick Gallery measure 106.4 linear feet and 0.008 GB and span the years 1952 to 2001. The bulk of the collection is comprised of artist's files that document the gallery's relationships with and representation of over 300 contemporary artists, including Robert Arneson, William Bailey, Daniel Brush, Wendell Castle, Robert Cottingham, James Drake, John Dreyfuss, Walter Dusenbury, Roger Essley, Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Gilliam, Jasper Johns, Raymond Kaskey, Claude and Francois Lalanne, Albert Paley, Joseph Raffael, Carol Summer, and numerous other artists. Also found are subject, exhibition, commission, administrative, and financial files, as well as files documenting the gallery's relationship with other museums and galleries.

Series 1, Artist's Files, measures almost 42 linear feet and dates from 1962-2001. Found here are files documenting the gallery's relationship with over 300 contemporary artists. Files typically contain correspondence, sales receipts, printed materials, exhibition catalogs and announcements, commission information, photographs, slides, and other materials.

Series 2, Albert Paley, 1970-2001, and undated, provides detailed documentation (14.5 linear feet) of the Fendrick gallery's representation of prominent American metal sculptor Albert Paley. The gallery represented Paley from the early 1980s through the early 1990s and devoted a great deal of its resources promoting Paley's work through exhibitions and commissioned sales. Correspondence between the Fendrick Galleries and Paley Studios is found in this series, along with publicity materials, commission proposals and sketches, exhibition materials, and audio-visual and photographic documentation of Paley's work. Researchers should also consult Series 3 for additional documentation of Paley's commissioned projects.

Series 3, Commissioned Works and Projects, 1972-2000, and undated, documents the variety of commissions and special projects the gallery arranged and managed on behalf of its represented artists. Because privately commissioned work and government-sponsored public art projects represented a significant source of revenue for the Fendrick galleries, the gallery devoted a substantial amount of time and resources towards securing these projects. These files contain applications, proposals, sketches, correspondence, photographs and other material arranged by name of project.

Series 4, Exhibition Files, 1961, 1970-1996, and undated, houses files relating to exhibitions organized by Fendrick Gallery. Found here are exhibition announcements, invitations, and catalogs; specific named exhibition files; and files concerning special projects or exhibitions, often jointly curated with other galleries or institutions. The Fendrick gallery was also actively involved in various governmental programs, such as Art in the Embassies Program, and organized traveling exhibits or loaned artwork to them.

The gallery's relationships with other galleries, museums, institutions, and art organizations is documented in Series 5, Museums and Galleries Files, 1952-2000, and undated. Many of the files concern loans, exhibition venues, and joint exhibitions or projects.

Series 6, Subject Files, 1952, 1960-2001, and undated contain numerous files arranged by subject heading. Here, researchers will find information collected and maintained by the gallery on various art medium, artists of interest, exhibition catalogs from museums and other galleries, information about small and fine art presses. Of particular interest are several folders entitled "Fine Art Printers & Publishers." Barbara Fendrick's early years in the art business centered upon exhibiting, promoting, and selling prints produced by young, emerging American artists. The information found here documents her growing personal relationships with some of the most prominent artists and printmakers of this era.

Records documenting administrative, business, operating, and financial affairs are arranged in Series 7, Administrative and Financial Files, 1960-2001, and undated. Found here are records of both the Barbara Fendrick Gallery (New York) and the Fendrick Gallery (Washington, D.C.), as well as files that document Barbara Fendrick's role as art consultant, appraiser, lecturer, exhibition juror, and guest curator. Found are numerous inventory cards, insurance records, consignment files, general correspondence, lists, loan files, notebooks, real estate files, card files on artists and clients, and history files. Of particular interest are the Day Books/Dailies maintained by the New York gallery staff consisting of entries and notes regarding prospective clients and their interests. The Telephone Log Books contain details of telephone conversations with artists, clients, dealers, and other art professionals. Series 7 also houses the financial records of both galleries, including invoices, financial statements, expenses, accounts, and tax records.
Arrangement:
The Fendrick Gallery records were processed to the series, subseries, and folder level. The collection is arranged into seven series. Items within folders, for the most part, were not fully sorted or preserved. When possible, materials were generally arranged at least by year. Within Series 1, Artists' Files, each set of folders for a particular artist are only given span dates. Due to the amount and complexity of material compiled on the artist Albert Paley, his files are arranged into a separate series of their own.

Missing Title

Series 1: Artists Files, 1962-2001, undated (Box 1-42, OV 108-110; 41.5 linear ft.)

Series 2: Albert Paley, 1970-2001, undated (Box 42-54; Box 107, OV 111-113, 117-118, FC 119; 14.6 linear ft., ER01; 0.001 GB)

Series 3: Commissioned Works and Projects, 1972- 2000, undated (Box 54-57; 3.5 linear ft.)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1961, 1970-1996, undated (Box 58-63; 5.5 linear feet)

Series 5: Museums and Galleries Files, 1952-200, undated (Box 64-73; 9.25 linear feet)

Series 6: Subject Files, 1952, 1960-2001, undated (Box 73-88, OV 115-116, FC 120; 15.6 linear ft.)

Series 7: Administrative and Financial Files, undated (Box 88-106; OV, ER02-ER03; 0.008 GB)
Historical Note:
The Fendrick Gallery was established in 1960 as a "by appointment only" gallery out of Barbara Fendrick's Washington, D.C., area home. Initially the gallery promoted contemporary American and European prints by emerging artists and also commissioned print editions by nationally-known artists. During the mid 1960s, the Fendrick Gallery also coordinated and produced art exhibitions on a contract basis for the United States Information Agency. The gallery was responsible for organizing the first large American art exhibition at the Department of State and the Federal Reserve.

In May, 1970 the Fendrick Gallery moved into a three-story townhouse in Georgetown and began presenting regular exhibitions open to the public. The gallery offered many prominent American artists, such as Robert Arneson, Jim Dine, Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, Louise Nevelson, and Robert Rauschenberg their first solo shows in the nation's capital. The Fendrick Gallery also represented many nationally known sculptors, such as John Dreyfuss, Walter Dusenbery, Raymond Kaskey, and Albert Paley.

Over the years, Fendrick Gallery promoted many emerging artists who were breaking down the barriers between art and craft in the areas of clay, furniture, metal, and book arts. The gallery held the first major show of contemporary ceramics on the East Coast, with the 1976 exhibition, Clay USA. The gallery also received critical acclaim for its exhibitions in the area of "book arts" and held four shows featuring the works of prominent American and international book artists.

In 1987 and 1988, the gallery expanded and opened the Barbara Fendrick Gallery in the Soho section of New York City. The New York location operated as both a gallery space and storage area and was often referred to as "The Warehouse." Both the Fendrick Gallery and the Barbara Fendrick Gallery closed in the summer of 1991, but Barbara Fendrick continues to work as an art consultant, appraiser, exhibition juror, lecturer, and guest curator.
Provenance:
The records of the Fendrick Gallery were donated to the Archives of American Art by Barbara Fendrick in 1999, with an addition to the records in 2001.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use of unmicrofilmed material 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.
Topic:
Art -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Furniture designers  Search this
Artists -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Sculptors  Search this
Artists' books  Search this
Printmakers  Search this
Metal-workers  Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- Washington (D.C.)
Genre/Form:
Account books
Photographs
Citation:
Fendrick Gallery records, 1952-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.fendgall
See more items in:
Fendrick Gallery records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c38a61dc-847b-4624-aa9c-0b53206502b3
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-fendgall
Online Media:

Fendrick Gallery records, 1952-2001

Creator:
Fendrick Gallery  Search this
Subject:
Cottingham, Robert  Search this
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Dusenbery, Walter  Search this
Brush, Daniel  Search this
Dreyfuss, John  Search this
Benes, Barton Lidic  Search this
Drake, James  Search this
KaskeyRaymond J.  Search this
Johns, Jasper  Search this
Bailey, William  Search this
Arneson, Robert  Search this
Maria da Conceição  Search this
Lalanne, François Xavier  Search this
Lalanne, Claude  Search this
Tenneson, Joyce  Search this
Summer, Carol  Search this
Raffael, Joseph  Search this
Paley, Albert  Search this
Woodyard, William  Search this
Gilliam, Sam  Search this
Frankenthaler, Helen  Search this
Barbara Fendrick Gallery  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Account books
Photographs
Citation:
Fendrick Gallery records, 1952-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Furniture designers  Search this
Artists -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Sculptors  Search this
Artists' books  Search this
Printmakers  Search this
Metal-workers  Search this
Theme:
Art Gallery Records  Search this
Craft  Search this
Art Market  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6271
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216614
AAA_collcode_fendgall
Theme:
Art Gallery Records
Craft
Art Market
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_216614
Online Media:

Craft International -- Castle, Wendell

Collection Creator:
Slivka, Rose  Search this
Container:
Box 13, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1985
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original materials requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington D.C. research center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Rose Slivka papers, circa 1947-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Rose Slivka papers
Rose Slivka papers / Series 5: Subject Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9654a8ce4-34d3-4255-8f35-bf5dd65d2b92
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-slivrose-ref195

The furniture of Wendell Castle Organized by the Wichita Art Museum

Author:
Wichita Art Museum  Search this
University of Kansas Museum of Art  Search this
Physical description:
[15] p illus 23 x 31 cm
Type:
Books
Date:
1969
Call number:
NK2439.C3 W5X
NK2439.C3W5X
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_7577

Castle, Wendell

Collection Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Container:
Box 93, Folder 25-26
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966-1973
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Lee Nordness business records and papers, circa 1931-1992, bulk 1954-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Lee Nordness business records and papers
Lee Nordness business records and papers / Series 3: Forms & Objects, Inc. / 3.1: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94b3a4f39-0a16-41d3-a09a-c27a3e730faa
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-nordlee-ref2141

Castle, Wendell

Collection Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Container:
Box 98, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1969-1970
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Lee Nordness business records and papers, circa 1931-1992, bulk 1954-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Lee Nordness business records and papers
Lee Nordness business records and papers / Series 3: Forms & Objects, Inc. / 3.3: Public Relations Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95219a3eb-6829-40fd-8a68-e54bd2299c84
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-nordlee-ref2340

Castle, Wendell

Collection Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Container:
Box 103, Folder 9-10
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1960s-1970s
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Lee Nordness business records and papers, circa 1931-1992, bulk 1954-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Lee Nordness business records and papers
Lee Nordness business records and papers / Series 3: Forms & Objects, Inc. / 3.6: Scrapbooks
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ce19c4c2-4a0a-48aa-a9f8-ec7a25435e81
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-nordlee-ref2439

Lee Nordness floorplan sketch for Wendell Castle

Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Type:
Writings
Date:
1966 Nov. 4
Citation:
Lee Nordness and Wendell Castle. Lee Nordness floorplan sketch for Wendell Castle, 1966 Nov. 4. Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Furniture design  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)12747
See more items in:
Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_12747
Online Media:

Lee Nordness, New York, N.Y. letter to Wendell Castle, Rochester, N.Y

Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1966 Nov. 4
Citation:
Lee Nordness. Lee Nordness, New York, N.Y. letter to Wendell Castle, Rochester, N.Y, 1966 Nov. 4. Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Dealers  Search this
Furniture  Search this
Furniture designers  Search this
Interior design  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)207
See more items in:
Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_207

Wendell Castle, Rochester, N.Y letter to Lee Nordness, New York, N.Y.

Creator:
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Type:
Correspondence
Date:
1966
Citation:
Wendell Castle. Wendell Castle, Rochester, N.Y letter to Lee Nordness, New York, N.Y., 1966. Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Furniture  Search this
Furniture design  Search this
Furniture designers  Search this
Interior design  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)208
See more items in:
Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_208

Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975

Creator:
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Citation:
Wendell Castle papers, 1965-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Architecture & Design  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7352
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209506
AAA_collcode_castwend
Theme:
Craft
Architecture & Design
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209506
Online Media:

Garry Knox Bennett papers, 1917-2017, bulk 1960-2017

Creator:
Bennett, Garry Knox, 1934-2022  Search this
Subject:
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Stocksdale, Kay Sekimachi  Search this
Schwarcz, June  Search this
Paley, Albert  Search this
Jurs, Nancy  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Drawings
Interviews
Video recordings
Citation:
Garry Knox Bennett papers, 1917-2017, bulk 1960-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Scrapbooks  Search this
American studio craft movement  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6040
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)239435
AAA_collcode_benngarr
Theme:
Craft
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_239435
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Wendell Castle, 1981 June 3-December 12

Interviewee:
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F  Search this
Subject:
Esherick, Wharton  Search this
School for American Crafts  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Wendell Castle, 1981 June 3-December 12. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts -- United States  Search this
Industrial design  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13011
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212038
AAA_collcode_castle81
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212038
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Richard Snyderman, 1990 June 8

Interviewee:
Snyderman, Richard  Search this
Interviewer:
Polsky, Richard  Search this
Subject:
Bennett, Garry Knox  Search this
Borowsky, Irvin J.  Search this
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Drutt, Helen Williams  Search this
Kagan, Richard  Search this
Snyderman, Ruth  Search this
Snyderman Gallery  Search this
Works Gallery  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Richard Snyderman, 1990 June 8. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Architecture & Design  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11829
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213630
AAA_collcode_snyder90
Theme:
Craft
Architecture & Design
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213630

Oral history interview with Tommy Simpson, 2004 May 6-July 2

Interviewee:
Simpson, Tommy, 1939-  Search this
Interviewer:
Cooke, Edward S., 1954-  Search this
Subject:
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Maloof, Sam  Search this
Maruyama, Wendy  Search this
McKie, Judy Kensley  Search this
Newman, Richard, (Artist)  Search this
Sepeshy, Zoltan  Search this
Smith, Paul J.  Search this
Zucca, Edward  Search this
Boston University. Program in Artisanry  Search this
Cranbrook Academy of Art  Search this
Museum of Arts and Design (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Northern Illinois University  Search this
University of Hartford  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Place:
China -- description and travel
Europe -- description and travel
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Tommy Simpson, 2004 May 6-July 2. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
Painting -- Study and teaching  Search this
Furniture making  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11632
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)248743
AAA_collcode_simpso04
Theme:
Craft
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_248743
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Frank E. Cummings, III, 2006 December 28-2007 January 5

Interviewee:
Cummings, Frank E., 1938-  Search this
Interviewer:
Lauria, Jo, 1954-  Search this
Subject:
Cooke, Edward S.  Search this
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Prestini, James  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Frank E. Cummings, III, 2006 December 28-2007 January 5. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American art -- African influences  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
African American  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13599
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)268663
AAA_collcode_cummin06
Theme:
Craft
African American
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_268663
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Tom Eckert, 2007 June 19

Interviewee:
Eckert, Tom, 1942-  Search this
Interviewer:
Lauria, Jo, 1954-  Search this
Subject:
Stocksdale, Bob  Search this
Jordon, John  Search this
Reinsdorf, Martyle  Search this
Reinsdorf, Jerry  Search this
Krenov, James  Search this
Laitman, Nanette L.  Search this
Haas, Cervini  Search this
Himovitz, Michael  Search this
Rapp, Joanne  Search this
Rapp, James  Search this
Ellsworth, David  Search this
Dunning, William  Search this
Castle, Wendell  Search this
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts  Search this
Arizona State University  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Tom Eckert, 2007 June 19. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13620
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)271201
AAA_collcode_eckertt07
Theme:
Craft
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_271201
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Wendell Castle, 2012 February 22-24

Interviewee:
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Interviewer:
Falino, Jeannine  Search this
Subject:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Wendell Castle, 2012 February 22-24. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)16166
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)366369
AAA_collcode_castle12
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_366369
Online Media:

Garry Knox Bennett papers

Creator:
Bennett, Garry Knox, 1934-  Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Jurs, Nancy, 1941  Search this
Paley, Albert  Search this
Schwarcz, June, 1918-2015  Search this
Stocksdale, Kay Sekimachi  Search this
Extent:
12.4 Linear feet
0.446 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Drawings
Interviews
Video recordings
Date:
1917-2017
bulk 1960-2017
Summary:
The papers of woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer Garry Knox Bennett measure 12.4 linear feet, 0.446 gigabytes, and date from 1917 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from 1960 to 2017. The collection documents the artist's life and career through biographical materials, correspondence with family and friends including other artists, exhibition files, professional files, financial and legal records, and printed material and scrapbooks recording his exhibition history and more, including photographs from his youth.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer Garry Knox Bennett measure 12.4 linear feet, 0.446 gigabytes, and date from 1917 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from 1960 to 2017.

The collection includes biographical materials containing Bennett's birthday and wedding celebration material, appointment calendars, childhood artwork, sketches and patterns for projects, photographs and notes regarding the Bennetts' marriage, resumes, student records, and material regarding the Bennetts' house fire in 2003. Correspondence is with artists Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs, June Schwarcz, Kay Sekimachi and Bob Stocksdale, Albert Paley who describes an accident that occurred in 2002, and good friend and writer Jack Marlowe, as well as with wife Sylvia and daughter Jessica. Exhibition files consist of artwork price lists, artist statements, shipping documents, correspondence, and printed materials for Bennett's solo and group exhibitions. They also include documentation of a few exhibitions showing pieces from his personal art collection.

Professional files relate to workshops, lectures, exhibitions, donations, and grant proposals. Also found are project and publication files, artist statements written by Jack Marlowe and Tom Farber for Bennett, studio visit records, a video recording of an interview with Bennett, and a few digital recordings. The Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett (2001) retrospective files consist of correspondence, fundraising records, lender files, and material regarding the creation of a book that also served as the catalog for the exhibition. Financial and legal records contain check registers, invoices and receipts, card files containing sales information, and legal material relating to the estate of Peter T. Joseph. Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and exhibition history material. Additional printed material can be found in the scrapbooks recording exhibitions and Bennett's career. The scrapbooks also include some personal items such as letters, photographs, and documents from Bennett's youth.

Handwritten notes by Sylvia Bennett, offering additional history and context, can be found throughout the collection. The notes were typically written onto the original folders which have been preserved along with the related material.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1917-2009 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1, 13, OV 14)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1955-2017 (2.0 linear feet, 0.174 gigabytes; Boxes 1-3, ER0001-ER0002)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1979-2017 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-4)

Series 4: Professional Files, 1959-2017 (5.0 linear feet, 0.272 gigabytes; Boxes 4-9, ER0003-ER0004)

Series 5: -- Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett -- Retrospective, circa 1977-2009 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 9-11)

Series 6: Financial and Legal Records, 1950s-2010 (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 11-12)

Series 7: Printed Materials, 1960-2015 (0.8 linear feet; Box 12)

Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1948-1997 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 12-13)
Biographical / Historical:
Garry Knox Bennett (1934-2022) was a woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer in Oakland, California.

Bennett was born in Alameda, California to Katherine von Tagen and Robert Bennett, but was raised by his grandparents. He attended the California College of the Arts, then the California College of Arts and Crafts, where he studied painting and began experimenting with metals. During this time he married his wife Sylvia.

He opened a studio in the late 1960s where he produced his famous roach clips, then later opened a larger studio named Squirkenworks in Oakland. In the 1970s, he began working with wood and on 1980 fabricated his infamous Nail Cabinet, a wood cabinet with a single nail driven through the face of the door, which garnered attention not only for Bennett's expert craftsmanship but also for what some saw as disrespect for the craft. Regardless of any controversy Bennett's work created, he became highly respected as a craftsman. In step with his unconventional nature, Bennett exhibited and sold his paintings and jewelry using the pseudonyms Ambrose Pillphister and Gerraldo Bennucci.

Bennett received the Award of Distinction from the Furniture Society and the Master of the Medium Award from the James Renwick Alliance, and was a Fellow of the American Craft Council. A major retrospective, Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, took place in 2001 at the American Craft Museum in New York and the Oakland Museum in California.

Bennett died unexpectedly in 2022 in Oakland, California.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Garry Knox Bennett conducted February 1-2, 2002 by Glenn Adamson in Oakland, C.A. for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America.
Provenance:
The Garry Knox Bennett papers were donated in 2003 by Sylvia Bennett, Bennett's wife, and in 2017 by Garry Knox Bennett. The papers were collected as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project For Craft and Decorative Arts in America.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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:
Sculptors -- California -- Oakland  Search this
Woodworkers -- California -- Oakland  Search this
Furniture designers -- California -- Oakland  Search this
Topic:
Scrapbooks  Search this
American studio craft movement  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Interviews
Video recordings
Citation:
Garry Knox Bennett papers, 1917-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.benngarr
See more items in:
Garry Knox Bennett papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw910abe018-7381-4bf6-b522-a4b42fcfc6c8
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-benngarr
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Frank E. Cummings, III

Interviewee:
Cummings, Frank E.  Search this
Interviewer:
Lauria, Jo  Search this
Creator:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Castle, Wendell, 1932-2018  Search this
Cooke, Edward S., 1954-  Search this
Prestini, James, 1908-  Search this
Extent:
74 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2006 December 28-2007 January 5
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Frank E. Cummings, III conducted 2006 December 28 and 2007 January 5, by Jo Lauria, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in the artist's home, in Long Beach, California.
Cummings speaks of his childhood in Los Angeles and the challenges he faced in school; receiving a B.A. from California State University, Long Beach; working with troubled youth as a social worker with Neighborhood Youth Association; teaching at California State University, Long Beach while earning his M.F.A. at California State University, Fullerton through the Black Faculty Teaching Program; the invitation by Eudorah Moore to show in "California Design XI"; the importance of having his and his students' work published in Dona Meilach's book, "Creating Modern Furniture: Trends, Techniques, Appreciation"; the role of reflective surfaces in his work to capture the viewer's attention; using a diamond stylus to draw on glass; serving as the first M.F.A. graduate program coordinator at California State University, Long Beach; the development and creation of his famed clock, It's About Time, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; working as a gofer for Sam Maloof during a three day seminar at Yosemite National Park; receiving an invitation from Maloof to teach at Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina; his experiences at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine.; the consistent drive throughout his career to continue working, exhibiting, and publishing; his love of teaching; the honor of receiving the Outstanding Professor Award at California State University, Fullerton, in 1997; receiving a National Endowment of Arts grant in 1973 to spend two months in Ghana, Africa examining connections between the African American struggle for identity in the ghettoes of the United States and struggles faced in Africa; returning to various regions in Africa in 1981 at the request of the State Department to evaluate and help increase object making productivity in villages while exhibiting his art in museums throughout the continent; his deliberate selection of materials; the role race has played in his career; his reverence of nature; designing furniture for the set of the movie, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back;" the development and creative process of the Carousel series; finding inspiration in his wife, C.C.; and plans for the future. Cummings also recalls Raymond Hein, Thomas Ferreira, James Prestini, Wendell Castle, William Hunter, Edward Cooke, Gerald W.R. Ward, Kelly H. L'Ecuyer, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Frank E. Cummings III (1938- ) is a furniture maker and woodworker of Long Beach, California. Jo Lauria ( 1954- ) is a curator and art writer of Los Angeles, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 sound discs. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hr., 28 min.
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 administrators.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Woodworkers -- California  Search this
Topic:
Decorative arts  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American art -- African influences  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.cummin06
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92ea683fd-bb6d-4e10-be30-d8a847ad89d3
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-cummin06
Online Media:

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