An interview of Reuben Nakian conducted 1981 June 9-17, by Avis Berman, for the Archives of American Art.
Nakian speaks of his childhood, growing up in New York City; his early interest in art; early ventures in sculpture; working for Paul Manship; meeting Daniel Chester French; teaching; early influences; his European travels; techniques and materials; the relationship of artists and suffering; his portrait busts of other artists; dealers he has been affiliated with, including Edith Halpert and Valentine Dudensing; animal sculptures; his Babe Ruth sculpture; critical and public reaction to his work. He recalls Constantin Brancusi, Marcel Duchamp, Raoul Hague, William Zorach, Gaston Lachaise, and J. B. Neumann. The third voice heard on the tape is that of Nakian's assistant, Don Ross, who helps prompt Nakian to recall certain incidents.
Biographical / Historical:
Reuben Nakian (1897-1986) was a sculptor from Stamford, Conn.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hrs., 15 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are 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.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
An interview of Walter Clemmons conducted 1990 July 26, by Jack Lindsey for the Archives of American Art Philadelphia Project.
Clemmons speaks about the development of his wire art beginning with his work as a child; individual pieces created throughout his career including subjects and their sources; technical issues such as materials and methods; and his exhibition history.
Biographical / Historical:
Walter Clemmons (1956- ) is a sculptor from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound cassette. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 27 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.
Restrictions:
Transcript: Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Folk artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, June 30, 1972.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Weinman, Adolph A. (Adolph Alexander), 1870-1952 Search this
Extent:
1.1 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on two reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Interviews
Date:
1916-1981
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence (1916-1981); business records (1922-1971); notes (undated and 1929); interview transcript (1978); printed material (1929-1981); and photographs (1920-1945).
REELS 3612-3613: Correspondence concerning work done by the Continis for sculptors, including letters from Bryant Baker, A. Stirling Calder, Rudolph Evans, James Earle Fraser, John Gregory, Walker Hancock, Anna Hyatt Huntington, Gaston Lachaise, Bruce Moore, A. Phimister Proctor, Richard Recchia, David Rubins, and Adolph Weinman; photographs of the Contini family and of works of art, including "End of the Trail" by James Earle Fraser and works by Rudolph Evans, Anna Hyatt Huntington, and Richard Recchia (1920-1945); Attilio Contini's address book; and a notebook listing works of art.
Also, receipts and invoices addressed to various sculptors (1922-1971) and a contract for work on Frederic Remington's sculpture "Coming Through the Rye" for the National Cowboy Hall of Fame; a transcript of an interview with Cesare Contini conducted by George Gurney on August 26, 1978; clippings (1950-1981), exhibition catalogs (1929-1939), and 2 programs for the unveiling of the Martin Luther monument in Baltimore, Maryland (1936) and the Bing Crosby statue in Spokane, Washington (1981).
UNMICROFILMED: Three undated photographs mounted on board of historical panels at the West Point Library executed by Laura Gardin Fraser.
Biographical / Historical:
Plaster casting firm; New York, N.Y. Following training in Italy, Attilio (1884-1960) and his son Cesare (b. 1907) came to America and operated A. Contini and Son, New York, N.Y, making plaster molds for sculptures by wide group of artists, including James Earle Fraser, Ivan Mestrovic, Herbert Haseltine, A. Stirling Calder, Adolph Weinman, Gaston Lachaise, and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.
Provenance:
Donated 1984 by Cesare Contini.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Patrocino Barela, 1964 July 2. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
12 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 July 2
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Patrocino Barela conducted 1964 July 2, by Sylvia Loomis for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project.
Barela speaks of his family background; his childhood; the development of his carving; his involvement with the Federal Art Project; religious themes in his work; and his sculpture techniques.
Biographical / Historical:
Patrocino Barela (1902-1964) was a wood carver from Taos, New Mexico.
General:
Originally recorded 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 26 min.
Interviews of Andrew Dasburg and Chuzo Tamotzu conducted by S. Loomis are also on this tape.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Wood-carvers -- New Mexico -- Taos -- Interviews Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Louise Nevelson, 1972 Jan. 30. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Sculpture -- Technique -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with George Rickey, 1968 June 11. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Walker Hancock, 1977 July 22-August 15. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Gloucester -- Interviews Search this
