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James W. Boynton papers

Creator:
Boynton, Jack, 1928-2010  Search this
Tamarind Lithography Workshop  Search this
Names:
Barthelme, Donald  Search this
Calcagno, Lawrence, 1913-  Search this
Calhoun, Haydon  Search this
Leavin, Margo  Search this
Long, Meredith, 1928-  Search this
Love, Jim, 1927-  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Staempfli, George W.  Search this
Stout, Richard, 1934-  Search this
Swenson, Kathryn  Search this
Taub, John B.  Search this
Extent:
1.1 Items (linear ft. (on 3 microfilm reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1951-1984
Scope and Contents:
Biographical information; printed materials; correspondence; photographs; a 30-second film; and price lists.
REEL 3476: Biographical data; a letter to Boynton from Bill Jacklin; handwritten drafts of letters to Mimi Crosley; a price list of works by Boynton; an unsigned agreement from the Bolles Gallery, San Francisco; exhibition announcements, catalogs, and invitations, 1952-1984; newspaper and magazine clippings, 1951-1983; photographs of Boynton and his works; and ca. 100 drawings.
REELS 1781-1782: Business and personal correspondence with Haydon Calhoun, Margo Leavin, Meredith Long, George W. Staempfli, the Tamarind Lithography Workshop, John B. Taub, and others; fellowship and job applications; 34 sketches; exhibition catalogs and announcements; and clippings and other printed material. Also includes a 30-second film concerning Boynton's commissioned work for the Houston National Bank (not microfilmed).
REEL 1781, frames 450-632: Letters from friends and artists, including Donald Barthelme, Lawrence Calcagno, Jim Love, Hassel and Donna Smith, Richard Stout and Kathryn Swenson.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter and printmaker; Houston, Tex. Nickname is Jack.
Provenance:
Lent and donated by Jack Boynton, 1979.
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.
Topic:
Painting, American -- Texas -- Houston  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.boynjame
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b6179571-871f-4d54-8f76-afada7c666e0
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-boynjame

Oral history interview with Frank Lobdell

Interviewee:
Lobdell, Frank, 1921-  Search this
Interviewer:
St. John, Terry  Search this
Names:
Bischoff, Elmer, 1916-1991  Search this
Booth, Cameron, 1892-1980  Search this
Diebenkorn, Richard, 1922-1993  Search this
Falkenstein, Claire, 1908-1997  Search this
Francis, Sam, 1923-1994  Search this
Hatofsky, Jerry, 1922-  Search this
Hultberg, John, 1922-2005  Search this
MacAgy, Douglas, 1913-  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Spohn, Clay Edgar, 1898-1977  Search this
Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980  Search this
Valvo, Ninfa, 1900-1993  Search this
Zogbaum, Wilfrid, 1915-1965  Search this
Extent:
7 Sound cassettes (Sound recording)
77 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1980 Apr. 9-May 7
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Frank Lobdell conducted 1980 Apr. 9-1980 May 7, by Terry St. John, for the Archives of American Art.
Lobdell speaks of his youth and family background; his early interest in art; his education; studying with Cameron Booth; his service in the U.S. Army; artist friends and influences; political influences on his work; the community of artists in San Francisco in the 1950s, including Elmer Bischoff and Clyfford Still; his "dark years"; teaching at Stanford; reviews by critics; and the avant-garde art of the 1960s. He recalls Ninfa Valvo, Douglas MacAgy, Hassel Smith, Richard Diebenkorn, Wilfred Zogbaum, Sam Francis, Jerry (Julian) Hatofsky, Claire Falkenstein, Clay Spohn, and John Hultberg.
Biographical / Historical:
Frank Lobdell (1921- ) is a painter, printmaker, and teacher of Stanford, Calif.
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.
Topic:
Painters -- California -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.lobdel80
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9237b9aa0-1a82-4e0b-bcc7-7a76d3b75114
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-lobdel80
Online Media:

Mary Fuller McChesney papers

Creator:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Names:
Anderson, Jeremy, 1921-1982  Search this
Bothwell, Dorr  Search this
Briggs, Ernest, 1923-  Search this
Brown, Joan, 1938-1990  Search this
Calcagno, Lawrence, 1913-  Search this
Corbett, Edward, 1919-  Search this
Dixon, James Budd, 1900-1967  Search this
Dugmore, Edward, 1915-  Search this
Goya, Jorge, 1924-  Search this
Grachis, Dimitri, 1932-  Search this
Grillo, John, 1917-  Search this
Hultberg, John, 1922-2005  Search this
Jefferson, Jack, 1921-2000  Search this
Kelly, James, 1913-  Search this
Kuhlman, Walter  Search this
Locks, Seymour, 1919-  Search this
MacAgy, Douglas, 1913-  Search this
Martin, Madeline  Search this
Morehouse, William, 1929-1993  Search this
Parker, Raymond, 1922-  Search this
Pollakoff, Leonard  Search this
Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967  Search this
Remington, Deborah  Search this
Roeber, Phil, 1913-  Search this
Saccaro, John M., 1913-1981  Search this
Schueler, Jon, 1916-  Search this
Shoemaker, Peter, 1920-  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Spohn, Clay Edgar, 1898-1977  Search this
Varda, Jean  Search this
Weeks, James, 1922-  Search this
Extent:
44.1 Linear feet
35 Sound tape reels (Sound recordings, 5 in.)
44.1 Linear feet
35 Sound tape reels (Sound recordings, 5 in.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Interviews
Sound recordings
Date:
1949-2011
1949-2011
Scope and Contents:
The Mary Fuller McChesney papers measure 44.1 linear feet and date from 1949-2011. Included are biographical material, correspondence, writings, artists' files, financial records, photographs, artwork, printed material, and reel-to reel sound recordings documenting the career of sculptor, art historian, and author, Mary Fuller McChesney. A small portion of the papers includes material on painter, Edward Corbett.
Among the sound recordings are interviews conducted by McChesney between 1965 and 1966, and used as the primary research for her book. Interviewees include Jeremy Anderson, Dorr Bothwell, Ernest Briggs, Joan Brown (2), Lawrence Calcagno (2), Edward Corbett (2), James Budd Dixon, Edward Dugmore, Jorge Goya, Dimitri Grachis, John Grillo (1966, 1972), John Hultberg, Jack Jefferson, James Kelly, Walter Kuhlman, Seymour Locks, Douglas MacAgy, Madeleine Martin, William Morehouse, Raymond Parker, Leonard Pollakoff, Ad Reinhardt, Deborah Remington, Phil Roeber, John Saccaro, Jon Schueler, Peter Shoemaker, Hassel Smith, Clay Spohn, Jean Varda, and James Weeks.
Biographical / Historical:
Mary Fuller McChesney (1922-2022) was a sculptor, art historian, and author in San Francisco and Petaluma, California.
Provenance:
A majority of the collection donated 2015 by Mary Fuller McChesney. Photographs on reel 1329 donated 1973 and sound recordings donated 1994 by McChesney. Material on reel NDA 1 (fr. 728-741) lent for microfilming 1964 by Lewis Ferbrache; material on NDA 1 (fr. 930-943) lent 1964 by Mary F. McChesney.
Restrictions:
This collection is temporarily closed. Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Occupation:
Art historians -- California  Search this
Authors -- California  Search this
Sculptors -- California  Search this
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Identifier:
AAA.mcchmary
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw957f18d05-e78e-47ce-b3e6-68feadc52d60
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-mcchmary

The New Arts records

Creator:
New Arts (Art gallery)  Search this
Names:
Bess, Forrest, 1911-1977  Search this
Boynton, Jack, 1928-2010  Search this
Calcagno, Lawrence, 1913-  Search this
Cornell, Joseph  Search this
Emmerich, André  Search this
Ernst, Max, 1891-1976  Search this
Kuhlman, Walter  Search this
Plagens, Peter  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Steinberg, Richard  Search this
Varda, Jean  Search this
Extent:
1.3 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1950-1979
Summary:
The New Arts records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1979. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through correspondence, exhibition files, printed material, artists' files, and more.
Scope and Contents:
The New Arts records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1979. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through administrative records and artists' files. Administrative records include artwork authentification records, correspondence with museums, galleries, and private collectors, exhibition files, ephemera from exhibitions held elsewhere, and editions of the Contemporary Arts Council calendar. Artists' files consist of correspondence, price lists, photos of artwork and installations, exhibition ephemera, reviews, some resumes, and more. Artists covered include Forrest Bess, James Boynton, Lawrence Calcagno, Joseph Cornell, Max Ernst, Walter Kuhlman, Peter Plagens, Hassel Smith, Richard Steinberg, and Jean Varda.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as two series.

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1952-1970 (Box 1; .4 linear feet)

Series 2: Artists' Files, 1950-1979 (Box 1-2, OV 3; .9 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
The New Arts was founded in 1956 in Houston, Texas by Kathryn Swenson. The gallery was initially established to exhibit and sell pre-Columbian artwork, the bulk of which came from Andre Emmerich's private collection. Swenson asked friend and museum specialist Jermayne MacAgy to help with the exhibition display, and then sometime in the next two years, the gallery began to show established local artists. Pre-Columbian shows persisted throughout The New Arts' existence, but the gallery shifted its focus towards exhibiting a wide range of contemporary painters and sculptors by the late 1950s. Artists exhibited at The New Arts include Jack Boynton, Forest Bess, Hassel Smith, Max Ernst, Walter Kuhlman, Lawrence Calcagno, Joseph Cornell, Peter Plagens, and Jean Varda.

The New Arts closed in 1974.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Marc Moldawer, Kathryn Swenson, and Robert Wilson conducted by Sandra Curtis Levy, August 15, 1984.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 1979 by gallery owner and director Kathryn Swenson.
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.
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.
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- Texas
Citation:
The New Arts records, 1950-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.newarts
See more items in:
The New Arts records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a39948fd-d2c8-40d2-b43e-791a3938ecb6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-newarts

Harry Bowden papers

Creator:
Bowden, Harry, 1907-1965  Search this
Names:
American Abstract Artists  Search this
Bransom, Paul, 1885-  Search this
Campbell, Charles, 1905-  Search this
Cunningham, Imogen, 1883-1976  Search this
De Kooning, Willem, 1904-1997  Search this
Hirsch, Hy  Search this
Hobbs, Fredric  Search this
Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966  Search this
Huxley, Aldous, 1894-1963  Search this
Johnson, Robert E. (Robert Emory), 1932-  Search this
Krasner, Lee, 1908-1984  Search this
McNeil, George, 1908-1995  Search this
Onslow-Ford, Gordon  Search this
Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this
Post, George, 1906-1997  Search this
Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967  Search this
Schevill, James Erwin, 1920-  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973  Search this
Weston, Brett  Search this
Weston, Edward, 1886-1958  Search this
White, Minor  Search this
Extent:
2 Linear feet ((on 4 microfilm reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1922-1972
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, photographs, writings, sketches, drawings, paintings, and printed material.
REELS 1880-1882: Extensive correspondence with Bowden's wife, Lois; letters from Paul Bransom, Imogen Cunningham, Hi Hirsch, Hans Hofmann, Robert Johnson, George McNeil, George Post, James Schevill, Hassel Smith, Brett Weston, and Edward Weston; notes and writings on photography and art; sketches, drawings, and paintings; business papers and business correspondence from museum and gallery directors including Edward Steichen, Fred Hobbs, Charles Campbell, Minor White, and others; catalogs, clippings, and other printed materials.
REEL 1885: Ca. 500 photographs, mostly by Bowden, including photos of George Abend, Al and Frances Bernstein, Richard and Pat Bowman, M. Carles, Walter Chabrow, Imogen Cunningham, Willem de Kooning, Vic and Jeanne Di Suvero, Loyola and Ed Fourtane, Mrs. Gibson, Grabhorn, Robinson Jeffers, Aristodemos Kaldis, Lee Krasner, Darius Milhaud, Gordon Onslow-Ford, Phylis and Bob Pauey, Jackson Pollock's studio, Otis Oldfield, George Post, Kenneth Price, Ad Reinhardt, Kenneth Rexroth, Serge Trubach, Edward and Brett Weston, Yvor Winters, Wilfred Zogbaum, and Aldous Huxley. Also included are photographs Bowden, Bowden's family, his wife, Lois, nudes, his works, and exhibits.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter and photographer; San Francisco, California. Studied with Hans Hofmann; founding member of the American Abstract Artists and was associated with the Artists' Gallery; photography influenced by Edward Weston.
Provenance:
Lois Bowden, Harry Bowden's widow, donated the greater part of this collection to the Archives of American Art via Charles Campbell of the Charles Campbell Gallery, San Francisco, Calif. Mr. Campbell subsequently donated 28 additional photographs.
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.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Photographers -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Topic:
Photography, Artistic -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Painting, Abstract -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.bowdharr
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw971f420b7-0757-46d2-a6bd-881c34e604e8
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-bowdharr

Oral history interview with Leo Holub

Interviewee:
Holub, Leo, 1916-2010  Search this
Interviewer:
Karlstrom, Paul J.  Search this
Creator:
Art Schools in California Oral History Project  Search this
Names:
Art Schools in California Oral History Project  Search this
Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (Calif.)  Search this
Stanford University. Dept. of Art  Search this
University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts -- Faculty  Search this
University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts -- Students  Search this
Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984  Search this
Arnautoff, Victor Mikhail, 1896-1979  Search this
Barnes, Matthew Rackham, 1880-1951  Search this
Corbett, Edward, 1919-  Search this
Cunningham, Imogen, 1883-1976  Search this
Gaw, William A. (1891-1973)  Search this
Hackett, Dick  Search this
Holub, Florence  Search this
Mackey, Spencer, 1880-1958  Search this
Mondale, Walter F., 1928-  Search this
Oldfield, Otis, 1890-1969  Search this
Packard, Emmy Lou, 1914-1998  Search this
Piazzoni, Gottardo, 1872-1945  Search this
Randolph, Lee F., b. 1880  Search this
Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this
Sinel, Joseph Claude, 1889-1975  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Sterne, Maurice, 1878-1957  Search this
Weston, Edward, 1886-1958  Search this
White, Minor  Search this
Wilson, Charis, 1914-2009  Search this
Extent:
2 Sound cassettes (Sound recording (90 min), analog)
34 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1997 July 3
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Leo Holub conducted 1997 July 3, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art, in San Francisco, Calif.
Holub discusses his background, being born in Arkansas, moving to New Mexico, and then to Oakland, Calif. (1923); early educational experiences in Oakland, and later at the Art Institute of Chicago; seeing Edward Weston's photographic work at an exhibition in Chicago, and admiring Weston's nude studies of Charis Wilson; his return to the Bay Area; his studio on Montgomery St. (Monkey Block); meeting painter Matthew Barnes, who had assisted Diego Rivera with his murals at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), 1931-1932; his experiences as a student at CSFA- its program and instructors which included Maurice Sterne, Gottardo Piazzoni, Lee Randolph, Dick Hackett, Otis Oldfield, William Gaw, Spencer Mackey, and Victor Arnautoff; fellow students including Hassel Smith, Ed Corbett, and Florence Michelson (his future wife); and his beginning awareness of modernism.
Holub discusses his involvement with the Golden Gate International Exposition (1939); apprenticeship with industrial designer Joe Sinel and the advent of the product design era; his founding of Design Development Associates, and staying only a year before moving to Grass Valley, Calif. for his son's health; his return to the Bay Area, succeeding Emmy Lou Packard at the San Francisco Planning Office graphic arts dept.; working at the housing agency and redevelopment agency and as chief designer for the Bay Area Rapid Transit report.
He recalls his encounter with Ansel Adams at the 1955 Yosemite workshop where Holub produced a pictorial map of Yosemite; Adam's "zone system" of exposing for shadows and developing for highlights; going on to teach at CSFA (1955-1957), where Imogen Cunningham was a guest instructor; Minor White replacing him; his ten years at Stanford University's planning office (1960-1970); his campus views "Stanford Scene" that were used by the university to appeal for more space for the art dept., and his shows at Stanford's art gallery in 1964 and at the Washington, D.C. home of Vice President Walter Mondale in 1980.
Biographical / Historical:
Leo Holub (1916-2010) was a photographer, lithographer, and teacher from San Francisco, Calif.
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.
Topic:
Photographers -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching -- California  Search this
Photography  Search this
Photography -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area  Search this
Function:
Art Schools -- California
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.holub97
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94a5ec6a4-7e88-40a7-8b1c-4379fe338240
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-holub97
Online Media:

Roger Winter papers

Creator:
Winter, Roger, 1934-  Search this
Names:
Dozier, Otis, 1904-1987  Search this
Komodore, Bill  Search this
McManaway, David, 1927-  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Williams, Charles Truett, 1918-1966  Search this
Extent:
1 Microfilm reel
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Microfilm reels
Date:
1966-1981
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence, including letters from artists David McManaway, Bill Komodore, Hassel Smith, Velma and Otis Dozier and Peter Blake; a sketch by Otis Dozier; a photograph of Charles T. Williams; printed material from Winter's exhibitions; a cancelled check; and a calendar.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, educator; Dallas, Tex.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming by Winter, 1981, as part of the Archives of American Art's Texas project.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Painters -- Texas -- Dallas  Search this
Topic:
Art, American -- Texas -- Dallas  Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- Texas -- Dallas  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.wintroge
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e06767e2-1988-464e-b5cf-f0ecbfb8a152
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-wintroge

Oral history interview with Elmer Bischoff

Interviewee:
Bischoff, Elmer, 1916-1991  Search this
Interviewer:
Karlstrom, Paul J.  Search this
Names:
San Francisco Art Institute  Search this
University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts  Search this
Brown, Joan, 1938-1990  Search this
Brown, William Theo, 1919-2012  Search this
Geis, Bill  Search this
Hudson, Robert, 1938-  Search this
MacAgy, Douglas, 1913-  Search this
Neri, Manuel, 1930-  Search this
Park, David, 1911-1960  Search this
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Spohn, Clay Edgar, 1898-1977  Search this
Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980  Search this
Wiley, William T., 1937-2021  Search this
Extent:
82 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1977 August 10-September 1
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Elmer Bischoff conducted 1977 August 10-September 1, by Paul J. Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.
Bischoff speaks of his family background; the influence of art teachers and attitudes at the University of California, Berkeley in the 1930s; his years of teaching at the California School of Fine Arts (San Francisco Art Institute), first under the directorship of Douglas MacAgy and then under Ernst Mundt and Gurdon Woods; his fellow faculty members Clyfford Still, David Park, Clay Spohn and Hassel Smith, and their work in abstract expressionism. He recalls some of his most successful students, including Joan Brown, Manuel Neri, and William T. Wiley.
Bischoff explains his turning away from abstract expressionism toward figurative painting, and cites the influence of David Park. He credits George Staempfli as the first New York art dealer to be interested in Bay Area figurative painting. He discusses the origins of the Bay Area funk movement. He speaks of teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, and reflects on the differences between teaching in a university environment and an art school. He discusses his move away from the figure to large scale abstraction.
Biographical / Historical:
Elmer Bischoff (1916-1991) was a painter and educator from San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded 3 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 5 digital wav files. Duration is 5 hr., 24 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.
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Figurative art  Search this
Painters -- California -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.bischo77
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95992df2f-6a60-4821-aa6c-649bcc282316
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-bischo77
Online Media:

Hassel Smith papers

Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Names:
Gimpel Fils  Search this
New Arts (Art gallery)  Search this
San Francisco Art Institute -- Faculty  Search this
Anglim, Paule  Search this
Bischoff, Elmer, 1916-1991  Search this
Butterfield, Jan  Search this
Emmerich, André  Search this
Fitz Gibbon, John  Search this
Gimpel, Charles  Search this
Still, Clyfford, 1904-  Search this
Still, Patricia  Search this
Swanson, Kathryn  Search this
Thiebaud, Wayne  Search this
Wollard, Robert  Search this
Extent:
4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Interviews
Sound recordings
Sketches
Transcripts
Christmas cards
Photographs
Date:
circa 1900-2004
bulk 1930-1995
Summary:
The papers of Southern California painter and instructor Hassel Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 2004 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1930-1995. Found within the papers are correspondence, a transcript of an interview conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s, personal business files, teaching files, writings by Smith and others, sketches, printed materials, and photographs of Smith, his family and friends, and his artwork. There are audio recordings of a lecture series organized by Smith and of reviews of Smith's work. Correspondents include Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Clyfford Still, Wayne Thiebaud, and many others.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of Southern California painter and instructor Hassel Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 2004 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1930-1995. Found within the papers are correspondence, a transcript of an interview conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s, personal business files, teaching files, writings by Smith and others, sketches, printed materials, and photographs of Smith, his family and friends, and his artwork. There are audio recordings of a lecture series organized by Smith and of reviews of Smith's work. Correspondents include Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Clyfford Still, Wayne Thiebaud, and many others.

Biographical materials include biographical sketches, curriculum vitae, genealogical materials, ephemera, and personal appointment books from the mid to late 1970s. Also found here is a transcript of an in-depth interview of Smith conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s.

There is personal and professional correspondence with Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Charles Gimpel of Gimpel Fils, Clyfford and Patricia Still, Kathryn Swanson of the New Arts Gallery, Wayne Thiebaud, family members, and many others.

Personal business records include art sales records, exhibition checklists, conservation and condition reports, and personal finance records. Teaching materials include class schedules, student lists, and syllabi. Also found are notes on topics such as American art and literature, artistic traits and forms, illusion, and women artists.

Writings by Smith include artist statements, creative writings, his thoughts on the art market and art institutions, the San Francisco art community, and social criticism. Writings by others consist primarily of essays about Smith and his work. There are also writings by Smith's friend Robert Wollard. Artwork includes sketches, doodles, and Christmas cards done by Smith, and a handful of artwork by others.

Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and posters. Also found here are printed materials about other artists, schools where Smith enrolled or taught, Smith's general interests, and collages and flyers by Robert Wollard. There is a printed copy of the pictorial edition of the Communist Manifesto edited by Smith and other artists.

Photographic materials are of Smith, family members, artwork, his studio, exhibition openings and other art events, and friends and colleagues. A family photograph dates from circa 1900 and negatives date from 1920. Most of the photographs date from the 1940s through the 1990s.

Sound recordings include 1 sound tape reel of the radio show, Art Review, with host John Fitz Gibbon reviewing Smith's artwork, and nine sound cassettes of student critiques overseen by Smith at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 9 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1930-2004 (0.25 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1930s-2003 (1.0 linear foot; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Personal Business Materials, 1953-2003 (0.25 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Teaching Materials, 1960s-1980s (18 folders; Box 2)

Series 5: Writings, 1940s-1994 (0.25 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 6: Artwork, 1928-1995 (8 folders; Box 2)

Series 7: Printed Materials, 1928-2003 (1.25 linear feet; Boxes 3-4)

Series 8: Photographic Materials, 1900s-2004 (0.5 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 9: Sound Recordings, 1965-1980 (10 items; Box 4)
Biographical Note:
Hassel Smith (1915-2007) was a California Bay area abstract expressionist painter, painting instructor at the California School of Fine Arts, and a lecturer at the University of California. His students included Roy De Forest, Sonia Gechtoff, and Frank Lobdell. Smith was also associated with the famed Los Angeles Ferus Gallery.

Hassel Smith was born on April 27, 1915, in Sturgis, Michigan, settling later with his family in San Mateo, California. He attended Northwestern University with the intention of becoming a chemist, but switched his majors to English and Art History and graduated in 1936. Returning to California, Smith enrolled at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), and studied with the painter Maurice Sterne.

In 1937, he left school and shared housing with his adopted brother Lewis in the Haight-Ashbury district, where he maintained a studio on Steiner Street. At the same time, as a social worker for the California Relief State Administration, he worked with men on "skid row" in San Francisco. Declared 4F by the draft board, Smith served various government agencies during World War II, including the Farm Security Administration and the U.S. Forest Service. During this period, he met and married June Meyers. He later described his government service and social work as having a strong influence on his art and politics.

In 1941, Smith was awarded the Abraham Rosenberg Fellowship from the University of California, Berkeley, which allowed him to travel and paint outdoors at Angel's Camp in the Mother Lode of the Sierra foothills, along with Richard Hackett.

At the end of the war, Smith began teaching at the CSFA, joining faculty members Richard Diebenkorn, David Park, and Clyfford Still. Smith taught there until 1952. His students included Roy De Forest, Sonia Gechtoff, and Frank Lobdell. Smith continued to paint and exhibit work throughout the 1950s, and in 1958 became affiliated with the Ferus Gallery founded by Walter Hopps and Ed Kienholz. His wife June passed away in 1958. One year later, Smith remarried Donna Rafferty Harrington, and they had their son Bruce in 1960.

After an exhibition at the New Arts Gallery in Houston, London-based dealer Charles Gimpel invited Smith to exhibit his work in England. As a result of this, Smith moved to England in 1962, and spent a year living in Mousehole, a fishing village in Cornwall. He moved back to California and between 1963 to 1966 was a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1966, Smith accepted a position as Senior Lecturer at the West England College of Art in Bristol, England where he stayed until 1978. He finished his teaching career as a Principal Lecturer at the Cardiff College of Arts in Wales from 1978 to 1979.

Smith spent most of the next two decades painting and exhibiting, which included exhibitions at the Oakland Museum and the San Jose Museum of Art. In 1991, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the San Francisco Art Institute (formerly the California School of Fine Arts). Due to failing health, Smith was forced to stop painting in 1997. Smith died in 2007 in Warminster, England, at the age of 91.
Related Material:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Hassel Smith conducted by Paul Karlstrom, September 5, 1978 and a video interview with Hassel Smith conducted by Paul Karlstrom, January 15, 1986.
Provenance:
Hassel Smith donated most of his papers in several increments between 1980 and 1998. His son Joseph donated audio recordings in 1980, and Hassel Smith's widow Donna donated additional materials in 2004.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference 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:
Art teachers -- California -- Berkeley  Search this
Painters -- California  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Educators -- California -- Berkeley  Search this
Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Art -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area  Search this
Art, American  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Sketches
Transcripts
Christmas cards
Photographs
Citation:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.smithass
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9851537de-ab88-453c-8c77-17366daef49a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-smithass
Online Media:

Martin, Peter and Madeline

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 93
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1975-1989
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96bb19e77-8611-4f9c-86d7-be44c0442f81
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref100

McChesney, Robert and Mary

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 94
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1968-1985
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ce4a2c06-2ef4-4052-b0ba-92b40b9a5669
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref101

N

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 95
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1968-1997
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d0311ecc-aa11-4eef-9a5b-927001ea7b5d
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref102

Natsoulas Novelozo Gallery

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 96
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1989-1994
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93463e806-1032-4db9-992e-3363ff440b98
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref103

Neri, Manuel

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 97
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1999
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9442b95ff-ae29-41b9-b982-82a6b51b257e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref104

Northwestern University

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 98
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1934-1996
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fe514b13-1811-457f-bbfc-af15ddaa6923
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref105

O

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 99
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1978-1983
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d6648184-1f7e-43a2-a2de-0e085979cbfd
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref106

Oakland Museum

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 100
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1965-1985
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9af8529bc-261b-481d-bbd8-5e6b70ac522e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref107

Oliveira, Nathan

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 101
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1999
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw904c64f15-a352-472a-b70c-0eb7e4f0f9ca
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref108

P

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1972-2003
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9086865bb-7f21-425e-abf9-8e2723a628cb
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref109

Petty, Ralph

Collection Creator:
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1976-1991
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Hassel Smith papers
Hassel Smith papers / Series 2: Correspondence
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fcc61d85-2b72-4ee7-a7dd-d751d2477dd4
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smithass-ref110

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