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Oral history interview with John Wilson, 1993 March 11-1994 August 16

Interviewee:
Wilson, John Woodrow, 1922-  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F.  Search this
Subject:
Aronson, David  Search this
Bengtz, Ture  Search this
Gaither, Edmund B.  Search this
Hurwitz, Sidney  Search this
Kay, Reed  Search this
Kramer, Jack  Search this
Léger, Fernand  Search this
Lewis, Elma  Search this
Rivera, Diego  Search this
Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this
Zerbe, Karl  Search this
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. School  Search this
Boston University. School of Fine and Applied Arts  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with John Wilson, 1993 March 11-1994 August 16. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American printmakers  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Theme:
African American  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11501
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216507
AAA_collcode_wilson93
Theme:
African American
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_216507

Oral history interview with John Wilson

Interviewee:
Wilson, John, 1922-2015  Search this
Interviewer:
Brown, Robert F.  Search this
Names:
Boston University. School of Fine and Applied Arts  Search this
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. School  Search this
Aronson, David, 1923-2015  Search this
Bengtz, Ture, 1907-1973  Search this
Gaither, Edmund B.  Search this
Hurwitz, Sidney, 1932-  Search this
Kay, Reed  Search this
Kramer, Jack  Search this
Lewis, Elma  Search this
Léger, Fernand, 1881-1955  Search this
Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this
Siqueiros, David Alfaro  Search this
Zerbe, Karl, 1903-1972  Search this
Extent:
497 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1993 March 11-1994 August 16
Scope and Contents:
An interview of John Woodrow Wilson conducted 1993 March-1994 August, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Wilson discusses his childhood as a member of a family of middle class Black people from British Guiana (now Guyana); his father's grave disappointments in the face of racial discrimination; his parents' push for their children to succeed; early urge to read and draw; encouragement by School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston students who taught at the Roxbury Boys Club; his secondary education; and friends.
He talks about his education at the MFA School, Boston, and comments on such teachers as Ture Bengtz and Karl Zerbe and compares their exacting methods with those of Fernand Leger, his teacher in Paris.
His work of the 1940s prior to going to Paris; the importance of early awards and sales received while still a student at the MFA School; the excitement of sharing a studio with fellow students, Francesco Carbone and Leo Prince; and encouragement to stay in school during WW II with the promise of a European study fellowship after the war.
The great impact of his years in Paris (1948-49); the lack of racial prejudice; the liberating effect of Leger's teaching; his awe of the work of Masaccio and Piero della Francesca during a trip to Italy; and the deep impression made on him by seeing tribal art in the Musee de l'Homme, Paris.
Continued discussion of Leger; his teaching methods; and influences on his work.
His first teaching position at the MFA School; his involvement in civil rights in Boston; his gregariousness and the use of his studio as a meeting place for artists and political activists; his involvement with socialism in Boston and New York; and working in a socialist children's camp. He remembers meeting Paul Robeson, Charles White, Elizabeth Catlett, and Bob Blackburn, who was then setting up his printmaking atelier in New York; marriage to a fellow socialist (June 1950); move to Mexico on a fellowship to study with Jose Orozco on the advice of Leger, only to find that Orozco had died; terrors of travel as an interracial couple through the U.S.; and different racial attitudes in Mexico and the U.S.
Living in Mexico (1950-56) and anecdotes of David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera; his wife's meeting with Frieda Kahlo and seeing her collection of folk art; their free and cosmopolitan, if impoverished, life in Mexico; his work in a printmaking atelier and on the production of frescoes, and a lengthy aside about his brilliant brother, Freddie, who because he was black was not allowed to pursue his first love, geology, for many years.
Continued discussion of his experiences in Mexico; the dreary year (1957) he spent doing commercial art for a meatpackers' union in Chicago, a city he disliked; his move to New York in 1958, taking on commercial work to support his family, and teaching anatomy at the Pratt Institute.
Teaching art at a junior high school in the Bronx, and his gaining respect of students through special projects; teaching drawing at Boston University (1965-86), his approach to teaching including his demanding standards, the seriousness of the students, his opposing rigid attendance and grading rules, and colleagues, such as David Aronson who had created the School, Reed Kay, Jack Kramer, Sidney Hurwitz, and the University president, John Silber.
Working with the black arts entrepreneur, Elma Lewis, in setting up a visual arts program for the Boston black community (late 1960s-1970s), including the selection of a curator, Edmund Barry Gaither, a young art historian, who eventually established a museum of African-American art; his participation in various black art exhibitions, despite his belief that art should be seen regardless of the ethnic origins of artists; his move toward sculpture, beginning in the early 1960s, as a medium most expressive of black persons, culminating in the 1980s in a series of colossal heads and a statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. for the U.S. Capitol (1985-86); and why he makes art and will so long as he is able.
Biographical / Historical:
John Wilson (1922- ) is an African American painter, sculptor, illustrator, printmaker, and educator from Boston, Massachusetts. Full name John Woodrow Wilson.
General:
Originally recorded on 11 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 22 digital wav files. Duration is 16 hr., 2 min.
Uneven transcription reflects Wilson's unusual speech pattern.
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. Funding for the transcription and microfilming of the interview provided by the Newland Foundation.
Occupation:
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Educators -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Printmakers -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American printmakers  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.wilson93
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f3601751-82e4-488d-b246-deda68bea613
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-wilson93
Online Media:

Beverly Buchanan papers

Creator:
Buchanan, Beverly, 1940-  Search this
Names:
Bernice Steinbaum Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Steinbaum Krauss Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Lippard, Lucy R.  Search this
Scott, Arden  Search this
Sims, Lowery Stokes  Search this
Extent:
18 Linear feet
34.2 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Scrapbooks
Sketchbooks
Photograph albums
Motion picture film
Date:
1912-2017
bulk 1970s-1990s
Summary:
The papers of African American sculptor, painter, and land artist Beverly Buchanan measure 18 linear feet and 34.2 gigabytes, and date from 1912 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from the 1970s to the 1990s. The collection contains biographical material, including audiovisual and born-digital interview recordings; correspondence; writings; and exhibition and project files, including audiovisual documentation from Bernice Steinbaum Gallery/Steinbaum Krauss Gallery. Material related to professional activities; personal business records; printed material, including born-digital and audiovisual records; scrapbooks; photographic material, including photograph albums; and artwork are also found in the collection.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of African American sculptor, painter, and land artist Beverly Buchanan measure 18 linear feet and 34.2 gigabytes, and date from 1912 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from the 1970s to the 1990s. The collection contains biographical material, including audiovisual and born-digital interview recordings; correspondence; writings; and exhibition and project files, including audiovisual documentation from Bernice Steinbaum Gallery/Steinbaum Krauss Gallery. Material related to professional activities; personal business records; printed material, including born-digital and audiovisual records; scrapbooks; photographic material, including photograph albums; and artwork are also found in the collection.

The Beverly Buchanan papers contain biographical material including address books, calendars, awards and education certificates, identification documents, family history research material, and audiovisual and born-digital interview recordings; correspondence with friends and colleagues including Lucy Lippard and Lowery Stokes Sims, and with galleries and museums such as Bernice Steinbaum Gallery/Steinbaum Krauss Gallery, the Georgia Museum of Art, and the High Museum of Art. Also included are writings such as artist's statements, journals and notebooks, notes, and writings by others about Beverly Buchanan; exhibition and project files including audiovisual documentation from Bernice Steinbaum Gallery and Steinbaum Krauss Gallery of various exhibitions; material related to professional activities including teaching files and grant and fellowship applications; personal business records such as sales and consignment records; printed material including clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, magazines, posters, audiovisual and born-digital recordings, including A World of Art profile, and other published material; and scrapbooks, including one documenting Buchanan's City Walls series, containing primarily photographs and artwork with some printed material. The collection also contains photographic material including photographs, snapshots, negatives, and photograph albums; and artwork including sketchbooks, drawings, folded cardboard artwork, and illustrated cards.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as ten series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1917-2015 (Box 1, Boxes 19-20, Box 24; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1919-1954, 1967-2017 (Boxes 1-2; 0.9 linear feet; ER01, 0.017 GB)

Series 3: Writings, 1960-circa 2009 (Boxes 2-3, Box 24; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Exhibition and Project Files, 1974-2001, 2010-2017 (Boxes 3-4, Box 24, OV 21, FCs 22-23; 1.9 linear feet; ER02, 0.020 GB)

Series 5: Professional Activities, 1962, 1979-2005 (Box 4, Box 19, Box 24; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 6: Personal Business Records, 1966-2010 (Box 4; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1912, 1923-2014 (Boxes 4-7, Box 19, Box 25, OV 21; 3.9 linear feet)

Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1970-circa 1977 (Box 7, Box 20; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 9: Photographic Material, circa 1920s-2013 (Boxes 7-13, Boxes 16-18, Box 20; 8.8 linear feet; ER03, 1.03 GB)

Series 10: Artwork, 1956-2013, undated (Boxes 13-15, Box 20; 0.7 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Beverly Buchanan (1940-2015) was an African American sculptor, painter, and land artist in Macon, Georgia. Born in Fuquay, North Carolina and raised in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Buchanan studied medical technology at Bennett College before going on to earn two master's degrees in parasitology and public health from Columbia University in 1968 and 1969. Her artistic career began in 1971 when she enrolled in a class at the Art Students League in New York City taught by Norman Lewis. She moved to Georgia in 1977.

Buchanan is most well known for her "shack" sculptures and paintings, depictions of houses tied to Southern identity and memory.

Buchanan has been included in exhibitions at institutions such as Cinque Gallery, Truman Gallery, the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon, GA, the Chrysler Museum, and a traveling retrospective exhibition organized by the Montclair Art Museum. Her work is included in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, High Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Beverly Buchanan has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, the Anonymous Was a Woman Award, and the Women's Caucus for Art lifetime achievement award, among others. She died in 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Provenance:
The Beverly Buchanan papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2018 by Jane Bridges, and in 2021 by Bridges and Susan Welsh, Buchanan's executors.
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 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:
Sculptors -- Georgia  Search this
Painters -- Georgia  Search this
Environmental artists -- Georgia  Search this
Topic:
Environment (Art)  Search this
African American artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Sketchbooks
Photograph albums
Motion picture film
Citation:
Beverly Buchanan papers, 1912-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.buchbeve
See more items in:
Beverly Buchanan papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97499cc73-b028-4e58-9bf4-c984c68a499d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-buchbeve
Online Media:

"Hands of Inge"

Extent:
1 Film reel (release print: black-and-white, sound, 16mm)
1 Film reel (workprint: black-and-white, sound, 16mm)
Type:
Archival materials
Film reels
Date:
circa 1952
Scope and Contents:
Short introduction to the work and methodology of acclaimed African American sculptor Inge Hardison. The film, made relatively early in her career, details her working processes with clay, bronze, and wire.
Object Number:
2012.79.1.9.1ac
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Access to collection materials requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The NMAAHC Media Preservation team can provide reproductions of some materials for research and educational use. Copyright and right to publicity restrictions apply and limit reproduction for other purposes.
Collection Citation:
Pearl Bowser Collection, National Museum of African American History and Culture
See more items in:
Pearl Bowser Audiovisual Collection
Pearl Bowser Audiovisual Collection / Series 1: Motion Picture Film
Archival Repository:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/io3b63d92c6-cc0b-4424-baa2-679007e3a40c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmaahc-a2012-79-av-ref206

Oral history interview with John Outterbridge

Creator:
Outterbridge, John, 1933-2020  Search this
Interviewer:
Bassing, Allen, 1932-  Search this
Names:
American Academy of the Fine Arts -- Students  Search this
Chicago Academy of Fine Arts -- Students  Search this
Compton Communicative Arts Academy  Search this
Pasadena Art Museum  Search this
Alexander, Peter, 1939-  Search this
Coplans, John  Search this
Di Suvero, Mark, 1933-  Search this
Dickson, Charles  Search this
Gilmore, Robert  Search this
Powell, Judson  Search this
Puerefoy, Noel  Search this
Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008  Search this
Sera, Richard  Search this
Warhol, Andy, 1928-1987  Search this
Extent:
13 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Interviews
Date:
1973 January 3
Scope and Contents:
Interview of John W. Outterbridge conducted 1973 January 3, by Allen Bassing, for the Archives of American Art.
Outterbridge speaks of his family background and how that influenced him to lean toward the arts; attending Agriculture & Technical University and majoring in engineering even though he wanted to become an artist; joining the Army in order to get the G.I. Bill so he could afford school; painting during his three-year stint in the service, and how his company commander admired his work and got him a studio; attending the Chicago Academy of Art, then the American Academy of Art after leaving the military; moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an artist full-time; quitting painting and deciding to focus on sculpture; working at the Pasadena Art Museum, and how it disturbed him that there weren't any Black artists being represented in the shows he was installing there; getting involved with the Compton Communicative Arts Academy just as it was starting; and the present situation of the Compton Communicative Arts Academy and where he sees it going. He recalls Andy Warhol, Peter Alexander, Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark di Suvero, John Coplans, Judson Powell, Noel Puerefoy, Charles Dickson, Bobby Gilmore, and many others.
Biographical / Historical:
John Outterbridge (1933-2020) was an art administrator, painter, and sculptor from Los Angeles, California.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1959 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
This transcript is open for research. No audio exists. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this
Painters -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this
Sculptors -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
African American military personnel  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.outter73
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw909ebd196-ac6f-4c3f-8b60-786de9253c6b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-outter73
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Joyce J. Scott

Interviewee:
Scott, Joyce J., 1948-  Search this
Interviewer:
Silberman, Robert B. (Robert Bruce), 1950-  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
Extent:
61 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2009 July 22
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Joyce J. Scott conducted 2009 July 22, by Robert Silberman, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, at Scott's home and studio, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Scott talks about her childhood in Baltimore; childhood visits to the Baltimore Museum of Art and Walters Art Gallery; her parents' lives growing up in the segregated South; her artist mother, who was her first bead-teacher; craft traditions in her family, including pottery and quilting; quilting as storytelling, "diaries" for preliterate people; improvisational craft; Three Generation Quilt; Fifty .; undergraduate studies at Maryland Institute College of Art; travels after graduation in Mexico, Central , and South America; graduate studies in craft in Mexico; decision at age 23 to become a studio artist, and partnership with her mother; theater work with Robert Sherman and in New York and in Baltimore; theater work with Kay Lawal in Thunder Thigh Revue; studies at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME, where she learned traditional Navajo weaving, and learned the peyote stitch for beadwork, a seminal technique for her career; her book Fearless Beadwork: Improvisational Peyote Stitch: handwriting & drawings from hell. Rochester, NY: Visual Studies Workshop, 1994; working in different mediums; What You Mean Jungle Music? [1988]; working for recognition of beadwork as a sculptural medium; politics, social commentary, and humor in her work; series Day after Rape; her working processes; Rodney King's Head Was Squashed Like a Watermelon; working in monoprints; working in glass (flameworking, lampworking), including at Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA, Tacoma [WA] Museum of Glass, UrbanGlass, New York, NY, Haystack Mountain; retrospective exhibition, "Joyce Scott Kickin' It With the Old Masters" at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 2000; series Africa in Unexpected Places; installation work, including in "Images Concealed," San Francisco, 1995, and Believe I've Been Sanctified, Charleston, SC, 1991; small-scale work; influence of her upbringing in the Pentecostal church; Buddha Gives Basketball to the Ghetto [1991] and the importance of spirituality in her work; travels in South America, Africa, and Europe; the complementarity of performance/theater work and visual art; performance pieces: Generic Interference, Genetic Engineering, Virtual Reality, and Walk a Mile in My Drawers; Lips mosaic at Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C.; teaching workshops at Haystack, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC, the Oregon School of Arts and Craft, Portland; artist-in-residency at Pilchuck; gallery affiliations, and usefulness of the gallery system, which allows her to work as a studio artist; the importance of galleries as a free venue open to ordinary people; luxuriating in beauty. She recalls Betty Woodman, Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, Lowery Sims, Fritz Dreisbach, Anthony Corradetti, Antony Gormley, Ann Hamilton, David Hammons, Mary Jane Jacob, Cesar Pelli, Susan Cummins, and Helen Drutt English.
Biographical / Historical:
Joyce J. Scott (1948- ) is a visual and performance artist and educator who lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 memory cards. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hr., 11 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:
This transcript is open for research. Access to the entire recording is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Performance artists -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Quiltmakers -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Jewelers -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Educators -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Women jewelers  Search this
African American artists  Search this
Women jewelers  Search this
African American quiltmakers  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
African American educators  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.scott09
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e43800a6-9a2b-4379-b1cc-daffdb8fe6f9
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-scott09
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Faith Ringgold

Creator:
Ringgold, Faith  Search this
Interviewer:
Holmes, Doloris  Search this
Names:
Biennale di Venezia (34th : 1968 : Venice, Italy)  Search this
Women Students and Artists for Black Liberation  Search this
Browne, Vivian E., 1929-1993  Search this
Crump, Iris  Search this
Savage, Augusta, 1892-1962  Search this
Extent:
11 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Interviews
Date:
1972
Scope and Contents:
Interview of Faith Ringgold conducted in 1972, by Doloris Holmes, for the Archives of American Art's "Art World in Turmoil" oral history project.
Ringgold speaks of her involvement and the origins of WSABAL (Women, Students, and Artists for Black Artist Liberation); her attempts to raise awareness of the under-representation of women in art (writing to the Times/ performing surveys); her hopes for the upcoming WSABAL show on June 22 (the first Black female show in New York); her feelings towards the NYUNBAYAASANAA (the male neo-African Harlem group); her reaction to the '68 Venice Biennale which excluded women and Black artists; her subsequent show named the Liberated Venice Biennale which consisted of 50% women; the She Show and the Flag Show which instigated three arrests; the He Show and upcoming Where Are We At? Show; the importance of conducting open shows; her feelings towards historical African art and its conceptual confronting nature; the influence of Augusta Savage; the influence of African art upon Minimalism and Surrealism.
Biographical / Historical:
Faith Ringgold (1930- ) is a painter, sculptor, and performance artist in New York, New York.
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:
This transcript is open for research. No recording exists. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Surrealism  Search this
Minimal art  Search this
Art, African  Search this
African American artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women performance artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
African American art -- African influences  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.ringgo72
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9078e66ba-0946-49e1-9f75-caa1ad3cc394
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-ringgo72
Online Media:

John Wilson papers

Creator:
Wilson, John, 1922-2015  Search this
Interviewer:
Trachtenberg, Alan  Search this
Extent:
5 Microfilm reels
1 Cassette (Sound recording, analog)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Microfilm reels
Cassettes
Drawings
Interviews
Scrapbooks
Sound recordings
Date:
circa 1939-1993
Scope and Contents:
This microfilm collection of the papers of African American painter, sculptor, illustrator, printmaker, and educator John Woodrow Wilson contains biographical material such as autobiographical notes, school records, personal documents, and a bibliography; personal and business correspondence, undated and 1938-1993; files on the New York City Board of Education, 1959-1965, regarding his teaching; and project files, including Wilson's submission for the competition for a Frederick Douglass statue, Eternal Presence, Father and Child Reading, and Wilson's monuments and bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. Correspondents represented include the Albany Institute of History and Art, Atlanta University, Carnegie Institute, Ebony, David Porter of the G Place Gallery, the Institute of Modern Art, Alain Locke, Gloria May, the Museum of Modern Art, Frederick G. Rice, and Hale Woodruff.

Also included in the collection are files on exhibitions; notebooks, 1958-1960; lesson plans, 1959, 1963; notes, writings, and lectures, circa 1945-1993; transcripts of interviews of Wilson and related correspondence, 1978-1987; legal material, 1978; financial records 1944-1991, including a notebook of sales and expenses 1945-1950; photographs, 1940-1990, of Wilson, his work, sculpture, and exhibition installations; a scrapbook, 1939-1967; artwork, including sketchbooks, 1970-1992, life studies completed as a student, 1939-1947, and miscellaneous art work, 1939-1992; and printed material, 1939-1993, including exhibition catalogs, illustrated books and book jackets, and ephemera. The collection also includes a copy of a sound recording of an interview of Wilson conducted by Alan Trachtenberg, circa 1979 (untranscribed).
Biographical / Historical:
John Woodrow Wilson (1922-2015) was an African American painter, sculptor, illustrator, printmaker, and educator in Boston, Massachusetts. Wilson studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston under Ture Bengtz and Karl Zerbe, graduating in 1945. He lived in Paris through the MFA fellowship and studied with modern artist Fernand Leger. He then attended Tufts University, graduating in 1947. Wilson received a John Hay Whitney fellowship and lived in Mexico for five years with his wife, Julie Kowtich. After his return from Mexico in 1956, Wilson made artwork for Chicago labor unions and taught in New York City before returning to teach at Boston University in 1964. During his career, Wilson won competitions to execute statues of Martin Luther King, Jr. for the city of Buffalo, New York and for the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1993 by John W. Wilson, except for the 1979 sound recording which he lent for copying.
Restrictions:
Microfilm portion must be consulted on microfilm. Use of untranscribed interview requires an appointment.
Occupation:
Painters -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Sculptors -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Educators -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Interviews
Scrapbooks
Sound recordings
Identifier:
AAA.wilsjohn
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ea018d94-6ec4-4d8f-9d56-9428d4c92e78
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-wilsjohn

Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists

Creator:
Nasisse, Andy S., 1946-  Search this
Names:
Bailey, E. M. (Eldren M.)  Search this
Carpenter, Miles B. (Miles Burkholder), 1889-  Search this
Carroll, Tessie  Search this
Damonte, Emanuel "Litto", d. 1985  Search this
Dinsmoor, Samuel Perry, 1843-1932  Search this
Doyle, Sam, 1906-1985  Search this
Ehn, John Henry, 1896-1981  Search this
Finster, Howard, 1916-2001  Search this
Forester, Laura Pope, 1873-1953  Search this
Hall, Dilmus, 1900-1987  Search this
Hall, Irene Gibson, ca. 1895-1983  Search this
Harvey, Bessie, 1929-  Search this
McKissack, Jeff, 1902-1980  Search this
Milkovitch, John, 1912-1988  Search this
Murry, J. B. (John B.), 1908-1988  Search this
Prisbrey, Tressa  Search this
Pugh, Dow, 1906-  Search this
Ratcliffe, W. T., 1882-1956  Search this
Rice, William Carlton, 1930-2004  Search this
Robertson, Royal  Search this
St. EOM, 1908-1986  Search this
Thomas, Son, 1926-1993  Search this
Tolliver, Mose, 1920-  Search this
Van Zant, Frank, 1911-1989  Search this
Zoetl, Joseph, 1878-1961  Search this
Extent:
0.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Date:
circa 1979-circa 1986
Summary:
The Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists measure 0.8 linear feet and date from 1979 to 1986, with additional undated materials. Included are artist files on twenty-five self-taught artists. Files consist primarily of black and white photographs of artists, their artworks, and photographs of unidentified artworks. Also included is a letter discussing artist Howard Finster's first dealer, Jeffrey Camp, and in which Nasisse offers his advice to Finster to limit production of his work. An audio recording of an interview with Miles Carpenter conducted by Nasisse, and a documentary about J. B. Murray, A Video Documentary of an Artist and His Work, are also present in these files. The documentary features many of Murray's paintings and drawings, as well as his comments on his art and visions.

The artists included in the files are Eldren M. (E. M.) Bailey, Miles Carpenter, Tessie Carroll, Emanuel "Litto" Damonte, Samuel Perry (S.P.) Dinsmoor, Sam Doyle, John Ehn, Howard Finster, Laura Pope Forrester, Dilmus Hall, Irene Hall, Bessie Harvey, St. EOM (Eddie Owens Martin), Jeff McKissack, John Milkovitch, J. B. Murray, Grandma Tressa Prisbrey, Dow Pugh, W.T. Ratcliffe (or Ratliff), William Carlton Rice (Mr. Rice), Royal Robertson, James "Son Ford" Thomas, Mose Tolliver, Frank van Zant (Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder), and Brother Joseph Zoetl.
Scope and Contents:
The Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists measure 0.8 linear feet and date from 1979 to 1986, with additional undated materials. Included are artist files on twenty-five self-taught artists. Files consist primarily of black and white photographs of artists, their artworks, and photographs of unidentified artworks. Also included is a letter discussing artist Howard Finster's first dealer, Jeffrey Camp, and in which Nasisse offers his advice to Finster to limit production of his work. An audio recording of an interview with Miles Carpenter conducted by Nasisse, and a documentary about J. B. Murray, A Video Documentary of an Artist and His Work, are also present in these files. The documentary features many of Murray's paintings and drawings, as well as his comments on his art and visions.

The artists included in the files are Eldren M. (E. M.) Bailey, Miles Carpenter, Tessie Carroll, Emanuel "Litto" Damonte, Samuel Perry (S.P.) Dinsmoor, Sam Doyle, John Ehn, Howard Finster, Laura Pope Forrester, Dilmus Hall, Irene Hall, Bessie Harvey, St. EOM (Eddie Owens Martin), Jeff McKissack, John Milkovitch, J. B. Murray, Grandma Tressa Prisbrey, Dow Pugh, W.T. Ratcliffe (or Ratliff), William Carlton Rice (Mr. Rice), Royal Robertson, James "Son Ford" Thomas, Mose Tolliver, Frank van Zant (Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder), and Brother Joseph Zoetl.
Biographical / Historical:
Andy Nasisse (1946-) is a ceramicist sculptor, potter, and former professor at the University of Georgia. Starting in the 1970s, he visited self-taught artists and photographed their art, environments and, in some cases, conducted interviews with them. He has had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia and is the recipient of the Art Regional Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Miles Carpenter (also known as Miles Burkholder Carpenter or Miles B. Carpenter) (1889-1985) was a sculptor active in Waverly, Virginia who carved figures and animals from wood and referred to some as "advertisements."

Tessie Carroll was an Oklahoma folk artist known for her rock sculptures and carvings.

Eldren M. (E.M.) Bailey (1903-1987) was an African American sculptor and painter from Atlanta, Georgia whose sculptures were influenced from his background making grave markers.

Emanuel "Litto" Damonte (1892-1985) started collecting hubcaps in 1957 and created an art environment on his property in Napa Country, California, known as Hubcap Ranch.

Samuel Perry (S.P). Dinsmoor (1843-1932) was a Kansan sculptor who designed a sculpture garden at his home called the Garden of Eden," consisting of over 200 concrete works reflecting his religious and political beliefs.

Sam Doyle (1906-1985) was an African American artist born on St. Helena, an island off the coast of South Carolina, whose colorful paintings document the island's people and Gullah culture.

John Ehn (1887-1981) was a former trapper turned sculptor who decorated the landscape of his Californian motel, Old Trapper's Lodge, with sculptures depicting myths and the Old West.

Howard Finster (1916-2001) was a Georgian folk artist and Baptist minister known for his former home, Paradise Garden, consisting of constructions, found objects and sculptures.

Laura Pope Forrester (1873-1953) was a sculptor who created figurative works in her Georgian garden that depicted notable women and fictional characters.

Dilmus Hall (1896-1987) was an African American artist whose sculptural works are associated with religious customs that combine African traditions and Christianity.

Irene Hall was an Oklahoman artist who decorated her home with sculptural works she had made with found objects.

Bessie Harvey (1929-1994) was an African American folk artist from Tennessee who created wooden sculptures often inspired by nature.

Eddie Owens Martin "St. EOM" (1908-1986) was a Georgian artist who created a visionary art environment called Pasaquan.

Jeff McKissack (1902-1980) is the creator of The Orange Show, an art environment constructed in Houston Texas to honor his favorite fruit.

John Milkovitch (1912-1988) was a retired upholsterer who constructed the Beer Can House, by decorating his home with over 50,000 fattened beer cans.

J. B. Murry (1910-1988) (also known as J.B. Murray) was an African American painter who incorporated illegible text in his work which he interpreted with the use of a bottle of well water.

Tressa "Grandma" Prisbrey (1896-1988) constructed numerous structures out of bottles and found objects at her home creating what became known as Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village.

Dow Pugh (1906-1993) was an artist from Tennessee who created paintings and sculptural works.

W. T. Ratcliffe was an engineer who, in the 1930s created sculptures in Boulder Park in Jacumba, California.

William Carlton Rice (1930-2004) was a self-ordained minister who created a Cross Garden around his home in Alabama.

Royal Robertson (1936-1997) was an African American artist and self-proclaimed prophet from Louisiana whose work incorporated biblical themes, and references to "girlie magazines" and comic strips.

James "Son Ford" Thomas (1926- 1993) was an African American sculptor and blues musician from Mississippi who is known for his clay skull sculptures.

Mose Tolliver (1919-2006) was an African American folk painter from Alabama who painted with house paint on wood.

Frank van Zant "Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder" (1921-1989) was an Oklahoman artist who created a park in Nevada dedicated to the American Indian known as Thunder Mountain Monument.

Brother Joseph Zoettl (1878-1961) was a monk who constructed a miniature city of famous religious buildings at St. Bernard Abbey known as Ave Maria Grotto.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Photographs and videos of self-taught artists; Willie Ann Wright photographs; Howard Finster papers; John F. Turner research material on Howard Finster; Howard Finster interview and recordings; Videos and slides on Dilmus Hall, Mary T. Smith, and J.B. Murry; Willem Volkersz interviews; and J. B. Murray drawings. There is also an oral history interview with Howard Finster conducted by Liza Kirwin in 1984.

The California State University, Channel Islands holds the Prisbrey bottle village collection. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill holds the Judith McWillie papers. The University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries holds the Howard Finster collection and the Howard Finster Tapes.
Provenance:
The Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists were donated to the Archives of American Art by Andy Nasisse in 1985.
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 audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
Video on J.B. Murray: Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Andy Nasisse. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Educators -- Georgia  Search this
Folk artists  Search this
Ceramicists -- Georgia  Search this
Potters -- Georgia  Search this
Topic:
Self-taught artists  Search this
African American artists  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Citation:
Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists, circa 1979-circa 1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.nasiandy
See more items in:
Andy Nasisse files relating to self-taught artists
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw925d29844-be82-4471-9907-9d477d264625
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-nasiandy

Harry Lowe papers

Creator:
Lowe, Harry, 1922-  Search this
Names:
Archipenko, Alexander, 1887-1964  Search this
Dahl-Wolfe, Louise  Search this
Edmondson, William, 1882?-1951  Search this
Flagg, James Montgomery, 1877-1960  Search this
Mabry, Thomas D.  Search this
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979  Search this
Extent:
0.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1938-1982
Scope and Contents:
Letters, photographs, slides, and printed materials on art exhibits and subjects.
REEL 3134: Papers accumulated by Lowe while Director of the Tennessee Fine Arts Center regarding an exhibit on the work of African American sculptor William Edmondson, 1964. Included are 12 letters, 1961-1964, from Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Thomas D. Mabry and others concerning works loaned to the exhibit; a photograph of Edmondson and 12 of his sculpture; an undated exhibition announcement; and 10 clippings.
UNMICROFILMED: Letters and photocopies of letters; files, containing photographs, slides, and negatives relating to a Alexander Archipenko exhibition, Paris, France, 1969, exhibition of Mexican Folk Art from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Collection, Museum of Primative Art, 1969, and the Art Embassies Program, 1966; photos of Lowe; slides of Cranbrook Academy of Art installations; articles and photocopies of articles, regarding Nelson Rockefeller, and his art collection, James Montgomery Flagg, and others; printed material, including press releases and exhibition catalogs; and miscellany.
Biographical / Historical:
Arts administrator and designer; Washington, D.C. Worked at Cranbrook Academy of Art, 1951-1953; was Director of the Tennessee Fine Arts Center, 1959-1964; a curator, Department of Exhibitions & Design, National Collection of Fine Arts, 1964-1972.
Provenance:
Donated 1971 & 1984 by Harry Lowe.
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:
Arts administrators -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Designers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Exhibitions  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.loweharr
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw929f23a60-cc17-448b-93a7-b9e577adfc77
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-loweharr

John W. Rhoden papers

Creator:
Rhoden, John (John W), 1918-  Search this
Extent:
1 Microfilm reel (60 items on partial microfilm reel)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Microfilm reels
Date:
1940-1968
Scope and Contents:
This microfilm collection of the papers of African American sculptor John W. Rhoden contain correspondence, exhibition catalogs, biographical material, clippings, a scrapbook, personal photographs, and photographs of Rhoden's work.
Biographical / Historical:
John W. Rhoden (1918-2001) was an African American sculptor in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Talladega College, the School of Painting and Sculpture at Columbia University, and the American Academy in Rome. Rhoden created sculptures for the exteriors of buildings including the Harlem Hospital Center and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
Related Materials:
Also held at the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with John W. Rhoden, 1968 July 21, conducted by Henri Ghent. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) holds an archival collection documenting the life and career of John W. Rhoden.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1969 by John W. Rhoden.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.rhodjohn
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw98c595e18-92cf-4c39-a360-81ab9233225f
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-rhodjohn

Oral history interview with Charles Searles

Interviewee:
Searles, Charles Robert, 1937-2004  Search this
Interviewer:
Veloric, Cynthia  Search this
Names:
Sande Webster Gallery  Search this
Extent:
149 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Interviews
Sound recordings
Date:
1991 June 13
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Charles Searles conducted 1991 June 13, by Cynthia Veloric, for the Archives of American Art Philadelphia Project.
Searles discusses his early life in Philadelphia; military service; discovering African sculpture; attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; being included in the 1969 exhibit "New Black Artists"; traveling to Europe and Africa on a Cresson Fellowship from the PAFA; his experiences in Nigeria; exhibiting and teaching in Philadelphia, moving to New York City; his work in various media; subject matter; interest in dance and music; participating in Recherché; and being represented by the Sande Webster Gallery in Philadelphia.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles Robert Searles (1937-2004) was a sculptor, painter and muralist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hr., 52 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.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia  Search this
Topic:
African American art -- African influences  Search this
Recherché (Group)  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American military personnel  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
African American painters  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Identifier:
AAA.searle91
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fd27f6d5-0130-4f99-bbb0-4f1276bf4d9a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-searle91
Online Media:

Charles Henry Alston papers

Creator:
Alston, Charles Henry, 1907-1977  Search this
Names:
City University of New York. City College -- Faculty  Search this
Bearden, Anna Alston  Search this
Bearden, Romare, 1911-1988  Search this
Browne, Byron, 1907-1961  Search this
Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this
Logan, Myra, 1909-1977  Search this
Welty, Eudora, 1909-2001  Search this
Woodruff, Hale, 1900-1980  Search this
Wright, Louis T. (Louis Tompkins), 1891-1952  Search this
Extent:
0.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1924-1980
Summary:
The scattered papers of African American and Harlem Renaissance painter, muralist, illustrator, sculptor, and educator Charles Henry Alston measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1924-1980. Included are biographical materials, correspondence, commission and teaching files, writings and notes, printed materials, and photographs. Notable correspondents include Romare Bearden, Byron Browne, Jacob Lawrence, and Hale Woodruff.
Scope and Content Note:
The scattered papers of African American and Harlem Renaissance painter, muralist, illustrator, sculptor, and educator Charles Henry Alston (1907-1977) measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1924-1980. The bulk of the collection documents his personal and professional relationships with figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Researchers should note that this collection contains very little documentation on Alston's actual federal WPA work with the Harlem Art Workshop, the Harlem Artists Guild, or his Harlem Hospital murals completed in 1940. A photograph of Alston in 1937 is likely the only reference to the actual WPA murals in this collection.

Scattered correspondence includes general correspondence; letters concerning Alston's artistic endeavors; and personal letters from friends and family. Found is a copy of a thank you note from Eudora Welty to John Woodburn for a jacket design presumably by Alston; letters from Harlem Renaissance figures and personal friends Romare Bearden, Byron Brown, Jacob Lawrence, and Hale Woodruff.

Commission files are for Alston's murals including those in the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance building in Los Angeles, California (1947); and the addition to the Harlem Hospital (1965); and the Family and Criminal Courts Building in the Bronx, New York (1976). There is one file concerning teaching at City College New York (CUNY).

Writings and notes includes scattered notes and three short stories probably by Alston entitled "Bitsy O'Wire," "Body and Soul," and "Gigi."

Printed materials include illustrations by Alston in the Columbia University literary magazine, The Morningside, and medical illustrations done for Dr. Louis T. Wright. Also found are scattered clippings, exhibition announcements, press releases, and materials from the First Conference on Aesthetic Responsibility.

Photographs are of Alston, Alston with his wife, Myra Logan, his mother Anna Alston Bearden, Romare Bearden, and Hale Woodruff. Photographs of note include one of Alston holding a self-portrait, and one of the artist in 1937 with works that are most likely preliminary sketches of his WPA murals at Harlem Hospital. There are also photographs of Alston's works of art.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 6 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Information, 1924-1977 (Box 1; 3 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1931-1977(Box 1; 7 folders)

Series 3: Commission and Teaching Files, 1947-1976 (Box 1; 4 folders)

Series 4: Writings and Notes, circa 1940s-1970s (Box 2-3; 4 folders)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1928, 1946-1980(Box 2-3; 5 folders)

Series 6: Photographs, 1925-1968 (Box 2; 2 folders)
Biographical Note:
Charles Henry Alston (1907-1977) worked primarily in New York city as a painter, muralist, illustrator, and educator. He was part of the Harlem Renaissance movement in the 1930s and helped form the Harlem Art Workshop and the Harlem Artists Guild.

Charles Henry "Spinky" Alston was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 28th, 1907. His parents were the Reverend Primus Priss and Anna Miller. After the death of his father, Alston's mother married Henry Pierce Bearden (Romare Bearden's uncle) in 1913 and the family moved to New York City.

At DeWitt Clinton High School in New York, Alston served as art editor of the school's literary magazine. Alston majored in fine arts and history at Columbia University, graduating in 1929. He became active in the Harlem community and accepted a position as director of Utopia House, a boy's camp, where he started an art program. He returned to Columbia and recieved a Masters degree in art education from Columbia's Teachers College. While still a student, he illustrated album covers for jazz musician Duke Ellington and book covers for poet Langston Hughes.

Alston played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance Movement of the period. During the Great Depression, he and sculptor Henry Bannarn directed the Harlem Art Workshop which was funded by the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project. There he taught and mentored African American painter Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden, among others.

In the 1950s, Alston embarked on a series of portraits of African American figures. He also taught at the Art Students League and later with the City College of New York (CUNY). Along with his wife, Myra Logan, a surgeon at Harlem Hospital, Alston lived in Harlem and remained an active member of the community until the end of his life. Charles Alston died in 1977.
Related Material:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are two oral history interviews with Charles Henry Alston, one conducted by Harlan Phillips on September 28, 1965 and another by Al Murray on October 19, 1968.

Additional Charles Henry Alston papers are located at the University of North Carolina's Southern Historical Collection at the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library.
Separated Material:
In 1970, Charles Alston loaned materials for microfilming, including correspondence with Henry Epstein, Langston Hughes, Robert Riggs, Harry Sternberg, J. Johnson Sweeney, Hale Woodruff and others. Also loaned for microfilming were sketchbooks, printed materials, and photographs. Subsequently, some of the photographs were later donated by Alston's sisters. The loaned materials are available only on microfilm reel N70-23 at Archives of American Art offices, and through interlibrary loan. These materials are not included in the container listing of this finding aid.
Provenance:
Charles Alston lent portions of the collection for microfilming in 1970. Aida Winters and Rousmaniere Alston Wilson, Charles Alston's sisters, donated additional materials to the Archives of American Art in 1982 and 1984.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Illustrators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Harlem Renaissance  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Charles Henry Alston papers, 1924-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.alstchar
See more items in:
Charles Henry Alston papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9659f264f-7afb-4e05-bf28-ed3872b7cfea
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-alstchar
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Renée Stout

Interviewee:
Stout, Renée, 1958-  Search this
Interviewer:
Chow, Nyssa, 1980-  Search this
Extent:
9 Items (sound files (6 hrs., 22 min.) Audio, digital, wav)
148 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2019 June 5-6
Scope and Contents:
An interview with Renée Stout conducted 2019 June 5 and 6, by Nyssa Chow, for the Archives of American Art, at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Biographical / Historical:
Interviewee Renée Stout (1958- ) is a sculptor, assemblage artist, and painter in Washington, D.C. Interviewer Nyssa Chow (1980- ) is an oral historian in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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:
The transcript and recording are open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Painters -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Assemblage artists -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Topic:
African American art -- African influences  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
African American painters  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.stout19
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96bd03475-150d-4930-87f2-b808d4121648
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-stout19
Online Media:

Joyce J. Scott papers

Creator:
Scott, Joyce J., 1948-  Search this
Names:
Scott, Elizabeth Talford, 1916-2011  Search this
Extent:
9.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Performances (creative events)
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Photograph albums
Date:
1914-2019
bulk 1970s-2000s
Summary:
The papers of African American sculptor, jewelry maker, quilter, and performance artist Joyce J. Scott measure 9.1 linear feet and date from 1948 to 2019, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1970s to the 2000s, and individual materials from 1914 to 1915, and from 1932. The collection consists of biographical material; correspondence; writings; professional files, including exhibition and project files, born-digital materials, and gallery records; printed material; photographic material, including photo albums; artwork; and audiovisual material, including recordings of performances and lectures.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of African American sculptor, jewelry maker, quilter, and performance artist Joyce J. Scott measure 9.1 linear feet and date from 1948 to 2019, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1970s to the 2000s and individual materials from 1914 to 1915, and from 1932. The collection consists of biographical material; correspondence; writings; professional files, including exhibition and project files, born-digital materials, and gallery records; printed material; photographic material, including photo albums; artwork; and audiovisual material, including recordings of performances and lectures.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as eight series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1948-1977, 1989-2015 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1972-2014 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1970-circa 2000s, undated (Box 1-2; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Professional Files, 1970s-circa 2013 (Box 2, OV 10; 0.9 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1914-1915, 1932, 1953-2018 (Box 3-5, OV 10; 2.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographic Material, 1971-2019 (Box 5; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, 1987-1989, 1998-2006, undated (Box 5; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 8: Audiovisual Material, 1983-2006, undated (Boxes 5-9; 4.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Joyce J. Scott (1948- ) is an African American sculptor, jewelry maker, quilter, and performance artist in Baltimore, Maryland. She is best known for her use of off-loom bead weaving techniques to depict the complexities of race, gender, and class. Born in 1948, Scott is the daughter of quilter and folk artist Elizabeth Talford Scott, from whom she learned quilting. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and Master of Fine Art from the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. In 2016, Scott was named a MacArthur Fellow, and she was named the Smithsonian Visionary Artist in 2019. Her work is held in permanent collections across the country, including at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Related Materials:
Also found at the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Joyce J. Scott, 2009 July 22 conducted by Robert Silberman.
Provenance:
The papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2019 by Joyce J. Scott as part of the Archives' African American Collecting Initiative funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.
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 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:
Sculptors -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Performance artists -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Quiltmakers -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Jewelers -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
African American quiltmakers  Search this
Women performance artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Women jewelers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Performances (creative events)
Sketchbooks
Interviews
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Photograph albums
Citation:
Joyce J. Scott papers, 1914-2019. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.scotjoyc
See more items in:
Joyce J. Scott papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d4e05ecc-bf00-40f5-8557-82922aa175ce
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-scotjoyc

Maren Hassinger papers

Creator:
Hassinger, Maren  Search this
Names:
Maryland Institute, College of Art  Search this
Nengudi, Senga, 1943-  Search this
Extent:
11.3 Linear feet
4.55 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Diaries
Date:
1955-2018
Summary:
The papers of African American artist and educator Maren Hassinger measure 11.3 linear feet and 4.55 gigabytes, dating from 1955 to 2018. The collection contains biographical material; personal and professional correspondence; and writings; as well as project and exhibition files; material related to Hassinger's tenure at the Rinehart School of Graduate Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA); material related to other professional activities, including teaching files; photographic material; and artwork and artifacts.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of African American artist and educator Maren Hassinger measure 11.3 linear feet and 4.55 gigabytes, dating from 1955 to 2018. The collection contains biographical material including appointment and address books, education records, family and other home movie recordings, interview transcripts, and resumes; personal and professional correspondence; and writings including diaries, notebooks, notes, and writings by others. Also included are project and exhibition files, including accompanying audiovisual material and performance recordings; material related to Hassinger's tenure at the Rinehart School of Graduate Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA); material related to other professional activities, including other teaching files, panels, and grants; printed material; photographic material depicting Maren Hassinger, other individuals, and works of art, including student work; and artwork and artifacts.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as nine series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1959-2001, 2013-circa 2015 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet, ER01; 0.001 GB)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1961-2018 (Boxes 1-2; 1 linear foot, ER02; 3.01 GB)

Series 3: Writings, 1955-2017 (Boxes 2-3; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Project and Exhibition Files, 1966, 1982-2015 (Boxes 3-4, OV 12; 1.5 linear feet, ER03-ER04; 1.31 GB)

Series 5: Rinehart School of Graduate Sculpture/MICA Files, circa 1960s-2018 (Boxes 4-5; 1.4 linear feet)

Series 6: Professional Activities, circa 1969-2017 (Boxes 5-6; 0.8 linear feet, ER05; 0.006 GB)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1960-2018 (Boxes 6-9, OVs 12-15; 2.9 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographic Material, 1969-2010s (Boxes 9-10, OV 12, Box 16; 2.2 linear feet, ER06; 0.224 GB)

Series 9: Artwork and Artifacts, circa 1960s-2010s (Box 11; 0.3 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Maren Hassinger (1947- ) is an African American artist in New York known for sculpture, performance, and public art in which she uses natural and industrial materials. She was also an educator and is the director emeritus of the Rinehart School of Graduate Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD.

Born Maren Jenkins in Los Angeles, California in 1947, Hassinger studied dance and sculpture at Bennington College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in sculpture in 1969. In 1973 she completed a Master of Fine Arts in fiber structure at UCLA.

During her time in Los Angeles, Hassinger began to collaborate with Senga Nengudi — a collaborative relationship that has continued throughout their careers. She also participated in the Studio Z collective with Nengudi, Ulysses Jenkins, David Hammons, and Houston Conwill.

Hassinger taught at the State University of New York, Stony Brook from 1992 to 1997 and was the director of the Rinehart School of Graduate Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art from 1997 to 2018. Throughout her career, she has been awarded numerous residencies, awards, and grants. Her work is held in many collections including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the California African American Museum, the Hammer Museum, and the Studio Museum in Harlem.
Provenance:
The Maren Hassinger papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2018 by Maren Hassinger.
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 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:
Performance artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Educators -- Maryland -- Baltimore  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Women educators  Search this
African American art -- African influences  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Diaries
Citation:
Maren Hassinger papers, 1955-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.hassmare
See more items in:
Maren Hassinger papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cd224705-e329-48a4-bf88-db31ad8ebd4e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-hassmare
Online Media:

Carroll Harris Simms papers

Creator:
Simms, Carroll, 1924-2010  Search this
Extent:
0.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Date:
1945-1980
Summary:
The papers of sculptor and educator Carroll Harris Simms measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1945 to 1980. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, photographs, printed material, and sketches.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of sculptor and educator Carroll Harris Simms measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1945 to 1980. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, photographs, printed material, and sketches.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Carroll Harris Simms (1924-2010) was an African American sculptor, ceramicist, and educator in Houston, Texas. Simms was born in Arkansas in 1924 and moved to Toledo, Ohio as a child. He attended Hampton University, Toledo University, and the Toledo Museum School of Art. He became the first Black student to graduate from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1950. He began a long teaching career at Texas Southern University where he taught sculpture and ceramics until retiring in 1987. Carroll Harris Simms died in 2010 in Texas.
Provenance:
Carroll Harris Simms donated his papers to the Archives of American Art in 1981.
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.
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 -- Texas -- Houston  Search this
Ceramicists -- Texas -- Houston  Search this
Educators -- Texas -- Houston  Search this
Topic:
African American artists  Search this
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Citation:
Carroll Harris Simms papers, 1945-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.simmcarr
See more items in:
Carroll Harris Simms papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ed4ed229-50d5-4e04-8b60-4327e791553d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-simmcarr

Oral history interview with Charles McGee

Interviewee:
McGee, Charles, 1924-  Search this
Interviewer:
Miro, Marsha  Search this
Extent:
98 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1976 July 23-26
Scope and Contents:
Interview of Charles McGee conducted 1976 July 23 and 26, by Marsha Miro, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles McGee (1924-) is a painter from Detroit, Mich. He founded Charles McGee School of Art, 1969-1974 and Gallery 7.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tapes. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hrs., 41 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:
Use requires an appointment.
Occupation:
Painters -- Michigan -- Detroit  Search this
Sculptors -- Michigan -- Detroit  Search this
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
African American artists  Search this
African American painters  Search this
African American sculptors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.mcgee76
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97ac2782d-7ad8-4002-a0ed-3be837ac5402
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-mcgee76

Sargent Johnson photographs of sculpture

Creator:
Johnson, Sargent, 1888-1967  Search this
Names:
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
Extent:
1 Microfilm reel (3 items on partial microfilm reel)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Microfilm reels
Date:
circa 1937
Scope and Contents:
This microfilm collection consists of photographs of sculptures created by African American artist Sargent Johnson for the Federal Art Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) was an African American sculptor in northern California. He was one of the first African American artists working in California to gain national recognition, and exhibited in many Harmon Foundation exhibitions. In the late 1930s, Johnson worked for the Works Progress Administration Federal Arts Project.
Provenance:
The lender, Lewis Ferbrache, was an administrator of the Oakland Museum of Art and collected materials relating to federally funded art projects for AAA during its New Deal and the Arts project.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Sculptors  Search this
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts -- California -- Photographs  Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare -- California -- Photographs  Search this
Public sculpture -- California -- Photographs  Search this
Art and state -- California -- Photographs  Search this
African American artists  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.johnsarg
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c8815079-f49e-416a-817f-265375557aba
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-johnsarg

Hands of Inge

Directed by:
John W. Fletcher Jr., American  Search this
Edited by:
Tee Beveridge, American, 1923 - 1993  Search this
Subject of:
Inge Hardison, American, 1914 - 2016  Search this
Composed by:
Mal Waldron, American, 1925 - 2002  Search this
Ron Carter, American, born 1937  Search this
Eric Dolphy, American, 1928 - 1964  Search this
Narrated by:
Ossie Davis, American, 1917 - 2005  Search this
Owned by:
Pearl Bowser, American, born 1931  Search this
Medium:
acetate film and metal
Dimensions:
Duration: 10 Minutes
Length (Film): 412 Feet
Type:
black-and-white films (visual works)
short subjects
16mm (photographic film size)
Place filmed:
Manhattan, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Date:
ca. 1962
Topic:
African American  Search this
Actors  Search this
Art  Search this
Film  Search this
Jazz (Music)  Search this
Process films  Search this
Women  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser
Object number:
2012.79.1.9.1ac
Restrictions & Rights:
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title:
Pearl Bowser Collection
Classification:
Media Arts-Film and Video
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5c45b93d7-bdd0-4353-a4b6-600de94c0223
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2012.79.1.9.1ac

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