The papers of fiber artist Norma Minkowitz (1937- ) measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1926 to 2022 with the bulk of the papers dating from 1970 to 2022. The collection comprises biographical materials consisting of family photographs and papers, interviews with Minkowitz, awards, and a sketchbook; professional files that include gallery records, files for grant and book projects, and other professional activity files; files for the exhibitions Fiber R/Evolution (1986), Weaving the World: Contemporary Art of Linear Construction (1999), Inside the Void, Drawing and Collage by Norma Minkowitz (2014), and several others; printed materials consisting of clippings, announcements and catalogs for Minkowitz's exhibitions, flyers, a few magazines featuring crochet items by Minkowitz, and press releases; and photographic materials containing photographs, slides, negatives and transparencies of Minkowitz's works of art, as well as photographs of Minkowitz with her artwork, her mother, Joan Mondale, Lloyd Herman, and a few others.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of fiber artist Norma Minkowitz (1937- ) measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1926 to 2022 with the bulk of the papers dating from 1970 to 2022. The collection comprises biographical materials consisting of family photographs and papers, interviews with Minkowitz, awards, and a sketchbook; professional files that include gallery records, files for grant and book projects, and other professional activity files; files for the exhibitions Fiber R/Evolution (1986), Weaving the World: Contemporary Art of Linear Construction (1999), Inside the Void, Drawing and Collage by Norma Minkowitz (2014), and several others; printed materials consisting of clippings, announcements and catalogs for Minkowitz's exhibitions, flyers, a few magazines featuring crochet items by Minkowitz, and press releases; and photographic materials containing photographs, slides, negatives and transparencies of Minkowitz's works of art, as well as photographs of Minkowitz with her artwork, her mother, Joan Mondale, Lloyd Herman, and a few others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1926-2015 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Professional Files, 1977-2022 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes1, 5
Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1985-2022 1961 (0.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
Series 4: Printed Material, 1970-2016 (0.8 linear feet; Box 2, OV 6)
Series 5: Photographic Material, circa 1972-circa 2010 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)
Biographical / Historical:
Norma Minkowitz (1937- ) is a fiber artist in Westport, Connecticut.
Minkowitz was born in New York, N.Y. She attended Music and Art High School, then graduated from Cooper Union Art School in 1958. She is known for using crochet techniques in her artwork. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Poland through the U.S. Art in Embassies Program and the 9th International Triennial of Tapestry Invitational (1998), Japan, Finland, and throughout the U.S. In 2009 she received the Master of the Medium Award from the James Renwick Alliance and is a fellow of the American Craft Council.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Norma Minkowitz conducted by Patricia Malarcher on September 17, 2001 and November 16, 2001 for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in Minkowitz's home in Westport, Connecticut.
Provenance:
The Norma Minkowitz papers were donated in 2016 and 2023 by Norma Minkowitz.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The papers of woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer Garry Knox Bennett measure 12.4 linear feet and date from 1917 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from 1960 to 2017. The collection documents the artist's life and career through biographical materials, correspondence with family and friends including other artists, exhibition files, professional files, financial and legal records, and printed material and scrapbooks recording his exhibition history and more, including photographs from his youth.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer Garry Knox Bennett measure 12.4 linear feet and date from 1917 to 2017 with the bulk of the material dating from 1960 to 2017.
The collection includes biographical materials containing Bennett's birthday and wedding celebration material, appointment calendars, childhood artwork, sketches and patterns for projects, photographs and notes regarding the Bennetts' marriage, resumes, student records, and material regarding the Bennetts' house fire in 2003. Correspondence is with artists Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs, June Schwarcz, Kay Sekimachi and Bob Stocksdale, Albert Paley who describes an accident that occurred in 2002, and good friend and writer Jack Marlowe, as well as with wife Sylvia and daughter Jessica. Exhibition files consist of artwork price lists, artist statements, shipping documents, correspondence, and printed materials for Bennett's solo and group exhibitions. They also include documentation of a few exhibitions showing pieces from his personal art collection.
Professional files relate to workshops, lectures, exhibitions, donations, and grant proposals. Also found are project and publication files, artist statements written by Jack Marlowe and Tom Farber for Bennett, studio visit records, a video recording of an interview with Bennett, and a few digital recordings. The Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett (2001) retrospective files consist of correspondence, fundraising records, lender files, and material regarding the creation of a book that also served as the catalog for the exhibition. Financial and legal records contain check registers, invoices and receipts, card files containing sales information, and legal material relating to the estate of Peter T. Joseph. Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and exhibition history material. Additional printed material can be found in the scrapbooks recording exhibitions and Bennett's career. The scrapbooks also include some personal items such as letters, photographs, and documents from Bennett's youth.
Handwritten notes by Sylvia Bennett, offering additional history and context, can be found throughout the collection. The notes were typically written onto the original folders which have been preserved along with the related material.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1917-2009 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1, 13, OV 14)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1955-2017 (2.0 linear feet; Boxes 1-3)
Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1979-2017 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-4)
Series 4: Professional Files, 1959-2017 (5.0 linear feet; Boxes 4-9)
Series 5: -- Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett -- Retrospective, circa 1977-2009 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 9-11)
Series 6: Financial and Legal Records, 1950s-2010 (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 11-12)
Series 7: Printed Materials, 1960-2015 (0.8 linear feet; Box 12)
Series 8: Scrapbooks, 1948-1997 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 12-13)
Biographical / Historical:
Garry Knox Bennett (1934-2022) was a woodworker, sculptor, and furniture designer in Oakland, California.
Bennett was born in Alameda, California to Katherine von Tagen and Robert Bennett, but was raised by his grandparents. He attended the California College of the Arts, then the California College of Arts and Crafts, where he studied painting and began experimenting with metals. During this time he married his wife Sylvia.
He opened a studio in the late 1960s where he produced his famous roach clips, then later opened a larger studio named Squirkenworks in Oakland. In the 1970s, he began working with wood and on 1980 fabricated his infamous Nail Cabinet, a wood cabinet with a single nail driven through the face of the door, which garnered attention not only for Bennett's expert craftsmanship but also for what some saw as disrespect for the craft. Regardless of any controversy Bennett's work created, he became highly respected as a craftsman. In step with his unconventional nature, Bennett exhibited and sold his paintings and jewelry using the pseudonyms Ambrose Pillphister and Gerraldo Bennucci.
Bennett received the Award of Distinction from the Furniture Society and the Master of the Medium Award from the James Renwick Alliance, and was a Fellow of the American Craft Council. A major retrospective, Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, took place in 2001 at the American Craft Museum in New York and the Oakland Museum in California.
Bennett died unexpectedly in 2022 in Oakland, California.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Garry Knox Bennett conducted February 1-2, 2002 by Glenn Adamson in Oakland, C.A. for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America.
Provenance:
The Garry Knox Bennett papers were donated in 2003 by Sylvia Bennett, Bennett's wife, and in 2017 by Garry Knox Bennett. The papers were collected as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project For Craft and Decorative Arts in America.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The records of the Society of North American Goldsmiths measures 15.3 linear feet and date from 1949-2008, with the bulk of the records dating between 1965-2008. The records document the history of this organization through administrative files, printed materials, photographic material, and audiovisual recordings.
Scope and Contents:
The records of the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) measures 15.3 linear feet and date from 1949-2008, with the bulk of the records dating between 1965-2008. The records document the history of this organization through administrative files, printed materials, photographic material, and audiovisual recordings. Administrative files include materials from SNAG conferences, meeting minutes, administrative and general correspondence, financial records, and papers pertaining to the soceity's various endeavors. Printed materials consist of SNAG newsletters, its Metalsmith magazine, as well as event ephemera. Other materials include exhibition materials from group and solo shows; materials published by other professional organizations, museums, and galleries; artist cards and biographical summaries; and more. Photographic material depicts SNAG members and events, competition submissions, wearable art and other forms of jewelery and sculpture. Audiovisual material consists mostly of presentations made at SNAG's 1993 conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, and also includes presentations made by other creators, audio recordings from a goldsmith forum, and exhibition recordings.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 4 series.
Series 1: Administrative Files, 1975-2008 (Box 1-3; 2.4 linear feet)
Series 2: Printed Material, 1949-2007 (Box 3-14, OV 17; 10.6 linear feet)
Series 3: Photographic Material, 1969-1990s (Box 14; 6 folders)
Series 4: Audiovisual Material, 1972-1998 (Box 14-16; 1.7 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
The Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) was founded in 1969 to provide a meeting-place for contemporary jewelers and metalsmiths, to encourage the free exchange of information inside the field, to promote the field to a wider audience, and to recognize outstanding creative achievement. The organization held its first conference in 1970, and that same year held its first exhibition in conjunction with the Minnesota Museum of Art. Between 1970 and 1980, the size of membership grew from around 50 members to over one thousand. In 1980, SNAG published the first edition of its quarterly magazine, Metalsmith. The organization also published brochures and newsletters; sponsored workshops, competitions, and lectures; supported an audiovisual library composed of technical sets, films, and exhibitions for its members and educational institutions; and distrbuted books by metalismiths, jewelery makers, and other creators.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2004 by the Society of North American Goldsmiths via Dana Singer, Executive Director.
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.
Society of North American Goldsmiths Records, 1949-2008. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
The papers of metal-worker and educator Richard Thomas, head of the metalsmithing department at the Cranbrook Academy of Art from 1948 to 1984, measure 0.6 linear feet, date from 1968 to 1979, and consist of scattered records from Cranbrook's metalsmithing department.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of metal-worker and educator Richard Thomas, head of the metalsmithing department at the Cranbrook Academy of Art from 1948 to 1984, measure 0.6 linear feet, date from 1968 to 1979, and consist of scattered records from Cranbrook's metalsmithing department.
Papers include two bound volumes of theses abstracts by metalsmithing students, a catalog for the exhibition Reprise (1975) with a letter from Thomas to the exhibitors, and slides of artwork by metalsmithing students.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Richard Thomas (1917-1988) was a metal-worker and educator who served as head of the metalsmithing department at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He was known for his design and fabrication of liturgial objects and commemorative objects of the Cranbrook Foundation.
Thomas was born in Marion Center, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in art education from Indiana University at Pennsylvania and received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1948. After becoming acquainted with Cranbrook director Zoltan Sepeshy, during his undergraduate studies, Thomas was asked by Sepeshy to head the metalsmithing department at the school. Thomas served as department head from 1948 to 1984.
Thomas was awarded the Cranbrook's Founders Medal in 1981 and his liturgial designs can be seen in more than ninety churches, synagogues, and temples across the country. He also designed the Cranbrook Foundation's silver punch bowl, the Saarinen Medal, and the commemorative medal for the Academy of Art's fiftieth anniversary.
Related Materials:
Also in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of Richard Thomas conducted on May 5-17, 1978 by Dennis Barrie.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also has microfilm (reel 926) of loaned material including correspondence, biographical material, writings and lectures, artwork, photographs of Thomas's liturgical pieces and his studio, clippings, and meeting minutes of Faculty Assemblies at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Originals were returned to Richard Thomas after microfilming and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 1975 and 1985 by Richard Thomas.
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:
Metal-workers -- Michigan -- Bloomfield Hills Search this
Educators -- Michigan -- Bloomfield Hills Search this
The papers of studio glass artist Marvin Lipofsky measure 46.0 linear feet and date from 1954 to 2018. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, travel diaries, artist files, exhibition and gallery files, organization files, professional files, technical studio files, printed material, photographic material, three scrapbooks, sketchbooks, and artwork. There is a 0.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes personal and professional correspondence between Lipofsky and others regarding travel and shows, a file on teaching, and biographical information, and "In a Bottle" transparency. Materials date from circa 1964-2002.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of studio glass artist Marvin Lipofsky (1938-2016) measure 46.0 linear feet and date from 1954 to 2018. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, travel diaries, artist files, exhibition and gallery files, organization files, professional files, technical studio files, printed material, photographic material, three scrapbooks, sketchbooks, and artwork.There is a 0.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes personal and professional correspondence between Lipofsky and others regarding travel and shows, a file on teaching, and biographical information, and "In a Bottle" transparency. Materials date from circa 1964-2002.
Of note are materials concerning Lipofsky's extensive travel, likely with the Glass Art Society, and his files on oher artists. 108 travel diaries contain notes and contact information and date from 1970 to 2015. Professional files contain Lipofsky's international files which are organized by country. Within these are correspondence and printed materials from local artists. Also found are photo albums for many of Lipofsky's trips abroad.
Artist files are for Fritz Driesbach, Nick Labino, Harvey Littleton, Ronald Pennell, Raechel Running, Italo Scanga, Jean-Pierre Umbdenstock, Patti Warashina, and many others.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 15 series
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1954-2017 (2.0 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 46)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1960-2016 (3.3 linear feet; Boxes 3-6)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1962-2010 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 6-7)
Series 4: Travel Diaries, 1970-2015 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8)
Series 5: Artist Files, 1956-2016 (2.7 linear feet; Boxes 8-11, 46)
Series 6: Exhibition and Gallery Files, 1966-2016 (7.7 linear feet; Boxes 11-19)
Series 7: Organization Files, 1965-2015 (1.8 linear feet; Boxes 19-21)
Series 8: Professional Files, 1960-2018 (5.4 linear feet; Boxes 21-27)
Series 9: Technical Studio Files, circa 1960s-circa 2000s (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 27-30)
Series 10: Printed Material, 1960s-2000s (4.6 linear feet; Boxes 30-35, 46)
Series 11: Photographic Material, 1980-2004 (9.2 linear feet; Boxes 35-44, 46-47)
Series 12: Scrapbooks, 1960s-1995 (0.2 linear feet; Box 44)
Series 13: Sketchbooks, 1960s-2009 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 44-46)
Series 14: Artwork, 1960s-2000s (0.4 linear feet; Box 45)
Series 15: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1964-2002 (0.4 linear feet, Box 48)
Biographical / Historical:
Marvin B. Lipofsky (1938-2016) was a glass artist and educator active in Berkeley, California.
Marvin Lipofsky was born in Barrington, Illinois in 1938. He began his study of art at the University of Illinois, where he studied industrial design and received his MS and MFA in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Wisconsin, he studied under Harvey Littleton, one of the founders of the Studio Glass movement.
Lipofsky would have a long career as an educator and lecturer at institutions throughout the United States. He held positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-Berkeley, and the California College of Arts and Crafts. He taught regular seminars at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and the Pilchuck Glass School.
In addition to his teaching career, Lipofsky was a founding and active member of the Glass Art Society which held conferences all over the world to promote the study and sharing of glass art techniques. He traveled extensively to places such as Czech Republic, Japan, Italy, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. He visited glass factories and studios, usually forming professional relationships and friendships with other glass artists.
Marvin Lipofsky died in 2016 in Berkeley, California.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of Marvin Lipofsky conducted 2003 July 30-August 5, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in Berkeley, California.
Provenance:
The Marvin Lipofsky papers were donated in 2004 by Ruth Okimoto, Lipofsky's spouse, on behalf of Marvin Lipofsky as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, and in 2017, 2018 and 2021 by Lisa Lipofsky-Valenzula, Marvin Lipofsky's daughter.
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:
Glass artists -- California -- Berkeley Search this
The papers of painter and arts administrator Francis Sumner Merritt measure 5.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930 to 1980. The bulk of the papers document his career as the founding director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Included are biographical materials, personal correspondence, writings and notes, professional files on Haystack and other institutions, printed material, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter and arts administrator Francis Sumner Merritt measure 5.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930 to 1980. The bulk of the papers document his career as the founding director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Included are biographical materials, personal correspondence, writings and notes, professional files on Haystack and other institutions, printed material, and photographs.
Biographical materials contain scattered records relating to Merritt's personal life and career including a scrapbook and a print by Fiske Boyd. Professional files create the bulk of the papers and focus on Merritt's arts administration career at Haystack and other institutions including the Flint Institute of Art and Bradford Junior College. Among the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts material are planning materials, correspondence with many craft artists, financial records, student information, printed material, photographs for various sessions held at the school, and one sound recording concerning a trip to Nigeria.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1936-1977 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1930-1978 (Box 1; 0.6 linear feet)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1940s-1978 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)
Series 4: Professional Files, 1940s-1980 (Box 1-5, 8; 4.1 linear feet)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1939-1976 (Box 6-7; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 6: Photographs, 1949-1970s (Box 7; 0.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Francis Sumner Merritt (1913-2000) was a painter, designer, and arts administrator. He was the first director of the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine.
Merritt was born in 1913 in Danvers, Massachusetts. He studied art at multiple schools, including Yale University School of Fine Arts and was a printmaker and painter. In addition to his art, Merritt taught painting at Colby Junior College, the Cranbrook Summer Institute, and Bradford Junior College. Merritt began his arts administrative career as director of the Flint Institute of Art in Detroit, Michigan. He was brought on to be the first director at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. In this position, he encouraged the international study of craft.
Francis Merritt was married to Priscilla Merritt, with whom he had two sons. He died in Belfast, Maine in 2000.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts records, 1950-1969, and an oral history interview of Francis Sumner Merritt conducted 1979 May 25-June 25, by Robert F. Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
Francis Sumner Merritt donated his papers in two accessions in 1980 and 1994.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- Maine -- Deer Isle Search this
