An interview of John Gaw Meem conducted 1964 Dec. 3, by Sylvia Loomis for the Archives of American Art.
Gaw speaks of his background; moving to New Mexico; deciding to become an architect; architectural commissions he worked on; becoming involved with the Public Works of Art Project; his architectural philosophy; and his appointment to historic committees.
Biographical / Historical:
John Gaw Meem (1894-1983) was an arts administrator in the Public Works of Art Project from Santa Fe, N.M.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 3 min.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Resumes; letters and greeting cards; photographs of works of art; clippings and articles; illustrations from publications; pencil drawings; exhibition catalogs; and miscellany; photographs of adobe houses designed by the Stedmans; architectural writings; and articles about the Stedmans' architectural projects.
Biographical / Historical:
Painters, designers; Santa Fe, N.M. Wilfred Stedman was trained as an architect, and did freelance work as an illustrator, including WPA projects in New Mexico. The Stedmans often collaborated in designing, building, and remodeling New Mexican adobe houses, in addition to their separate painting projects.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1984 by Myrtle Stedman.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Official correspondence of the Public Works of Art regional committee for New Mexico and Arizona. Correspondents include: Edward Bruce, Jesse L. Nusbaum, Forbes Watson, Emil Bisttram, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Architect, committee member of Public Works of Art regional committee--Region 13; Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1965 by John Gaw Meem.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
The papers of Chicago and Santa Fe painter, muralist, architect, and furniture designer William Penhallow Henderson measure 10.5 linear feet and date from 1876 to 1987 (bulk dates 1876 to 1943). Found within the papers are scattered biographical material; correspondence with friends and colleagues; three diaries; personal business records; two files concerning the Santa Fe Painters and Sculptors and the Art in Embassies Program; architecture, furniture, and other design project files; exhibition files; notes and writings; artwork, including 64 sketchbooks by Henderson and others; miscellaneous printed material; and photographs of Henderson, his family and colleagues.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of Chicago and Santa Fe painter, architect, and furniture designer William Penhallow Henderson measure 10.5 linear feet and date from 1876 to 1987 (bulk dates 1876-1943). Found within the collection are biographical material; a file concerning Henderson's father William Oliver Henderson; correspondence primarily with colleagues discussing art-related topics; two diaries describing his student days in Paris, 1902-1903, and one concerning the latter part of his life; personal business records; subject files for the Santa Fe Painters and Sculptors and the Art in Embassies Program; architecture and furniture files containing notes, designs, and photographs of Henderson's work in these areas; additional project files concerning other projects, including a play, architectural projects, and a mural; exhibition files; notes and writings; artwork, including 64 sketchbooks by Henderson; miscellaneous printed material; and photographs of Henderson, his family, colleagues, and artwork.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 13 series primarily according to type of material; materials within series are arranged chronologically.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1897-1984 (Boxes 1, 12; 14 folders)
Series 2: File on William Oliver Henderson, 1876-1906 (Box 1; 12 folders)
Series 3: Correspondence, 1883-1987 (Boxes 1-2; 1.9 linear feet)
Series 4: Diaries, 1902-1940 (Box 3; 4 folders)
Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1887-1984 (Box 3; 40 folders)
Series 6: Subject Files, 1921-1975 (Box 3; 2 folders)
Series 7: Architecture and Furniture Files, 1926-1983 (Boxes 3-4, 12, OV 14; 1.0 linear feet)
Series 8: Project Files, 1916-1942 (Boxes 4-5, 12, OV 14; 40 folders)
Series 9: Exhibition Files, 1927-1964 (Box 5; 25 folders)
Series 10: Notes and Writings, 1901-1985 (Boxes 5-6; 1.0 linear feet)
Series 11: Artwork, 1886-1929 (Boxes 6-8, OV 14; 1.9 linear feet)
Series 12: Printed Material, 1891-1988 (Boxes 8-9; 1.7 linear feet)
Series 13: Photographs, 1887-1985 (Boxes 9-11, 13; 1.6 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Painter, architect, and furniture designer, William Penhallow Henderson was born in 1877 in Medford, Massachusetts. His father, William Oliver Henderson was a friend of painter William Edward Norton and an amateur painter himself. During Henderson's childhood, the family moved several times, settling in Turkey Creek, Texas, in 1879, and Clifton, Kansas, in 1886.
Returning to Boston in 1891, Henderson studied at the Massachusetts Normal Art School and, and in 1899, entered the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, studying under Edmund C. Tarbell. In the following year, he won the Paige Traveling Scholarship for two years of study in Europe. His travels, from 1902-1903, included London, where he became acquainted with the family of John Singer Sargent. He also traveled to Paris, Berlin, Dresden, Madrid, and the Azores.
From 1904 to 1910, Henderson taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago. In 1904 he painted in Mexico and Arizona with colleague Carl N. Werntz. He married the poet-editor of Poetry magazine, Alice Corbin in 1905, and their only child, Alice Oliver Henderson, was born in 1907.
Between 1906 and 1907 Henderson completed ten murals for the Joliet Township High School. Mrs. Henderson's book Anderson's Best Fairy Tales, illustrated by her husband, provided the funds for a second trip to Europe from 1910-1911. In 1914, Henderson built a house and studio of his own design at Lake Bluff, Illinois, and in the same year he was commissioned by Frank Lloyd Wright to design murals for Midway Gardens, Chicago. Unfortunately, the murals were painted over shortly after completion. In the following year, he designed the scenery and costumes for the Chicago Fine Arts Theatre production of Alice in Wonderland.
Due to his wife's failing health, the family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1916, and in 1918, Henderson was employed by the U. S. Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation in San Francisco to paint camouflage onto the hulls of ships during World War I.
In 1925, Henderson, with his first son-in-law John Evans, formed the Pueblo-Spanish Building Company, through which he designed and built many private homes and some public buildings, including the Railroad Ticket Office in Santa Fe. Henderson was also successful at designing carved wooden furniture. In the mid-1930s, he was appointed to the Federal Arts Project, for which he completed easel paintings and six murals for the Santa Fe Federal Court Building.
In 1937, Henderson completed the impressive Navajo House of Religion, built in the style of an American Indian hogan and later re-named the Museum of Navajo Ceremonial Art.
William Penhallow Henderson died in 1943 in Tesuque, New Mexico.
Provenance:
The William Penhallow Henderson papers were donated by Carlton Colquitt, on behalf of the estate of his late wife, Alice Henderson Rossin, the daughter of William Penhallow Henderson, in 1988.
Restrictions:
Open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Rights:
The William Penhallow Henderson papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Henderson, William Penhallow, 1877-1943 Search this
Extent:
1.6 Linear feet (Boxes 9-11, 13)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1887-1985
Scope and Contents note:
Photographs are of Henderson, his family, and friends including American Indians Elias Suazo and Klah, stunt riders, an expedition by horseback through the mountains, and Henderson's trip to a mine. Photographs of Henderson's architectural projects, include his own homes in Lake Bluff, Illinois, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Henderson also was the architect of the White Residence, McComb Garden, Railroad Ticket Office, and the Otis Residence, all in Santa Fe. There are also photographs of exhibitions and of artwork by Henderson and others. The albums of photographs of artwork were assembled by Henderson's daughter, Alice Henderson Rossin. Additional photographs may be found in the Project Files and Furniture Files.
Collection Restrictions:
Open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The William Penhallow Henderson papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Collection Citation:
William Penhallow Henderson papers, 1876-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
From the soaring skyscrapers of New York City to the adobe churches of New Mexico, from the sturdy stone walls of New England to the majestic monuments of the nation's capital, master craftworkers in the building arts have brought enduring beauty to our built environment. Working in wood, stone, brick, and metal, in plaster, paint, glass, and clay, they transform designs on paper into three-dimensional works of art. Much depends on their workmanship and skill: on their deep understanding of raw materials, their careful selection and use of tools, their mastery of technique. The final product is the result not only of their knowledge and abilities, but also their creativity and care - their will to excellence.
Artisans in the building trades share a deep appreciation for the aesthetic value and expressive power of technical perfection. They delight in skill and find meaning and pleasure in the poetic qualities of workmanship - in their ability to craft objects of beauty and strength through their special touch. Their great pride and creative spirit, their love for their work, and their commitment to excellence are manifested in a lasting legacy of architectural achievement left behind for generations to come.
The 2000 Festival program celebrated the extraordinary artistry of craftspeople in the building arts and explored the many challenges they face today as they work to preserve our nation's past and build for the future. The Festival brought together a selection of master artisans - stone carvers, masons, carpenters, terra cotta artisans, plasterers, blacksmiths, stained glass artisans, and adobe builders - who have enriched our world with the work of their hands, and who educated and informed Festival visitors not only with their skills but also with their knowledge and lore.
Marjorie Hunt was Curator and James Deutsch was Program Coordinator; Betty Belanus was Education Specialist and Family Activity Guide Coordinator. An Advisory Committee included: J. Bryan Blundell, Kurt Dewhurst, William Dupont, Cynthia Field, Henry Glassie, Norman Koonce, Betty Monkman, Peter Nabokov, Joanna Reagan, Rex Scouten, William Seale, Chris Sturbaum, John Michael Vlach, and Ed Worthy.
The program was produced in collaboration with the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and the International Masonry Institute, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Building Museum, the American Institute of Architects, and the Preservation Trades Network. Major funding was provided by Homestore.com, the Marble Institute of America, Allied Stone Industries, the Building Stone Institute, the Indiana Limestone Institute, and the National Building Granite Quarries Association. Major contributors included Target Stores, the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Association of Realtors, and the Smithsonian Women's Committee. Additional donors included the School of the Building Arts, Duron, Inc., the Brick Industry Association, the Laborers' International Union of North America, the Smithsonian Educational Outreach Fund, and the Copper Development Association, Inc.
Researchers:
Jane Beck, Betty Belanus, Ray Brassieur, Amanda Dargan, James Deutsch, Kurt Dewhurst, Karen Duffy, Lynn Martin Graton, Dwight Pauahi Kauahikaua, Winnie Lambrecht, Tim Lloyd, Gregory Sharrow, Gary Stanton, David Taylor, Elaine Thatcher, John Michael Vlach
Presenters:
Betty Belanus, Barry Bergey, Ray Brassieur, Olivia Cadaval, Amanda Dargan, William Dupont, Brian Finnegan, Lynn Martin Graton, Tim Lloyd, Philip "Pete" Pederson, Clift Seferlis, Peter Seitel, Gregory Sharrow, Angelo Simone, Nick Spitzer, Gary Stanton, David Taylor, Elaine Thatcher, Cynthia Vidaurri, John Michael Vlach
Participants:
David Adams, historic preservation specialist, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Robert Alger, stone carver, sculptor, Spencerville, Maryland
Joseph Alonso, stone mason, Vienna, Virginia
Onofre Anguiano, terra cotta hand presser, mold maker, Lincoln, Calif.
Walter S. Arnold, stone carver, Skokie, Illinois
Sam Baca, program director, Cornerstones Community Partnerships, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Earl A. Barthe, 1932-2010, plasterer, historian and consultant, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hurchail Barthe, plasterer, New Orleans, Louisiana
Terry Barthe, plasterer, historic housing specialist, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nick Benson, stone carver, letterer, Newport, Rhode Island
Johan Bjurman, decorative painter, Cheshire, Connecticut
Anna Bowen, stone carver, letterer, Newport, Rhode Island
Tom Weddle, restoration carpenter, Bloomington, Indiana
Bob Wooldridge, slater, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Jeff Wooldridge, slater, project manager, Bethesda, Maryland
Bill Yeingst, curator, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Pauli Zmolek, decorative painter, Takoma Park, Maryland
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS (BAC), INTERNATIONAL MASONRY INSTITUTE (IMI)
Frank Baiocchi, marble mason, Mt. Airy, Maryland
Ed Bellucci, IMI deputy director of Apprenticeship and Training, Jefferson, Maryland
Robert Bernardon, marble mason, Suitland, Maryland
Lewis Carrara, mosaic worker, Fortville, Indiana
Raoul Cervantes, bricklayer, Claremont, California
Kurt Colo, bricklayer, New Baltimore, Michigan
Laird Donaldson, IMI regional director, Auburn, Washington
James Farris, stone mason, Stafford, Virginia
Richard Francescon, marble mason, South Easton, Massachusetts
Greg Hartseil, IMI Job Corps regional director, Lorida, Florida
Dennis Holloway, IMI Scola Training Center director, West Babylon, New York
Mike Kassman, IMI pointing, cleaning, and caulking instructor, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Tony Kassman, IMI National Safety, pointing, cleaning, and caulking coordinator, Tonawanda, New York
John Kitchen, bricklayer apprentice, Dryden, New York
Frank Koletar, refractory bricklayer, Orchard Park, New York
Annette Ludwig, tile layer, Bellevue, Washington
Nelson McMath, BAC Local 9 Michigan field representative, Saline, Michigan
Tom McQuaid, BAC Local 1 DC, MONA secretary, treasurer, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Steve Martini, IMI Strategic Programs director, Cascade, Maryland
Steve Mason, terrazzo apprentice, Washington, D.C.
Antoine Matthews, bricklayer, Baltimore, Maryland
Michael Menegazzi, IMI terrazzo instructor, South Gate, California
Bob Mion, IMI tile, marble, and terrazzo instructor, Binghamton, New York
Guillermo Moreno, stone mason, Hyattsville, Maryland
Colleen Muldoon, coordinator of Education Programs, bricklayer, Baltimore, Maryland
Clarence Nichols, IMI deputy director of Apprenticeship and Training, Cumberland, Maryland
Angela Olszewski, tile layer, Jersey City, New Jersey
Lester Parnell, bricklayer, Detroit, Michigan
Bob Perry, IMI regional director, Culver City, California
Darren Raines, tile layer, Chicago, Illinois
Matthew Redabaugh, IMI coordinator of Special Projects, Cascade, Maryland
Butch Rovder, BAC stone craft director, South Riding, Virginia
Joe Stewart, BAC pointing, cleaning, and caulking craft director, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Gene Stinner, IMI director of Apprenticeship and Training, Cascade, Maryland
Dennis Studley, IMI Job Corps regional director, Yucaipa, California
Harold Sugg, refractory bricklayer, West Seneca, New York
Jimmy Ternent, marble mason, Westminster, Maryland
John Totten, IMI plaster instructor, Clintondale, New York
Drew Vecchione, IMI stone instructor, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Battista Yon, bricklayer, Hyattsville, Maryland
Collection Restrictions:
Access by appointment only. Where a listening copy or viewing copy has been created, this is indicated in the respective inventory; additional materials may be accessible with sufficient advance notice and, in some cases, payment of a processing fee. Older papers are housed at a remote location and may require a minimum of three weeks' advance notice and payment of a retrieval fee. Certain formats such as multi-track audio recordings and EIAJ-1 videoreels (1/2 inch) may not be accessible. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at 202-633-7322 or rinzlerarchives@si.edu for additional information.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2001 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
