Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Search Results

Collections Search Center
81 documents - page 1 of 5

Robert Sperry papers, 1951-2002

Creator:
Sperry, Robert H., 1927-1998  Search this
Subject:
Warashina, Patti  Search this
University of Washington  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Motion pictures (visual works)
Transcripts
Interviews
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Videotapes
Citation:
Robert Sperry papers, 1951-2002. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Works of art  Search this
Filmmakers  Search this
Potters -- Japan  Search this
Ceramicists -- Washington (State)  Search this
Ceramics -- Study and teaching  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11125
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)247192
AAA_collcode_sperrobe
Theme:
Craft
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_247192
Online Media:

Robert Sperry papers

Creator:
Sperry, Robert, 1927-1998  Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
University of Washington -- Faculty  Search this
Warashina, Patti, 1940-  Search this
Extent:
13.6 Linear feet
0.907 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Transcripts
Interviews
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Videotapes
Date:
1951-2002
Summary:
The papers of ceramicist Robert Sperry measure 13.6 linear feet and 0.907 GB and date from 1951-2002. The collection documents Sperry's career as an artist, teacher, and filmmaker through biographical information, correspondence, exhibition files, gallery files, material on projects and workshops, writings, a scrapbook, financial files, printed and digital material, photographs, moving image materials, and artwork.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of ceramicist Robert Sperry measure 13.6 linear feet and 0.907 GB and date from 1951-2002. The collection documents Sperry's career as an artist and teacher through biographical information, correspondence, exhibition files, gallery files, material on projects and workshops, writings, a scrapbook, financial files, printed and digital material, photographs, video recordings, films, and artwork.

Biographical files contain items outlining Sperry's career including resumes, teaching evaluations, awards, and interviews. Correspondence includes general correspondence with family, friends, colleagues, schools, galleries, art organizations, and publications as well as named files for those with whom Sperry exchanged a significant amount of correspondence over a long period of time. The Exhibition Files contain materials on group and solo exhibitions Robert Sperry participated in, while Gallery Files hold material, such as correspondence and contracts, related to the galleries which exhibited Sperry's work primarily after 1979. The Project and Workshop Files in Series 5 contain material related to public commissions he completed and workshops he gave during the 1980s and 1990s.

Writings encompass writings by Sperry and others. Sperry's writings vary greatly and include drafts of articles, a family history, poetry, notes and a screenplay, while writings by others are primarily essays on art. Within this series Sperry's event calendars are also found. Sperry compiled a scrapbook which spans 1955 to 1964 and includes correspondence and printed material about exhibitions and newspaper clippings which feature his artwork. He and his wife, Patti Warashina, also compiled Financial Records primarily of their business and living expenses from 1976 to 1984 and earnings as artists and professors at the University of Washington.

The largest series in this collection, Printed Material, provides information largely on Sperry's career through press clippings, exhibition announcements, catalogs, and publications, and also includes other materials on ceramics in general. The Photographs series contains both photos and negatives from Sperry's trip to Japan to film "Village Potters of Onda" as well as photographs of his artwork and his family. Also found in this collection are a few sketches and drawings by Sperry and one drawing by Patti Warashina. Moving image material includes video recordings and motion picture film with a wide range of content, including documentaries about Sperry, studio footage, and experimental and narrative films created by Sperry in a range of styles and genres, including animation such as the animated film "Henry," hand colored film, live action footage, abstract design, and narrative short films by Sperry. There are digital research copies of some of the films.
Arrangement:
The Robert Sperry papers are arranged as thirteen series, according to type of material. Each series is arranged either in rough chronological or alphabetical order.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Files, 1954-circa 2000, undated (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence Files, 1951-2000, undated (Boxes 1-2; 0.9 linear feet)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1963-1999, undated (Boxes 2-3; 1.2 linear feet)

Series 4: Gallery Files, 1960-2000, undated (Boxes 3-4; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 5: Project and Workshop Files, 1967-1996, undated (Box 4; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 6: Writings, 1966-1990, undated (Box 5; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 7: Scrapbook, 1955-1964 (Box 5; 8 folders)

Series 8: Financial Records, 1961-1995, undated (Boxes 5-6; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 9: Miscellaneous Subject Files, 1975-1998, undated (Box 6; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 10: Printed Material, 1955-2002, undated (Boxes 6-10; 3.4 linear feet)

Series 11: Photographs, 1963, undated (Box 10; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 12: Sketches and Drawings, 1984, undated (Box 10; 2 folders)

Series 13: Moving Image Material, circa 1962-1998, undated (Boxes 10-12, FC 13-18; 3.1 linear feet, ER01; 0.907 GB)
Biographical Note:
Robert Sperry was born in Bushnell, Illinois, in 1927. He grew up on his family's farm in Druid, Saskatchewan, Canada, and in 1945 was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he first developed an interest in art. After serving in the military, he returned home and completed his B.A. at the University of Saskatchewan in 1950 and a B.F.A. at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1953. While working on his B.A. he met and married Edyth MacDonald and they had one child, Van, in 1950. Sperry spent one summer as Artist in Residence at the Archie Bray Foundation, in Helena, Montana, and then moved his family to Seattle so that he could complete his M.F.A. at the University of Washington. After graduating in 1955 he stayed at the University and became a professor, teaching ceramics until retiring in 1982. During this time, Sperry widely exhibited his clay vessels in both group and solo exhibitions and was active in the American Craft Council.

When not teaching, Robert Sperry pursued his interest in photography and filmmaking and, in 1963, traveled to Japan to make "Village Potters of Onda," a project that included a documentary film and a collection of black and white photographs. Sperry continued experimenting with film and, in 1967, created a fictional film entitled, "Profiles Cast Long Shadows," which was shown at film festivals throughout the United States. After abandoning another film project in 1970 while going through a divorce, he returned to ceramics as his focus. During the 1970s Sperry developed his techniques, modifying glazes and moving away from the vessel shape. In 1976 Sperry married Patti Warashina, fellow ceramicist and professor at the University of Washington. He began producing murals, which led to several public commissions such as a mural for the IBM Field Engineering Educational Center in Atlanta, created in 1983. Robert Sperry: A Retrospective, was exhibited in 1985-1986 at the Bellevue Art Museum, however, Sperry would continue producing and exhibiting new work, and giving lectures and workshops for thirteen more years, until his death in 1998.
Related Material:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Patti Warashina papers, circa 1900-1991. An online finding aid is available.
Provenance:
The Robert Sperry papers were donated by Sperry's wife Patti Warashina in 2003 and 2004.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use 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.
Topic:
Works of art  Search this
Filmmakers  Search this
Potters -- Japan  Search this
Ceramicists -- Washington (State)  Search this
Ceramics -- Study and teaching  Search this
Genre/Form:
Motion pictures (visual works)
Transcripts
Interviews
Sketches
Drawings
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Videotapes
Citation:
Robert Sperry papers, 1951-2002. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.sperrobe
See more items in:
Robert Sperry papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw996719c7b-4712-4e46-99b6-a86400daf28b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-sperrobe

Kevin MacDonald papers

Creator:
MacDonald, Kevin John, 1946-2006  Search this
Names:
Washington Project for the Arts (D.C.)  Search this
Extent:
8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Notebooks
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Date:
1958-2006
Summary:
The papers of Washington, D.C. painter and printmaker Kevin MacDonald measure 8 linear feet, and date from 1958-2006. The collection contains correspondence with friends and colleagues; journals, notebooks, and other writings; printed material; artwork by MacDonald and others; 29 sketchbooks; sound and video recordings; and home movies. Of note are several files regarding his work with the Washington Project for the Arts.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Washington, D.C. painter and printmaker Kevin MacDonald measure 8 linear feet, and date from 1958-2006. The collection contains correspondence with friends and colleagues; journals, notebooks, and other writings; printed material; artwork by MacDonald and others; 29 sketchbooks; sound and video recordings;, and home movies. Of note are several files regarding his work with the Washington Project for the Arts.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 8 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Correspondence, 1968-2006 (1.9 linear feet:; Boxes 1-2)

Series 2: Notebooks and Journals, 1968-2005 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 2-4)

Series 3: Writings, 1970s-1999 (0.3 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 4: Project Files, 1958-2005 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 4-5, 9)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1970-2004 (1.0 linear foot; Boxes 5-6, 9)

Series 6: Artwork, 1960s-2000s (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 6, 9)

Series 7: Sketchbooks, circa 1969-2006 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 6-7, 9)

Series 8: Sound Recordings and Moving Images, circa 1970s-1990s (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, FC 10-12)
Biographical / Historical:
Kevin MacDonald (1946-2006) was a painter and printmaker in Washington, D.C. He received a BFA from George Washington University in 1969, and also took courses at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. From 1967 to 1977 he worked at the Phillips Collection. After leaving the Phillips he worked full-time as an artist, taking an active role in the D.C. arts community. He was co-curator of "The Washington Show" at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1986, and served on the Board of Directors for both the Washington Project for the Arts (1986-1992) and Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (1991-1997). MacDonald regularly exhibited his work at the Lunn Gallery and David Adamson Gallery, and had artist residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (1995) and Oglebay Institute (1993). MacDonald also had an interest in music, and served as art director of a short-lived music fanzine called "Infiltrator." He was in Twisted Teenage Plot, a band organized by fellow artist Michael Clark, and worked with artist and musician Robin Rose on a collaboration called "Scriptronics." He lived most of his life in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of D.C., and was married to art consultant Robin Moore.
Provenance:
Donated in 2012 by Robin Moore, Kevin MacDonald's widow.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. research facility. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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 -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Topic:
Printmakers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Notebooks
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Citation:
Kevin MacDonald papers, 1958-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.macdkevi
See more items in:
Kevin MacDonald papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9125d416d-0cd8-4fcc-b358-e4123e684a1e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-macdkevi
Online Media:

Michio and Aveline Kushi Macrobiotics Collection

Creator:
Kushi, Aveline, 1923-  Search this
Kushi, Michio, 1926-  Search this
Ohsawa, George  Search this
Extent:
29 Cubic feet (88 boxes)
339 Cassette tapes
218 Video recordings
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Cassette tapes
Video recordings
Videotapes
Vernacular photographs
Snapshots
Lectures
Audiotapes
Cookbooks
Date:
1960-2006, undated
bulk 1970-1989
Summary:
Publications, photographs, articles, audio and video recordings, and teaching materials relating to the rise of Macrobiotics in the United States, as popularized by Michio and Aveline Kushi. The bulk of the material was produced for the Kushi Foundation, Kushi Institute, and East West Foundation.
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents the work of Michio and Aveline Kushi as writers and teachers in popularizing macrobiotics in the United States. It consists largely of publications and recordings produced by three organizations created by the Kushis: the East West Foundation, the Kushi Foundation, and the Kushi Institute. The collection also includes publications and recordings created by others involved in macrobiotics and related areas. The materials in this collection span the years 1960 through 2006, but the bulk of the material is from the 1970s and 1980s.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into seven series.

Series 1: East West Foundation, 1966-1991; undated

Subseries 1.1: Publications, 1966-1991

Subseries 1.2: Foundation Information, 1974-1988; undated

Series 2: Kushi Foundation, 1968-1999; undated

Subseries 2.1: Background Information, 1987-1989

Subseries 2.2: Forms and Publications, 1968-1995; undated

Subseries 2.3: One Peaceful World Campaign Information, 1973-1999

Subseries 2.4: One Peaceful World Press Publications, 1991-1999

Series 3: Kushi Institute, 1979-1999; undated

Subseries 3.1: Educators' Materials, 1983-1994

Subseries 3.2: Student Materials, 1979-1981; undated

Subseries 3.3: Course and Conference Materials, 1979-1999; undated

Subseries 3.4: Patient Files, circa 1980s-1991 (Restricted)

Subseries 3.5: Kushi Foundation Prison Project, 1993-1996

Subseries 3.6: AIDS Research Project, 1983-1989;undated

Subseries 3.7: Video Tapes, 1983-1989; undated

Sub-subseries 3.7.1: Educational, 1984-1989; undated

Sub-subseries 3.7.2: Promotional, 1983; undated

Subseries 3.8: Audio Tapes, 1980-1997; undated

Sub-subseries 3.8.1: Lectures, 1984; undated

Sub-subseries 3.8.2: Consultations, 1980-1982; undated (Restricted)

Sub-subseries 3.8.3: Simon's Rock College Summer Conference, 1987

Sub-subseries 3.8.4: , Summer Conference, 1988

Sub-subseries 3.8.5: Summer Conference, 1989 and 1990

Sub-subseries 3.8.6: Summer Conference, 1993

Sub-subseries 3.8.7: Summer Conference, 1997

Sub-subseries 3.8.8: Other and Unidentified Materials, 1985-1989; undated

Series 4: Michio Kushi Papers, 1981-1995; undated

Subseries 4.1: Biographical Information, undated

Subseries 4.2: Papers and Publications, 1981, 1995; undated

Subseries 4.3: Correspondence, 1984-1992

Series 5: General Publications, 1978-1996, undated

Subseries 5.1: Books by Michio and Aveline Kushi, 1979-1997

Subseries 5.2: Articles relating to Macrobiotics, 1982-1993; undated

Subseries 5.3: Books relating to Macrobiotics, 1978-1996

Subseries 5.4: Foreign Books, 1979-1995

Series 6: Other Macrobiotics Organizations and Publications, 1960-2006; undated

Subseries 6.1: East West Center of Washington, D.C., 1981-1988

Subseries 6.2: Oshawa Foundation, 1960-1990, undated

Subseries 6.3: Macrobiotic Organizations and Publications, 1969-2006; undated

Subseries 6.4, Miscellaneous Materials, undated

Series 7: Photographs, 1964-1971, 1994; undated
Biographical / Historical:
Macrobiotics is both a comprehensive vegetarian diet and a spiritual world view based on ancient Asian beliefs and practices. Founded by Sagen Ishizuka, macrobiotics began as a reaction to the introduction of western foods into Japan in the late nineteenth century. Ishizuka attempted to restate traditional Japanese beliefs in modern scientific terms in A Chemical Theory of Long Life, published in 1897, and A Method for Nourishing Life, published in 1898.

Ishizuka believed that the key to good health was the relationship between potassium and sodium. Health is maintained when these two elements are in good balance. If there is not a good balance, then one will become ill. Ishizuka believed the best way to maintain this balance was through a cereal based diet.

Ishizuka, along with his disciples, founded the Food Cure Society in 1908 to advance his ideas. After his death in 1910, society members, including Manabu Nishihata, a physician and social activist, carried on the work.

Yukikazu Sakurazawa, also known as George Ohsawa, joined the Food Cure Society in 1919. In 1923, after the destruction of his company in an earthquake, Ohsawa joined the staff of the society full time to disseminate its ideas. Mr. Ohsawa wrote many books for the society including a biography of Ishizuka. Ohsawa's most important contribution to the philosophy of macrobiotics was the incorporation of the concepts of Yin and Yang into macrobiotics.

In the 1930s Ohsawa traveled as a representative of the society across Europe to spread the philosophy of macrobiotics. After disagreements with the leadership of the society, Ohsawa left the organization in 1939 to start his own group.

Following his release from prison during World War II for his peace efforts, Ohsawa established macrobiotic teaching centers in Yokohama and Tokyo. It was at this point that Ohsawa met Michio Kushi. Michio Kushi was born in Kokawa, Wakayama-Ken, Japan, on May 17, 1926. While a student at Tokyo University, he became involved with the World Federalist Movement (WFM), an American organization working for world peace. It was through the WFM that Kushi met George Ohsawa. Kushi studied under Ohsawa for one year and then moved to New York City in 1949 to study political science at Columbia University.

While living in New York, Kushi came to believe that by returning to a traditional diet of whole, natural foods, humanity would regain its physical and mental balance and become more peaceful. It was at this time that Kushi began to teach the macrobiotic way of life.

Aveline Kushi was born Tomoko Yokoyama in 1923 in Yokota, Japan. Before coming to the United States for higher education in 1951, she was a member of the World Government Association, run by George Ohsawa. She married Michio Kushi in 1954 and was an active partner in their macrobiotic efforts. She wrote cookbooks and an autobiography. Aveline Kushi died in 2001.

Michio Kushi's work in New York grew steadily until 1965 when a pregnant woman died due to her decision to go on an austere form of the diet. After the death of this woman many medical authorities came out against macrobiotics. The close proximity in time of this incident and the death of George Ohsawa greatly damaged the movement. After these incidents Kushi decided to start over in Boston.

After the move to Boston, Kushi emerged as a prominent teacher and started to develop his own interpretation of macrobiotics. Kushi founded the East West Foundation and began to publish the magazine, The Order of the Universe. In 1970, East West Journal, intended for the general public, began publication. The scope of East West Journal was not limited to macrobiotics. It covered a variety of New Age topics and became the center of one of the first New Age networks. East West Journal provided contacts for people interested in eastern philosophies.

In 1975 Kushi began summer residence courses for serious students of macrobiotics and in 1977 he founded the Kushi Institute, now located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshire Mountains. The mission of the Kushi Institute is to train people in the ways of macrobiotics. The Institute offers a variety of classes around the themes of "health, healing, and well being." In the 1980s the Kushi Institute expanded its programs by creating the Kushi Foundation Prison Project and conducting research in the fight against AIDS. In 1986 the Kushi Foundation started the One Peaceful World campaign. This campaign's mission was to remind the public that peace begins with the individual, family, and community.

Sources: "Aveline Kushi 78, Leader in Health Food Movement," Associated Press, July 6, 2001 http://www.imss.macrobiotic.net/avelinekushi.html (consulted October 1, 2008) "Aveline Kushi, 78, Advocate of Macrobiotic Diet for Health," New York Times, July 23, 2001
Separated Materials:
In addition to the archival materials, the Division of Science, Medicine, and Society (now Division of Medicine and Science) acquired sixty-six artifacts. See accession numbers 1997.3165 and 1999.3026.
Provenance:
The collection was donated to the Archives Center of the National Museum of American History by Michio and Aveline Kushi in August, 1997.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.

Series 3, Subseries 3.4: Patient Files and Subseries 3.8: Consultation Audio Tapes are restricted for seventy-five years (to 2066).

Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.

Technical Access: Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Vegetarianism -- 1960-2000  Search this
Macrobiotic diet -- 1960-2000  Search this
New Age Movement -- 1960-2000 -- United States  Search this
Family -- 20th century  Search this
Genre/Form:
Videotapes
Vernacular photographs
Snapshots
Lectures -- 1950-2000
Audiotapes -- 1950-2000
Cookbooks -- 1900-1990
Citation:
Michio and Aveline Kushi Macrobiotics Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0619
See more items in:
Michio and Aveline Kushi Macrobiotics Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8d8330b7a-a8c2-465a-9f17-e0e96147ed36
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0619
Online Media:

Nancy Holt Estate records

Creator:
Holt, Nancy, 1938-2014  Search this
Names:
James Cohan Gallery  Search this
John Weber Gallery  Search this
Smithson, Robert  Search this
Extent:
circa 57.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Interviews
Diaries
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Drawings
Date:
circa 1900-2014
Summary:
The Nancy Holt Estate records measure circa 57.8 linear feet and date from circa 1900-2014, with the bulk of the material dating from 1960-2000. The records include financial records, notebooks, project files including unrealized proposals, correspondence, calendars, and 9 linear feet of Holt's annotated library. Also included are the John Weber Gallery records concerning Robert Smithson that consist of the gallery's inventory and slide records of Robert Smithson's drawings and sculptures, including earthworks, and incorporate some slides from the James Cohan Gallery. James Cohan worked for John Weber before establishing his own gallery in 2001.
Scope and Contents:
The Nancy Holt Estate records measure circa 57.8 linear feet and date from circa 1900-2014, with the bulk of the material dating from 1960-2000. The records include financial records, notebooks, project files including unrealized proposals, correspondence, calendars, and 9 linear feet of Holt's annotated library. Also included are the John Weber Gallery records concerning Robert Smithson that consist of the gallery's inventory and slide records of Robert Smithson's drawings and sculptures, including earthworks. The records incorporate some slides from the James Cohan Gallery (1999-), an art gallery in Manhattan, New York, which represents the estate of Robert Smithson.
Arrangement:
The Nancy Holt Estate records are arranged as 4 series.

Series 1: Project Files, circa 1900-2014, bulk 1970-2000 (12.8 linear feet; Boxes 3-10, OVs 11-31, RDs 32-39)

Series 2: Calendars and Notebooks, circa 1970s-2013 (2 linear feet; Boxes 40-42, OVs 43-44)

Series 3: John Weber Gallery Records Concerning Robert Smithson, circa 1960-circa 2001 (2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 4: Unprocessed Papers, circa 1960s-circa 2014 (41 linear feet; Boxes 11-30, 34-38, 43-49, 53, 63-70, OVs 71-72)
Biographical / Historical:
Nancy Holt (1938-2014) was an environmental and installation artist, sculptor, filmmaker, and photographer, based in New York, New York. She was best known for her large-scale public land art installations including her seminal work Sun Tunnels (1973-1976) located in the Great Basin Desert, Utah. Her work engaged with the natural environment and the celestial realm, tracing the rotation of the earth and the movement of the sun and stars. Holt was also fascinated by mechanical systems such as those used for heating, drainage, and ventilation, and her functional sculptural installations explored the relationship between architecture and the built environment.

Holt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, grew up in New Jersey, and graduated from Tufts University in 1960 with a degree in biology. She moved to New York City later that year where she met the artist Robert Smithson, to whom she was married from 1963 until Smithson's death in 1973.

Holt's landmark work Sun Tunnels was executed in 1973-1976 in Utah's Great Basin Desert, where Holt and Smithson had purchased surrounding land specifically to ensure an unimpeded view of the horizon. Holt went on to produce many site-specific outdoor works including 30 Below (1980), Dark Star Park (1984), Solar Rotary (1995), and Up and Under (1998). Her exploration of what she termed Systems Works included Catch Basin (1982), Flow Ace Heating (1985), and Spinwinder (1991).

Holt's photography was essential in the development of her ideas. In Missouri Ranch Locators: Vision Encompassed (1972) she used photography in her development of "seeing devices," creating eye-level steel pipes to direct viewers to a specific site in the surrounding landscape, and developing a concept that was central to Sun Tunnels and other works. Her book Ransacked, Aunt Ethel: An Ending (1980) documented through text and photographs the abuse and theft her aunt was subjected to at the end of her life. In Time Outs (1985) Holt used photographs of football games taken from a television screen to create a book born out of her childhood love of TV sporting events.

Holt's work can be found in the collections of major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum für Gegenswartkunst, Germany. Her permanent installations can be found at public institutions including Miami University Art Museum, Southern Connecticut State University, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Western Washington University, and University of South Florida.

In 2012 Nancy Holt was made a Chevalier of the of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government. In 2013 she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Sculpture Center in New York. Holt received five National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, two New York Creative Artist Fellowships, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Florida, Tampa.

Holt lived in Galisteo, New Mexico, from 1995-2013. She died in New York City in 2014.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt papers, an interview with Nancy Holt conducted 1992 July 6 by Scott Gutterman for the Archives of American Art, and an interview with Nancy Holt conducted 1993 August 3 by Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz for the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
Bequest of Nancy Holt, 2014.
Restrictions:
The bulk of this collection is open for research. Subject files, boxes 18-30 in the inventory of the unprocessed portion of the collection, are currently closed for processing.

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.

Some papers remain closed to researchers including some rolled documents in the unprocessed papers, financial files, and Nancy Holt's annotated library of books.
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.
Items created by Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson copyright held by Holt/Smithson Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Requests for permission to reproduce should be submitted to ARS.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Filmmakers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Environmental artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Installation artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Sculptors -- New Mexico -- Galisteo  Search this
Installation artists -- New Mexico -- Galisteo  Search this
Environmental artists -- New Mexico -- Galisteo  Search this
Photographers -- New Mexico -- Galisteo  Search this
Filmmakers -- New Mexico -- Galisteo  Search this
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Earthworks (Art)  Search this
Women photographers  Search this
Women filmmakers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Diaries
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Drawings
Citation:
Nancy Holt Estate records, circa 1900-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.holtnanc
See more items in:
Nancy Holt Estate records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95e0b7a8b-3fdb-4cd3-91fb-a6bec00cc668
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-holtnanc
Online Media:

Nancy Holt Estate records, circa 1900-2014

Creator:
Holt, Nancy, 1938-2014  Search this
Subject:
Smithson, Robert  Search this
John Weber Gallery  Search this
James Cohan Gallery  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Diaries
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Drawings
Citation:
Nancy Holt Estate records, circa 1900-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Earthworks (Art)  Search this
Women photographers  Search this
Women filmmakers  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)22063
AAA_collcode_holtnanc
Theme:
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_22063
Online Media:

John Marshall papers

Creator:
Marshall, John, 1936-  Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Society of North American Goldsmiths  Search this
Syracuse University -- Faculty  Search this
University of Washington -- Faculty  Search this
Extent:
2.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Video recordings
Motion pictures
Date:
1960s-2000s
Summary:
The papers of artist and educator John Marshall measure 2.1 linear feet and date from the 1960s to early 2000s. The collection sheds light on Marshall's career through professional files, photographs, and artwork. Professional files include resumes, awards and certificates, professional correspondence, some project files, printed material, two scrapbooks, and a film reel. Photographs consist of slides of Marshall's work and his artwork series, some of which depict Marshall working in his studio. Also found are transparencies of his work and exhibition displays; scant candid and portrait snapshots of the artist; and mounted photographs of his work. Artwork found in the collection is mostly design sketches of metalwork projects for jewlery, pots, cups, and silverware done in charcoal and pencil; and two paintings.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of artist and educator John Marshall measure 2.1 linear feet and date from the 1960s to early 2000s. The collection sheds light on Marshall's career through professional files, photographs, and artwork. Professional files include resumes, awards and certificates, professional correspondence, some project files, printed material, two scrapbooks, and a film reel. Photographs consist of slides of Marshall's work and his artwork series, some of which depict Marshall working in his studio. Also found are transparencies of his work and exhibition displays; scant candid and portrait snapshots of the artist; and mounted photographs of his work. Artwork found in the collection is mostly design sketches of metalwork projects for jewlery, pots, cups, and silverware done in charcoal and pencil; and two paintings.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as three series.

Series 1: Professional Files, 1967-2000s (Box 1, FC 9; .5 linear feet)

Series 2: Photographs, 1960s-2000s (Box 1-2, 4, OV 6; .7 linear feet)

Series 3: Artwork, circa 1970s-2000s (Box 5, OV 7-8; .8 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
John Marshall (1936- ) is a metalsmith and educator in Edmonds, Washington. Marshall was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1936. His interest in art began at approximately the fifth grade, when both he and his brother received scholarships to Saturday drawing classes at the Carnegie Museum. Marshall then entered into the U.S. Army following high school, for which he served primarily in Germany until 1957. Able to travel around during this time, Marshall became more interested in metalworking and other forms of art. After the military, Marshall returned to Pennsylvania to attend Grove City College and work construction, specifically pipelining. He ultimately transfered to Carnegie Tech (now part of Carnegie Melon University). In 1960 he began school at the Cleveland Institute of Art, learning from Kenneth Bates, John Paul Miller, and John Clague, and alongside Winifred Lutz. He received his B.F.A. from Cleveland in 1965.

Marshall received a teaching position as head of Syracuse University's metals program. Once there, Marshall worked with Laurence Schmeckebier to complete his M.F.A.; Schmeckbier was also instrumental in exhibiting Marshall's artwork at this time. Looking to establish himself as a metalsmith, he became associated with others in his field such as Olaf Skoogfors, Fred Fenster, and Stanley Lechtzin, and became involved with the Soceity of North American Goldsmiths. After his time in Syracuse, Marshall went to the University of Washington in 1970 where he remained for the rest of his teaching career.

Marshall has held one-man shows at the Lowe Art Center, Syracuse University, Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, and Concepts Gallery in California; and has had his work featured in group shows at the Museum of Concemporary Crafts, Renwick Gallery, and the Laguna Art Museum. He has received many public and private commissions throughout his career to create trophies, cups, bowls, and sculptures, most notably a 16-foot sculpture for the United Methodist Church in Edmonds, Washington.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2004 by John Marshall 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 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.
Occupation:
Silversmiths -- Washington (State)  Search this
Topic:
Metals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Video recordings
Motion pictures
Citation:
John Marshall papers, 1960s-2000s. Archives of American Art, Smithssonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.marsjohn
See more items in:
John Marshall papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw957d2bd7a-61ba-4ead-a6a9-fe9890670153
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-marsjohn

WIlliam Clutz papers, 1930-2016

Creator:
Clutz, William, 1933-  Search this
Type:
Sketchbooks
Photographs
Citation:
WIlliam Clutz papers, 1930-2016. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7469
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209627
AAA_collcode_clutwill
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209627
Online Media:

Robert M. Cronbach papers, 1914-2004

Creator:
Cronbach, Robert M., 1908-2001  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Citation:
Robert M. Cronbach papers, 1914-2004. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7553
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209713
AAA_collcode_cronrobe
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209713
Online Media:

Marcia Marcus papers, 1928-2016, bulk 1950-2000

Creator:
Marcus, Marcia, 1928-  Search this
Subject:
Müller, Dody  Search this
Avery, Sally  Search this
Hartigan, Grace  Search this
Stout, Myron  Search this
Benson, Elaine  Search this
Richenburg, Robert  Search this
De Kooning, Elaine  Search this
Barnes, Dorothy Gill  Search this
Type:
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Photographs
Interviews
Citation:
Marcia Marcus papers, 1928-2016, bulk 1950-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7996
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210165
AAA_collcode_marcmarc
Theme:
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210165
Online Media:

Dorothy and Herbert Vogel papers, 1960s-2009

Creator:
Vogel, Dorothy, 1935-  Search this
Vogel, Herbert  Search this
Subject:
Schultz, Barbara  Search this
Ryman, Robert  Search this
DeMonte, Claudia  Search this
Cyphers, Peggy  Search this
Tuttle, Richard  Search this
Taschler, Lori  Search this
Tabler, Bernadine  Search this
Seawright, Sandy  Search this
Umlauf, Lynn  Search this
Highstein, Jene  Search this
Hazlitt, Don  Search this
Kawara, On  Search this
Jean-Claude, Martha  Search this
Francisco, Richard  Search this
Andre, Carl  Search this
Groth, Jan  Search this
Graham, Dan  Search this
Aycock, Alice  Search this
Barnet, Will  Search this
Antonakos, Stephen  Search this
Artschwager, Richard  Search this
Chernow, Ann  Search this
Christo  Search this
Bochner, Mel  Search this
Cadere, André  Search this
Renouf, Edda  Search this
Mangold, Sylvia Plimack  Search this
Pozzi, Lucio  Search this
LeWitt, Sol  Search this
Mangold, Robert  Search this
Kunsthalle Bielefeld  Search this
Citation:
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel papers, 1960s-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Women art dealers  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Patronage  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)9265
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211460
AAA_collcode_vogedoro
Theme:
Women
Patronage
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211460
Online Media:

Robert M. Doty papers, circa 1935-2000, bulk 1960-1992

Creator:
Doty, Robert M.  Search this
Subject:
Akron Art Institute  Search this
Albright-Knox Art Gallery  Search this
Currier Gallery of Art  Search this
George Eastman House  Search this
Whitney Museum of American Art  Search this
Citation:
Robert M. Doty papers, circa 1935-2000, bulk 1960-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Theme:
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6508
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)215738
AAA_collcode_dotyrobe
Theme:
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_215738

Athena Tacha papers, 1959-2019

Creator:
Tacha, Athena, 1936-  Search this
Subject:
Brancusi, Constantin  Search this
Rodin, Auguste  Search this
Lippard, Lucy R.  Search this
Johnson, Ellen H.  Search this
Oberlin College  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Motion picture film
Citation:
Athena Tacha papers, 1959-2019. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6242
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216555
AAA_collcode_tachathe
Theme:
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_216555
Online Media:

Mary Ann Scherr papers, 1941-2013, bulk 1960-2000

Creator:
Scherr, Mary Ann, 1931-2016  Search this
Subject:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Citation:
Mary Ann Scherr papers, 1941-2013, bulk 1960-2000. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Jewelry making  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women jewelers  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
Craft  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6026
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)236023
AAA_collcode_schemary
Theme:
Women
Craft
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_236023
Online Media:

Jules David Prown research material on artists, 1935-2018, bulk 1958-1975

Creator:
Prown, Jules David, 1930-  Search this
Subject:
West, Benjamin  Search this
Copley, John Singleton  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Citation:
Jules David Prown research material on artists, 1935-2018, bulk 1958-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Theme:
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6038
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)239353
AAA_collcode_prowjule
Theme:
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_239353
Online Media:

Marvin Lipofsky papers, 1954-2018

Creator:
Lipofsky, Marvin B. (Marvin Bentley), 1938-2016  Search this
Subject:
Warashina, Patti  Search this
Scanga, Italo  Search this
Pilchuck School  Search this
California College of Arts and Crafts  Search this
Glass Art Society  Search this
Type:
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Scrapbooks
Interviews
Citation:
Marvin Lipofsky papers, 1954-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
American studio craft movement  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11153
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)248653
AAA_collcode_lipomarv
Theme:
Craft
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_248653

John Marshall papers, 1960s-2000s

Creator:
Marshall, John, 1936-  Search this
Subject:
Society of North American Goldsmiths  Search this
Syracuse University  Search this
University of Washington  Search this
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this
Type:
Drawings
Video recordings
Motion pictures
Citation:
John Marshall papers, 1960s-2000s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Metals  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11575
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)248740
AAA_collcode_marsjohn
Theme:
Craft
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_248740

Kevin MacDonald papers, 1958-2006

Creator:
MacDonald, Kevin John, 1946-2006  Search this
Subject:
Washington Project for the Arts (D.C.)  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Notebooks
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Citation:
Kevin MacDonald papers, 1958-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Printmakers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)16082
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)360859
AAA_collcode_macdkevi
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_360859
Online Media:

Cosmos Andrew Sarchiapone papers, circa 1860-2011, bulk 1940-2011

Creator:
Sarchiapone, Cosmos Andrew, 1931-2011  Search this
Subject:
Arbus, Diane  Search this
Cage, John  Search this
Glaser, Milton  Search this
Hay, Alex  Search this
Huebler, Douglas  Search this
Israel, Marvin  Search this
Johnson, Ray  Search this
Kelly, Ellsworth  Search this
Scull, Robert C.  Search this
Sonneman, Eve  Search this
Parsons School of Design  Search this
School of Visual Arts (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Push Pin Studios  Search this
Type:
Drawings
Ephemera
Illustrations
Music
Photocopies
Photographs
Posters
Prints
Sketchbooks
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Place:
New York (State) -- New York City -- Photographs
Citation:
Cosmos Andrew Sarchiapone papers, circa 1860-2011, bulk 1940-2011. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Conceptual art  Search this
Music--New York (State)--New York  Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Photography -- Study and teaching  Search this
Photography--New York (State)--New York  Search this
Theater--New York (State)--New York  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)16242
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)370445
AAA_collcode_sarccosm
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_370445
Online Media:

Constance Glenn papers, 1960s-2014

Creator:
Glenn, Constance W. (Constance White)  Search this
Subject:
California State University, Long Beach  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Citation:
Constance Glenn papers, 1960s-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Women authors  Search this
Theme:
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)17400
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)383400
AAA_collcode_glencons
Theme:
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_383400

Modify Your Search







or


Narrow By