United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945 -- California -- San Francisco
United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 -- California -- San Francisco
Date:
1934-1964
Scope and Contents:
Miscellaneous correspondence of Walter Heil, regional director of PWAP, 1934; form letters from Edward Bruce, national director; and a typescript reminiscence of the PWAP and a letter from Ray Strong addressed to Mary McChesney and dated 1964.[Microfilm title, "Ray Strong"]
Biographical / Historical:
Federally funded art project of the Treasury Department initiated in order to provide jobs for unemployed artists during the Depression. Under the PWAP the country was divided into 16 regions each of which had its own director who answered to the national director in Washington, D.C. The PWAP was succeeded by the Section of Painting and Sculpture, which subsequently became the Section of Fine Arts.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1964 by the M.H. De Young Museum.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Topic:
New Deal, 1933-1939 -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Federal aid to the arts -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Art and state -- California -- San Francisco Search this
The papers of artist Robert Pearson McChesney measure 6 linear feet and date from 1913 to 2006. McChesney was an abstract expressionist painter and muralist based in Petaluma, California. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, exhibition files, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of artist Robert Pearson McChesney measure 6 linear feet and date from 1913 to 2006. McChesney was an abstract expressionist painter and muralist based in Petaluma, California. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, exhibition files, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials.
Biographical materials consist of legal documents, estate papers, awards, genealogical information, a few notebooks and writings, and other assorted personal papers.
The bulk of the correspondence is with galleries and museums about shows and art sales. There is very limited personal correspondence with friends and family. There are a few holiday cards designed by Mary Fuller and Robert McChesney.
Exhibition files include announcements, catalogs, publicity, reviews, correspondence, exhibition lists, price lists, and other material.
Printed materials consist of clippings, reviews, announcements, catalogs, books, and periodicals.
There are 4 scrapbooks of printed material and photographs of Robert McChesney's shows and artwork.
Photographic materials include photographs, slides, and negatives of Robert McChesney and his artwork along with photographs of travels, friends, and family.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as 6 series.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1931-1995 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1, OV 9)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1936-2006 (1 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1970-2006 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)
Series 4: Printed Materials, 1945-2006 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 3-4, OV 9)
Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1940-2002 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 6-8)
Series 6: Photographic Materials, 1913-2002 (1.8 linear feet; Boxes 4-5, 7, OV 9)
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Pearson McChesney (1913-2008) was a California Abstract Expressionist painter and muralist.
Robert McChesney was born on January 16, 1913 in Marshall, Missouri. His parents were Ruby Eversmann Pearson and Jack Wiley McChesney who ran a photography studio. McChesney attended Washington University School of Fine Arts in St. Louis, Missouri from 1933-1934 and Otis Arts Institute in Los Angeles, California from 1936-1937. In 1937, he married Frances, an artist figure model, and they later divorced.
McChesney worked in the mural division of the depression-era Federal Works Project Administration on the Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) in San Francisco from 1938 to 1940. At the GGIE, McChesney and other artists worked on a mural series designed by Herman Volz. During World War II, he served in the U. S. Merchant Marine in the South Pacific. He painted a great deal while he was in the South Pacific and when he returned to San Francisco those paintings became the basis for his first solo exhibition in 1944 at the Richmond and Richmond Gallery.
After the war, McChesney lived in a house in Point Richmond, California with several artists, including the sculptor Mary Fuller whom he married in 1949. Beginning in 1950, he taught at the California School of Fine Arts, California State University at Hayward, and the California Labor School. In 1952, he moved to Sonoma Mountain in Petaluma, California where he built in a house and studio.
Over the course of his artistic career, McChesney had over 40 solo exhibitions and his artwork is included in the collections of many museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Robert McChesney died on May 10, 2008 in Sonoma County, California.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art has an oral history interview with Robert McChesney conducted in 1964 by Lewis Ferbraché.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of Art also holds materials lent for microfilming (reel 878) including three scrapbooks. Two of the scrapbooks were later donated and integrated with the collection. The remaining scrapbook is only available on microfilm and is not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Robert McChesney loaned three scrapbooks to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1975. Mary Fuller McChesney, Robert McChesney's widow, donated the rest of the Robert McChesney papers in 2015.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
21 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1965 February 12
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Michael Von Meyer conducted 1965 February 12, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Michael Von Meyer (1894-1984) was a sculptor from San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 51 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
42 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 July 8
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Ann Rice O'Hanlon conducted 1964 July 8, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art, in Mill Valley, Calif.
Biographical / Historical:
Ann O'Hanlon (1908-1998) was a mural painter from Ky. and Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 49 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.
An interview of Alfred Victor Frankenstein conducted 1965 Nov. 9, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project.
Frankenstein speaks of the WPA mural project and its value; problems with the project; Hans Hofmann's influence; the influence of surrealism; the Coit Tower murals and the controversy surrounding them; the easel painting project and its value; political problems with the Federal Art Project; the project's relevance to current problems; art in architecture; the Index of American Design. He recalls Beniamino Bufano.
Biographical / Historical:
Alfred Victor Frankenstein (1906-1981) was an art historian from San Francisco, Calif.
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:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art historians -- California -- Interviews Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
29 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 Oct. 25
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Maulina Dennett Pendergast conducted 1964 Oct. 25, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Maulina Dennett Pendergast (1905-2002) was an artist in Sacramento, Calif. Also known as Molly Dennett Pendergast.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 4 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
48 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 June 14
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Julian Williams conducted 1964 June 14, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Julian Williams (1911- ) was a muralist from Sausalito, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 43 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
25 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 August 14
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Farwell Taylor conducted by Mary McChesney on 1964 August 14 for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Farwell Taylor (1905-1977) was a mural painter in Mill Valley, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 59 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.
An interview of Patricia Stanley Cunningham conducted 1964 July 28, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
Cunningham speaks of her training at the University of California, Berkeley; her work for the Federal Art Project as a muralist in public school buildings and on the easel painting project; how her work was supervised; artists she knew; and the effect of the Federal Art Project on her career. She recalls Bruce Ariss, Burton Boundey, Beniamino Bufano, and Amalie Waldo.
Biographical / Historical:
Patricia Stanley Cunningham (1907-1984) was a painter, sculptor, designer, and muralist from Carmel, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 48 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
34 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1965 January 9
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Hebe Daum Stackpole and Jack Moxom conducted 1965 January 9, by Mary McChesney, in Oakland, California, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts project.
Biographical / Historical:
Hebe Daum Stackpole (1912-1993) and Jack Moxom (born 1913) were muralists from Oakland, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 22 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
76 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 August 11
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Lucienne Bloch conducted by Mary Fuller McChesney and Robert McChesney on 1964 August 11 for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Lucienne Bloch (1909-1999) was a mural painter in New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hr., 15 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Designers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
The Mary Fuller McChesney papers measure 44.1 linear feet and date from 1949-2011. Included are biographical material, correspondence, writings, artists' files, financial records, photographs, artwork, printed material, and reel-to reel sound recordings documenting the career of sculptor, art historian, and author, Mary Fuller McChesney. A small portion of the papers includes material on painter, Edward Corbett.
Among the sound recordings are interviews conducted by McChesney between 1965 and 1966, and used as the primary research for her book. Interviewees include Jeremy Anderson, Dorr Bothwell, Ernest Briggs, Joan Brown (2), Lawrence Calcagno (2), Edward Corbett (2), James Budd Dixon, Edward Dugmore, Jorge Goya, Dimitri Grachis, John Grillo (1966, 1972), John Hultberg, Jack Jefferson, James Kelly, Walter Kuhlman, Seymour Locks, Douglas MacAgy, Madeleine Martin, William Morehouse, Raymond Parker, Leonard Pollakoff, Ad Reinhardt, Deborah Remington, Phil Roeber, John Saccaro, Jon Schueler, Peter Shoemaker, Hassel Smith, Clay Spohn, Jean Varda, and James Weeks.
Biographical / Historical:
Mary Fuller McChesney (1922-2022) was a sculptor, art historian, and author in San Francisco and Petaluma, California.
Provenance:
A majority of the collection donated 2015 by Mary Fuller McChesney. Photographs on reel 1329 donated 1973 and sound recordings donated 1994 by McChesney. Material on reel NDA 1 (fr. 728-741) lent for microfilming 1964 by Lewis Ferbrache; material on NDA 1 (fr. 930-943) lent 1964 by Mary F. McChesney.
Restrictions:
This collection is temporarily closed. Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
An interview of Margery Magnani conducted 1965 July 7, at the artist's home in San Francisco, Calif., by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Margery Magnani (1918-1997) was an art administrator for the Federal Art Project from San Francisco, Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hrs., 4 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
38 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 Dec. 2
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Arthur Painter conducted by Mary McChesney on 1964 Dec. 2 for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Arthur Painter was an art administrator in San Francisco, Calif. Painter was Director of Information for the Federal Arts Project of San Francisco, Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 8 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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:
Use requires an appointment.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews Search this
An interview of Dorr Bothwell conducted 1965 February 27, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art. Bothwell describes her education and art training in San Francisco; painting for the Public Works of Art Project; Federal Art Project murals in Los Angeles; effects of the federal projects on her artistic development; and friends and colleagues Grace Clements, Lorser Feitelson, and Stanton Macdonald-Wright.
Biographical / Historical:
Dorr Bothwell Mural (1902-2000) was a painter and printmaker from Joshua Tree, California. Charter member of the Society of San Francisco Women Artists. Co-wrote "Notan: the Dark-Light Principle of Design."
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 58 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.
An interview of Peter Macchiarini conducted 1964 Oct. 18, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Peter Macchiarini (1909-2001) was a jeweler and sculptor in San Francisco, Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hrs., 30 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
5 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1965 June 23
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Mireille Piazzoni Wood conduced 1965 June 23, by Mary Fuller McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Mireille Piazzoni Wood (1911-2006) was a muralist from San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 12 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.
Occupation:
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco Search this
An interview of Marcelle Labaudt conducted 1964 Sept. 16, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
The interview concerns Marcelle Labaudt's husband, the painter, muralist and educator Lucien Labaudt.
Biographical / Historical:
Marcelle Labaudt (1892-1987) was a gallery owner in San Francisco, Calif. Widow of Lucien Labaudt. She founded the Lucien Labaudt Gallery after his death in 1943.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 50 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
1 Sound tape reel (Sound recordings, 5 in.)
65 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 July 7
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Dorothy Collins conducted 1964 July 7, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Dorothy Collins (1893-) was an art administrator in California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 8 min.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
29 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 May 19
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Ernest Lenshaw conducted 1964 May 19, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.
Interview was conducted at the artist's home in San Francisco, Calif.
Biographical / Historical:
Ernest Lenshaw (1892- ) was a muralist in San Francisco, Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 1 min.
Sound quality is good, but the repair of frequent splices has caused lost words and broken sentences throughout the interview.
Provenance:
This interview 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.
