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Emmy Lou Packard Papers, 1900-1990

Creator:
Packard, Emmy Lou, 1914-1998  Search this
Subject:
Covarrubias, Miguel  Search this
Edmunds, John  Search this
Rivera, Diego  Search this
Reynolds, Malvina  Search this
Refregier, Anton  Search this
Lange, Dorothea  Search this
Kahlo, Frida  Search this
O'Higgins, Pablo  Search this
O'Gorman, Juan  Search this
American Civil Liberties Union  Search this
Public Works of Art Project  Search this
Type:
Scrapbooks
Sketches
Photographs
Interviews
Diaries
Citation:
Emmy Lou Packard Papers, 1900-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Printmakers -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Mural painting and decoration, American  Search this
Mural painting and decoration, Mexican  Search this
Latino and Latin American artists  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women muralists  Search this
Women printmakers  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women sculptors  Search this
Theme:
Latino and Latin American  Search this
Women  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)5519
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211816
AAA_collcode_packemmy
Theme:
Latino and Latin American
Women
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211816
Online Media:

José Moya del Piño papers

Creator:
Moya del Pino, Jose, 1891-1969  Search this
Extent:
0.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketchbooks
Date:
1924-1973
Summary:
The papers of painter José Moya del Piño measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1924 to 1973. The papers provide scattered documentation of Moya del Piño's career as an artist through correspondence between Moya del Piño and friends and fellow artists, professional activity files including writings by Moya del Piño and photographs of him and his artwork, and sketches and four sketchbooks.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter José Moya del Piño measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1924 to 1973. The papers provide scattered documentation of Moya del Piño's career as an artist through correspondence between Moya del Piño and friends and fellow artists, professional activity files including writings by Moya del Piño and photographs of him and his artwork, and sketches and sketchbooks.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1924-1973 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Professional Activity Files, 1924-1969 (0.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Artwork, circa 1934-1947 (0.3 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, OV 3)
Biographical / Historical:
José Moya del Piño (1891–1969) was a Spanish-born American painter, muralist and educator. He associated with the Post-impressionists of Spain and the Depression-era muralists in the San Francisco Bay Area. He taught classes at the San Francisco Art Students League, San Francisco Art Institute, and the College of Marin.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with José Moya del Piño conducted by Mary McChesney, September 10, 1964.
Provenance:
Donated 1977-1982 by Tina (Clementina Moya) Kun, daughter of José Moya del Piño.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- California  Search this
Educators -- California  Search this
Muralists -- California  Search this
Topic:
Latino and Latin American artists  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Citation:
José Moya del Piño papers, 1924-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.moyadel
See more items in:
José Moya del Piño papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9323d1de7-cdb1-485a-a706-629646524e34
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-moyadel

Ben Cunningham papers, 1904-1984, bulk 1930-1975

Creator:
Cunningham, Ben, 1904-1975  Search this
Subject:
Hiler, Hilaire  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Ben Cunningham papers, 1904-1984, bulk 1930-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)7566
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209726
AAA_collcode_cunnben
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209726

Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970

Creator:
Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this
Subject:
Burchfield, Charles Ephraim  Search this
Benton, William  Search this
Biddle, George  Search this
Ciardi, John  Search this
Caniff, Milton Arthur  Search this
Duchamp, Marcel  Search this
Dickson, Harold E.  Search this
Evergood, Philip  Search this
Esherick, Wharton  Search this
Marston, Muktuk  Search this
Garrett, Alice Warder  Search this
Meredith, Burgess  Search this
Czebotar, Theodore  Search this
Poor, Peter  Search this
Houseman, John  Search this
Watson, Ernest William  Search this
Padro, Isabel  Search this
Billing, Jules  Search this
Deming, MacDonald  Search this
Poor, Anne  Search this
Poor, Bessie Breuer  Search this
Poor, Eva  Search this
Poor, Josephine Graham  Search this
Sargent, Elizabeth S.  Search this
Poor, Josephine Lydia  Search this
Dorn, Marion  Search this
Steinbeck, John  Search this
Smith, David  Search this
Mumford, Lewis  Search this
Montross Gallery  Search this
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture  Search this
Type:
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Citation:
Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Architects -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
World War, 1914-1918  Search this
Pottery -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Theme:
Craft  Search this
Diaries  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13442
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210589
AAA_collcode_poorhenr
Theme:
Craft
Diaries
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210589
Online Media:

Ben Cunningham papers

Creator:
Cunningham, Ben, 1904-1975  Search this
Names:
Hiler, Hilaire, 1898-1966  Search this
Extent:
3.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1904-1984
bulk 1930-1975
Summary:
The papers of artist and educator Ben Cunningham measure 2.3 linear feet and date from 1904 to 1989 with the bulk of the material dating from 1930 to 1975. The collection documents his career through professional and personal papers, writings, printed materials, artwork, and photographic materials.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of artist and educator Ben Cunningham measure 2.3 linear feet and date from 1904 to 1989 with the bulk of the material dating from 1930 to 1975. The collection documents his career through professional and personal papers, writings, printed materials, artwork, and photographic materials.

Personal and professional papers include resumes, biographical summaries, audiovisual recordings of two interviews with Cunningham, papers related to the damage of Autumn Nonscape, and handmade cards by Cunningham, his wife, and others. One file concerning artist and psychologist Hilaire Hiler includes several letters by Hiler, correspondence with Hiler's daughter and son after his death, and one print made by Hiler. The series is comprised mostly of professional correspondence between Patsy and Ben Cunningham and collectors, museums, galleries, and others concerning the exhibition and sale of Cunningham's artwork. Personal correspondence includes postcards, letters about friends and current events, christmas cards, and some business topics are discussed as well. Writings include an illustated lecture on color given by Cunningham at the Art Students' League, mixed writings and notes by Cunningham, notes by Patsy on Ben's life, things he once said, his artwork, and bibliographic information. Writings by others about Cunningham, one pamphlet draft from the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts that incorporated Cunningham's ideas and philosophies, and a copy of "The Revision of Vision" by S. I. Hayakawa are also present. Printed materials consist of clippings about Cunningham's career, the death of Jean Varda, exhibition catalogs, announcements, posters, and invitiations, reproductions of Cunningham's artwork, two scrapbooks, and more. Artwork includes glass slides that Cunningham used to create designs, two sketches, one drawing, and a woodcut by Cunningham. Studies include those for Callipycia, Gordon Knot, Topological Conjecture, Escape Velocity, poster work for the John Lindsay's New York mayoral campaign, and more. Photographic materials depict the artist, exhibitions and events, and several snapshots of his studio. The series also includes photographs, slides, and transparencies of Cunningham's artwork; and one file of artwork made by his students at Cooper Union.
Arrangement:
The Ben Cunningham papers are arranged as five series:

Series 1: Personal and Professional Papers, 1941-1984 (1.2 linear feet; Box 1-2, 5)

Series 2: Writing Files, 1950s-1989 (9 folders; Box 2, 5)

Series 3: Printed Materials, 1940-1981 (.8 linear feet; Box 2, 5)

Series 4: Artwork, 1930-1970s (7 folders; Box 3, 5, OV 6)

Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1904-1972 (.6 linear feet; Box 3-5)
Biographical / Historical:
Ben Cunningham (1904-1975) was an artist and educator who worked in San Francisco and New York. He was from Nevada and initially attended the University of Nevada to study architecture. After a year, he moved to California to attend the San Francisco Art Institute. His first one-man show was at the Beaux Arts Gallery in San Francisco in 1931, and for the next decade exhibited in solo and group shows. While in San Francisco, Cunningham also worked as a muralist and was a supervisor of mural paintings under the Federal Art Project. Cunningham moved to New York City in 1944 where he continued his work as an artist, and began teaching at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, Cooper Union, Pratt Institute, and the Art Students' League of New York. He conducted the summer workshop in advanced painting at the University of Minnesota at Duluth. His artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Forth Worth Art Museum, the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata, India, and private collections.
Related Materials:
Syracuse University Libraries also holds papers of Ben Cunningham.
Provenance:
Donated 1972-1989 by the estate of Patsy and Ben Cunningham.
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:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Ben Cunningham papers, 1904-1989, bulk 1930-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.cunnben
See more items in:
Ben Cunningham papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw918af72ce-a92b-462e-bdc5-85b44e03702b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-cunnben

Henry Varnum Poor papers

Creator:
Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970  Search this
Names:
Montross Gallery  Search this
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture  Search this
Benton, William, 1900-1973  Search this
Biddle, George, 1885-1973  Search this
Billing, Jules  Search this
Burchfield, Charles Ephraim, 1893-1967  Search this
Caniff, Milton Arthur, 1907-1988  Search this
Ciardi, John, 1916-  Search this
Czebotar, Theodore  Search this
Deming, MacDonald  Search this
Dickson, Harold E., 1900-  Search this
Dorn, Marion, 1896-1964  Search this
Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this
Esherick, Wharton  Search this
Evergood, Philip, 1901-1973  Search this
Garrett, Alice Warder  Search this
Houseman, John, 1902-1988  Search this
Marston, Muktuk  Search this
Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997  Search this
Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990  Search this
Padro, Isabel  Search this
Poor, Anne, 1918-  Search this
Poor, Bessie Breuer  Search this
Poor, Eva  Search this
Poor, Josephine Graham  Search this
Poor, Josephine Lydia  Search this
Poor, Peter  Search this
Sargent, Elizabeth S.  Search this
Smith, David, 1906-1965  Search this
Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968  Search this
Watson, Ernest William, 1884-1969  Search this
Extent:
12.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Date:
1873-2001
bulk 1904-1970
Summary:
The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.

Henry Varnum Poor's correspondence documents his personal, family, and professional life. Correspondents include family and friends, among them George Biddle, Charles Burchfield, John Ciardi, Marion V. Dorn (who became his second wife), Philip Evergood, Lewis Mumford, John Steinbeck, David Smith, and Mrs. John Work (Alice) Garrett. Among other correspondents are galleries, museums, schools, organizations, fans, former students, and acquaintances from his military service and travels. Family correspondence consists of Henry's letters to his parents, letters to his parents written by his wife, and letters among other family members.

Among the writings by Henry Varnum Poor are manuscripts of his two published books, An Artist Sees Alaska and A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. as well as the text of "Painting is Being Talked to Death," published in the first issue of Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, April 1953, and manuscripts of other articles. There are also film scripts, two journals, notes and notebooks, lists, speeches, and writings by others, including M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston's account of Poor rescuing an Eskimo, and Bessie Breuer Poor's recollections of The Montross Gallery.

Subject files include those on the Advisory Committee on Art, American Designers' Gallery, Inc., William Benton, Harold Dickson, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions Sales, and War Posters. There are numerous administrative files for the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

Artwork by Henry Varnum Poor consists mainly of loose drawings and sketches and 45 sketchbooks of studies for paintings, murals, and pottery. There is work done in France, 1918-1919, and while working as a war correspondent in Alaska in 1943. There are commissioned illustrations and some intended for his monograph, A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality. Also found are a small number of watercolors and prints. Work by other artists consist of Anne Poor's drawings of her father's hands used for the Lincoln figure in The Land Grant Frescoes and interior views of Crow House by Ernest Watson.

Documentation of Poor's architectural projects consists of drawings and prints relating to houses designed and built for Jules Billing, MacDonald Deming, John Houseman, Burgess Meredith, Isabel Padro, and Elizabeth S. Sargent. Also found is similar material for the new studio Poor built in 1957 on the grounds of Crow House.

Miscellaneous records include family memorabilia and two motion picture films, Painting a True Fresco, and The Land Grant Murals at Pennsylvania State College.

Printed material includes articles about or mentioning Poor, some of his pottery reference books, family history, a catalog of kilns, and the program of a 1949 Pennsylvania State College theater production titled Poor Mr. Varnum. Exhibition catalogs and announcements survive for some of Poor's shows; catalogs of other artists' shows include one for Theodore Czebotar containing an introductory statement by Henry Varnum Poor. Also found is a copy of The Army at War: A Graphic Record by American Artists, for which Poor served as an advisor. There are reproductions of illustrations for An Artist Sees Alaska and Ethan Frome, and two Associated American Artists greeting cards reproducing work by Poor.

Photographs are of Henry Varnum Poor's architectural work, artwork, people, places, and miscellaneous subjects. This series also contains negatives, slides, and transparencies. Images of architectural work include exterior and interior views of many projects; Poor's home, Crow House, predominates. Photographs of artwork by Poor are of drawings, fresco and ceramic tile murals, paintings, pottery and ceramic art. People appearing in photographs include Henry Varnum Poor, family members, friends, clients, juries, students, and various groups. Among the individuals portrayed are Milton Caniff, Marcel Duchamp, Wharton Esherick, M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston, and Burgess Meredith. Among the family members are Bessie Breuer Poor, Marion Dorn Poor, Anne Poor, Eva Poor, Josephine Graham Poor, Josephine Lydia Poor, Peter Poor, and unidentified relatives. Photographs of places include many illustrating village life in Alaska that were taken by Poor during World War II. Other places recorded are French and California landscapes, and family homes in Kansas. Miscellaneous subjects are exhibition installation views, scenes of Kentucky farms, and a photograph of Poor's notes on glazes.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 9 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1919-1987 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1, OV 18)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1873-1985 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1944-1974 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 4: Subject Files, 1928-1975 (0.8 linear feet; Box 3, OV 23)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1890s-circa 1961 (3.5 linear feet; Boxes 4-6, 9-10, OV 19-22)

Series 6: Architectural Projects, circa 1940-1966 (0.7 linear feet; Box 6, OV 24-26, RD 14-17)

Series 7: Miscellaneous Records, 1882-1967 (Boxes 6, 11, FC 30-31; 0.5 linear ft.)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1881-2001 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 6-7, 11, OV 27-29)

Series 9: Photographs, 1893-1984 (2.3 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 12-13)
Biographical Note:
Henry Varnum Poor (1888-1970), best known as a potter, ceramic artist, and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, was also an architect, painter, muralist, designer, educator, and writer who lived and worked in New City, New York.

A native of Chapman, Kansas, Henry Varnum Poor moved with his family to Kansas City when his grain merchant father became a member of the Kansas Board of Trade. From a young age he showed artistic talent and spent as much time as possible - including school hours - drawing. When a school supervisor suggested that Henry leave school to study at the Art Institute of Chicago, the family disagreed. Instead, he enrolled in the Kansas City Manual Training High School where he delighted in learning skills such as carpentry, forge work, and mechanical drawing. In 1905, he moved with his older brother and sister to Palo Alto, California and completed high school there. Because Poor was expected to join the family business, he enrolled at Stanford University as an economics major, but much to his father's disappointment and displeasure, soon left the economics department and became an art major.

Immediately after graduation in 1910, Poor and his major professor at Stanford, Arthur B. Clark, took a summer bicycling tour to look at art in London, France, Italy, and Holland. As Poor had saved enough money to remain in London after the summer was over, he enrolled in the Slade School of Art and also studied under Walter Sickert at the London County Council Night School. After seeing an exhibition of Post-Impressionism at the Grafton Galleries in London, Poor was so impressed that he went to Paris and enrolled in the Académie Julian. While in Paris, Poor met Clifford Addams, a former apprentice of Whistler; soon he was working in Addams' studio learning Whistler's palette and techniques.

In the fall of 1911, Poor returned to Stanford University's art department on a one-year teaching assignment. During that academic year, his first one-man show was held at the university's Old Studio gallery. He married Lena Wiltz and moved back to Kansas to manage the family farm and prepare for another exhibition. Their daughter, Josephine Lydia Poor, was born the following year. Poor returned to Stanford in September 1913 as assistant professor of graphic arts, remaining until the department closed three years later. During this period, Poor began to exhibit more frequently in group shows in other areas of the country, and had his first solo exhibition at a commercial gallery (Helgesen Gallery, San Francisco). In 1916, Poor joined the faculty of the San Francisco Art Association. He and his wife separated in 1917 and were divorced the following year. Poor began sharing his San Francisco studio with Marion Dorn.

During World War I, Poor was drafted into the U. S. Army, and in 1918 went to France with the 115th Regiment of Engineers. He spent his spare time drawing; soon officers were commissioning portraits, and Poor was appointed the regimental artist. He also served as an interpreter for his company. Discharged from the Army in early 1919, Poor spent the spring painting in Paris. He then returned to San Francisco and married Marion Dorn.

Once Poor realized that earning a living as a painter would be extremely difficult in California, he and his new wife moved to New York in the autumn of 1919. They were looking for a place to live when influential book and art dealer Mary Mowbray-Clarke of the Sunwise Turn Bookshop in Manhattan suggested New City in Rockland County, New York as good place for artists. In January of 1920, the Poors purchased property on South Mountain Road in New City. The skills he acquired at the Kansas City Manual Training High School were of immediate use as Poor designed and constructed "Crow House" with the assistance of a local teenager. Influenced by the farmhouses he had seen in France, it was made of local sandstone and featured steep gables, rough plaster, chestnut beams and floors, and incorporated many hand-crafted details. Poor designed and built most of their furniture, too. Before the end of the year, he and Marion were able to move into the house, though it remained a work in progress for many years. Additions were constructed. Over time, gardens were designed and planted, and outbuildings - a kiln and pottery, work room, garage, and new studio - appeared on the property.

In 1925, two years after his divorce from Marion Dorn, Poor married Bessie Freedman Breuer (1893-1975), an editor, short story writer, and novelist. Soon after, he adopted her young daughter, Anne (1918-2002), an artist who served as his assistant on many important mural commissions. Their son, Peter (b. 1926) became a television producer. Crow House remained in the family until its sale in 2006. In order to prevent its demolition, Crow House was then purchased by the neighboring town of Ramapo, New York in 2007.

Between 1935 and 1966 Poor designed and oversaw construction of a number of houses, several of them situated not far from Crow House on South Mountain Road. Poor's designs, noted for their simplicity, featured modern materials and incorporated his ceramic tiles. Among his important commissions were houses for Maxwell Anderson, Jules Billig, Milton Caniff, MacDonald Deming, and John Houseman.

Poor's first exhibition of paintings in New York City was at Kevorkian Galleries in 1920, and sales were so disappointing that he turned his attention to ceramics. His first pottery show, held at Bel Maison Gallery in Wanamaker's department store in 1921, was very successful. He quickly developed a wide reputation, participated in shows throughout the country, and won awards. He was a founder of the short-lived American Designers' Gallery, and the tile bathroom he showed at the group's first exposition was critically acclaimed. Poor was represented by Montross Gallery as both a painter and potter. When Montross Gallery closed upon its owner's death in 1932, Poor moved to the Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery.

Even though Poor's pottery and ceramic work was in the forefront, he continued to paint. His work was acquired by a number of museums, and the Limited Editions Club commissioned him to illustrate their republications of Ethan Frome, The Scarlet Letter, and The Call of the Wild.

Poor's first work in true fresco was shown in a 1932 mural exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Between 1935 and 1949 he was commissioned to produce several murals in fresco for Section of Fine Arts projects at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior, The Land Grant Frescoes at Pennsylvania State College, and a mural for the Louisville Courier-Journal. Ceramic tile mural commissions included: the Klingenstein Pavilion, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City; Travelers Insurance Co., Boston; the Fresno Post Office, California; and Hillson Memorial Gallery, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Mass.

As a member of the War Artists' Unit, Poor was a "war correspondent" with the rank of major in World War II, and for several months in 1943 was stationed in Alaska. An Artist Sees Alaska, drawing on Poor's observations and experiences, was published in 1945. A Book of Pottery: From Mud to Immortality, his second book, was published in 1958. It remains a standard text on the subject. While on the faculty of Columbia University in the 1950s, Poor and other artists opposed to the growing influence of Abstract Expressionism formed the Reality Group with Poor the head of its editorial committee. Their magazine, Reality: A Journal of Artists' Opinions, first appeared in 1953 featuring "Painting is Being Talked to Death" by Poor as its lead article. Two more issues were published in 1954 and 1955.

Along with Willard Cummings, Sidney Simon, and Charles Cuttler, in 1946 Henry Varnum Poor helped to establish the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine. He served as its first president. Poor and his daughter, Anne, were active members of the Board of Trustees and were instructors for many years. The summer of 1961 was Henry Varnum Poor's last as a full-time teacher, though he continued to spend summers at Skowhegan.

Henry Varnum Poor exhibited widely and received many awards, among them prizes at the Carnegie Institute, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Architectural League of New York. Poor was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Roosevelt in 1941 and served a five year term. He was elected a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1943. The National Academy of Design named him an Associate Artist in 1954 and an Academician in 1963. He became a trustee of the American Craftsman's Council in 1956. The work of Henry Vernum Poor is represented in the permanent collections of many American museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.

Henry Varnum Poor died at home in New City, New York, December 8, 1970.
Related Material:
An oral history interview with Henry Varnum Poor was conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art in 1964.
Provenance:
Gift of Henry Varnum Poor's son, Peter V. Poor, in 2007. A smaller portion was loaned to the Archives in 1973 by Anne Poor for microfilming and returned to the lender; this material was included in the 2007 gift.
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. Use of 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:
War artists  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Ceramicists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Designers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Architects -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
World War, 1914-1918  Search this
Pottery -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Motion pictures (visual works)
Diaries
Drawings
Sketchbooks
Citation:
Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.poorhenr
See more items in:
Henry Varnum Poor papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw96265d653-098f-4ccc-abed-0bc649c50516
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-poorhenr
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Dorothy Cravath, 1964 May 13-27

Interviewee:
Cravath, Dorothy, 1901-1974  Search this
Interviewer:
Martin, Minette  Search this
Subject:
Rivera, Diego  Search this
University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Dorothy Cravath, 1964 May 13-27. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Theme:
Women  Search this
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13070
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213376
AAA_collcode_cravat64
Theme:
Women
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213376

Oral history interview with Dorothy Cravath

Creator:
Cravath, Dorothy, 1901-1974  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Interviewer:
Martin, Minette  Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts  Search this
Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this
Extent:
18 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 May 13-27
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Dorothy Cravath conducted 1964 May 13 and May 27, by Minette Martin for the Archives of American Art.

Interview conducted at the home of Leota Molten in Berkeley, California. Cravath speaks of her youth and art education at the California School of Fine Arts; painting murals for the Federal Art Project; and restoring the murals at Coit Tower. She recalls Diego Rivera and discusses his influence on muralists.
Biographical / Historical:
Dorothy Cravath (1901-1974) was a mural painter in San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 55 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.
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.cravat64
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9393907bf-e0df-4787-bdcb-77bc9c8ae867
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-cravat64
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Edith Hamlin, 1964 May 27

Interviewee:
Hamlin, Edith  Search this
Interviewer:
Martin, Minette  Search this
Subject:
Cravath, Dorothy, 1901-1974  Search this
Rivera, Diego  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Edith Hamlin, 1964 May 27. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art and state -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
United States. -- Work Projects Administration  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Women  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12280
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)215779
AAA_collcode_hamlin64
Theme:
New Deal
Women
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_215779
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Edith Hamlin

Interviewee:
Hamlin, Edith  Search this
Cravath, Dorothy, 1901-1974  Search this
Interviewer:
Martin, Minette  Search this
Names:
Rivera, Diego, 1886-1957  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound tape reel (Sound recordings, 7 in.)
16 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 May 27
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Edith Hamlin conducted 1964 May 27, by Minette Martin, for the Archives of American Art.

She discusses her work on PWAP and WPA murals, including murals decorating the Coit Tower, San Francisco.
Biographical / Historical:
Edith Hamlin (1902-1992) was a mural painter from San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 54 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 -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Topic:
Art and state -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
United States. -- Work Projects Administration  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.hamlin64
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a2270b1f-6ead-491c-8763-4e7df209f3ef
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-hamlin64
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Richard Ayer, 1964 September 26

Interviewee:
Ayer, Richard Gentry, 1909-1967  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Arnautoff, Victor Mikhail  Search this
Hiler, Hilaire  Search this
Volz, Herman  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Richard Ayer, 1964 September 26. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration -- California  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11989
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213236
AAA_collcode_ayer64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213236
Online Media:

Oral history interview of Ralph Chessé, 1964 October 22

Interviewee:
Chessé, Ralph, 1900-1991  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Labaudt, Lucien  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
Federal Theater Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview of Ralph Chessé, 1964 October 22. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Printmakers -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12664
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213348
AAA_collcode_chess64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213348
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Maxine Albro and Parker Hall, 1964 July 27

Interviewee:
Albro, Maxine, 1903-1966  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Hall, Parker  Search this
Bertrand, Raymond  Search this
Gaethke, George  Search this
Neininger, Urban  Search this
O'Higgins, Pablo  Search this
Rivera, Diego  Search this
Stackpole, Ralph  Search this
Zakheim, Bernard Baruch  Search this
Allied Artists Guild  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Maxine Albro and Parker Hall, 1964 July 27. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women printmakers  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Women muralists  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Women  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12350
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213349
AAA_collcode_albro64
Theme:
New Deal
Women
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213349
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Dorr Bothwell, 1965 February 27

Interviewee:
Bothwell, Dorr Hodgson, 1902-2000  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Clements, Grace  Search this
Feitelson, Lorser  Search this
Macdonald-Wright, Stanton  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
Public Works of Art Project  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Dorr Bothwell, 1965 February 27. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Women artists  Search this
Women painters  Search this
Women educators  Search this
Women printmakers  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Women muralists  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Women  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12484
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213363
AAA_collcode_bothwe65
Theme:
New Deal
Women
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213363
Online Media:

Oral history interview with George Gaethke, 1964 Sept. 26

Interviewee:
Gaethke, George, 1898-  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
McChesney, Robert, 1913-2008  Search this
Albro, Maxine  Search this
Bertrand, Raymond  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with George Gaethke, 1964 Sept. 26. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Mural painting and decoration  Search this
Printmakers -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Mosaicists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11941
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213464
AAA_collcode_gaethk64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213464
Online Media:

Oral history interview with John Emmett Gerrity, 1965 Jan. 20

Interviewee:
Gerrity, John Emmett, 1895-1980  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with John Emmett Gerrity, 1965 Jan. 20. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration -- California  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13245
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213483
AAA_collcode_gerrit65
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213483

Oral history interview with Robert Boardman Howard, 1964 Sept. 16

Interviewee:
Howard, Robert Boardman, 1896-1983  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Robert Boardman Howard, 1964 Sept. 16. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Sculptors -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13247
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213577
AAA_collcode_howard64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213577

Oral history interview with Marcelle Labaudt, 1964 Sept. 16

Interviewee:
Labaudt, Marcelle, 1892-1987  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Labaudt, Lucien  Search this
Lucien Labaudt Art Gallery  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Marcelle Labaudt, 1964 Sept. 16. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Educators -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11986
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213613
AAA_collcode_labaud64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213613
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Ernest Lenshaw, 1964 May 19

Interviewee:
Lenshaw, Ernest, 1892-  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Ernest Lenshaw, 1964 May 19. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Muralists -- California -- San Francisco -- Interviews  Search this
Theme:
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13234
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213641
AAA_collcode_lensha64
Theme:
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213641
Online Media:

Oral history interview with José Moya del Pino, 1964 Sept. 10

Interviewee:
Moya del Pino, José, 1891-1969  Search this
Interviewer:
McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this
Subject:
Arnautoff, Victor Mikhail  Search this
Rivera, Diego  Search this
Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with José Moya del Pino, 1964 Sept. 10. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this
Painters -- California -- Interviews  Search this
Muralists -- California -- Interviews  Search this
Federal aid to the arts  Search this
Mural painting and decoration -- California -- San Francisco  Search this
Hispanic American artists  Search this
Theme:
Latino and Latin American  Search this
New Deal  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12903
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213674
AAA_collcode_moyade64
Theme:
Latino and Latin American
New Deal
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213674

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