Search Results

Creator:

Danieli, Fidel  Search this

Names:

Almaraz, Carlos  Search this

Antin, David  Search this

Antin, Eleanor  Search this

Bell, Larry, 1939-  Search this

Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976  Search this

Bettelheim, Judith, 1944-  Search this

Brigante, Nicholas P., 1895-1989  Search this

Delano, Annita, 1894-  Search this

Feitelson, Lorser, 1898-1978  Search this

Flavin, Dan, 1933-  Search this

Graham, Robert, 1938-  Search this

Kaprow, Allan  Search this

Krasnow, Peter, 1886-1979  Search this

Langsner, Jules, 1911-1967  Search this

Lloyd, Gary, 1943-  Search this

McLaughlin, John, 1898-  Search this

Pettibone, Richard, 1938-  Search this

Pettibone, Shirley  Search this

Plagens, Peter  Search this

Rosenthal, Rachel, 1926-  Search this

Saar, Betye  Search this

Smith, Alexis, 1921-1993  Search this

Extent:

8.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Photographs

Interviews

Date:

1962-1987

Summary:

The papers of Los Angeles art critic and writer, art historian, professor, collector, and artist Fidel Danieli (1938-1988) measure 8.4 linear feet and date from 1962 to 1987. Found within the papers are writing and research files, and 108 sound recordings of interviews with or about 45 Los Angeles artists conducted by Danieli in 1974-1975 for the U.C.L.A. oral history project "L.A. Community Artists." There are also sound recordings of art performances and art talks, and printed materials, including numerous exhibition announcements.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Los Angeles art critic and writer, art historian, professor, collector, and artist Fidel Danieli (1938-1988) measure 8.4 linear feet and date from 1962 to 1987. Found within the papers are writing and research files, and 108 sound recordings of interviews with or about 45 Los Angeles artists conducted by Danieli in 1974-1975 for the U.C.L.A. oral history project "L.A. Community Artists." There are also sound recordings of art performances and art talks, and printed materials, including numerous exhibition announcements.

Writing and research files consist of articles and reviews written by Fidel Danieli and supporting documentation and printed material. Files cover individual artists, exhibitions, and other scattered topics. Files on reviews of artists Danieli wrote include typescripts and handwritten drafts, printed materials, and photographs. Artists covered include Carlos Almarez, Larry Bell, Wallace Berman, Lorser Feitelson, Dan Flavin, Robert Graham, Jules Langsner, Richard Pettibone, Rachel Rosenthal, Alexis Smith, and John White, among many others. The file for Richard Pettibone includes 2 original sound cassettes and duplicates. Writings for exhibition catalogs and reviews of exhibitions focus primarily on Los Angeles area exhibitions or exhibitions of California artists. These files include notes, typescripts, and printed materials. Also found are files for magazine articles written by Danieli. Research files include a set of index cards documenting a chronology of Los Angeles art and 9 sound cassettes of television shows that focus on California art.

Interviews of and performances by Los Angeles comprise 108 sound cassettes. The majority of the cassettes are artist interviews conducted by Danieli in 1974-1975 for the U.C.L.A. oral history project "L.A. Community Artists," but there are also scattered recordings of art talks, panel discussions, and performances. Artists include David Antin, Eleanor Antin, Judith Bettelheim, Nick Brigante, Annita Delano, Allan Kaprow, Peter Krasnow, Peter Plagens, Gary Lloyd, John McLaughlin, Shirley Pettibone, Betye Saar, and John White, among many others.

Printed material consists primarily of exhibition announcements about California artists and exhibitions.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 3 series.

Series 1: Writing and Research Files, 1962-1987 (3.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-4)

Series 2: Los Angeles Artist Interviews and Performances, 1974-1975 (3.1 linear feet; Boxes 4-7)

Series 3: Printed Material, 1969-1985 (2.1 linear feet; Boxes 7-9)

Biographical / Historical:

Fidel Danieli (1938-1988) was an art critic and writer, art historian, educator, and artist based in Los Angeles, California. Danieli received his B.A. in 1960 and M.A. in 1965 from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). For nearly 22 years, he taught at the Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys. He also taught and lectured at the California State College in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley State College in Northridge.

Danieli was perhaps best known for his work as an art critic and writer, notably his reviews for Artforum from 1963-1968 that brought national recognition to many modern Southern California artists, such as Billy Al Bengston, Bruce Nauman, Robert Graham, and George Herms. Danieli was a member of the editorial committee of the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art's (LAICA) Journal, a contributing editor to Artweek, and writer and reviewer for ArtScene and Images and Issues.

Danieli's special interest was in the early Los Angeles Modernists and he received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant around 1974 to fund research on the subject. From 1974-1975, he was also an interviewer for the UCLA oral history project "Los Angeles Art Community." The project culminated in the 1974 exhibition Nine Senior Southern California Painters at LAICA.

Danieli was also a painter, sculptor, and collector. His extensive art collection included photographs, paintings, ceramics, and prints. He bequeathed the bulk of his collection to the Oakland Museum and the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and a few private collectors who were friends. His art library was donated to Los Angeles Valley College.

He was briefly married to Edie Ellis though they later separated. He suffered ill health for several years and passed away in North Hollywood on March 26, 1988, at the age of 49.

Provenance:

The Fidel Danieli papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 1990 by Sage Stormcreek, executor of Danieli's estate.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice. 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.

Occupation:

Authors -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Art historians -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Educators -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Art critics -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Photographs

Interviews

Citation:

Fidel Danieli papers, 1962-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Collections grant program.

Identifier:

AAA.danifide

See more items in:

Fidel Danieli papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-danifide

Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Names:

Garth Clark Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

John Waller, Fine Ceramics (Firm : Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Zachary Waller Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Arensberg, Louise S. (Louise Stevenson), 1879-1953  Search this

Arensberg, Walter, 1878-1954  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Hapgood, Elizabeth Reynolds  Search this

Hoag, Stephen Asa  Search this

Nin, Anaïs, 1903-1977  Search this

Roché, Henri Pierre, 1879-1959  Search this

Rosencrantz, Esther, 1876-1950  Search this

Extent:

26.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drafts (documents)

Interviews

Photographs

Illustrated letters

Notes

Watercolors

Diaries

Transcripts

Lithographs

Short stories

Illustrations

Designs

Drawings

Bookplates

Date:

1894-1998

bulk 1930-1990

Summary:

The papers of California ceramicist Beatrice Wood measure 26.6 linear feet and date from 1906 to 1998, with the bulk dating from 1930-1990. There is extensive correspondence with gallery owners, fellow artists, clients, friends, and family. The collection also contains biograpical materials, personal business records, writings, printed materials, photographs, and works of art. Of particular interest are the 28 diaries that Wood maintained from 1916 until her death in 1998 and 42 glazing formula notebooks dating from 1934-1997. Also found are documents of Steven Hoag and Esther Rosencranz, her husband and aunt respectively, that consist of correspondence, business records, and photographs given to the Archives of American Art as part of the Beatrice Wood papers.

Scope and Contents note:

The papers of California ceramicist Beatrice Wood measure 26.6 linear feet and date from 1906 to 1998, with the bulk dating from 1930-1990. There is extensive correspondence with gallery owners, fellow artists, clients, friends, and family. The collection also contains biographical materials, personal business records, writings, printed materials, photographs, and works of art. Of particular interest are the 28 diaries that Wood maintained from 1916 until her death in 1998 and 42 glazing formula notebooks dating from 1934-1997. Also found are documents of Steven Hoag and Esther Rosencranz, her husband and aunt respectively, that consist of correspondence, business records, and photographs given to the Archives of American Art as part of the Beatrice Wood papers.

Biographical material contains certificates, licenses, degrees, legal documents, and extensive interview transcripts, which describe her philosophy on art and her development as a ceramic artist.

Correspondence is particularly rich in documenting Wood's passion and dedication to her work as a writer and artist. The records reflect Wood's close professional and personal relationships with many friends and colleagues, including Henri-Pierre Roche, Marcel Duchamp, Anais Nin, Elizabeth Hapgood, and Walter and Lou Arensberg. Additional correspondence with editors and publishers is also included. Wood enjoyed illustrating her letters, as did many of her correspondents.

Personal business records include financial material, sales and consignment records, and correspondence with gallery owners, including Garth Clark Gallery, John Waller Gallery, and Zachary Waller Gallery.

Notes and writings extensively document Wood's second career as a writer. Edited drafts of her monographs and short stories are available, as well as her journal writings and notes. Drafts of I Shock Myself: The Autobiography of Beatrice Wood, Angel Who Wore Black Tights, 33rd Wife of a Maharajah, among others are included. Also found here are the illustrations that Wood created for her monographs. She often did a series of drawings for each illustration and these copies are included as well.

Twenty-eight detailed diaries contain information about studio sales, clients, and the economic uncertainties of being a self-employed artist. The diaries, arranged in one-year and five-year volumes, begin in 1916 and end just a few days before her death in 1998.

Forty-two glaze books record the formulas for the pottery glazes Wood developed throughout her career.

Printed material includes copies of Wood's published monographs as well as exhibition announcements and brochures. Also found are clippings about Wood, including numerous articles about her trips to India.

Photographic material includes photographs and slides of Wood, her friends, travels, and other events. Many of the photographs are identified by Wood.

Artwork includes original sketches, drawings, watercolors, lithographs and designs by Wood. The original illustrations from her books are included in this series.

The last two series contain records generated by her husband, Stephen Hoag and her maternal aunt, Esther Rosencrantz. Wood was married to Hoag from 1937 until his death in 1960. The bulk of the material contains Hoag's financial records, mostly receipts, from his early years as a engineer in the Pacific Northwest. Esther Rosencranz, a physician in San Francisco, collected book plates that are included in this series.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged as 11 series:

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1924-1993 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1910-1998 (Box 1-8; 7.7 linear feet)

Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1909-1988 (Box 9-11, 26, OV 31; 3.5 linear feet)

Series 4: Notes and Writings, circa 1912-1997 (Box 11-16, 27; 5.5 linear feet)

Series 5: Diaries, 1915-1998 (Box 17-20; 4 linear feet)

Series 6: Glaze Books, circa 1930-1997 (Box 21-22, 27-30; 2.5 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1940-1997 (Box 23, OV 31; 1.1 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographic Material, 1913-1997 (Box 24, 30; 1 linear foot)

Series 9: Artwork, 1917-1991 (Box 24-25, 30; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 10: Stephen Hoag papers, 1906-1960 (Box 25; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 11: Esther Rosencranz papers, 1894-1959 (Box 25; 0.1 linear feet)

Biographical/Historical note:

Beatrice Wood (1893-1998) was a ceramicist, painter, and writer who relocated to Ojai, California in 1948.

Beatrice Wood was born on March 3, 1893 in San Francisco to socially prominent and wealthy parents. In the late 1890s, the family moved to New York City where Wood was expected to begin the process of "coming out" in New York society. This process included boarding schools, a convent school in Paris, and frequent summer trips to Europe where she was exposed to museums, galleries, and the theater. Wood studied acting and dance in Paris until the outbreak of the war in 1914. She returned to New York and soon joined the company of the French National Repertory Theatre. From 1914 through 1916, Wood played over 60 parts as a stage actress.

In 1917, Wood met the writer Henri Pierre Roche, with whom she had a brief affair and a long friendship. Roche introduced her to the New York world of artists and writers and encouraged her interest in drawing and painting. During a visit to see the composer Edgard Varese in the hospital, Wood met Marcel Duchamp, with whom she had a love affair and who also had a strong influence in her development as an artist. Their long discussions about modern art encouraged Wood to show Duchamp a recent drawing entitled "Marriage of a Friend." Duchamp liked the drawing so much that he published it in Rogue, a magazine partly financed by Walter and Louise Arensberg, friends of Duchamp. The Arensbergs were pioneering collectors of modern art and soon became friends of Wood as well. She became a frequent guest at their evening gatherings, forming friendships with Walter Pach, Francis Picabia, Joseph Stella, Myrna Loy, Galka Scheyer, and others.

Through Duchamp and the Arensbergs, Wood was introduced to the world of the New York Dada. Following the formation of the Society of Independent Artists in 1917, Wood exhibited work in their Independents exhibition. Together with Duchamp and Roche, she published a short-lived avant-garde journal, called Blind Man, in which the Alfred Steiglitz photograph of Duchamp's famous ready-made "Fountain" appeared. She also designed the poster for the Dada event, The Blind Man's Ball.

Throughout the 1920s, Wood continued to draw and paint, especially watercolors. Late in 1927, she moved to California to join the Arensbergs, who had been there since 1921. She also developed an interest in clay and took her first ceramics classes with Glen Lukens at the University of Southern California in the late 1930s. In 1940 Wood studied with Otto and Gertrud Natzler, Austrian potters who were known for their technical mastery and ability to throw almost perfectly formed pots. The Natzlers taught her how to throw pots and calculate glaze formulas.

Museums and galleries began to take an interest in her pottery and she held several shows in New York, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Several department stores, including Nieman Marcus and Gumps, also began to feature her pottery. During the 1940s, Wood began making figurative art in addition to more traditional pots. In 1947, for example, she included a large blue fish with white spots in an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science, and Art. As her skills developed, Wood moved to a new home and studio in Ojai, California. By 1950, Wood was experimenting with luster surfaces, pottery with a metallic glaze that gives the effect of iridescence. These lusterware plates, in addition to her decorative figures and traditional ceramics, were sold at her studio, advertised with a sign out front that read "Beatrice Wood: Fine Pottery, Reasonable and Unreasonable."

In 1961, Wood visited India as a cultural ambassador, sponsored by the State Department. She toured the country and showed her work in fourteen cities. She became enamoured with Indian decorative arts and began to weave shimmering gold and silver threads into her palatte. Wood returned a second time in 1965 at the invitation of the Indian government. It was during this trip that she decided to adopt the sari as her style of dress, a style she continued until her death in 1998. She made her third and last trip to India in 1971. Her book, 33rd Wife of a Maharajah is about her adventures in India.

Wood always enjoyed writing, recording her daily activities in a diary and creating stories about her experiences with friends and colleagues. She published her first book, Angel Who Wore Black Tights in 1982, followed by her autobiography, I Shock Myself, in 1985.

Wood considered her last 25 years as her most productive. In addition to her literary publications, Wood also had several successful exhibitions, including Intimate Appeal: The Figurative Art of Beatrice Wood at the Oakland Museum in 1990 and Beatrice Wood: A Centennial Tribute at New York's American Craft Museum in 1997. The film, Beatrice Wood: The Mama of Dada, was filmed on the occasion of her 100th birthday in 1993. She died in Ojai, California in 1998, nine days after her 105th birthday.

Related Archival Materials note:

The Archives of American Art holds two oral history interviews with Beatrice Wood completed by Paul Karlstrom in 1976 and 1992.

Provenance:

Beatrice Wood donated her papers in several accretions between 1976 and 2002. Additional material was donated by Francis Naumann in 1993 and the Beatrice Wood Personal Property Trust in 1999. Material from a 1977 loan was included in Wood's later donations.

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.

Topic:

Art -- Philosophy  Search this

Authors -- California  Search this

Glazes -- Formulae  Search this

Women artists -- California  Search this

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Actresses -- United States  Search this

Ceramicists -- California  Search this

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drafts (documents)

Interviews

Photographs

Illustrated letters

Notes

Watercolors

Diaries

Transcripts

Lithographs

Short stories

Illustrations

Designs

Drawings

Bookplates

Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.woodbeat

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-woodbeat

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 23, Folder 6

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1989

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 7: Printed Material / 7.1: Monographs / Book List

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref1085

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 25

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1989

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref1825

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 28

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1989

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref1826

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 23

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1988

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref502

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 24

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1989

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref503

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 26

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1990-1991

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref504

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 27

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1989

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref505

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 29

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1988

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref506

Collection Creator:

Wood, Beatrice  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 30

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1988

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Beatrice Wood papers, 1906-1998, bulk 1930-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Beatrice Wood papers

Beatrice Wood papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-woodbeat-ref507

Creator:

Spohn, Clay Edgar, 1898-1977  Search this

Names:

School of Visual Arts (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Corbett, Edward, 1919-  Search this

Corbett, Rosamond Walling Tirana, 1910-1999  Search this

Fryworth, Teressa, 1906-1981  Search this

McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this

Neininger, Urban  Search this

Reynal, Jeanne, 1903-  Search this

Ribak, Louis, 1902-1979  Search this

Rothko, Mark, 1903-1970  Search this

Sievan, Maurice  Search this

Sihvonen, Oli, 1921-  Search this

Still, Clyfford, 1904-  Search this

Extent:

20.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Account books

Ambrotypes

Photographs

Date:

circa 1862-1985

bulk 1890-1985

Summary:

The Clay Spohn papers measure 20.4 linear feet and date from circa 1862 to 1985 with the bulk of the material dating from 1890 to 1985. The collection consists of biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes and writings, art work, printed material, and photographs which reflect the life and career of painter and educator Clay Spohn.

Scope and Content Note:

The Clay Spohn papers measure 20.4 linear feet and date from circa 1862 to 1985 with the bulk of the material dating from 1890 to 1985. The collection consists of biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes and writings, artwork, printed material, and photographs reflecting the life and career of painter and educator Clay Spohn.

Part 1 includes sketchbooks with annotated drawings by Spohn, writings including reminiscensces by Spohn, letters, clippings, and photographs of Spohn's artwork.

Part 2 includes biographical material; correspondence between Spohn and his colleagues; business records such as Spohn's general accounting records; Spohn's notes and writings on a variety of subjects; drawings and sketchbooks; printed material such as exhibition announcements and catalogs; and photographs of subjects such as Spohn, his family and colleagues, his house, and his artwork.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into three parts. Part 1 was lent to the Archives of American Art in 1964 by Clay Spohn, and was microfilmed and returned to Spohn. Part 2 was donated to the Archives of American Art by Urban Neininger in 1978 and was partially microfilmed. Because material from part 2 was not processed until over three decades after filming Part 1, the overall organization is inconsistent. In general, material within folders is arranged chronologically.

Part 1: Clay Spohn Papers, 1926-1963

Part 2: Clay Spohn Papers, circa 1862-1985 (boxes 1-22, OV 23, 19.9 linear ft.)

Part 3: Addition to the Clay Spohn Papers, 1958-1977 (box 24; 0.4 linear ft.)

Biographical Note:

Clay Edgar Spohn was born November 24, 1898, in San Francisco, to Lena (Schaefer) and John Henry Spohn. From 1919 to 1921, Spohn studied at the University of California at Berkeley, and from 1922 to 1924, he studied at the Art Students League in New York under Kenneth Hayes Miller, Boardman Robinson, George Luks and Guy Pene Du Bois. He also became acquainted with Alexander Calder at the Art Students League. In 1924, Spohn was employed as an assitant designer to muralist Ezra Winter. From 1926 to 1927 he studied in Paris at the Academie Modern, a school run by Fernand Leger and Orthon Fireze.

Returning to San Francisco in 1927, Spohn became an active member in the Bay Area art scene. The Treasury Department commissioned him, in 1938, to execute a mural for the Montebello, California post office, and in 1939, he completed another mural under the sponsorship of the WPA for Los Gatos Union High School in Los Gatos, California.

In 1942, the San Francisco Museum of Art mounted Spohn's solo exhibition "Fantastic War Machines and Guerragraphs", consisting of a series of drawings inspired by dreams of World War II. From 1945 until his resignation in 1950, Spohn was employed as instructor of drawing and painting at the California School of Fine Arts, where he befriended Clyfford Still and Mark Rothko. In 1949, at the California School, he organized a group exhibition entitled "The Museum of Unknown and Little Known Objects", in which Spohn's extraordinarily-constructed objects were a focal point.

Spohn moved to Taos, New Mexico in 1952, and participated in several national exhibitions. He was Visiting Lecturer at Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, in 1958, after which he moved to New York City where he executed a series of paintings under the sponsorship of the collector J. Patrick Lannan. From 1964 to 1969, he taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

After a two year move to Taos, Spohn returned to New York in 1971. In 1974, the Oakland Museum sponsored a retrospective of Spohn's work.

Clay Spohn died in New York City on December 19, 1977.

Separated Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (D169) including sketchbooks, writings, correspondence, and related material. Lent materials were returned to the lender and are described in the first series of the finding aid.

Provenance:

The material on reel D169 was lent for filming by Clay Spohn in 1964. The material on reel 5461-5474 was donated by Spohn's friend and the executor of his estate, Urban Neininger, in 1978. An additional 0.4 linear feet of papers were donated by Spohn's biographer, David Beasley, in 2008.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use of unfilmed material 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:

Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painting, Abstract -- France -- Paris  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Sketchbooks

Account books

Ambrotypes

Photographs

Citation:

Clay Spohn Papers, circa 1862-1985, bulk 1890-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.spohclay

See more items in:

Clay Spohn papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-spohclay

Collection Creator:

Packard, Emmy Lou, 1914-1998  Search this

Container:

Box 3, Folder 35

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1973-1978

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Emmy Lou Packard papers, 1900-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Emmy Lou Packard Papers

Emmy Lou Packard Papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-packemmy-ref142

Collection Creator:

Packard, Emmy Lou, 1914-1998  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 36

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1971-1986

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Emmy Lou Packard papers, 1900-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Emmy Lou Packard Papers

Emmy Lou Packard Papers / Series 2: Correspondence / 2.1: Business Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-packemmy-ref54

Collection Creator:

Packard, Emmy Lou, 1914-1998  Search this

Container:

Box 3, Folder 36

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1979

Collection 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Citation:

Emmy Lou Packard papers, 1900-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Emmy Lou Packard Papers

Emmy Lou Packard Papers / Series 3: Personal Business Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-packemmy-ref584

Creator:

Neuhaus, Robert, 1909-  Search this

Names:

Bierstadt, Albert, 1830-1902  Search this

Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1884-1984

bulk 1941-1984 dates

Scope and Contents:

7 letters to Neuhaus from and about Still, 2 copies of Neuhaus' replies, 15 photographs of paintings completed by Still between 1930 and 1940, and one letter from Albert Bierstadt, 1884.

Still writes to Neuhaus in 1941 in order to introduce himself and inquire about the possibility of having his work exhibited at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. In 1942 and 1945, Still writes to Neuhaus regarding available teaching positions and his painting production. Henry Hibbs of the College of William and Mary writes Neuhaus requesting information on Still. A scholar working on a dissertation, 1978-1979, writes twice to Neuhaus about a Still lithograph on loan to the Oakland Museum. Two transcriptions of Neuhaus' replies outline his relationship with Still in the 1940s. One letter from the Oakland Museum to Neuhaus requests the loan of the Still painting PORTRAIT OF MARYLY NEUHAUS.

15 photographs of Still paintings. Ten of the paintings are portraits, the other five consist of three landscapes and two "abstractions." All photographs are annotated, some by Still.

Letter from Bierstadt,1884, concerning an unpaid invoice from the American Artists Union.

Biographical / Historical:

Historian and art dealer; Walnut Creek, Calif.; d. 1995 Neuhaus was Director of Education, 1938-1940, at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco. In 1941, he established a gallery, Robert Neuhaus Services in Fine Arts, in San Francisco, which remained open for approximately six months. Artists represented included Clyfford Still, George Post and Joseph Raphael. Still was a painter, and died in 1980. Bierstadt was a landscape painter active in both the U.S. and Europe.

Provenance:

Donated 1986 by Robert Neuhaus.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Art dealers -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

Painting, Modern  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.neuhrobe

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-neuhrobe

Collection Creator:

De Forest, Roy, 1930-2007  Search this

Container:

Box 2, Folder 53

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1993-2003

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and born-digital records with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.

Collection Citation:

Roy De Forest papers, 1916-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by Gerald and Bente Buck. Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by Gloria Marchant.

See more items in:

Roy De Forest papers

Roy De Forest papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-deforoy-ref247

Creator:

Hanson, Jo  Search this

Names:

Women's Caucus for Art  Search this

Dickinson, Eleanor, 1931-  Search this

Hendrickson, Barbara  Search this

Extent:

4.1 Linear feet

1.06 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Video recordings

Photographs

Transcripts

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

circa 1969-2009

Summary:

The papers of San Francisco environmental artist and activist Jo Hanson measure 4.1 linear feet and 1.06 GB and date from circa 1969 to 2009. The papers document her professional activities through biographical material, project and exhibition files, printed and digital material, artwork, and photographs. Also found are files regarding her participation in the Women's Caucus for Art.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of San Francisco environmental artist and activist Jo Hanson measure 4.1 linear feet and 1.06 GB and date from circa 1969 to 2009. The papers document her professional activities through biographical material, project and exhibition files, printed and digital material, artwork, and photographs. Also found are files regarding her participation in the Women's Caucus for Art.

Of note within the collection is an oral history interview of Hanson, conducted by Eleanor Dickinson and Barbara Hendrickson in 2006-2007, as well was biographical documentation compiled for the interview. Hanson's installations "Crab Orchard Cemetery" and "Public Disclosure: Secrets From the Street" are also particularly well documented within this collection.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 6 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1976-2008 (0.6 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Project and Exhibition Files, circa 1973-2009 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)

Series 3: Women's Caucus for Art, 1977-2006 (0.4 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1971-2008 (0.4 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 5: Artwork, 1969-circa 1990s (0.4 linear feet; Box 3, 5)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1969-2007 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 3-5, 1.06 GB; ER01-ER02)

Biographical / Historical:

Jo Hanson (1918-2007) was an environmental artist and activist in San Francisco, California. She was known for turning urban trash into works of art. She exhibited her work at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Fresno Art Museum, and the Oakland Museum of California, among other places. In 1974 her installation "Crab Orchard Cemetery" toured nationally and included a mix of sculpture, printmaking, photography, and sound. During the 1980s she served on the San Francisco Arts Commission and championed the work of underrepresented women and artists of color. In 1996 she helped establish WEAD, the Women Environmental Artists Directory.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 2011 by Eleanor Dickinson, Hanson's friend.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires and appointment. 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:

Environmental artists  Search this

Topic:

Women artists -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Art -- Political aspects  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Photographs

Transcripts

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Jo Hanson papers, circa 1969-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.hansjo

See more items in:

Jo Hanson papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-hansjo

Creator:

Guermonprez, Trude, 1910-1976  Search this

Names:

Akron Art Institute  Search this

American Crafts Council. Museum of Contemporary Crafts  Search this

American Institute of Architects  Search this

Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, N.C.)  Search this

California College of Arts and Crafts  Search this

Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this

Holland Amerika Lijn  Search this

Johnson Wax -- Art collections  Search this

Municipal School of Arts and Crafts (Halle an der Saale, Germany)  Search this

Oakland Art Museum  Search this

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation  Search this

Pasadena Art Museum  Search this

Pond Farm Workshop  Search this

San Francisco Folk Art Museum  Search this

Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle, Landeskunstmuseum Sachsen-Anhalt  Search this

Guermonprez, Paul.  Search this

Guermonprez, Trude, 1910-1976  Search this

Herr, Gordon.  Search this

Herr, Jane.  Search this

Larson, Jack Lenor.  Search this

Mendelsohn, Erich, 1887-1953  Search this

Oud, J. J. P. (Jacobus Johannes Pieter), 1890-1963  Search this

Wildenhain, Frans, 1905-1980  Search this

Wildenhain, Marguerite  Search this

Extent:

3 Boxes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Posters

Patterns (design elements)

Designs (textile)

Blueprints

Awards

Proposals

Postcards

Announcements

Brochures

Photographs

Exhibition catalogs

Slides (photographs)

Journals (periodicals)

Clippings

Financial records

Lecture notes

Articles

Business cards

Correspondence

Textiles

Sketches

Date:

1950-1976

Summary:

This archive includes interesting documents related to Trude Guermonprez's life and work as a weaver. The archives are especially related to the designer's work for her major clients, like Holland America Line and Owens Corning Fiberglass; other pieces in this archive are related to Guermonprez's work for custom curtains made for major synagogues and her designs, interior fabrics, screens and rugs realized in conjunction with J.P. Oud, Architects Associated, New York; Eric Mendelsohn, Warren Callister, etc. The correspondence and the photographs in this collection provide insight into the designer's private life. Included in this collection are press articles, brochures, correspondence, postcards, photographs, color slides, notebooks, textiles, and textile wood patterns.

Arrangement note:

Unprocessed; Included in this collection are press articles, brochures, correspondence, postcards, photographs, color slides, notebooks, textiles, and textile wood patterns.

Biographical/Historical note:

Trude Guermonprez is an experienced weaver as well as a designer, artist, craftsman and teacher. She has executed architectural commissions and has done interior design for industry. Her work is of great variety in character and form. Guermonprez started weaving in Halle, Germany at the Municipal School of Arts and Crafts. Six years of weaving in a Dutch rug shop preceded her coming to America, at the invitation of Anni Albers, to teach at Black Mountain College, and later to northern California to join her friend Marguerite Wildenhain, at Pond Farm Workshops in a producing-teaching cooperative. She served as Chairman of the Craft Department at The California College of Arts and Crafts. Though she designed fabrics for New York textile manufacturers, her works were mainly custom produced for architects and individuals. In 1970 she was honored the Craftsmanship Medal from the American Institute of Architects.

Guermonprez published works in Art and Architecture, 1949; Shuttlecraft Weaving Magazine, 1957; and Research in Crafts, 1961.

She also participated in the following exhibitions: de Young Museum; American Wallhangings, London; Oakland Art Museum; Pasadena Art Museum; U.S. Information Agency State Department Show, traveling Europe exhibition; "Craftsmen of the West", "Fabrics International" and "10 American Weavers" at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In 2000 at Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle Landeskunstmuseum, Halle (Salle), Germany: "From Bauhaus to the Pacific: The Impact of Emigration on Marguerite Wildenhain and Trude Guermonprez".

Location of Other Archival Materials Note:

The North Carolina State Archives web site has material in its collection related to Guermonprez as a teacher and artist-in-residence at Black Mountain College.

The Archives of American Art hasoral history interviews of Merry Renk conducted 2001 Jan. 18-19 by Arline M. Fisch for Nanette L. Laitman's, Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America. Guermonprez is only mentioned.

Provenance:

All materials were donated to the museum by Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sylvia Elsesser in 1993.

Restrictions:

Unprocessed; access is limited. Permission of Library Director required. Policy.

Occupation:

Textile designers -- United States  Search this

Weavers -- United States  Search this

Topic:

Weaving -- History -- 20th century -- Sources  Search this

Genre/Form:

Posters

Patterns (design elements)

Designs (textile)

Blueprints

Awards

Proposals

Postcards

Announcements

Brochures

Photographs

Exhibition catalogs

Slides (photographs)

Journals (periodicals)

Clippings

Financial records

Lecture notes

Articles

Business cards

Correspondence

Textiles

Sketches

Identifier:

SIL-CH.1993-121-118

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-sil-ch-1993-121-118

Creator:

Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007  Search this

Names:

Gimpel Fils  Search this

New Arts (Art gallery)  Search this

San Francisco Art Institute -- Faculty  Search this

Anglim, Paule  Search this

Bischoff, Elmer, 1916-1991  Search this

Butterfield, Jan  Search this

Emmerich, André  Search this

Fitz Gibbon, John  Search this

Gimpel, Charles  Search this

Still, Clyfford, 1904-  Search this

Still, Patricia  Search this

Swanson, Kathryn  Search this

Thiebaud, Wayne  Search this

Wollard, Robert  Search this

Extent:

4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sketches

Transcripts

Christmas cards

Photographs

Date:

circa 1900-2004

bulk 1930-1995

Summary:

The papers of Southern California painter and instructor Hassel Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 2004 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1930-1995. Found within the papers are correspondence, a transcript of an interview conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s, personal business files, teaching files, writings by Smith and others, sketches, printed materials, and photographs of Smith, his family and friends, and his artwork. There are audio recordings of a lecture series organized by Smith and of reviews of Smith's work. Correspondents include Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Clyfford Still, Wayne Thiebaud, and many others.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of Southern California painter and instructor Hassel Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from circa 1900 to 2004 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1930-1995. Found within the papers are correspondence, a transcript of an interview conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s, personal business files, teaching files, writings by Smith and others, sketches, printed materials, and photographs of Smith, his family and friends, and his artwork. There are audio recordings of a lecture series organized by Smith and of reviews of Smith's work. Correspondents include Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Clyfford Still, Wayne Thiebaud, and many others.

Biographical materials include biographical sketches, curriculum vitae, genealogical materials, ephemera, and personal appointment books from the mid to late 1970s. Also found here is a transcript of an in-depth interview of Smith conducted by Jan Butterfield in the 1980s.

There is personal and professional correspondence with Paule Anglim, Elmer Bischoff, Andre Emmerich, Charles Gimpel of Gimpel Fils, Clyfford and Patricia Still, Kathryn Swanson of the New Arts Gallery, Wayne Thiebaud, family members, and many others.

Personal business records include art sales records, exhibition checklists, conservation and condition reports, and personal finance records. Teaching materials include class schedules, student lists, and syllabi. Also found are notes on topics such as American art and literature, artistic traits and forms, illusion, and women artists.

Writings by Smith include artist statements, creative writings, his thoughts on the art market and art institutions, the San Francisco art community, and social criticism. Writings by others consist primarily of essays about Smith and his work. There are also writings by Smith's friend Robert Wollard. Artwork includes sketches, doodles, and Christmas cards done by Smith, and a handful of artwork by others.

Printed materials include clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and posters. Also found here are printed materials about other artists, schools where Smith enrolled or taught, Smith's general interests, and collages and flyers by Robert Wollard. There is a printed copy of the pictorial edition of the Communist Manifesto edited by Smith and other artists.

Photographic materials are of Smith, family members, artwork, his studio, exhibition openings and other art events, and friends and colleagues. A family photograph dates from circa 1900 and negatives date from 1920. Most of the photographs date from the 1940s through the 1990s.

Sound recordings include 1 sound tape reel of the radio show, Art Review, with host John Fitz Gibbon reviewing Smith's artwork, and nine sound cassettes of student critiques overseen by Smith at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 9 series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1930-2004 (0.25 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1930s-2003 (1.0 linear foot; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Personal Business Materials, 1953-2003 (0.25 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Teaching Materials, 1960s-1980s (18 folders; Box 2)

Series 5: Writings, 1940s-1994 (0.25 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 6: Artwork, 1928-1995 (8 folders; Box 2)

Series 7: Printed Materials, 1928-2003 (1.25 linear feet; Boxes 3-4)

Series 8: Photographic Materials, 1900s-2004 (0.5 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 9: Sound Recordings, 1965-1980 (10 items; Box 4)

Biographical Note:

Hassel Smith (1915-2007) was a California Bay area abstract expressionist painter, painting instructor at the California School of Fine Arts, and a lecturer at the University of California. His students included Roy De Forest, Sonia Gechtoff, and Frank Lobdell. Smith was also associated with the famed Los Angeles Ferus Gallery.

Hassel Smith was born on April 27, 1915, in Sturgis, Michigan, settling later with his family in San Mateo, California. He attended Northwestern University with the intention of becoming a chemist, but switched his majors to English and Art History and graduated in 1936. Returning to California, Smith enrolled at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), and studied with the painter Maurice Sterne.

In 1937, he left school and shared housing with his adopted brother Lewis in the Haight-Ashbury district, where he maintained a studio on Steiner Street. At the same time, as a social worker for the California Relief State Administration, he worked with men on "skid row" in San Francisco. Declared 4F by the draft board, Smith served various government agencies during World War II, including the Farm Security Administration and the U.S. Forest Service. During this period, he met and married June Meyers. He later described his government service and social work as having a strong influence on his art and politics.

In 1941, Smith was awarded the Abraham Rosenberg Fellowship from the University of California, Berkeley, which allowed him to travel and paint outdoors at Angel's Camp in the Mother Lode of the Sierra foothills, along with Richard Hackett.

At the end of the war, Smith began teaching at the CSFA, joining faculty members Richard Diebenkorn, David Park, and Clyfford Still. Smith taught there until 1952. His students included Roy De Forest, Sonia Gechtoff, and Frank Lobdell. Smith continued to paint and exhibit work throughout the 1950s, and in 1958 became affiliated with the Ferus Gallery founded by Walter Hopps and Ed Kienholz. His wife June passed away in 1958. One year later, Smith remarried Donna Rafferty Harrington, and they had their son Bruce in 1960.

After an exhibition at the New Arts Gallery in Houston, London-based dealer Charles Gimpel invited Smith to exhibit his work in England. As a result of this, Smith moved to England in 1962, and spent a year living in Mousehole, a fishing village in Cornwall. He moved back to California and between 1963 to 1966 was a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1966, Smith accepted a position as Senior Lecturer at the West England College of Art in Bristol, England where he stayed until 1978. He finished his teaching career as a Principal Lecturer at the Cardiff College of Arts in Wales from 1978 to 1979.

Smith spent most of the next two decades painting and exhibiting, which included exhibitions at the Oakland Museum and the San Jose Museum of Art. In 1991, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the San Francisco Art Institute (formerly the California School of Fine Arts). Due to failing health, Smith was forced to stop painting in 1997. Smith died in 2007 in Warminster, England, at the age of 91.

Related Material:

Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Hassel Smith conducted by Paul Karlstrom, September 5, 1978 and a video interview with Hassel Smith conducted by Paul Karlstrom, January 15, 1986.

Provenance:

Hassel Smith donated most of his papers in several increments between 1980 and 1998. His son Joseph donated audio recordings in 1980, and Hassel Smith's widow Donna donated additional materials in 2004.

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.

Occupation:

Art teachers -- California -- Berkeley  Search this

Painters -- California  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Educators -- California -- Berkeley  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Abstract expressionism  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Art -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area  Search this

Art, American  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sketches

Transcripts

Christmas cards

Photographs

Citation:

Hassel Smith papers, circa 1900-2004, bulk 1930-1995. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation and funding for digitization was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.smithass

See more items in:

Hassel Smith papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-smithass