Search Results

Creator:

Bechtle, Robert Alan, 1932-2020  Search this

Type:

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Drawings

Diaries

Video recordings

Citation:

Robert Bechtle papers, circa 1930s-2020. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Photo-realism  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)22120

AAA_collcode_bechrobe

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_22120

Creator:

Bechtle, Robert, 1932-2020  Search this

Extent:

13.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Drawings

Diaries

Video recordings

Date:

circa 1930s-2020

Summary:

The Robert Bechtle papers measure 13.9 linear feet and date from circa 1930s-2020. The collection documents his career as a photorealist painter in the San Francisco Bay area. Series include biographical material, correspondence, personal business records, exhibition and gallery records, writings which include artist statements interviews and texts by others, teaching files, printed material, photographic material and artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The Robert Bechtle papers measure 13.9 linear feet and date from circa 1930s-2020. The collection documents his career as a photorealist painter in the San Francisco Bay area. Series include biographical material, correspondence, personal business records, exhibition and gallery records, writings which include artist statements interviews and texts by others, teaching files, printed material, photographic material and artwork.

Biographical material includes military service documents including infantry yearbooks, as well as academic records and degrees for Bechtle and his mother, who continued her education later in life. Also included are highschool yearbooks, the senior year issue featuring art direction from Bechtle, as well as resumes and other supplemental material used by Bechtle's employing institutions to grant sabbaticals and other paid leave. Correspondence is mostly from galleries and museums, in addition to letters from various peers. Also included are letters of recommendation written by Bechtle for faculty or graduate art programs, as well as numerous letters by Bechtle to his mother while he was in the military, including photographs of his travels in Europe, especially Germany. Personal business records include grant applications, applications for sabbatical and other paid leave, as well as studio expenses, planners, and miscellaneous travel documents. Exhibition and gallery records include planning documents for key exhibitions, correspondence, financial documents including sales information, and printed materials from galleries Bechtle worked with over the years, as well as mailing lists, print catalogs, print documentation, and inventory records.

Writings include artist statements and interviews, schoolwork including art history and philosophy papers and notebooks, and academic papers written on Bechtle's work. Teaching materials include lessons, readings, materials lists and syllabi particularly concerning painting, design and printmaking courses at San Francisco State University and other schools.

Printed material includes press clipping and a press scrapbook, as well as invitations and posters, press releases and exhibition catalogs, as well as other types of publications featuring Bechtle's artwork and miscellaneous books and pamphlets from Bachtle's European travel.Photographic material includes photographs of Bechtle and his friends and family, his classmates at CCAC and his military colleagues in Germany. Also included are photographs and slides of artwork by Bechtle and others, as well as photographs and slides used to make Bechtle's photorealistic paintings, drawings, and prints. The artwork series includes childhood and early career drawings including sketchbooks by Bechtle, as well as original materials made by Bechtle for his design work including the Kaiser Company, as well as watercolor and tempera works on paper including demonstration works made in the classroom setting.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as nine series:

Series 1: Biographical Material , circa 1940s-1999 (1 Linear foot: Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1950-2017 (1.2 Linear feet: Boxes 2-3)

Series 3: Personal Business Records (1 Linear foot: Boxes 3-4)

Series 4: Exhibition and Gallery Records, circa 1960s-2019 (1.3 Linear feet: Boxes 4-5)

Series 5: Writings, circa 1950-2015 (0.8 Linear feet: Boxes 5-6)

Series 6: Teaching Files, circa 1956-1988 (0.2 Linear feet: Box 6)

Series 7: Printed Material, circa 1939-2020 (4.6 Linear feet: Boxes 6-10, 13, Oversize 21)

Series 8: Photographic Material , circa 1930s-2010 (2.8 Linear feet: Boxes 10-15)

Series 9: Artwork, circa 1930s-1999 (1 Linear foot: Box 12, Oversize 16-20)

Biographical / Historical:

Robert Bechtle (1932-2020) was a photorealist painter, educator, and printmaker born in Alameda, California, and lived and worked primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area including a long-time residence in Oakland.

Bechtle completed both undergraduate and Master of Fine Arts degrees at the California College of Arts and Crafts by 1958, in between which he served a few year in the United States Military, primarily stationed in Germany. Like the other photorealist painters of his era, Bechtle engineered a style of painting which was based more on keen observation and excruciating detail than any visually discernible stylism. His subjects were largely suburban and mundane and often incorporated images of himself and family members. He would project photographs and incorporate those copied images directly into paintings. In addition to paintings, Bechtle eventually translated his practice into both charcoal drawing and printmaking. He taught at the San Francisco State University where he was named Professor Emeritus in 1999, as well as other schools.

One of the milestones of his career was a retrospective exhibition organized in 2005 by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, also traveling to the Corcoran Museum of Art in 2006. Robert Bechtle's work has been exhibited internationally and his paintings and other artworks are held in numerous collections including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Oakland Museum of California, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art,and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. Bechtle passed in October 2020 from Lewy Dementia and is survived by his second wife Whitney Chadwick and his two children Max and Anne, who were born from his first marriage to Nancy Dalton.

Related Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds a 1978 September 13- 1980 February 1 oral history intereview with Robert A. Bechtle and a 2010 February 8-9 oral history interview with Robert A. Bechtle.

Provenance:

Donated 2022 by the Robert Bechtle and Whitney Chadwick Revocable Trust via Robert Firehock, representative of the Estate of Robert Bechtle.

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.

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: 40 demonstration works of art on papers by Robert Bechtle.

Occupation:

Printmakers -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Painters -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Educators -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

Photo-realism  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Drawings

Diaries

Video recordings

Citation:

Robert Bechtle papers, circa 1950-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.bechrobe

See more items in:

Robert Bechtle papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b997eb71-56ba-4747-8ad4-676d3e3b5e20

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-bechrobe

Creator:

Admiral, Virginia, 1915-2000  Search this

Names:

Art Workers Coalition  Search this

Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

De Niro, Robert, Sr., 1922-1993  Search this

Mapplethorpe, Robert  Search this

Extent:

0.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1945-1978

Summary:

The papers of painter and poet Virginia Admiral measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1945-1978. The scattered papers include identification cards, correspondence with artists and friends, personal business records, and printed material. Found are files relating to the Art Workers' Coalition, a group that sought to pressure the Museum of Modern Art and others to implement political and economic reforms to their practices.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of painter and poet Virginia Admiral measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1945-1978. The scattered papers include identification cards, correspondence with artists and friends, personal business records, and printed material. Found are files relating to the Art Workers' Coalition, a group that sought to pressure the Museum of Modern Art and others to implement political and economic reforms to their practices.

Arrangement:

Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical:

Virginia Admiral (1915-2000) was a painter and poet based in New York City, New York. She was the ex-wife of Robert De Niro and mother of actor Robert De Niro Jr.

Virginia Admiral was born in Oregon in 1915 and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. She worked for the Federal Arts Project in Oakland, California in 1938 but enrolled at the Hofmann School in New York City two years later. It was at the Hofmann school, where she studied under its founder Hans Hoffman, that she met fellow artist Robert De Niro. They married and had a son, Robert De Niro Jr., who would later become an actor. Admiral and De Niro divorced in 1945.

Admiral's work was included in the 1948 Peggy Guggenheim exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Also an activist and a writer, Admiral participated in the anti-Vietnam War movement, and wrote for True Crimes magazine. She died in 2000 in New York City, New York.

Provenance:

Virginia Admiral donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1979 and 1980.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to the original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Authors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Poets -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Women authors  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Citation:

Virginia Admiral papers, 1945-1978. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

To process this collection, this project received Federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAA.admivirg

See more items in:

Virginia Admiral papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9db007217-fac8-4421-90a6-64eb87a06669

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-admivirg

Interviewee:

Lowe, Peter, 1913-1989  Search this

Interviewer:

McChesney, Mary Fuller, 1922-2022  Search this

Subject:

McChesney, Robert, 1913-2008  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 Peter Lowe, 1965 Mar. 3. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Painters -- California -- Oakland -- Interviews  Search this

Printmakers -- California -- Oakland -- Interviews  Search this

Theme:

New Deal  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13304

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)213640

AAA_collcode_lowe65

Theme:

New Deal

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213640

Interviewee:

Lowe, Peter  Search this

Interviewer:

McChesney, Mary Fuller  Search this

McChesney, Robert, 1913-2008  Search this

Creator:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Names:

New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project  Search this

Extent:

23 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1965 Mar. 3

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Peter Lowe conducted 1965 Mar. 3, by Mary McChesney, for the Archives of American Art.

Biographical / Historical:

Peter Lowe (1913-1989) was a painter and graphic artist from Oakland, Calif.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 51 min.

Provenance:

Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.

Rights:

This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Painters -- California -- Oakland -- Interviews  Search this

Printmakers -- California -- Oakland -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Identifier:

AAA.lowe65

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cdb87966-3a75-4c8d-9f56-271331527792

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-lowe65

Published by:

MelPat Associates, American, 1965 - 1986  Search this

Created by:

C. Melvin Patrick, American, died 1985  Search this

Subject of:

United Negro College Fund, American, founded 1944  Search this

Billy Dee Williams, American, born 1937  Search this

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, American, founded 1969  Search this

National Urban Affairs Council, American, founded 1971  Search this

National Association of Market Developers, American, founded 1953  Search this

Prince Hall Freemasonry, founded 1784  Search this

Opportunities Industrialization Center of America, Inc., American, founded 1964  Search this

Harold Washington, American, 1922 - 1987  Search this

National Newspaper Publishers Association, American, founded 1827  Search this

Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., American, founded 1964  Search this

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909  Search this

Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1937  Search this

Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1929  Search this

Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1932  Search this

National Medical Association, American, founded 1895  Search this

National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc., American, founded 1919  Search this

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867  Search this

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1906  Search this

Carats, Inc., American, founded 1959  Search this

National Bar Association, American, founded 1925  Search this

National Urban League, American, founded 1910  Search this

African Methodist Episcopal Church, American, founded 1816  Search this

National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., American, founded 1935  Search this

Shriners International, American, founded 1870  Search this

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, American, founded 1913  Search this

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1911  Search this

National Pharmaceutical Association, American, founded 1947  Search this

National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., American, founded 1923  Search this

One Hundred Black Men, Inc., American, founded 1963  Search this

Arthur Ashe Jr., American, 1943 - 1993  Search this

Association for the Study of African American Life and History, American, founded 1915  Search this

People United to Save Humanity, American, founded 1971  Search this

369th Veterans Association, American  Search this

Eubie Blake, American, 1887 - 1983  Search this

Dance Theatre of Harlem, American, founded 1969  Search this

National Coalition of 100 Black Women, American, founded 1981  Search this

Medium:

ink on paper

Dimensions:

H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 7/16 × 1/2 in. (27.5 × 21.4 × 1.3 cm)

Type:

magazines (periodicals)

Place made:

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted:

Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Bahamas, Caribbean, North and Central America

Houston, Harris County, Texas, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date:

1983

Topic:

African American  Search this

Advertising  Search this

African Methodist Episcopal  Search this

Associations and institutions  Search this

Black Press  Search this

Business  Search this

Communities  Search this

Fraternal organizations  Search this

Fraternities  Search this

Government  Search this

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)  Search this

Journalism  Search this

Labor  Search this

Mass media  Search this

Men  Search this

Methodist  Search this

Political organizations  Search this

Politics  Search this

Professional organizations  Search this

Religion  Search this

Social life and customs  Search this

Sororities  Search this

The Black Church  Search this

Travel  Search this

U.S. History, 1969-2001  Search this

Urban life  Search this

Women  Search this

Women's organizations  Search this

Credit Line:

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Anne B. Patrick and the family of Hilda E. Stokely

Object number:

2012.167.17

Restrictions & Rights:

Public domain

See more items in:

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification:

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Data Source:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd516419a20-d7d3-4570-a5c9-78bd4c89cfee

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmaahc_2012.167.17

Interviewee:

Colescott, Robert, 1925-2009  Search this

Interviewer:

Karlstrom, Paul J.  Search this

Names:

San Francisco State University -- Students  Search this

University of California, Berkeley -- Students  Search this

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

Cézanne, Paul, 1839-1906  Search this

Loran, Erle, 1905-1999  Search this

Ryder, Worth, 1884-1960  Search this

Saar, Betye  Search this

Extent:

23 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1999 April 14

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Robert Colescott conducted 1999 April 14, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art, at his studio, in Tucson, Arizona.

Colescott discusses his early years growing up in Oakland; his education; military service; his experiences as a student at San Francisco State University and University of California, Berkeley; the influences at University of California, Berkeley, and of Paul Cézanne on the teaching by professors Erle Loran and Worth Ryder; working at the California School of Fine Arts; issues of race in art; views on the African-American community's desire to control visual statements by black artists, and why his work is viewed as stereotyping; political views; the work of artist Betye Saar; and his work, "George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware."

Biographical / Historical:

Robert Colescott (1925-2009) was a painter from San Francisco, California and Tuscon, Arizona. Colescott was raised in Oakland, California. He attended San Francisco State University and University of California at Berkeley (B.A. 1949; M.A., 1952). After receiving his bachelor's degree, he studied in Paris with abstract painter Fernand Léger. From 1976-1985 he taught at the California School of Fine Arts, and was named Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, Tucson in 1985.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound cassette. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr.

Provenance:

This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators. Funding for the transcription of this interview is provided by Richard Baker Fund.

Restrictions:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Painters -- Arizona -- Tucson  Search this

Painters -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

African American artists  Search this

African American military personnel  Search this

African American painters  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.colesc99

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw934fa61ee-ec44-4adc-8e66-d4a4bc32a4dc

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-colesc99

Creator:

Monroe, Arthur  Search this

Names:

Oakland Museum  Search this

World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture  Search this

Extent:

22.6 Linear feet

6.36 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Sketchbooks

Scrapbooks

Date:

circa 1940-2019

Summary:

The papers of African American abstract expressionist painter, arts administrator and educator Arthur Monroe measure 22.6 linear feet and 6.3 gigabytes and date from circa 1940 to 2019. Monroe was the registrar at the Oakland Museum and American Studies professor at University of California, Berkeley and San Jose State University. This collection documents his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, FESTAC records, professional files, research files, teaching files, printed material, and photographic material.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of African American abstract expressionist painter, arts administrator and educator Arthur Monroe measure 22.6 linear feet and 6.3 gigabytes and date from circa 1949 to 2019. Monroe was the registrar at the Oakland Museum and American Studies professor at University of California, Berkeley and San Jose State University. This collection documents his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, FESTAC records, professional files, research files, teaching files, printed material, and photographic material.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged as 9 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1970-circa 2013 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1971-cira 2015 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-3)

Series 3: Writings, 1974-circa 2019 (3.7 linear feet; Boxes 3-6)

Series 4: FESTAC Records, 1973-1993, bulk 1974-1978 (4.5 linear feet; Boxes 6-11, 23)

Series 5: Professional Files, 1957-2019 (4 linear feet; Boxes 11-15)

Series 6: Research Files, 1951-2010 (4.5 linear feet; Boxes 15-19, 23)

Series 7: Teaching Files, 1970-circa 2010 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 19-20)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1955-2014 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 20-21, 24)

Series 9: Photographic Material, circa 1940-circa 2019 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 21-22)

Biographical / Historical:

Arthur Monroe (1935-2019) was an African American abstract expressionist painter, arts administrator, and educator in Oakland, California. Monroe was the Chief Registrar at the Oakland Museum for over 30 years and also taught African American Studies as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and San Jose State University. Arthur Monroe was the Chair of the Far West Region North Committee for FESTAC (1977), also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, as well as an organizer for the First Statewide Conference of Black Artists held in 1978.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 2019 by Arthur Monroe as part of the Archives' African American Collecting Initiative funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.

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 -- Oakland  Search this

Educators -- California -- Oakland  Search this

Arts administrators -- California  Search this

Topic:

African American painters  Search this

African American artists  Search this

Abstract expressionism  Search this

African American art -- African influences  Search this

African American educators  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sketchbooks

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Arthur Monroe papers, circa 1940-2019. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.monrarth

See more items in:

Arthur Monroe papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw98ed18ada-836d-488b-9ef8-d027e1a92751

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-monrarth

Creator:

Dempsey, Richard W., 1909-  Search this

Names:

Art in Embassies Program (U.S.)  Search this

Clark Atlanta University Art Gallery  Search this

Corcoran Gallery of Art  Search this

Franz Bader Gallery  Search this

Howard University  Search this

United States. Embassy (Colombia)  Search this

United States. Embassy (Jamaica)  Search this

Brooks, Vonja Kirkland  Search this

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917-2000  Search this

Perlmutter, Jack, 1920-2006  Search this

Waters, Ethel, 1896-1977  Search this

Extent:

2.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Poetry

Sketches

Place:

Colombia -- Description and Travel

Date:

1929-1989

bulk 1960s-1980s

Summary:

The papers of painter Richard W. Dempsey measure 2.9 linear feet and date from 1929 to 1989, with the bulk of the papers dating from the 1960s to the 1980s. The papers contain biographcial material, correspondence, writings, project and exhibition files, printed material, photographs, and artwork and notes related to planning artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of painter Richard W. Dempsey measure 2.9 linear feet and date from 1929 to 1989, with the bulk of the papers dating from the 1960s to the 1980s. The papers contain biographical material, correspondence, writings, project and exhibition files, printed material, photographs, and artwork and notes related to planning artwork.

Biographical material consists of employment records; resumes, chronologies, and biographies; and compiled personal papers that may have once been part of scrapbooks. These materials are not bound, but have remained together and in the order in which they were received. This series also includes a folder of material related to Dempsey's wife, Vonja Kirkland Brooks.

Correspondence includes letters both sent, and received by the artist, primarily concerning the exhibition of Dempsey's paintings at the Franz Bader Gallery, the Atlanta University Gallery, Howard University, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the U.S. Embassies in Colombia and Jamaica, and with the Art in Embassies Program. Notable correspondents include Jack Perlmutter, Ethel Waters, and Jacob Lawrence. Personal and professional correspondence are intermingled throughout.

Writings include notes and drafts of lectures and other course materials, as well as excerpts and quotes from reviews of exhibitions of Dempsey's work. These excerpts, usually titled "comments," are frequently copied out by hand. Also included in this series are two folders of poetry.

Project and exhibition files include photographs; correspondence; lists; sketches and other plans; and printed material including clippings and exhibition announcements. Materials related to his Rosenwald Fellowship, his participation in the Art in Embassies program, his many exhibitions at Franz Bader Gallery, and his international exhibitions in Colombia and Jamaica are featured. Some files in this series may only include photographs or sketches.

Photographs are primarily of Dempsey's work and of exhibitions. There are some of the artist and of his Takoma Park, MD home and studio (designed by Harry Ormston of McLean, VA and occasionally featured in architecture articles).

Artwork is primarily composed of sketches, often with detailed planning notes for the completion of paintings.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1930-1987 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1938-1985, undated (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1981, undated (Box 1; 3 folders)

Series 4: Project and Exhibition Files, 1929-1986 (Boxes 1-2; 1.2 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1930s-1989, undated (Boxes 2-3; 0.4 linear feet, OV 5)

Series 6: Photographic Material, 1932-1981, undated (Boxes 3-4; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, 1965-1981, undated, (Box 4; 5 folders, OV 5)

Biographical / Historical:

Richard W. Dempsey (1909-1987) was a painter known primarily for his abstract works and his portraits of prominent African American individuals including Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Thurgood Marshall, and Adam Clayton Powell. He was born in Ogden, Utah, but spent the majority of his youth in Oakland, California. He studied art at Sacramento Junior College, the California School of Arts and Crafts, and the Student Arts Center. Dempsey had four exhibitions in California before moving to Washington, D.C. to begin work as an engineering draftsman with the Federal Power Commission in 1941. He later transferred to a position as an illustrator with the General Services Administration (GSA), where he would spend the rest of his nearly 30-year government career.

In addition to his work with the GSA, Dempsey participated in the Art in Embassies program for decades, and his work was chosen by Congressman Adam Clayton Powell to hang in the Education Labor Committee rooms.

Dempsey was awarded a Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1946 to paint 100 portriats of "Outstanding American Negros." He taught art courses at the Corcoran School of Art and at Glen Echo and received invitations to exhibit around the world in places like Haiti, Colombia, and Jamaica. He exhibited frequently in the U.S., most often with Franz Bader Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Separated Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 4368) including a photograph album chronicling Dempsey's 1951 trip to Haiti and other photographic material. Loaned materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The Richard Dempsey papers were initially lent for microfilming in 1990 by Vonja Kirkland Dempsey, Richard Dempsey's widow. After the collection was microfilmed, Vonja Kirkland Dempsey donated the bulk of the collection, excluding some photographic material, in 1990.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

Occupation:

Educators -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Painters -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Portrait painters -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Topic:

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Painting, Abstract -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Jamaica -- Description and Travel  Search this

African American artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Poetry

Sketches

Citation:

Richard Dempsey papers, 1929-1989, bulk 1960s-1980s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.demprich

See more items in:

Richard Dempsey papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e6e8842f-d2fd-487c-b7cc-00c85bc82a34

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-demprich

Creator:

Jackson, Oliver Lee  Search this

Extent:

0.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1978-2019

Summary:

The Oliver Lee Jackson papers measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1993-2016. Found are biographical materials, photographs of Jackson and of works of art,and printed material. Professional files document Jackson's participation as Artist in Residence for Harvard Art Museums in 2000 and contains correspondence with Harry Cooper, then Curator of Modern Art at Harvard Art Museums. Also found is a USB drive.

Scope and Contents:

The Oliver Lee Jackson papers measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1993-2016. Found are biographical materials, photographs of Jackson and of works of art,and printed material. Professional files document Jackson's participation as Artist in Residence for Harvard Art Museums in 2000 and contains correspondence with Harry Cooper, then Curator of Modern Art at Harvard Art Museums. Also found is a USB drive.

Arrangement:

Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical:

Oliver Lee Jackson (1935- ) is an African American painter, printmaker and sculptor active in Oakland, California.

Oliver Lee Jackson was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1935. He earned his BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University and later attended the Unviersity of Iowa and received an MFA in 1963. He returned to St. Louis and served as assistant director of the People's Art Center. In 1967, he became director of Program Uhuru' at the Pruitt–Igoe public housing project through which he encouraged creative outlets for youth.

In 1971, Jackson moved to Oakland, California where he established his art studio. He exhibited his works around the world including at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. In 2000, Jackson served as artist-in-residence at Harvard University.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 2019 by Oliver Lee Jackson, via Jackson's assistant Diane Roby as part of the Archives' African American Collecting Initiative funded by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Restrictions:

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

Rights:

The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own.

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:

Sculptors -- California -- Oakland  Search this

Painters -- California -- Oakland  Search this

Topic:

African American artists  Search this

Citation:

Oliver Lee Jackson papers, 1978-2019. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation

Identifier:

AAA.jackoliv

See more items in:

Oliver Lee Jackson papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9514b31a8-cbcc-4b91-8fd3-9ff7fa1f91f2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-jackoliv

Creator:

Buck, Claude, 1890-1974  Search this

Jane Freeman Gallery (La Mesa, Calif.)  Search this

Subject:

Bontoux, August  Search this

Cox, Kenyon  Search this

Carlsen, Dines  Search this

Carlsen, Emil  Search this

Polasek, Albin  Search this

Bellows, George  Search this

Type:

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Claude Buck papers, 1912-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Painting, American -- California -- Santa Cruz  Search this

Painting, American -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Symbolism  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)5689

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)208524

AAA_collcode_buckclau

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_208524

Creator:

Siegriest, 1899-1989  Search this

Subject:

Stoddart, Edna  Search this

Gile, Selden Connor  Search this

Westaway, Mae  Search this

Guggenheim, Hazel  Search this

Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this

Type:

Sketchbooks

Citation:

Louis Siegriest papers, 1927-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Painting, American  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Art and state -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Graphic arts  Search this

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this

New Deal  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7180

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209317

AAA_collcode_siegloui

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

New Deal

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209317

Creator:

Miller, T. Oxley (Thomas Oxley), 1855-1909  Search this

Subject:

Miller, Constance  Search this

Citation:

T. Oxley Miller papers, 1878-1976. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7919

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210087

AAA_collcode_millt

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210087

Creator:

Moses, Ed, 1926-  Search this

Citation:

Ed Moses papers, 1954-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8019

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210189

AAA_collcode_moseed

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210189

Creator:

Fabian, Gerald Langston  Search this

Subject:

Button, John  Search this

Citation:

John Button letters to Gerald L. Fabian, 1950-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8164

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210335

AAA_collcode_fabigera

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210335

Creator:

Deakin, Edwin, 1838-1923  Search this

Deakin, Robert, 1811-1872  Search this

Subject:

Deakins family  Search this

Type:

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Edwin and Robert Deakin papers, [ca. 1835-1881]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Landscape painting, American -- California  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9597

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211801

AAA_collcode_deakedwi

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211801

Creator:

Simpson, Marian, 1899-1978  Search this

Subject:

Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this

Place:

United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945 -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs

Citation:

Marian Simpson clippings and photographs, 1934-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs  Search this

Federal aid to the public welfare -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs  Search this

Art and state -- California -- Oakland -- Photographs  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women muralists  Search this

Theme:

Women  Search this

New Deal  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9822

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212282

AAA_collcode_simpmari

Theme:

Women

New Deal

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_212282

Creator:

Hamlin, Edith, 1902-1992  Search this

Subject:

Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this

Citation:

Edith Hamlin photographs of murals, 1937. 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

Theme:

Women  Search this

New Deal  Search this

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9826

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212288

AAA_collcode_hamledit

Theme:

Women

New Deal

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_212288

Creator:

Howard, Charles, 1899-1978  Search this

Subject:

Federal Art Project (Calif.)  Search this

Place:

United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945 -- California

United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 -- California

Citation:

Charles Howard papers, [ca. 1940]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

New Deal, 1933-1939 -- California  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- California  Search this

Federal aid to the public welfare -- California  Search this

Art and state -- California  Search this

Painting, American  Search this

Theme:

Patronage  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9848

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212343

AAA_collcode_howachar

Theme:

Patronage

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_212343

Creator:

Cameron, James, 1816?-  Search this

Subject:

Ashton, Thomas B.  Search this

Mozier, Joseph  Search this

Citation:

James Cameron letters, 1843-1876. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9894

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212396

AAA_collcode_camejame

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_212396