Search Results

Creator:

Sheeler, Charles, 1883-1965  Search this

Names:

Archives of American Art  Search this

Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984  Search this

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

Arensberg, Walter, 1878-1954  Search this

Bacon, Peggy, 1895-1987  Search this

Eidlitz, Dorothy  Search this

Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970  Search this

Lane, William H.  Search this

Newhall, Beaumont, 1908-1993  Search this

Newhall, Nancy Wynne.  Search this

Rourke, Constance, 1885-1941  Search this

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

Waters, George  Search this

Weston, Edward, 1886-1958  Search this

Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963  Search this

Photographer:

Sheeler, Musya, 1908-1981  Search this

White, Minor  Search this

Extent:

4.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Date:

circa 1840s-1966

bulk 1923-1965

Summary:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. Notable photographs include Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter, photographer, lithographer and industrial designer Charles Sheeler measure 4.9 linear feet and date from circa 1840s to 1966, with the bulk of the material dating from 1923-1965. The collection documents Sheeler's family, personal life and career through financial and medical records, awards, correspondence, writings, an autobiography, journal and notebooks, scrapbooks, exhibition catalogs and announcements, printed materials, photographs, funeral records and artwork by Sheeler and others. The collection is particularly rich in Sheeler's writings, and also includes Sheeler's industrial designs and manufactured artwork. There are photographs of Sheeler with Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, and John Marin.

Biographical materials date from 1875, and 1928-1965, and include funeral records, medical records, insurance, tax, and scattered financial records. There is one folder of records relating to artwork and exhibitions, as well as Sheeler's numerous certificates, prizes and awards, and the condolence book used at his funeral.

Correspondence consists of Sheeler's personal and professional correspondence dating from 1937-1966 with friends, artists, dealers, collectors, photographers, and curators. Notable correspondents include Ansel Adams, Walter and Louise Arensberg, William Lane, Beaumont and Nancy Newhall, George Waters, William Carlos Williams, and Edward Weston. The series also includes correspondence with the Archives of American Art, Sheeler's biographer Constance Rourke, and with publishers, editors, children, and the general public. Lastly, there are condolence letters written to Musya Sheeler following Sheeler's death in May 1965.

Writings include Sheeler's journal dating from the 1950s-1963 and two notebooks containing notes, addresses, recipes, etc. Also found are Sheeler's writings on artists, drafts for articles, and a manuscript and notes for an autobiography that Sheeler wrote for Harcourt Brace. The autobiography became the basis for Constance Rourke's biography Charles Sheeler: Artist in the American Tradition published in 1938. The writing series also includes a short story by Musya Sheeler, and an illustrated short story by friend Dorothy Eidlitz.

The scrapbook series contains two oversize scrapbooks dating from 1930s-1960s that include newspaper and magazine clippings about Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition announcements and brochures, a poem, and a thank you letter from Abby Aldrich Rockefeller.

Additional printed materials date from 1923-1966 and document Sheeler's numerous exhibitions, notably his partnership with Edith Halpert and the Downtown Gallery. Found here are clippings, copies of magazines, exhibition announcements and catalogs, museum bulletings, books, and miscellaneous items.

Photographs date from circa 1840s-1963 and include photographs of Sheeler's family, of Sheeler, and of Sheeler with friends and colleagues. There is one daguerreotype, two ambrotypes, and two tintypes of Sheeler's family and of Sheeler as a child. There are copyprints of these originals. Additional photographs are of Sheeler's mother and father (or possibly Sheeler's grandparent), of Sheeler, of Sheeler with his wife Musya, Sheeler with William Lane, Sheeler with Edward Weston, and Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The series also includes photographs of Sheeler's collection of Shaker furniture, and photographs of exhibitions.

Artwork by Sheeler dates from circa 1930s-1960s and includes artifacts of manufactured pieces based on his industrial designs. Found are a glass tumbler, salt and pepper shakers, a tea spoon, fabrics designed by Sheeler, and sketches. The series also includes a drawing by Peggy Bacon and a photograph by Minor White.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into seven series. Materials are arranged by material type and chronologically or alphabetically thereafter:

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1875, 1928-1965 (Boxes 1, 5, OV10; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1937-1966 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1930s-1965 (Boxes 1-2 ; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 4: Scrapbooks, 1930s-1960s (Boxes 2, 6; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1923-1966 (Boxes 2-4, 7; 1.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1840s-1963 (Box 4, OV11; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1930s-1960s (Boxes 4-5, 8-9, OV12-OV14; 1.1 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Painter, photographer, lithographer and designer, Charles Rettew Sheeler Jr. was born on July 16, 1883 to Mary Cunningham Sheeler and Charles Rettew Sheeler in Philadelphia. He attended the School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia from 1900-1903 and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he studied under William Merritt Chase. He found early success as a painter and exhibited at the Macbeth Gallery in 1908.

Around 1910 Sheeler took up photography, and by 1912 financially supported himself photographing buildings for local Philadelphia architects. The following year, Sheeler exhibited six paintings at the 1913 Armory Show in New York. In the mid 1910s, Sheeler began to collect American antiques, and by the 1920s was actively acquiring Shaker crafts and furniture.

In 1916, Sheeler was hired by Marius de Zayas of the Modern Gallery in New York to photograph objects and artwork. From 1917-1924, he worked as the staff photographer for the Modern Gallery and moved to New York in 1918. In 1920, Sheeler was hired as a still photographer for The Arts Magazine.

In 1926, Sheeler was hired by Edward Steichen to work as a fashion and celebrity photographer for Conde Nast Publications. His photographs were regularly featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair, but Sheeler also worked as a still life photographer for numerous advertising agencies. The following year, he was commissioned by the advertising firm N.W. Ayer and Son to photograph Ford Motor Company's new plant at River Rouge.

While working as a photographer, Sheeler continued to paint and used the subjects and composition of his photographs as a basis for his painting. His paintings Skyscrapers, 1922; Upper Deck, 1929; and American Landscape, 1930 are examples of Sheeler's technique of merging photographic imagery with painting and his overall precisionist style.

In 1931, upon the advice and guidance of Edith Halpert of the Downtown Gallery, Sheeler began to paint more often and to photograph less. Halpert became Sheeler's primarily dealer, and from 1931-1966 regularly exhibited his paintings and drawings. With Halpert's support, Sheeler produced Classic Landscape, 1931; American Interior, 1934; Silo, 1938; Amoskeag Canal, 1948; and Convolutions, 1952. In addition to Sheeler's partnership with Halpert, his work was exhibited by other galleries and museums throughout the United States and abroad.

In 1939, Sheeler married his second wife, Musya Metas Sokolova (1908-1981) and, in 1942, the couple moved to Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. Sheeler continued to paint and photograph until he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1959. After 1959, Sheeler remained active exhibiting his artwork until his death on May 7, 1965 in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Related Material:

The Archives of American Art holds several collections that are related to Charles Sheeler.

There are two oral history interviews with Sheeler conducted by Mary Bartlett Cowdrey in December 1958, and by Martin Friedman in June 1959. The Archives also has the records of the Macbeth Gallery, which include a substantial amount of correspondence with Sheeler from 1907-1921, and the Downtown Gallery records, which also include correspondence with Sheeler, photographs of Sheeler and his artwork, exhibition publications, clippings, press releases, and audio visual materials dating from 1904-1972.

Also found in the the Archives is a loan of Charles Sheeler letters filmed on reel NY/59-5 containing letters written by Sheeler to his psychologist and art collector, Dr. Helen Boigon, art student George Craven, and friend William Carlos Williams, all dating from 1939-1958. There is a collection of six letters of Sheeler letters addressed to Doris Royce, possibly an art critic, dating from 1949-1957. Miscellaneous manuscript collections include one letter written by Sheeler to E.P. Richardson in 1958, and another letter written to Frank Crowninshield in September, 1939.

Separated Material:

Portions of Sheeler's papers that were originally loaned for microfilming were not included in the later gifts and are available only on microfilm reel NSH-1. A watercolor study microfilmed on reel 1811 was later transferred to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. These materials are not described in the container list of this finding aid.

Provenance:

Charles Sheeler's wife Musya initially loaned the papers to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1958, 1965, and 1966. In June, 1966, she donated most of the earlier loaned materials. In 1964, Sheeler's friend Howard Lipman donated three photographs of Sheeler with Edward Steichen and John Marin. The third accrual was transferred to the Archives by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Library in June 1979.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Topic:

Works of art  Search this

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

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

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

Industrial designers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Artifacts

Awards

Photographs

Journals (accounts)

Scrapbooks

Writings

Citation:

Charles Sheeler papers, circa 1840s-1966, bulk 1923-1965. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

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

Identifier:

AAA.sheechar

See more items in:

Charles Sheeler papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-sheechar

Creator:

Nesbitt, Lowell, 1933-1993  Search this

Names:

Indiana, Robert, 1928-  Search this

Johns, Jasper, 1930-  Search this

Mitchell, Jack, 1925-  Search this

Warhol, Andy, 1928- -- Photographs  Search this

Extent:

50.2 Linear feet

0.001 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Sketchbooks

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Video recordings

Paintings

Sound recordings

Photographs

Designs

Collages

Prints

Date:

circa 1903-1993

bulk 1950-1993

Summary:

The papers of painter, photographer and sculptor Lowell Nesbitt measure 50.2 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from circa 1903-1993 (bulk 1950-1993). The collection documents Nesbitt's career through biographical material, correspondence, subject files, business and financial records, source material, artwork, photographs and audiovisual records, printed material and scrapbooks.

Scope and Contents note:

The papers of painter, photographer and sculptor Lowell Nesbitt measure 50.2 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from circa 1903-1993 (bulk 1950-1993). The collection documents Nesbitt's career through biographical material, correspondence, subject files, business and financial records, source material, artwork, printed and digital matter, photographs and audiovisual records and scrapbooks.

Biographical Material includes documentation of Nesbitt's education and other personal documents. Plans and designs for Nesbitt's properties on West Twelfth Street, New York City and Kent, New York are arranged in the series for architectural records for homes and studios

Correspondence and Subject Files are voluminous and record Nesbitt's interaction with individuals, businesses and organizations and includes personal and family correspondence in addition to correspondence relating to galleries, exhibitions, commissions he undertook and committees on which he served.

Artwork by Nesbitt includes a small collection of collages, drawings, paintings, prints and sketchbooks. Source material comprises approximately 11 linear feet of material, primarily newspaper and magazine clippings and photographs, relating to a large variety of subjects that inspired Nesbitt, such as flowers, fruits and vegetables, dogs and other animals and the studios of other artists including Robert Indiana, Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol.

Photographs are of Nesbitt, his friends, family, colleagues and his pets, as well as subjects of interest to him in his work. Also of note are twenty-seven folders of photographs taken by photographer Jack Mitchell of Nesbitt and others.

Printed Material contains publicity material and documents exhibitions of Nesbitt's work. Additional photographs and printed material are found in the Scrapbooks.

Arrangement note:

The collection is arranged as 11 series:

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1932-1988 (Boxes 1, 40, OV 58; 1.0 linear ft.)

Series 2: Architectural Records for Homes and Studios, 1977-1992 (Boxes 1-2, 40; 1.0 linear ft.)

Series 3: Notes and Writings, 1981-1990 (Boxes 2-3; 1.0 linear ft.)

Series 4: Calendars and Addressess, 1973-1993 (Boxes 3-5; 1.25 linear ft.)

Series 5: Correspondence and Subject Files, 1940-circa 1990s (Boxes 5-12, 40, OV 51; 8.0 linear feet, ER01; 0.001 GB)

Series 6: Business and Financial Records, circa 1910-1993 (Boxes 12-14; 2.0 linear ft.)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1948-1989 (Boxes 15-16, 41-42, OVs 52, 55; 2.0 linear ft.)

Series 8: Source Material, 1965-circa 1990s (Boxes 16-26, 43-45, OV 53; 12.0 linear ft.)

Series 9: Photographs and Audiovisual Records, 1965-circa 1990s (Boxes 16-26, 43-46, OV 53, FC 76-78; 12.3 linear ft.)

Series 10: Printed Material, circa 1960s-circa 1990s (Boxes 37-39, 45, OVs 48-50, 54, 56, 60; 3.05 linear feet

Series 11: Scrapbooks, 1964-1992 (Boxes 61-75; 6.6 linear feet)

Biographical/Historical note:

Painter, photographer, and sculptor Lowell Nesbitt worked primarily in New York City.

Lowell Nesbitt was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1933. In college he studied stained glass and printmaking, graduating from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia in 1955 and attending the Royal College of Art in London from 1955 to 1956.

After serving for several years in the United States Army in the mid 1950s, Nesbitt received his first exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1958. By 1963 he had moved to New York City and by the 1970s had emerged as one of the most well known artists in the United States. Nesbitt was frequently grouped with the photo realists and was best known for more than four hundred works he created with the flower as his central theme. In addition to flowers, Nesbitt's subjects included studio interiors, dogs, fruits and vegetables, bridges and buildings in New York, and male nudes. He began experimenting with printmaking in the 1960s and produced more than a hundred original prints in the course of his lifetime, primarily in the medium of dry point engraving. In 1963 he began a series of x-ray inspired paintings and was credited with being the first artist to produce a body of work of this kind. During the same period he began a long-standing relationship with the Howard Wise Gallery in New York, a space known for it's devotion to art and new technology.

In 1969 and 1970 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration named Nesbitt the official artist of the Apollo 9 and Apollo 13 missions. In 1980 the United States Postal Service released a series of four postage stamps based on his floral paintings.

Following a major one-man show at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC in 1964, Nesbitt's work was exhibitied widely in Europe and the United States. In New York City he was represented by the Stable Gallery, the Robert Stefanotti Gallery and the Andrew Crispo Gallery. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Nesbitt taught at Towson State and Morgan State Colleges in Maryland, and the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Nesbitt was active in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society from the early 1980s until his death, serving as co-chairman on the Society's annual juried Project Rembrandt exhibition for artists with multiple sclerosis. He was also actively involved in fundraising for artists with HIV/AIDS.

Nesbitt's work is represented in many major museum collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, Baltimore Museum of Art, Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris), Corcoran Gallery, Detroit Institute of Art, Hirshhorn Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery.

Lowell Nesbitt died in 1993 at the age of 59.

Provenance:

A portion of the papers were donated by Lowell Nesbitt in 1984 and the bulk of the papers were a bequest from Nesbitt's estate in 1994.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers 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:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

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

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

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

Genre/Form:

Sketchbooks

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Video recordings

Paintings

Sound recordings

Photographs

Designs

Collages

Prints

Citation:

Lowell Nesbitt papers, circa 1903-1993 (bulk 1950-1993). Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.nesblowe

See more items in:

Lowell Nesbitt papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-nesblowe

Creator:

Brook, Alexander, 1898-1980  Search this

Subject:

Bacon, Peggy  Search this

Biddle, George  Search this

Brett, Catherine  Search this

Covarrubias, Miguel  Search this

Pollock, Jackson  Search this

Spencer, Niles  Search this

Knee, Gina  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Watercolors

Sketches

Transcriptions

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Interviews

Etchings

Illustrations

Topic:

Post-impressionism (Art)  Search this

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

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

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)6833

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)208960

AAA_collcode_brooalex

Theme:

Diaries

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_208960

Interviewee:

Sánchez, Juan, 1954-  Search this

Interviewer:

Franco, Josh T., 1985-  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Topic:

Hispanic American artists  Search this

Mixed media (Art)  Search this

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

Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)17606

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)396648

AAA_collcode_sanche18

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_396648

Interviewee:

De Knight, Avel C., 1923-1995  Search this

Interviewer:

Ghent, Henri, 1926-  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

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

African American artists  Search this

Hispanic American artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)12265

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212628

AAA_collcode_deknig68

Theme:

African American

Latino and Latin American

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212628

Creator:

White, Charles, 1918-1979  Search this

Williamson, Mel  Search this

Names:

White, Frances Barrett  Search this

Williamson, Lorraine, 1926-2018  Search this

Extent:

0.2 Linear feet

0.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1956-1961

1956-1961

Summary:

The Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson measure 0.2 linear feet and date from 1956 to 1961. The collection includes twenty-eight letters written by Charles and Frances White to Melvin (Mel) and Lorraine Williamson shortly after their arrival in California. Approximately half of the letters are written by Charles, the other half by Frances, and two letters are written jointly. Most are signed from "Chas & Fran." Also included in the collection are photographs that Charles and Frances sent the Williamsons of their home and Charles' studio, and printed material including clippings and exhibition brochures.

Scope and Contents:

The Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson measure 0.2 linear feet and date from 1956 to 1961. The collection includes twenty-eight letters written by Charles and Frances White to Melvin (Mel) and Lorraine Williamson shortly after their arrival in California. The letters refer to financial and personal struggles, as well career triumphs and current events. In addition to their shared Chicago background, both the Whites and Williamsons were interracial couples. The letters include references to racial and social dynamics, especially comparing California to New York. Approximately half of the letters are written by Charles, the other half by Frances, and two letters are written jointly. Most are signed from "Chas & Fran."

The collection also contains photographs, negatives, and slides depicting Charles and Frances with friends, their home, and Charles' studio. Many photographs include explanatory notes. Also included are clippings and exhibition brochures for Charles White's 1958 exhibition at ACA Gallery, as well as Anton Refregier's Recent Paintings exhibition.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, printmaker, and educator, Charles W. White (1918-1979) was a prominent figure in the Chicago Black Renaissance and became one of the most celebrated and influential African American artists of the twentieth century. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, White lived and worked throughout the country, settling in California in 1956. He taught at the Otis Art Institute from 1965 until his death. White's artwork was primarily figurative and depicted African American history, socio-economic struggles, and human relationships.

Charles and Frances Barrett White (1926-2000) married in 1950. They relocated to Los Angeles in 1956. Frances Barrett White was a social worker and educator who spent her early years in New York City. In 1994, she published a book, Reaches of the Heart: A Biography of Charles White.

Melvin Williamson (1923-1995) was an artist, author, and the art director of Viking Press. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to New York.

Lorraine Rosen Williamson (1926-2018) was an educator and a docent at the Jewish Heritage Museum in New York City.

Related Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds the Charles W. White papers, the Lucinda H. Gedeon research material on Charles White, and an oral history interview with Charles W. White conducted by Betty Hoag, March 9, 1965.

Provenance:

The Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2019 by Lisa Rosenburg, Melvin and Lorraine Williamson's daughter.

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 -- Los Angeles  Search this

Printmakers -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Educators  Search this

Art directors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

African American artists  Search this

African American painters  Search this

Interracial marriage  Search this

Citation:

Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson, 1956-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digitization was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.willimel

See more items in:

Charles W. and Frances White letters and photographs to Melvin and Lorraine Williamson

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-willimel

Creator:

Galen, Elaine  Search this

Extent:

2.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1950-2020

Scope and Contents:

The papers of multimedia artist and educator, Elaine Galen, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from circa 1950-2020. Included is biographical information, correspondence, education files, writings, subject files, photographs of works of art, drawings, and printed material.

Biographical information includes an artist's statement and a resume; lists of works of art and collections; two DVDs "Elaine Galen: The State of the Art, undated; a CD of an interview with Galen "Celebrating 76 years of Creativity and Vision, Elisa Contemporary Art", undated; and a DVD "Out of the Heart of the Lion", undated. Correspondence is between Galen and museums regarding donations and exhibitions as well as letters of recommendation from colleagues. Materials relating to Galen's academic career include her dissertation proposal, various syllabi, essays and lectures. Writings by Galen consist of unpublished manuscripts. Subject files concern a 1972 solo show at Hunterdon Art Center, Clinton, NJ. Photographs are of Galen and her works of art. Artwork includes a sketchbook and loose drawings. Printed material consists of books by Galen, exhibition announcements and catalogs, auction catalogs, invitations, articles, newspaper clippings, posters and miscellany.

Biographical / Historical:

Elaine Galen (1928- ) is a multi-media painter, sculptor, and educator in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

Related Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds the papers of artist Ed Colker, Elaine Galen's husband.

Provenance:

Donated 2007, 2013, 2020 and 2021 by Elaine Galen.

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 born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State)  Search this

Sculptors -- New York (State)  Search this

Educators -- New York (State)  Search this

Topic:

Multimedia (Art)  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.galeelai

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-galeelai

Interviewee:

De Knight, Avel, 1921-1995  Search this

Interviewer:

Ghent, Henri, 1926-  Search this

Extent:

43 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1968 July 22

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Avel De Knight conducted 1968, by Henri Ghent, for the Archives of American Art.

Biographical / Historical:

Avel De Knight (1923-1995 ) was a painter from New York, New York.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 49 min.

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 others.

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

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

African American artists  Search this

Hispanic American artists  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.deknig68

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-deknig68

Interviewer:

Sánchez, Juan, 1954-  Search this

Franco, Josh T., 1985-  Search this

Extent:

9 Items (sound files (7 hr., 59 min.) Audio, digital, wav)

90 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

2018 October 1-2

Scope and Contents:

An interview with Juan Sánchez conducted 2018 October 1-2, by Josh T. Franco, for the Archives of American Art, at Sánchez studio, in Brooklyn, New York.

Sanchez speaks of his childhood in Puerto Rican enclaves of Brooklyn; formative experiences with Nuyorican poets; early memories of Puerto Rico; his earliest interest in drawing from comic books; early art-making and art education experiences, including the Pratt Saturday program; encountering Taller Boricua during the time he studied at Cooper Union; drawing formative inspiration from En Foco's photography; flourishing after initial difficulties at Cooper Union; his graduate studies at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University; his early exhibition experiences; his negative experience of participating in Group Material's exhibition Americana; reflections on political art; his friendship with Ana Mendieta; his collaborations with MoCHA , INTAR gallery, and Exit Art; the development of his painting, photography, and collage aesthetics through graduate school; the personal and emotional dimension of his art-making process; his use of circles and photographs of heroic historical figures in his paintings; the development and execution of his public art commissions; the development of his teaching career; his experiences working at the Queens Museum education department and Cooper Union admissions department; specific controversies over the content of his work being shown at Princeton University and SUNY Stony Brook; the development and execution of his printmaking practice; and his reflections on the experience and importance of participating in an oral history interview. Sanchez also recalls Amiri Baraka, Sandra María Esteves, Louis Reyes Rivera, Pedro Pietri, Gilbert Hernandez, Jorge Soto, Hans Haacke, Reuben Kadish, Eugene Tulchin, Charles Biasiny, Leon Golub, Larry Fink, Robert Blackburn, Mel Edwards, Doug Ashford, Jimmie Durham, Nancy Spero, Lucy Lippard, Geno Rodriguez, Papo Colo, Jayne Cortez, Carl Andre, Ana Mendieta, Raquelín Mendieta, Noah Jemison, Inverna Lockpez, Nilda Peraza, James Luna, Julia Hirschberg, Susana Leval, Miguel Algarín, Jeanetter Ingberman, Jolie Guy, Susan Bloodworth, Zachary Fabri, Gilbert Cardenas, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Michael Brathwaite, Alfredo Jaar, Tomie Arai, Lorenzo Clayton, Joan Hall, Pepe Coronado, Maryanne Simmons, and Melquiades Rosario Sastre.

Biographical / Historical:

Juan Sánchez (1954- ) is a printmaker, muralist, painter, and teacher in Brooklyn, New York. Josh T. Franco (1985- ) is the National Collector, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

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.

Restrictions:

The transcript and recording are open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Topic:

Hispanic American artists  Search this

Mixed media (Art)  Search this

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

Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sponsor:

Funding for this interview was provided by the Lichtenberg Family Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.sanche18

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-sanche18

Creator:

Schaefer, Bertha, 1895-1971  Search this

Names:

Bertha Schaefer Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

New Bertha Schaefer Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Barnet, Will, 1911-2012  Search this

Ben-Zion  Search this

Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968  Search this

Greene, Balcomb, 1904-1990  Search this

Picasso, Pablo, 1881-1973  Search this

Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956  Search this

Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967  Search this

Vasilieff, Nicholas  Search this

Zóbel, Fernando  Search this

Extent:

4.6 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Sketches

Date:

1909-1975

bulk 1940-1965

Summary:

The Bertha Schaefer papers and gallery records measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1909-1975, with the bulk of the material dating from 1940-1965. The collection documents the Bertha Schaefer Gallery as well as Bertha Schaefer, the interior designer, through correspondence with artists and galleries, artist files, client files, exhibition material, printed material, financial material, biographical material, photographs, and six scrapbooks.

Scope and Contents:

The Bertha Schaefer papers and gallery records measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1909-1975, with the bulk of the material dating from 1940-1965. The collection documents the Bertha Schaefer Gallery as well as Bertha Schaefer, the interior designer, through correspondence with artists and galleries, artist files, client files, exhibition material, printed material, financial material, biographical material, photographs, and six scrapbooks. Also found here are oversized blue prints and sketched plans of interior design projects, as well as a number of oversized photographic prints and stereo slides. Correspondence contains handwritten notes by many notable artists, including Marcel Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Ad Reinhardt, and Fernando Zobel, with a bulk of the letters from Balcomb Greene.

Separated into three series, the Bertha Schaefer Gallery records document the artists represented by and function of the Bertha Schaefer Gallery. The Bertha Schaefer papers pertain to Bertha Schaefer as an interior designer through a large number of photographic materials and client files. Six scrapbooks document artists Will Barnet, Ben-Zion, Balcomb Greene, and Nicolai Vasilieff, as well as the Bertha Schaefer gallery and the New Bertha Schaefer Gallery.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged as 3 series. Records are generally arranged by material type and chronologically thereafter.

Series 1: Bertha Schaefer Gallery Records, 1909-1971 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Bertha Schaefer Papers, 1914-1971 (2.6 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, 6-7, OV 8-9)

Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1944-1975 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 3-5)

Biographical / Historical:

Bertha Schaefer (1895-1971) was an interior designer and director of the Bertha Schaefer Gallery in New York, New York. Schaefer was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi to Emil and Julia (Marx) Schaefer. She received her B.A. on June 1, 1914 from Mississippi State College for Women, and received a diploma for interior decorating from the Parsons School of Design in New York City. In 1924, after living in Paris for 5 months, she opened Bertha Schaefer Interiors in New York. In 1944, she opened the Bertha Schaefer Gallery of Contemporary Art, which featured American and European paintings and sculpture. "The Modern House Comes Alive" (1947-1948) is one of the key exhibitions she created. Schaefer designed furniture for Joe Singer of M. Singer and Sons Furniture Company in New York, 1950-1961.

Schaefer won design awards from the Museum of Modern Art (1952) and the Decorators Club of New York (1959). In 1958, she was given an award of recognition from the U.S. Department of State for her gallery's assistance in the American program for the Brussels Universal and International Exhibition, and an outstanding achievement in interior design award from the American Institute of Interior Designers. She was a member of several design organizations, including: the American Institute of Decorators, the Home Lighting Forum, the Illuminating Engineers Society, the American Federation of the Arts, and the Art Dealers Association of America. She was the president of the Decorators Club of New York from 1947-1948 and 1955-1957.

Schaefer was one of the first people to use fluorescent lighting in domestic spaces, with Percy Block as her first client, in 1939. In honor of Edison's birthday in 1953, she designed a bathroom for General Electric, applying new developments in lighting. She died on May 24, 1971, after which the gallery was renamed the New Bertha Schaefer Gallery.

Related Materials:

Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Bertha Schaefer conducted by Paul Cummings, April 20-22, 1970.

Separated Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming. Reel N69-115 is comprised of papers concerning Alfred H. Maurer, including a scrapbook about Maurer from 1946 to 1969. Reel N70-60 contains material concerning Hale Woodruff, including correspondence, sketches and drawings, articles, photographs, catalogs, announcements, clipping, notes kept while a student of Diego Rivera, and a scrapbook. Lent material was returned to the lender and is not described in the collection container inventory.

Provenance:

The Bertha Schaefer papers and gallery records were donated in several installments from 1969 to 1974 by Bertha Schaefer and Bertha Schaefer Gallery Inc. She also loaned material for microfilming in 1970. Paul Creamer donated three scrapbooks from the Bertha Schaefer Gallery and the New Bertha Schaefer Gallery in 1979. Additional material was donated in 1984 by Syracuse University.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers 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.

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Topic:

Gallery directors  Search this

Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Sculptors  Search this

Interior decoration  Search this

Gallery owners  Search this

Interior decorators  Search this

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

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Sketches

Citation:

Bertha Schaefer papers and gallery records, 1909-1975, bulk 1940-1965. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.schabert

See more items in:

Bertha Schaefer papers and gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-schabert

Interviewee:

Sanín, Fanny, 1938-  Search this

Interviewer:

Espinosa, Fernanda  Search this

Extent:

7 Items (7 sound files (5 hours))

80 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

2019 October 16 - 2020 July 24

Scope and Contents:

An interview with Fanny Sanín conducted 2019 October 16-2020 July 24, by Fernanda Espinosa, at Sanín's studio in New York, New York.

Biographical / Historical:

Fanny Sanín (1938- ) is an geometric abstractionist painter in New York, New York.

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.

Restrictions:

The transcript and audio recording are open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its Oral History Program interviews available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. Quotation, reproduction and publication of the audio is governed by restrictions. If an interview has been transcribed, researchers must quote from the transcript. If an interview has not been transcribed, researchers must quote from the audio recording. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

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

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Latino and Latin American artists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sponsor:

This interview received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Identifier:

AAA.sanin19

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-sanin19

Creator:

Wald, Sylvia, 1915-  Search this

Topic:

Women artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)6941

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209070

AAA_collcode_waldsylv

Theme:

Women

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209070

Creator:

Nadelman, Elie, 1882-1946  Search this

Topic:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8067

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210238

AAA_collcode_nadeelie

Theme:

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210238

Creator:

Salemme, Antonio, 1892-1995  Search this

Subject:

O'Brien, Peter F.  Search this

Osgood, Lydia  Search this

Read, William A. (William Augustus)  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Topic:

Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- History  Search this

Art patronage -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)8775

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210958

AAA_collcode_saleanto

Theme:

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210958

Creator:

Rivers, Larry, 1925-2002  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

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

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)10680

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)214279

AAA_collcode_rivelarr

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_214279

Creator:

Schreiber, Georges, 1904-1977  Search this

MacDonald, Duncan  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

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

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)10689

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)214289

AAA_collcode_schrgeoi

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_214289

Creator:

Hliddal, Freda Taylor  Search this

Subject:

Lantz, Michael  Search this

Quattrochi, Edmondo  Search this

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7775

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209940

AAA_collcode_hlidfred

Theme:

Women

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209940

Creator:

Hollerbach, Serge, 1923-  Search this

Subject:

Eichenberg, Fritz  Search this

Fabri, Ralph  Search this

Rannit, Aleksis  Search this

Type:

Sketchbooks

Topic:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7788

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)209954

AAA_collcode_hollserg

Theme:

Sketches & Sketchbooks

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_209954

Creator:

Lev-Landau, 1895-1979  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Topic:

Painting -- New York (State)  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7886

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210053

AAA_collcode_levlanda

Theme:

Lives of American Artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210053

Creator:

Melicov, Dina, 1905-1969  Search this

Subject:

United States  Search this

Federal Art Project  Search this

Topic:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Federal aid to the arts -- United States  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)7902

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210069

AAA_collcode_melidina

Theme:

Women

Lives of American Artists

New Deal

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210069