Slides, photographs, correspondence and printed material.
REEL 3291: A scrapbook containing a summary of Wiman's teaching experience, information on courses he taught at the University of Texas at Austin, a list of his one man shows and exhibitions, exhibition announcements, press releases, clippings and letters about his appointment as chairman of the Department of Art, University of Texas at Austin; articles and exhibition catalogs; and photographs of Wiman and his art work.
UNMICROFILMED: 16 slides of paintings by Wiman from 1979 - 1981.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter and educator; Austin, Texas. Born in Roscoe, Texas. Photorealist painter of still-lifes and portraits. Assistant professor of painting at East Texas State University, 1966-1971. Began teaching at the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.
Provenance:
Slides donated, 1983, by Wiman. Material on reel 3291 lent for microfilming, 1983, by Wiman as part of the Archives of American Art's Texas project.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
The papers of California Photorealist painter Ralph Goings, measure 4.1 linear feet and date from circa 1950 to 2005. The collection is comprised of biographical material, professional correspondence with artists, dealers, museums, and other art organizations, project files, inventory and sales records dating from 1970 to 1975, and printed material featuring Goings and his artwork. There is a 1.7 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2020 that includes slides and photographs used for paintings (source material and subjects) and images and photographs of works of art; inventory of works of art; correspondence; and project and exhibition files. Materials date from circa 1957-2008. A portion of the addition is in electronic format.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of California Photorealist painter Ralph Goings, measure 4.1 linear feet and date from circa 1950 to 2005. The collection is comprised of biographical material, professional correspondence with artists, dealers, museums, and other art organizations, project files, inventory and sales records dating from 1970 to 1975, and printed material featuring Goings and his artwork. There is a 1.7 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2020 that includes slides and photographs used for paintings (source material and subjects) and images and photographs of works of art; inventory of works of art; correspondence; and project and exhibition files. Materials date from circa 1957-2008. A portion of the addition is in electronic format.
Biographical material includes interview transcripts, personal photographs, teaching records, notes on Realism, and other material. Photorealist artists and dealers represented in the correspondence include Richard McLean, Glennray Tutor, Davis Cone, Daniel Tennant, OK Harris Works of Art, and Ivan Karp. Project files include photographic material used as preparation for Goings's paintings, a work progress notebook, and photographs of finished work.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into six series.
Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1955-circa 1990s (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1950-2005 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet )
Series 3: Project Files, 1967-1978 (Boxes 1-3;1.2 linear feet )
Series 4: Inventory and Sales Records, 1970-1975 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 5: Printed Materials, circa 1970s-2005 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 6: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1957-2008 (Boxes 4-5; OV 6-7;1.7 linear feet )
Biographical / Historical:
Ralph Goings (1928-2016) was a Photorealist painter active in Santa Cruz, California.
Goings attended Hartnell College before enrolling in the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, where he studied alongside artists Richard McClean, Nathan Oliveira, and Robert Bechtle. Goings continued his studies at Sacramento State College where he received a Master of Fine Arts in 1965. He was known for the paintings of diners, trucks, and everyday scenes that established him as one of the originators of the Photorealist movement. His work has been exhibited and is in collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Goings died in 2016 in Sacramento, California.
Related Materials:
Also found at the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Ralph Goings, conducted on September 10-11, 2009, by Judith Olch Richards for the Archives of American Art.
Provenance:
The Ralph Goings papers were donated in 2009 by Ralph Goings and in 2020 by Shanna Goings, Ralph Goings' widow.
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.
An interview of Robert Alan Bechtle conducted 1978 September 13-1980 February 1, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Bechtle (1932- ) is a painter from Berkeley, California. Full name: Robert Alan Bechtle.
General:
Originally recorded on 3 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 5 hr., 8 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are 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.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
The papers of Alabama photorealist painter David Parrish measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1940 to 2009, with the bulk of the material from 1964 to 1998. Parrish's career is documented through scattered biographical material; correspondence with galleries, publishers, art organizations, and friends; photographs of Parrish, his studio, and artwork; original artwork by Parrish and others; and printed material.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of Alabama photorealist painter David Parrish measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1940 to 2009, with the bulk of the material from 1964 to 1998. Parrish's career is documented through scattered biographical material; correspondence with galleries, publishers, art organizations, and friends; photographs of Parrish, his studio, and artwork; original artwork by Parrish and others; and printed material.
Biographical material consists of resumes, one folder of financial records, brief artist statements written by David Parrish, and two essays about Parrish's works written by others. Also included is a VHS video recording of an interview with Parrish conducted by Bob Williams in 1997 in conjunction with an exhibition.
Correspondence is primarily of a professional nature and pertains to Parrish's relationships with various galleries, publishers, and arts organizations. Of note is correspondence with galleries that represented Parrish's work including French & Company, Sidney Janis, Nancy Hoffman, and Louis K. Meisel, and correspondence with fellow artist Don Eddy. Also included is a small amount of personal correspondence with friends and family.
Photographs of David Parrish include one baby photo, official portraits, photographs of him in his studio, with family and friends, and at exhibition openings. Also found are photographs and slides of his artwork, including gallery installations and early photographs of the interior of Nancy Hoffman Gallery.
Artwork includes a sketchbook kept by Parrish while a student at the University of Alabama, several ink drawings produced during his employment as a technical illustrator at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and a few sketches by others. Printed material includes exhibition catalogs, announcements, and posters, newspaper clippings, press packets, and other gallery publications documenting Parrish's career as an artist.
Much of the material in the collection includes recent annotations by Parrish describing his involvement with the projects and exhibitions, and identifying friends and colleagues.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1970-2000 (Box 1; 8 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1964-2008 (Box 1, 5; 0.9 linear feet)
Series 3: Photographs, 1940, 1960s-2009 (Boxes 1-2, 5; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 4: Artwork, circa 1961-2002 (Boxes 2, 5; 5 folders)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1962-2009 (Boxes 2-4; 1.5 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
David Parrish (1939-) is a Photorealist painter living in Huntsville, Alabama.
Parrish was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and received his B.F.A. from the University of Alabama in 1961. He briefly moved to New York with plans to become a magazine illustrator, but was unable to find a permanent job. He moved to Huntsville, Alabama in 1962 and became a technical illustrator for Hayes International Corporation. Parrish continued painting at his home studio, moving away from the painting style he learned in school, and instead working on paintings derived from photographs. He left his job as a technical illustrator in 1971 and became a full-time painter. That same year he joined French & Company in New York as a gallery artist and had his first one-man show at Brooks Memorial Art Gallery in Memphis, Tennessee.
During the 1970s Parrish saw success as a first generation photorealist. He was represented from 1973 to 1976 by Sidney Janis Gallery, and then moved to Nancy Hoffman Gallery. In 1987 he joined Louis K. Meisel Gallery, and is still represented by them today. Parrish's motorcycle paintings became his early trademark, and during the late 1980s into the 1990s he painted complex, intricate porcelain still lifes of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and other pop culture icons. Parrish has shown his work in numerous group and solo shows, including many international shows, and is in the permanent collection of many museums.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by David Parrish in 2009.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of video recording requires advance notice.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records measure 80.3 linear feet and are dated 1960-2014. The collection documents the operation and activities of the contemporary art gallery founded by Ivan C. Karp in the SoHo area of Manhattan. Exhibition files, artist files, printed material and photographic materials reveal the wide range of artists represented by OK Harris and the gallery's role in introducing Photo-realism to the public. Aso included are administrative files, prints by OK Harris artists, business and personal correspondence, 39 journals by Karp spanning a period of 62 years, and other personal papers. Material pre-dating the 1969 establishment of OK Harris Works of Art consists of printed items and a few letters.
Scope and Contents:
The Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records measure 80.3 linear feet and are dated 1960-2014. The collection documents the operation and activities of the contemporary art gallery founded by Ivan C. Karp in the SoHo area of Manhattan. Exhibition files, artists' files, printed material, and photographic materials reveal the wide range of artists represented by OK Harris and the gallery's role in introducing Photo-realism to the public. Also included are administrative files, prints by OK Harris artists, business and personal correspondence, 39 journals by Karp spanning a period of 62 years, and other personal papers. Material pre-dating the 1969 establishment of OK Harris Works of Art consists of printed items and a few letters.
Correspondence, both professional and personal, is with museums, galleries, art dealers, art collectors, and graduate students. Artists John Baeder, Deborah Butterfield, John Clem Clarke, John DeAndrea, Jim Dine, Leonard Dufresne, Robert Ginder, Ralph Goings, Duane Hanson, Richard McLean and Tom Wesselmann are among the correspondents.
Admininstrative files concern the daily operation of OK Harris Works of Art. Included are instructions regarding administrative functions and forms for routine activities to enable employees to conduct business in Ivan Karp's absence. Along with files about other items occasionally sold at the gallery, there are files about projects of interest to the Karps, sample announcements, invitations, and advertisements.
Exhibition files document group shows, collectibles and antique exhibitions, summer invitationals, and special event exhibitions at OK Harris Works of Art. The files include photographs and slides, schedules, lists of titles and prices, artists' resumes, installation layouts, reviews and publicity materials, and other items.
Artist files constitute the largest series in the collection at 34 linear feet, and document the gallery's relationships with artists throughout its 45 year history. Files are comprised of biographical information, correspondence, notes, publicity and other printed material (including a few items pre-dating the gallery). Among the many transactions recorded are arrangements for and documentation of solo exhibitions at OK Harris. There are photographs, slides and color transparencies of individual works, and some views of exhibition installations. John Baeder, Muriel Castanis, Don Celender, Ralph Goings, John Kacere, Richard McLean, Robert Rohm and John Salt are among the most extensively documented artists.
Printed material produced by OK Harris Works of Art includes exhibition catalogs, exhibition announcements, invitations, checklists, price lists posters, and notices of gallery sponsored events and activities. Printed material from other sources consists of exhibition reviews, articles about Ivan and Marilynn Karp, OK Harris Works of Art, and the gallery's artists. These appeared in art and mainstream periodicals, newspapers, exhibition catalogs, and books. Also found are posters, reproductions of artwork, and miscellaneous printed items.
Artwork consists of 40 prints by artists affiliated with OK Harris. Most are signed; 2 are black and white prints, the remainder are color lithographs. Included is Radical Realism I, a set of 6 prints issued by Mother Lode Editions, 1972.
Thirty-two linear feet of photographs, negatives, slides, transparencies and digital images are of artwork by OK Harris artists, exhibition installation views, and miscellaneous subjects. Photographs of artwork by 59 OK Harris artists are found in binders called "Artists' Photo Books." Installation views of exhibitions held at OK Harris Works of Art during its 45 year history fill 61 binders. Miscellaneous subjects include OK Harris office space, galleries and staff. Also found are photographs of group shows, art fairs, and gallery artists' exhibitions at other venues.
The Ivan C. Karp personal papers include obituaries from print and internet sources along with other biographical information, published versions of brief interviews conducted for various purposes, writings, a few materials relating to business and academic activities, and some personal photographs. Journals, 1950-2012 (bulk 1991-2012) record travel, daily activities, and reflections.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in 8 series:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1960-2013 (Boxes 1-2B; 2.4 linear feet)
Series 2: Administrative Files, 1969-2014 (Box 3; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1969-2014 (Boxes 3-4; 1.2 linear feet)
Series 4: Artist Files, 1967-2014 (Boxes 4-38, 80; 34 linear feet)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1963-2014 (Boxes 38-44, 80, OV 88 - OV 90; 5.2 linear feet)
Series 6: Artwork, 1970s-circa 1980 (Box 44, OV 81-OV 87; 0.8 linear feet)
Series 7: Photographic Materials, 1960s-2014, bulk 1969-1999 (Boxes 44-76; 32 linear feet)
Series 8: Ivan C. Karp Personal Papers, 1961-2012 (Boxes 76-79; 4 linear feet)
Historical note:
OK Harris Works of Art specialized in a wide range of contemporary art and was known for its early support of Photo-realism. When it opened in 1969, the gallery was one of the first to operate in the SoHo area of Manhattan and its presence helped shape the neighborhood's development into a vibrant arts district.
Ivan C. Karp (1926-2012), the founder of OK Harris Works of Art, established a reputation in the art world while co-director of Leo Castelli Gallery from 1959-1969. He is credited with launching the careers of Pop artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, John Chamberlain, Tom Wesselmann, and Claes Oldenburg. Karp wrote, published, and lectured extensively on art and the art business. He was the author of a romantic novel about New York life, Doobie Doo (published in 1965, front cover by Roy Lichtenstein, back cover by Andy Warhol) and his short stories were published in literary reviews. Karp was actively involved in architectural preservation efforts in New York City. As President of the Anonymous Arts Recovery Society, he rescued and stored cornices, capitals, portals, columns and other architectural fragments of historical and aesthetic interest from demolition sites. Many are displayed in his Anonymous Arts Museum, Charlotteville, NY and some became part of a sculpture garden that Karp donated to the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
While Leo Castelli Gallery was closed for summer vacations in 1963 and 1964, Karp ran his own contemporary art gallery in Provincetown. He named it OK Harris, a name he thought suggestive of a colorful, very American character. A few years later, Karp opened OK Harris Works of Art in SoHo where a portrait of a bearded man titled "Oscar Klondike Harris" hung in his office. "Mr. Harris" frequently assumed blame for delays, rejections and other unwelcome news or decisions. OK Harris Works of Art (first at 469 West Broadway and later at 383 West Broadway) was a 10,000 square foot ground-floor space where as many as six concurrent solo exhibitions were presented every six weeks. The goal was "to exhibit the broadest spectrum of the most adventuresome art being offered" and the focus was on emerging artists, many of them unknown. In addition to being at the forefront of the Photo-realist movement in 1969, OK Harris Works of Art was the first gallery to exhibit the work of Duane Hanson, Deborah Butterfield, Manny Farber, Richard Pettibone, Robert Cottingham, Robert Bechtle, Marilyn Levine, Nancy Rubins, Malcolm Morley, Luis Jiminez, Jake Berthot, Jack Goldstein, Porfirio DiDonna, and Al Souza.
An approachable, friendly man who enjoyed sharing his knowledge, Karp usually sat at the gallery's front desk and was available to all. Unlike many dealers, he was willing to look at and discuss artists' slides, offered encouragement, and often followed up with studio visits.
At his request, Marilynn Gelfman Karp became gallery director after her husband's death in 2012. She ran the business with gallery staff including Ivan's oldest son, Ethan. Following Ivan's guidelines, OK Harris Works of Art closed with a gala celebration 2014 for all the gallery's artists, collectors and friends.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are oral history interviews with Ivan C. Karp conducted by Richard Brown Baker, 1963 October 18; by Paul Cummings, 1969 March 12; and by Ronny Cohen, 1986 April 17-1988 October 18. The Marilynn Gelfman Karp Collection of Ephemera owned by the New-York Historical Society includes OK Harris printed material, prints, and posters.
Provenance:
Marilynn Karp, wife of Ivan C. Karp, donated scattered papers in 2011 and 2013, and the bulk of the collection in 2014.
Restrictions:
Use of original material requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The Ivan C. Karp papers consist mainly of journals that record travel and daily life. There are a large number of obituaries from print and internet sources along with other biographical information, published versions of brief interviews with Karp conducted for various purposes, writings, a few materials relating to business and academic activities, and some photographs.
The majority of this series consists of photocopies of Ivan C. Karp's journals from the period 1950-2012 (bulk 1991-2012). The earliest are travel journals written during trips to Italy, Spain, France, and more unusual destinations such as Bulgaria, Tunisia, Egypt, Poland, and Guatemala. The observant and thoughtul young Ivan Karp included salient details of travel and everyday life. Some entries are accompanied by drawings, and his interest in wordplay is evident. Later daily journals, written when Karp was an established art dealer, are more organized and less personal. Photographs, clippings, maps, and wine labels are occasionally included to illustrate statements or add interest. He wrote about scheduled activities, food and wine, sports, music, politics, and often commented on the weather. While daily journals record travel experiences at home and abroad, little mention is made of family or friends.
Writings by Karp include articles, introductions and essays for exhibition catalogs, and a chapter in a book about the business of art. Among the writings by others is I Married an Art Dealer by Marilynn Karp. Also found are an academic paper, "Reflections on American Super Realism and Photo Realism" by Michael Jucker, and a dissertation by Suzanne Pines, "Five Photo-Realists: Process and Perceptions" (Columbia University, 1979). Among the small number of photographs are several digitial copies of earlier images of Karp including him in uniform during World War II and several at his gallery.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original material requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records, 1960-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Printed material produced by OK Harris Works of Art includes a complete set of exhibition announcements. Scattered among the announcements are a small number of invitations to gallery events including receptions, openings, a sock hop, a few performances, concerts, and parties. Although OK Harris presented as many as six concurrent exhibitions every six weeks, the number of exhibition catalogs and posters is very small, reflecting the tight schedule. Earlier printed material is particularly creative and unique, each announcement carving out an attention getting and occasionally humorous approach, some with modest shock value. The graphics are usually interesting as are the materials used. Over time, OK Harris's printed items became more traditional with postcard style announcements predominating.
Printed material produced by others consists of periodicals, books, exibition catalogs, guidebooks and clippings. Most are about or mention Ivan Karp, Marilyn Karp, gallery artists and exhibitions. Exhibition catalogs feature works by OK Harris artists and works loaned by the gallery; also included are catalogs of shows for which Karp was a juror. Miscellaneous items relate to events with Karp as a speaker or juror. Scattered throughout is general information about SoHo and Photo-realism. Exhibition Posters are: "Amerikanske Realister," Randers Kunstmuseum; "Ivan C. Karp Photographs," California State University, Long Beach; "Los Angeles Heute," Amerika Haus; and "Ivan Karp: The Face of Contemporary Art," Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture. Miscellaneous posters are: "Walt Disney" by W. Fawcett, "Marihuana" (sic), "Artist being Booked for Exhibiting Without Talent," "Biscuits" by Manuel Hughes, and "Davis Cone."
Arrangement:
Additional printed items generated by OK Harris Works of Art and other sources are found among administrative files (Series 2), artists' files (Series 3), and the Ivan C. Karp papers (Series 8).
This series is arranged as 2 subseries:
5.1: Produced by OK Harris Works of Art, 1969-2014
5.2: Produced by Others, 1963-2012
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original material requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Ivan C. Karp papers and OK Harris Works of Art gallery records, 1960-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The papers of photorealist painter Ronald A. Kleemann papers date from circa 1942-2008 and measure 2.0 linear feet. The papers include chronological files that contain a wide variety of documents, projects files relating to his race car paintings, biographical materials, writings and lectures, printed material, original drawings, and photographs.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of photorealist painter Ronald A. Kleemann papers date from circa 1942-2008 and measure 2.0 linear feet. The papers include chronological files that contain a wide variety of documents, projects files relating to his race car paintings, biographical materials, writings and lectures, printed material, original drawings, and photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:
Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1971-2008 (Box 1; 0.1 linear ft.)
Series 2: Chronological Files, 1950s-2008 (Boxes 1-2; 0.8 linear ft.)
Series 3: Writings and Lectures, 2006 (Box 2; 0.1 linear ft.)
Series 4: Project Files, 1985- 2007 (Box 2; 0.4 linear ft.)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1971-2004 (Box 2; 0.2 linear ft.)
Series 6: Artwork, circa 1942, 1960s and 1970s (Box 2; 0.3 linear ft.)
Series 7: Photographs, 1980s-2002 (Box 2; 0.1 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
The Photorealist painter Ronald A. Kleemann (b. 1937), who is well known for his renderings of automobiles, currently works and resides in Valatie, New York. Born in Bay City, Michigan, he moved to New York City to pursue art after graduating from the University of Michigan College of Architecture and Design in 1961. Kleemann is represented by the Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York, NY.
Related Material:
The Archives of American Art also holds an oral history interview with Ronald A. Kleemann, 2009 Oct. 11-12, conducted by Judith Richards.
Provenance:
Donated by Ronald Kleemann, November 11, 2009.
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.
The Joseph Konopka Papers measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1965 to 2003. The papers document Konopka's career as a photo-realist and landscape painter through biographical material, correspondence, and artwork.
Scope and Content Note:
The Joseph Konopka Papers measure 1.1 linear feet and date from 1965 to 2003. The papers document Konopka's career as a photo-realist and landscape painter through biographical material, correspondence, and artwork.
Correspondence is with galleries and participants in his Art People Cutout Series. Among the artwork are sketchbooks (9 volumes) and a maquette of the Art People Cutout Series.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 3 series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1965-2003 (Boxes 1, 3; 0.4 linear feet)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1971-1987 (Box 1; 3 folders)
Series 3: Artwork, 1985-2002 (Boxes 1-3; 0.6 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Joseph Konopka (b. 1932) is a photo-realist and landscape painter who also works as a scenic artist for NBC-TV in New York City. He lives in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
A native of Philadelphia, Konopka was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1954, he graduated from Cooper Union School of Art and the following year completed a set design course at Columbia University. He began working NBC-TV in 1952 as a paint boy, mixing paints and washing brushes for the scenic artists, a position he held for nine months. Konopka later joined the United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 and rose from apprentice (1953) to his current position as a scenic artist at NBC-TV. He has worked for many NBC-TV shows including "Late Night with David Letterman" (1982-1993) and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993-present).
Konopka often paints in ongoing series. His work process involves taking slides of his subjects from various angles and distances to determine a suitable composition or composite view. Subject matter for Konopka's series includes images of his wife Casimera (Casey) at the Jersey shore, in everyday poses, or putting on makeup; views from the top of the World Trade Center; and lighthouses. For the Art People Cutout Series (circa 1971-1979), Konopka painted portraits of prominent figures in the New Jersey art world such as museum directors (including Sam Miller, Newark Museum) and curators.
Konopka has been represented by Razor Gallery, New York City (circa 1971-1979), Capricorn Galleries, Bethesda, Maryland (circa 1980-1996), and Nathans Art Gallery, West Paterson, New Jersey (circa 1986-1997). From 1976-1985, he served as vice president of the Associated Artists of New Jersey.
Konopka lives in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
Provenance:
The papers were donated in 2003 by Joseph Konopka.
Restrictions:
Use of original material requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Topic:
Landscape painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
The Don Eddy and Leigh Behnke papers, 1966-2009, measure 7.2 linear feet. Photographic materials, printed material, and writings document the realist painters' work, working methods, and exhibitions. Also found are subject files, some professional correspondence and personal photographs.
Scope and Content Note:
The Don Eddy and Leigh Behnke papers, 1966-2009, measure 7.2 linear feet. Photographic materials, printed material, and writings document the realist painters' work, working methods, and exhibitions. Also found are subject files, some professional correspondence, and personal photographs.
Don Eddy's papers consist largely of photographic materials, writings, and printed material. Photographic materials include images of completed work and a significant amount of source material that documents Eddy's working methods. Also found are exhibition installation views, personal and travel pictures. Writings include a dissertation and two theses in which he figures prominently. Most printed material mentions Eddy or contains reproductions of his work.
The papers of Leigh Behnke, less voluminous than her husband's, are comprised mainly of photographic materials, printed material, and subject files. Among the photographic materials are images that served as source material and document her working methods. All printed material mentions Behnke or contains reproductions of her work. Subject files document projects, exhibitions, and miscellaneous topics.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 2 series:
Series 1: Don Eddy papers, 1966-2009 (Boxes 1-6, 9-10; 5.8 linear feet)
Series 2: Leigh Behnke papers, 1974-2009 (Boxes 6-9; 1.4 linear feet)
Biographical Note:
Don Eddy (b. 1944) and Leigh Behnke (b. 1946) are realist painters in New York City. They are married and both teach at the School of Visual Arts. Eddy is one of the thirteen original Photorealists.
Don Eddy was born in Long Beach, California. From around age ten until he left home to attend college, he worked at his father's auto body shop and became proficient in airbrush technique and color matching paint. Eddy studied with Jean Charlot at the University of Hawaii (B.F.A. 1967, M.F.A. 1969). His early paintings employed pictorial illusion and their subject matter came from material culture; part-time work as a tourist photographer in Honolulu prompted him to experiment with and think deeply about photography, leading him to the style that would come to be known as Photorealism. He was first recognized for paintings of automobiles done in acrylic using the spray technique learned at the auto body shop. From the 1970s and well into the next decade, Eddy's work was object oriented. Later, he produced "dream" paintings that included details from Old Master paintings, floating objects that introduced psychological elements and perceptual challenges. Over the next decade he simplified his imagery by pursuing still life and nature painting with complex, layered surfaces. Using photographs he takes himself as source material, Eddy continues to paint urban and nature scenes and has developed elaborate procedures for underpainting and overpainting. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts and is represented by Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York.
Leigh Behnke, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, moved to New York City to attend Pratt Institute (B.F.A. 1969) and later studied at New York University (M.A. 1976). Behnke paints in oil and watercolor using her own photographs and digital images as source material. Interests in architecture, interiors, history, memory, nature, and scientific concepts are reflected in her work. She combines images and employs multi panels (diptych and polyptych) as a device for focusing on perception and pictorial space, commenting on images, and redefining subjects from other vantage points. Behnke has taught at the School of Visual Arts since 1979. She is represented by Fischbach Gallery, New York, and Plus One Gallery, London.
Provenance:
Donated by Don Eddy and Leigh Behnke in 2009.
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Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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Topic:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
