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Audubon Artists records

Archives of American Art

Object Details

Creator
Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)
Names
Arms, John Taylor, 1887-1953
Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975
Blume, Peter, 1906-1992
Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964
Disney, Walt, 1901-1966
Domareki, Joseph
Engel, Michael M., 1896-1969
Facci, Domenico, 1916-1994
Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956
Freeman, Mark, 1908-
Gary, Jan
Hoffman, Malvina, 1887-1966
Lee-Smith, Hughie (1915-1999)
McKay, Renee
Meyerowitz, William, 1887-1981
Poor, Henry Varnum, 1887-1970
Wengenroth, Stow, 1906-
Whitaker, Frederic
Young, Stark, 1881-1963
Occupation
Artists -- New York (State)
Provenance
The records were donated by Audubon Artists in 1978 (via Mark Freeman, president) and 2001 (via David Pena, president).
Creator
Audubon Artists (New York, N.Y.)
See more items in
Audubon Artists records
Sponsor
The Audubon Artists records were processed in 2015 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Summary
The records of New York based Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting organization of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, measure 6.7 linear feet and date from 1944-2001. The collection documents the organization's adoption of its constitution and first major expansion in the mid-1940s, and its subsequent growth to the present day. The records include correspondence with artist members, administrative files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material including an almost complete run of annual exhibition catalogs and prospectuses, and photographs of artwork, juries, and other groups involved in the annual exhibitions from the 1970s to 1999.
Biographical / Historical
Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting society of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, was founded in New York, New York, in 1940. The organization took its name from the homestead of John James Audubon where it met in December, 1941, to discuss a less regional name than the one it had initially adopted: Professional Arts Group of Washington Heights. The group's association with Audubon, however, begins and ends with the name. Audubon Artists held its first exhibition at 8th Street Gallery in Apri-May, 1942, with an exhibiting group of 22 members. In 1943 the group was able to attract a wider pool of recognized professional artists, and by 1944 the membership had increased to 60 and the organization issued its first annual exhibition catalog with the newly adopted eagle and palette emblem. A reorganization meeting took place on March 27, 1944, to address the growing responsibilities for the annual exhibition. President Frederic Whitaker subsequently oversaw the creation of the original consitution, the credo and the 1946 incorporation of the organization, and led a membership campaign designed to attract nationally renowned artists of various aesthetic persuasions and gain the organization more prestige. Since then, Audubon Artists has continued to hold an annual exhibition in a variety of locations throughout New York City, including the National Academy of Design, National Arts Club, and the Salmagundi Club. The latter has been the exhibition's preferred home since 1997, and with circa 350 members Audubon Artists remains a thriving organization dedicated to "artistic progress" today.
Function
Arts organizations -- New York (State)
Extent
6.7 Linear feet
Date
1944-2001
Archival Repository
Archives of American Art
Identifier
AAA.auduarti
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Citation
Audubon Artists records, 1944-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Arrangement
Before processing, much of the collection was unsorted, and there was little indication of original record keeping practices for a large portion of the material. Some of the earlier material from the 1940s had been sorted by name or activity and where possible this arrangement has been maintained. Researcherss should be aware, however, that similar types of material such as correspondence, financial, and administrative records, can be found in various places throughout the collection, particularly throughout Series 1. The collection is arranged as 5 series. Series 1: Administration and Correspondence Files, 1944-2000 (2.43 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, OV 9) Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1944-1999 (0.67 linear feet; Box 3) Series 3: Financial Records, 1962-1999 (0.5 linear feet; Box 4) Series 4: Printed Material, 1944-2001 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 4-6) Series 5: Photographic Material, circa 1969-1999 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 6-8)
Processing Information
The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Stephanie Ashley in 2015, with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. The Archives of American Art has implemented minimal processing tactics when possible in order to increase information about and access to more of our collections. Minimal processing included arrangement to the series, subseries, and folder levels. Generally, items within folders were simply verified with folder titles, but not arranged further. Folders within boxes may not be numbered. The collection was rehoused in archival containers and folders, but not all staples and clips were removed.
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.
Genre/Form
Photographs
Scope and Contents
The records of New York based Audubon Artists, a national exhibiting organization of painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, measure 6.7 linear feet and date from 1944-2001. The collection documents the organization's adoption of its constitution and first major expansion in the mid-1940s, and its subsequent growth to the present day. The records include correspondence with artist members, administrative files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material including an almost complete run of annual exhibition catalogs and prospectuses, and photographs of artwork, juries, and other groups involved in the annual exhibitions from the 1970s to 1999. Administration and correspondence files document all aspects of the organization's activities and include founding documents; records of individual officers including presidents Domenico Facci, Joseph Domareki, Mark Freeman, Hughie Lee-Smith, Renee McKay and Frederic Whitaker, and historians Michael Engel and Jan Gary; correspondence with members and prospective members including artists such as John Taylor Arms, Thomas Hart Benton, Peter Blume, Stuart Davis, Walt Disney, Lyonel Feininger, Malvina Hoffman, William Meyerowitz, Henry Varnum Poor, Stow Wengenroth, and Stark Young; agenda, meeting minutes and reports to the Executive Board; and the correspondence and related records of various committees. Exhibition files document a variety of activities related to exhibition planning, and include correspondence, entry forms, information on juries and awards, and lists of selected artwork and award winners. Financial records include scattered treasurer correspondence and notes, records of bills paid, and some reports, investment and tax records from the 1960s-1990s. Printed material includes an early brochure issued in 1944, and a brochure on the organization's history by Jan Gary, as well as annual exhibition catalogs and/or prospectuses from 1944 to 2000. Photographic material consists of copy prints and negatives of photographic material used in the annual exhibition catalogs, including photos of artwork, juries and scattered exhibition installations.
Restrictions
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1562709625152-1562709625160-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95284fc60-3328-4d9a-bbdc-5ff67f09a0f2

In the Collection

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  • Administration and Correspondence Files

  • Correspondence by Name/Office

  • Lee-Smith, Hughie, President

  • Lee-Smith, Hughie, President

  • Annual Exhibition Catalogs, Bound Volume

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Restricted Legacies

  • Nominating Committee

  • Awards Committee

  • Award Winners

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Awards Committee

  • Melrose, Alice

  • General Business and Correspondence Files

  • Penny, Carlton

  • Facci, Domencio, President

  • Oversized Awards Committee from Box 1, Folder 10

  • Annual Exhibition Catalogs

  • Katz, Hilda, Chair of Awards Committee

  • Statement of Assets

  • Exhibition

  • Lists, Members and Associate Members

  • Medal of Honor Retrospective (1967)

  • Group and Individual Portraits

  • Metzler, Anna E., Treasurer

  • Juries

  • Treasurer's Notes

  • Lists, Officer Duties

  • Freeman, Mark, President

  • Juries, 23rd-27th Annual Exhibitions

  • Engel, Michael M., Historian

  • Demonstrations

  • Exhibition Files

  • Freeman, Jane

  • Directors and Vice Presidents

  • Roller, Marion, President

  • Announcements and Invitations

  • Press Releases

  • Stoloff, Carolyn, Publicity

  • Schrick, Linton F., Secretary

  • Stefan Hirsch Memorial Fund

  • Engel, Michael M., Chair of Exhibition Committee

  • Invoices

  • Bills Paid

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Certificate of Incorporation, Fragments

  • Leason, Percy, Chair of Nominating Committee

  • Juries, Notes

  • Financial Reports

  • Exhibition Installations

  • Brochure of Audubon Artists History

  • Lists, Executive Board and Officers

  • Exhibitions

  • Exhibition

  • Nominationg Committee (Membership Resignations)

  • General Business and Correspondence Files

  • Awards, Joe and Emily Lowe Foundation, Inc.

  • Photographic Material

  • Bills Paid, Medals and Printing

  • Juries

  • Agenda, Minutes and Reports

  • Juries

  • Letterheads and Blank Certificates

  • Reception Committee

  • Other Organizations

  • Domareki, Joseph, President

  • Whitaker, Eileen and Frederic

  • News Articles

  • Entry Cards

  • Exhibition at Lever House (1986)

  • Nominations and Board Directors

  • Nominations

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Constitution and By-Laws

  • Exhibition Leases

  • Admissions Committee

  • Member Dues

  • Everett, Len G. (Vice President for Oils)

  • Exhibition on Federal Hall Site (1996)

  • Committees, General

  • Exhibition Forms

  • Form Letters and Memoranda

  • General Business and Correspondence Files

  • Investment Records

  • Slate of Officers and Directors

  • Exhibition Awards

  • Gary, Jan, Historian

  • Annual Exhibition Catalogs

  • General Business and Correspondence Files

  • McKay, Renee, President

  • Financial Records

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Printed Material

  • Admissions Committee

  • Exhibition Printed Material (annotated)

  • Juries, Annual Exhibition Selection Lists

  • Check Stubs

  • Annual Exhibition Catalog

  • Exhibition List

  • Treasurer's Correspondence

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Lee-Smith, Hughie, President
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