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Robert McChesney papers

Archives of American Art

Object Details

Creator
McChesney, Robert, 1913-2008
Names
McChesney, Mary Fuller
Occupation
Muralists -- California
Painters -- California
Topic
Abstract expressionism
Provenance
Robert McChesney loaned three scrapbooks to the Archives of American Art for microfilming in 1975. Mary Fuller McChesney, Robert McChesney's widow, donated the rest of the Robert McChesney papers in 2015.
Creator
McChesney, Robert, 1913-2008
See more items in
Robert McChesney papers
Summary
The papers of artist Robert Pearson McChesney measure 6 linear feet and date from 1913 to 2006. McChesney was an abstract expressionist painter and muralist based in Petaluma, California. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, exhibition files, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials.
Biographical / Historical
Robert Pearson McChesney (1913-2008) was a California Abstract Expressionist painter and muralist. Robert McChesney was born on January 16, 1913 in Marshall, Missouri. His parents were Ruby Eversmann Pearson and Jack Wiley McChesney who ran a photography studio. McChesney attended Washington University School of Fine Arts in St. Louis, Missouri from 1933-1934 and Otis Arts Institute in Los Angeles, California from 1936-1937. In 1937, he married Frances, an artist figure model, and they later divorced. McChesney worked in the mural division of the depression-era Federal Works Project Administration on the Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) in San Francisco from 1938 to 1940. At the GGIE, McChesney and other artists worked on a mural series designed by Herman Volz. During World War II, he served in the U. S. Merchant Marine in the South Pacific. He painted a great deal while he was in the South Pacific and when he returned to San Francisco those paintings became the basis for his first solo exhibition in 1944 at the Richmond and Richmond Gallery. After the war, McChesney lived in a house in Point Richmond, California with several artists, including the sculptor Mary Fuller whom he married in 1949. Beginning in 1950, he taught at the California School of Fine Arts, California State University at Hayward, and the California Labor School. In 1952, he moved to Sonoma Mountain in Petaluma, California where he built in a house and studio. Over the course of his artistic career, McChesney had over 40 solo exhibitions and his artwork is included in the collections of many museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Robert McChesney died on May 10, 2008 in Sonoma County, California.
Extent
6 Linear feet
Date
1913-2006
Archival Repository
Archives of American Art
Identifier
AAA.mcchrobe
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Awards
Christmas cards
Citation
Robert McChesney papers, 1913-2006. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged as 6 series. Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1931-1995 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1, OV 9) Series 2: Correspondence, 1936-2006 (1 linear feet; Boxes 1-2) Series 3: Exhibition Files, 1970-2006 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 2-3) Series 4: Printed Materials, 1945-2006 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 3-4, OV 9) Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1940-2002 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 6-8) Series 6: Photographic Materials, 1913-2002 (1.8 linear feet; Boxes 4-5, 7, OV 9)
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Rihoko Ueno in September 2015.
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.
Existence and Location of Copies
Material lent for microfilming is availalbe on 35mm microfilm reel 878 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Genre/Form
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Awards
Christmas cards
Scope and Contents
The papers of artist Robert Pearson McChesney measure 6 linear feet and date from 1913 to 2006. McChesney was an abstract expressionist painter and muralist based in Petaluma, California. The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, exhibition files, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials. Biographical materials consist of legal documents, estate papers, awards, genealogical information, a few notebooks and writings, and other assorted personal papers. The bulk of the correspondence is with galleries and museums about shows and art sales. There is very limited personal correspondence with friends and family. There are a few holiday cards designed by Mary Fuller and Robert McChesney. Exhibition files include announcements, catalogs, publicity, reviews, correspondence, exhibition lists, price lists, and other material. Printed materials consist of clippings, reviews, announcements, catalogs, books, and periodicals. There are 4 scrapbooks of printed material and photographs of Robert McChesney's shows and artwork. Photographic materials include photographs, slides, and negatives of Robert McChesney and his artwork along with photographs of travels, friends, and family.
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 Materials
The Archives of American Art has an oral history interview with Robert McChesney conducted in 1964 by Lewis Ferbraché.
Separated Materials
The Archives of Art also holds materials lent for microfilming (reel 878) including three scrapbooks. Two of the scrapbooks were later donated and integrated with the collection. The remaining scrapbook is only available on microfilm and is not described in the collection container inventory.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1503512840160-1503512840166-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92e05cd20-5931-41e0-aa99-4db4dff51053

In the Collection

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  • Plaques for S. S. Mastonia

  • Correspondence

  • American Federation of Arts

  • Art Institute of Chicago

  • University of St. Thomas

  • Photographs of Places

  • "Canyon Country" Series

  • Remains To Be Seen

  • Gump's, Inc.

  • Miscellaneous Personal Papers

  • Worcester Art Museum Prints Show (1998)

  • Biographical Statements

  • Oversized "1940s-1950s" Scrapbook

  • "Arena 78"

  • "Mexico B" Series

  • Myrtle Todes Gallery

  • "Desert" Series

  • Norris, Miles

  • Greeting Cards Designed by Mary Fuller and Robert McChesney

  • Feingarten Galleries

  • Milagro De Taos Gallery

  • Articles About Robert McChesney, B-C

  • Assorted Periodicals

  • Stoa Gallery Show (1996)

  • "Barranca" Series

  • Miscellaneous Correspondence

  • "Round the World" Trip

  • Lincoln Gallery Show (1978)

  • Correspondence about Ruby McChesney

  • "Stop the X-to Fence" Poster

  • Articles About Robert McChesney, R-S

  • Paintings Album

  • Nordness Gallery

  • International Fine Arts Gallery

  • 871 Fine Arts

  • "Lahontan" Series

  • Santa Rosa City Vision Gallery Show (2000)

  • Bay Area Artists for Peace

  • Oversized Photographs of Painting from Box 4, Folder 30

  • "Mexico A" Series

  • Mendenhall Gallery Show (1996)

  • Guerrero Negro, Mexico Trip

  • Both-Up Gallery Show (1974)

  • Driftwood Sculpture

  • Other Artists' Exhibition Catalogs

  • Robert McChesney Letter to "Grandmother and Bee"

  • 20th Century West Gallery

  • Estate of Jay Howe McChesney

  • Paper Trails: San Francisco Abstract Expressionism Traveling Exhibition (1993)

  • Printed Material

  • Oversized Robert McChesney Photographs from Box 4, Folders 4-5

  • Bolles Gallery

  • Phebe Conley Gallery Show (1999)

  • Fresno Art Museum Show (1996)

  • Articles About Robert McChesney, I-L

  • Treasure Island Federal Building Mural

  • Open Air Art School

  • Address Book

  • San Francisco Museum of Art

  • Cummer Museum of Art Show (2003)

  • Exhibition Files

  • Assorted Paintings

  • Carlson Gallery Show (1990)

  • Capricorn Ascending Opening

  • Group Exhibition Announcements and Catalogs

  • Marin Civic Art Center Art Galleries Show (1980)

  • Sonoma Museum of Visual Art

  • Assorted Painting Lists and Return Receipts

  • Steve Turner Gallery

  • San Francisco Art Commission

  • Studio C Gallery

  • Gallery Exhibitions

  • Articles About Robert McChesney, A

  • Oversized "1970s" Scrapbook

  • University of California, Davis

  • Galaxy Series Paintings

  • Point Reyes Gallery

  • "S. S." Series

  • Fresno Art Museum Show (2006)

  • Edward S. Curtis Gallery Show (1989)

  • Hansen Gallery

  • "Post War" Series

  • Hobbs Gallery

  • Gallery Space Art Show (1984)

  • The Communist Manifesto in Pictures

  • San Francisco Social Service Building Mural

  • Articles About Robert McChesney, C-F

  • Biographical Material

  • "Estrella" Series

  • Estate of Jack W. McChesney

  • Pyramid Lake, Nevada

  • Oversized San Francisco Art Commission Merit Award from Box 1, Folder 9

  • Williams & McCormick

  • Adult Educational Credential

  • "Mountain" Series

  • Capricorn Asunder Gallery Show (1974)

  • F. J. Michaels Gallery Show (1985)

  • Writings

  • San Jose Museum of Art Show (2005-2006)

  • Garo Dorian Mural

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Plaques for S. S. Mastonia
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