San Francisco Women Artists records, 1925-1999
Object Details
- Place of publication, production, or execution
- United States
- Physical Description
- 15.5 Linear feet
- Arrangement
- This collection is arranged as 8 series: Series 1: Administrative Records, 1925-circa 1998 (6.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-6, FC 17-18) Series 2: Correspondence, 1931-1998 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 6-7) Series 3: Membership Files, 1925-circa 1998 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 7-8) Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1947-circa 1998 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 8-9) Series 5: Inventory Records, circa 1974-circa 1985 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 9-10) Series 6: Printed Material, 1926-1999 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 10-11, 16) Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1925-circa 1990s (2.7 linear feet; Boxes 11-13, 15) Series 8: Photographs 1970-circa 1990s (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 13-14, 16)
- Access Note / Rights
- Use of original papers 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.
- Summary
- The San Francisco Women Artists records measure 15.5 linear feet, date from 1925 to 1999, and include administrative records, correspondence, membership files, exhibition files, inventory records, printed material, twenty scrapbooks, photographs, eight photograph albums, and two motion picture film reels.
- Citation
- San Francisco Women Artists records, 1925-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
- Funding
- Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund.
- Use Note
- 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.
- Biography Note
- San Francisco Women Artists (SFWA) is one of California's oldest arts organizations, dating its founding to 1887 as the Sketch Club. At that time, members met monthly to share and critique one another's work and to travel together on sketching trips. After the great earthquake in 1906 destroyed the club's headquarters, the group floundered and reorganized and merged with other organizations that also included men. By 1925, however, a core group of women broke away and formed the San Francisco Society of Women Artists. The SFWA's founding mission was "... the study and furtherance of all interests common to the arts both graphic and plastic ... and to support causes neglected by other art organizations in the Bay Area." Early members include Alice B. Chittenden, Helen Hyde, Matilda Lotz, Clara Taggart McChesney, M. Evelyn McCormick, Dora Williams, and Eva Almond Withrow. Other members included Marcelle Labaudt, Dorr Bothwell, Claire Falkenstein, Ruth Asawa, Nell Sinton, Imogen Cunningham, Eleanor Dickenson, Jo Hansen, Emmy Lou Packard, Eleanore Rappe, Ruth Armer, Barbara Spring, Beth Van Hoesen and Dorothy Winslade.
- The Society held its first exhibition in 1926. In 1932, Frida Kahlo's painting, Frieda and Diego Rivera , was shown at the "Sixth Annual Exhibition of the San Francisco Society of Women Artists" and was the first public showing of Kahlo's work. In 1946 the organization shortened its name to the San Francisco Women Artists.
- In 1976 the SFWA and exective director Marcelle Labaudt were commended in a Senate Resolution for "outstanding contributions to the cultural enhancement of the City of San Francisco." In 1983 the SFWA procured a gallery at 451 Hayes Street, which provided exhibition space for members, as well as an art rental program. In 1985 the gallery moved to 370 Hayes Street. The SFWA celebrated its centennial in 1994 with an exhibition including work of many past members.
- This organization continues to host monthly themed juried shows and is dedicated to encouraging and promoting the work of women artists.
- Language Note
- Collection is in English
- Provenance
- Pam Foley, president of the San Francisco Women Artists donated the records in 1999.
- Location Note
- Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
- Data Source
- Archives of American Art
- Record number
- (DSI-AAA_CollID)6248
- (DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216572
- AAA_collcode_sanfrawa
- Creator
- San Francisco Women Artists
- Subject
- Labaudt, Marcelle
- Windslade, Dorothy
- Whitney, Susan A.
- San Francisco Art Institute
- Type
- Photographs
- Sound recordings
- Motion pictures (visual works)
- Scrapbooks
- Photograph albums
- Theme
- Women
- Art Gallery Records
- Art organizations
- Topic
- Women artists
- Theme
- Women
- Art Gallery Records
- Art organizations
- Record ID
- AAADCD_coll_216572
