1 10 294 https://openvalley.org/files/original/574c921976692a6baf779c816d8bc011.jpg a261468d51cefc0d182759ea0459992d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Etching Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 16 x 17 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Walter Whitman Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McMillan, Leo A. (1883 - 1944) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1937 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Taylor, Nadia (description and biography) Cooper, Ken (biography) Hellquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mt. Morris NY Object #FA 3745 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 944 KB Description An account of the resource A tightly framed portrait shows the elderly American poet in profile, informally dressed. McMillan's etching creates texture and expressive lines on Whitman’s face, applying fine strokes to achieve realism. Whitman’s hair and beard are at the center of the composition, rendered with calligraphic marks that enhance his facial features. The eyes are slightly shadowed, and the background is minimally articulated to make his face appear more statue-like. Like McMillan's other portraits, one implied goal is to honor elders whose hard-earned wisdom is shown upon their grizzled faces. Walt Whitman was born in Long Island and began his working life as a printer, journalist, and teacher before turning to poetry. In 1855, Whitman published the landmark collection <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaves_of_Grass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leaves of Grass</a>, which helped establish his controversial reputation and profoundly influenced American poetry. Throughout his career Whitman carefully cultivated his visual image; the <a href="https://whitmanarchive.org/pictures-sound-video/gallery-of-images?page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walt Whitman Archive</a> has collected more than a hundred posed photographs. Here, McMillan draws upon Whitman later in life, a period when his public persona had become that of the “Good Gray Poet.” McMillan’s portraits of informal yet profound men echo the WPA’s democratic ideals, portraying everyday Americans with dignity and emotional depth.  About the Artist Leo Angus McMillan was born in Au Sable, MI to Scottish immigrant parents and later lived in Detroit. After briefly enlisting in the army, in 1908, he studied at the Detroit School of Design and had <a href="https://archive.org/details/bulletinofdetr00detr1904/page/n283/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an early portrait</a> featured by that city’s art museum. As of 1918 McMillan’s occupation was listed as a self-employed cartoonist, perhaps suggesting freelance commercial work and portraiture. Yet it seems that his life tilted toward the necessities of supporting a wife and four children: census records indicate work as a real estate agent (1920) and a “commercial traveler” for a paint company (1930). During the late 1930s, McMillan was employed by the Graphic Arts Division of the Federal Art Project, producing at least five lithographs—interestingly, all of them sensitive portraits of older men. Between 1940 and 1942, he worked as “contact executive” for the Michigan Art and Craft Project, a spin-off of the Federal Art Project that supported mural work, wood carving, puppetry, and other crafts. McMillan’s commercial background may have landed him the administrative role. By this time, U.S. mobilization and then entry into World War II meant that artistic labor would be “entirely committed to war service,” as he explained. Five trucks loaded with hand-made furniture, wool rugs, ceramic lamps, woven drapes, and decorative screens were sent to the 184th Field Artillery unit at Fort Custer (Bower). It was a strange ending to the Federal Art Project and McMillan’s working life, for he passed away in 1944, but his dignified portraits of artists, musicians, and thinkers survive him. 1 work at <a href="https://umma.umich.edu/objects/musician-1943-85/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Michigan Museum of Art</a>. 2 works at <a href="https://ackland.emuseum.com/people/6531/l-a-mcmillan/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ackland Art Museum</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://jsmacollection.uoregon.edu/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=15823;type=101" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art</a>. 1 work at Metropolitan Museum of Art. 3 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/artists/2059/leo-a-mcmillan/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Fort News,” The Leavenworth Post 22 July 1909: 5; Ancestry.com; Helen Bower, “WPA Work Furnishing Army Rooms,” Detroit Free Press 27 Feb 1942: 3. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Etching Federal Art Project Leo A. McMillan Michigan Art and Craft Project New Deal Gallery Walt Whitman https://openvalley.org/files/original/5110c2ebc1785ab15ff48a740a967a32.jpg 82aca2c4240bf6f2fd894a7d90d5f1f5 https://openvalley.org/files/original/9fd7554d45c73deea67d2ca379cf6547.jpg 376e9f5f4b4d7e78ecbc44b04a1ce4c3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 12 1/4 x 15 1/2 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource In the foreground are four children and a dog, each making a somewhat inscrutable gesture. Behind them, in the middle ground, another child walks toward them using a pair of crutches—again, leaving us to speculate as what has happened and the relationship between him and the other children. The seemingly urban setting of Moxom’s scene feels quite crowded, almost like pieces in a puzzle. A few hills in the distance provide the only sense of spaciousness; in fact, the abstract buildings resemble very large building blocks, and even more strangely their shapes are echoed in the organic figures: one boy’s hat and the rounded turret; a cupula and the dog’s ears; various body parts and planes of structures. Moxom uses tonal shading to create three-dimensional, even sculptural forms. Perhaps there’s a suggestion that the world of children and their “games” are deeply immersive, or that childhood is itself a strange construct. Both the subject matter—children—and Moxom’s rendering of figures have similarities to his earlier FAP work on murals. About the Artist John (“Jack”) Swanston Moxom was born in Calgary, Alberta, immigrating with his family to San Francisco in 1925. He lived in the Bay Area the rest of his life. Moxom studied at the California School of Fine Art, then received his first commission through the FAP for a sculpture at the Sarah B. Cooper Memorial, Golden Gate Park. His subject matter of a young girl with a cat and a squirrel at her feet seemed appropriate to honor the educational reformer. Moxom later recalled, however, that his inexperience led him to choose a variety of sandstone that was beautifully flesh-colored but “darkened to a bloody red when the water hit it” (McChesney). Moxom’s main artistic contributions to the FAP took the form of murals at what was then called the San Francisco Teachers College (now SF State). Over two years, he created an estimated 10-15 separate murals ranging from a 12’ x 9’ work for a childrens’ library, to various works integrated into a building’s architecture (“Frederic Burk”). Eventually the murals were painted over, until a 2015 restoration project converted 55 Laguna Street into affordable senior housing for the LGBTQ+ community. Moxom also worked at the Hillsborough District School to create a 60 ft. painted mural for its auditorium, depicting the conquistador Juan Bautista De Anza encountering a variety of Native Arts (McChesney; SF Art Ass’n). In later years Moxom studied with the Italian painter Giorgio de Chirico, but he always credited the FAP’s support for young artists: “...some place for a studio, some facilities to make a beginning, some nucleus would permit the painter to live on a restricted budget....It's deadly, competition. Partly because most of us would always lose and those who win might not be the best ones. I mean, God himself couldn't tell what the results are going to be before we've begun” (McChesney). 2 works at the <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=John%20%28Jack%29%20Moxom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://dia.org/collection/verna/55078" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Detroit Museum of Art</a>. 1 work at the <a href="https://www.annexgalleries.com/inventory/detail/AFAE138/John-S-Moxom/Sonia--WPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annex Galleries</a>. 3 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2035/john-s-moxom/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works  Consulted: Mary Fuller McChesney, “Oral History Interview with Hebe Daum Stackpole and Jack Moxom,” 9 Jan. 1965, Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-hebe-daum-stackpole-and-jack-moxom-12293" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; San Francisco Art Association Bulletin 5.9 (April 1939): 2 <a href="https://archive.org/details/casfai_000061/page/n1/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Shelley Caltagirone, Historic Preservation Commission Review of 55 Laguna Street 10 Dec. 2015 <a href="https://commissions.sfplanning.org/hpcpackets/2004.0773E_2012.0033E.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; “Frederic Burk School Notes,” Golden Gator 31 Mar. 1936: 4 <a href="https://archive.org/details/casfuahc_000808/page/3/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> Title A name given to the resource Children Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Moxom, John ("Jack") Swanston, 1913 - 2004 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1337 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.2 MB jpeg, 1.4 MB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Jack Moxom John Moxom lithograph New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/a8d18e7e1df511ad7131d865302d7316.jpg af437d8d7232ba09b990a29d58a960ee https://openvalley.org/files/original/b773cce6db278250a16a9fa22261c394.jpg 0b859fb88fbf8b766535bcba51e42a39 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Oil on canvas painting Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Canvas: 30 1/8 x 24 in. Frame: 36 5/8 x 30 3/4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.4 MB jpeg, 941 KB Title A name given to the resource Snowy Landscape Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Henry, Charles Trumbo (1917 - 1981) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1938 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Copolla, Victoria (description and biography) Cooper, Ken (biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 20641 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource Snowy Landscape depicts farm buildings located in a mountain valley, their grays and reds deeply saturated to attract the viewer's eye. The structures are perhaps slightly simplified, some lacking windows or even doors, and none seems to be the living quarters. (Compare this to Henry’s strikingly similar <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-10-folder-38" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valley Farm</a> [1940] to appreciate the decisions informing this earlier painting.) Henry’s work compels emotion in his audience with the adopted color scheme: besides these snug buildings, the sky’s color has blue tones that do not indicate turbulence but rather a sense of calm. Because the work was produced amid national apprehension, Henry’s rendering of a cold scene implies a certain perseverance needed by the nation through this troubling time. Henry creates depth with the use of rolling hills, fences dividing pastures, and trees in the background behind the house. The foreground’s use of a fence adds even more depth but also a sense of privacy. A subtle use of brown creates contours to the snow; even Henry’s signature follows one such line. Although not created for any specific exhibition location, Snowy Landscape evokes a sense of comfort and connection to nature—especially when compared to the extreme drought and rural bankruptcies across most of 1930s America. This farm scene would have reminded its viewers of home, whether topographically or temporally: a world they’d want to inhabit. About the Artist Charles Trumbo Henry was born in Niagara Falls, NY in 1902. He grew up in Missouri and studied art at the Missouri State Teachers College (today, Truman State University) and the Kansas City Art Institute. Henry moved to New York in the late 1920s to study at the Art Students League, an organization with which he maintained a long connection and leadership role. He was a painter known for his colorful depictions of American landscapes, informed by a regionalist sensibility. “Young painters in New York are going back to their homes in the middle west to paint the country they know,” he wrote in 1933 (“Charles Henry Exhibits”). Henry was employed first by the Public Works of Art Project and then the Federal Art Project, spanning the years 1935 to 1943. He exhibited works in the Whitney Museum in New York City, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, National Academy of Design, and the Carnegie Institute, among other venues. In 1937 Henry was selected to create <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/aspects-american-industrial-scene-mural-study-us-department-labor-washington-dc-35919" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a mural</a> for the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., featuring construction of the Triborough Bridge at Hell Gate.  A year later, he was selected for a project that became <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/landscape-mural-study-cornelia-georgia-post-office-10307" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a mural</a> located in the U.S. post office in Cornelia, GA. That led to an unusual nine-month assignment at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, where he taught art workshops, developed a vocational program, and even consulted on the paint colors for various rooms (“Charles Henry on New Art Projects”). After WWII Henry and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to paint but of economic necessity also became lead fundraiser for a cancer not-for-profit (“Sunday’s Painter”). One review of a 1949 solo show in New York suggested that “Henry keeps his colors low in key, and his delicate gift of factual observation never fails him when the object being looked at is at close hand” (S.P.). 2 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/charles-trumbo-henry-2174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 4 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-10-folder-38" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. Works Consulted: “Charles Henry Exhibits Work in New York,” Kirksville Daily Express 27 Aug. 1933: 4; “Charles Henry on New Art Projects,” Kirksville Daily Express 7 Feb. 1939; “Sunday’s Painter One-Man Show Depicts Landscapes,” Los Angeles Daily News 27 Jan. 1951: 4; S.P., “2 One-Man Shows Mark Art Scene,” New York Times 24 June 1949: 21 <a href="https://nyti.ms/4xdbvIk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> Charles Trumbo Henry Federal Art Project Landscape Art New Deal Gallery painting https://openvalley.org/files/original/3ef9af4305c5d0cdc6ebf39e17d223ed.jpg 783edc212fc58bca09124501385bdb41 https://openvalley.org/files/original/58a44db4d64afb64c547525fe5fa07b6.jpg 4e1e835f7611a5bc883a7bc9f6fa92cf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Woodcut on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Image 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. Framed: 15 x 18 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dangerous Crossing Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.6 MB jpeg, 644 KB Description An account of the resource Abramovitz's woodcut print creates a heavy contrast thanks to it monochrome color scheme. Every etch in this engraving appears to be done with the same tool: fine, intricate lines create every form, figure, and detail in the piece. This approach to engraving gives the print a sketch-like appearance. The background confirms that the setting of this work is placed in a city, with tall buildings and shops taking up the middle ground and background. The focal point of the work is a woman who is crossing the city street--she is walking away from the viewer while simultaneously looking back at us, her head turned and face bearing an expression of wariness. The woman has two children with her, both of whom also look at the viewer: one older child who is holding her hand, and an infant who she is carrying under her arm. Behind them, there is another female figure, but the etching done on her is less intricate than the figures in the foreground, and thus her facial features are impossible to make out. The image feels tense, and for good reason: This image portrays the uncertainty and stress of raising children during the Great Depression, not simply crossing a street. It is a mother’s duty to protect her children, and the woman we see in this painting is doing just that. She appears on edge, with her body language positioned to seem as if she is protecting her children. The scene shows that mothers, even in the face of economic collapse, had the responsibility of both caring for and protecting their children from the adversity of the time. About the Artist Albert Abramovitz was an American painter and printmaker known for his expressive woodcuts and socially conscious imagery. He was born in Riga, Latvia, to a Jewish family. Abramovitz received early artistic training in Odessa before continuing his studies in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. During his time in Europe, he gained recognition by exhibiting at major salons, and he would win the Grand Prize at the 1911 Universal Exposition. He later joined the jury of the Salon d’Automne in 1913. In 1916, Abramovitz immigrated to the United States, where he spent the remainder of his career. He held his first solo exhibition in Manhattan, in 1921, and later lived in Los Angeles before returning to Brooklyn. He produced prints that reflected political and social realities that were topical. An early reviewer wrote of his painting that, “though varied in subject, it is animated by a single high ideal—the earnest search for a higher truth than dwells on the surface of things” (Anderson). His work became more closely associated with the social and economic struggles of the early 20th century, particularly during the Great Depression. Abramovitz worked for the Federal Art Project during this time, specifically under the Graphic Arts Division, creating prints that were social commentaries on the state of the world. Through wood engravings and linocuts, he depicted unemployment, urban hardship, and everyday life, often emphasizing themes of poverty and resilience. His works were often praised for their subtle theming, and at the time, he was considered a master at his craft due to this, as well as for his skill in creating engravings with such fine detailing. His art frequently carried strong emotional and symbolic elements, sometimes addressing disaster, human suffering, and adversity. Abramovitz died in 1963 in New York. Today, he is remembered as an important figure in American printmaking, particularly for his ability to combine technical precision with powerful social commentary. 65 works at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/artists/794/albert-abramovitz/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA Fine Arts Collection</a>. 23 works at <a href="https://brierhillgallery.com/albert-abramovitz-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brier Hill Gallery</a>. 21 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Albert+Abramovitz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 10 works at <a href="https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?page=1&page_size=15&q=Albert+Abramovitz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria and Albert Museum</a>. 8 works at the <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/33107-albert-abramovitz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>.6 works at <a href="https://www.annexgalleries.com/artists/biography/2641/Abramovitz/Albert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Annex Galleries</a>. 2 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/albert-abramovitz-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://spencerart.ku.edu/art/collections-online/artist/15400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spencer Museum of Art</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://benuri.org/artists/38-albert-abramovitz/works/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Uri Gallery and Museum</a>. 4 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-1-folder-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. 6 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/794/albert-abramovitz/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: Who Was Who in American Art, ed. Peter Falk (1985) <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_los-angeles-times_the-los-angeles-times_1925-12-06/page/43/mode/1up?q=%22albert+abramovitz%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Annex Galleries, “Albert Abramovitz” <a href="https://www.annexgalleries.com/artists/biography/2641/Abramovitz/Albert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Antony Anderson, “Albert Abramovitz in Varied Exhibit” (Los Angeles Times 6 Dec. 1925: 43) <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_los-angeles-times_the-los-angeles-times_1925-12-06/page/43/mode/1up?q=%22albert+abramovitz%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Abramovitz, Albert (1879 - 1963) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Papapietro, Isabella (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1066 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Albert Abramovitz Federal Art Project New Deal Gallery woodcut https://openvalley.org/files/original/f5c730ae380fad6bcb3c5641a9bf7cc6.jpg f90b23e5f98e1d3f3223ac2ae251061b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Image: 9 1/2 x 12 in. Frame: 15 x 18 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource News Description An account of the resource A man and a woman are peering at a newspaper. The woman stands behind the seated man as she softly holds his shoulder; by comparison, he grips the newspaper tightly. The print is a high-contrast black-and-white charcoal portrait that uses value and shading to create naturalistic shapes. Anchel creates texture in his piece by changing the direction and pattern of his lines—for example, modeling the shape of a shoulder. The newspaper is extremely bright and stands in star stark contrast to most of the print, making the man appear gloomier and darker. The source of the light could have been coming from a dim floor lamp based on its shadow.  We can infer that Anchel sought to convey intense emotion and deep concern from what is learned in the daily newspaper, probably a common experience during the Great Depression: it was a time when people truly never knew what was coming next.  Another thing to notice is the expression on the couple’s faces, and the way the man’s eyebrows curl in disbelief with a slight frown. The woman also seems distressed, yet calmer, offering support to the man with a kind, soft hand on his shoulder, firm yet comforting. She may be looking at him instead of the page. This body language can be seen as a nod to how women were expected to stay calm and offer emotional support to men, regardless of their own anxieties. Anchel’s print was extremely emotional for its time, acknowledging fears beneath New Deal optimism. About the Artist Anchel Harold Rosenberg was born in 1912 on the lower east side of Manhattan, New York City. He was artistic from a young age, creating many pieces for his mother as a teenager before attending the National Academy of Design, 1930-32. Anchel joined the innovative <a href="https://www.americandanceguild.org/ndghistory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Dance Group</a> in 1932, founded by six Jewish women whose motto became “Dance is a Weapon of the Class Struggle.” He performed in pieces with titles like On the Barricade and Hunger. Anchel joined the WPA in 1937, forced to drop his last name and switch the others since only two family members could apply: thereafter, he was Harold Anchel. He joined as one of the youngest employees at the FAP’s Graphic Arts Division, developing a dramatically composed, high-contrast style for depicting ordinary people in works like “Cafeteria”, “City Playground” and “Summer Afternoon.” His background in dance made him especially sensitive to the power of physical gesture. Anchel also executed at least one work for the FAP’s Index of American Design, entitled “Hitching Post.” In 1943, Anchel was drafted for the Second World War, assigned to paint insignias on buildings and planes. He was later relocated to Walterboro, SC where he utilized puppets to teach camouflage techniques. After WWII his style transformed from stark, black-and-white lithographs to<a href="https://david-anchel.format.com/5754895-40-s-and-50-s-paintings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> abstract paintings</a>. Anchel’s works were exhibited in the Miami Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Riverside Museum in New York throughout the 1960’s. Anchel passed in 1980. 63 works at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/artists/824/harold-anchel/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA Fine Arts Collection</a>. 17 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Harold+Anchel&searchField=ArtistCulture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 2 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/harold-anchel-89" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 6 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-1-folder-25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. 12 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/824/harold-anchel/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Also Anchel Abstracts: Neijna Sculpture Exhibit Opening” Miami Herald 8 Nov. 1959: 121. A special thank you to David Anchel for his website <a href="https://david-anchel.format.com/homepage-gallery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Art of Harold Anchel</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Anchel, Harold (1912-1980) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.8 MB Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Drexler, Nora (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 276 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Great Depression Harold Anchel lithograph New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/f5a6ac000cb4f67b5ea77777cf0d0583.jpg 420c9921a7bf0dfdb48f3da3be57c095 https://openvalley.org/files/original/95329c727508e874e8f8278805ea9523.jpg b0f9f1efd97ac6723040cc0f8880f7ed Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Sheet: 17 3/4 x 23 in. Image: 15 3/4 x 21 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Garden Scene Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.5 MB Description An account of the resource Two women are depicted holding one another, one nude and the other clothed. While the brushstrokes are liberated and cloud the painting, it is obvious there are another two figures in the background observing these women. This addition to the work creates depth and mystery to the subject matter. The lack of color in the print makes the scene appear even more murky and inscrutable. The figures are rendered in a way that is slightly abstracted, yet it is clear to the viewer that they are women. The expressions on the women’s faces are non-expressive and neither one is completely seen by the viewer. The effect is to evoke more allegorical garden scenes, if not Edenic then an encounter between nature and culture. About the Artist Robert Moir was born on 7 Jan. 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a sculptor and lithographer, formally trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, New York University and the Art Students League of New York. Moir worked in the FAP’s Graphic Art Division, where he developed an emotive, expressionist style inflected with abstraction. As a New York Times reviewer wrote of a solo sculpture show, its first impression was “one of energy contained with difficulty within the writing forms. Figure themes are presented in a semi-abstract manner, but their inspiration is emotional rather than purely formal” (Preston). A similar claim might be made of his earlier prints. Moir’s career came to a halt during the 1940s when he was drafted for WWII, then resumed with gallery shows in New York during the 1950s. His sculptures were featured at successive Whitney Bienniels between 1951-56, including <a href="https://archive.org/details/1951annualwhit/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cumulus</a> (1951), The Expanding Universe II (1953), and Desire (1956). His sculpture Mother and Child (1950) is held at the <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/903" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. He died on 11 Feb 1981. 14 graphic works at <a href="https://www.artic.edu/collection?artist_ids=Robert%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Art Institute of Chicago</a>. <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Robert%20B.%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 works at Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 3 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/robert-moir-3373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 7 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2083/robert-moir/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Stuart Preston, “Sculpture Shown in Galleries Here, New York Times 9 Nov. 1951: 25 <a href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/09/81777612.html?pageNumber=25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Moir, Robert (1917 - 1981) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Copolla, Victoria (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1324 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Garden lithograph New Deal Gallery Robert Moir https://openvalley.org/files/original/89bae04856f45c8849ed5abfc7c8f5a1.jpg b64060aaf732bffecd25e1d6d43b8c49 https://openvalley.org/files/original/b784fc5fd869dd9842c92cd58a189b1e.jpg 2fb41782a47d5792cd5c3c31f3ae4f72 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 18 x 13 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Winter Day Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.6 MB jpeg, 2 MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Moir, Robert (1917 - 1981) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description) Coppola, Victoria (biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1327 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource A city street is rendered using a loosely sketched framework of lines and scribbles, overlaid with lithographic shadings and textures. Some of its details, like a cart in the foreground, remain insubstantial and undeveloped. Several human figures are suggested--pulling a cart, standing on a fire escape, talking outside of a tavern, or walking alongside the street--but they remain ciphers. The overwhelming atmosphere of Moir's print is provided by smoke billowing from two large smokestacks, whose tone and texture suffuse the sky, roads, buildings, and even what appears to be a church. Moir sketches out a physical location in the service of an interior emotion: the bleakness of cities at mid-winter. About the Artist Robert Moir was born on 7 Jan. 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a sculptor and lithographer, formally trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, New York University and the Art Students League of New York. Moir worked in the FAP’s Graphic Art Division, where he developed an emotive, expressionist style inflected with abstraction. As a New York Times reviewer wrote of a solo sculpture show, its first impression was “one of energy contained with difficulty within the writing forms. Figure themes are presented in a semi-abstract manner, but their inspiration is emotional rather than purely formal” (Preston). A similar claim might be made of his earlier prints. Moir’s career came to a halt during the 1940s when he was drafted for WWII, then resumed with gallery shows in New York during the 1950s. His sculptures were featured at successive Whitney Bienniels between 1951-56, including <a href="https://archive.org/details/1951annualwhit/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cumulus</a> (1951), The Expanding Universe II (1953), and Desire (1956). His sculpture Mother and Child (1950) is held at the <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/903" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. He died on 11 Feb 1981. 14 graphic works at <a href="https://www.artic.edu/collection?artist_ids=Robert%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Art Institute of Chicago</a>. <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Robert%20B.%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 works at Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 3 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/robert-moir-3373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 7 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2083/robert-moir/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Stuart Preston, “Sculpture Shown in Galleries Here, New York Times 9 Nov. 1951: 25 <a href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/09/81777612.html?pageNumber=25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Federal Art Project lithograph New Deal Gallery Pollution Robert Moir https://openvalley.org/files/original/cc8f1382ca8047ec1bd94d5d9382e808.jpg 6aafc7f5fdfc9c80c7d923aca0e6311b https://openvalley.org/files/original/ad3ad53584ddea18958c56298af48638.jpg 5464c36a85afef43575d6f73c6130b68 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Wood engraving Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Sheet: 9 x 7 1/2 in. Image:6 x 4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ash Heap '19 Westinghouse '39 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.5 MB jpeg, 1MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pont, Charles E[rnest], 1898 - 1971 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1939 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1385 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource This otherworldly woodcut is set in a real-world location: the Corona ash dump in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Originally the site of a proposed new industrial port in the early 20th century, its owner imported trainloads of ash from Manhattan to fill in marshlands—an estimated 50 million cubic yards, averaging thirty feet in height. When that scheme failed and residential housing expanded into the area, it became harder to ignore the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flushing_Meadows%E2%80%93Corona_Park#/media/File:Valley_of_Ashes.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stark contrast</a> between All-American homes and the Corona dump, which was the model for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Valley of the Ashes” in his novel The Great Gatsby (1925). Pont strips away most of the area’s details to create topographic forms with patterned lines, seemingly alive beneath the tiny trains riding over them. The print’s extreme contrast in lighting, especially overhead, creates an apocalyptic tone to the scene. One person in the foreground carries a large bag, perhaps alluding to the removal of encampments (by bulldozers) during a redevelopment program in 1938-39. New York Parks Commissioner Robert Moses created a 900-acre site that included grounds for the 1939 World’s Fair, whose theme was “The World of Tomorrow.” Pont’s title probably alludes to one of the fair’s corporate participants: Westinghouse built a “Hall of Electrical Living” that it called “a forecast of the future as foretold by the industrial and technical developments of today” (Official Guide Book 156). In the hands of the evangelical Pont, however, the promise of technological new ages are built upon the ashes of earlier ones. Compare this woodcut to Pont’s similar <a href="https://digital.wolfsonian.org/node/67481" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corona Ash Dump '29 World's Fair Food Section '39</a>. About the Artist Born in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France, Pont was abandoned by his mother at three months old in New York City and raised by a German immigrant couple. Like many children during those times, he was working by age fifteen in a variety of jobs. A serious illness in 1918—he was given six months to live—led Pont to become a born-again Christian; thereafter, his religious studies and eventual ministries melded with an exceptional artistic talent. As a book jacket described, he “entered into an unusual evangelistic career, drawing scenes and figure groups from the Bible in full color while preaching” (World’s Collision). Pont studied at the Pratt Institute and, as a 35-year-old carpenter and housepainter, won a scholarship at the Art Students League. Most of Pont’s work for the Federal Art Project took the form of woodcut prints, often with nautical subject matter. During this period Pont also was a tireless commercial illustrator whose output ranged from extremely technical diagrams, like Joseph Leeming’s <a href="https://archive.org/details/funwithpaper0000jose/mode/1up?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fun With Paper</a> (1939); to numerous book <a href="https://archive.org/details/expositorynoteso0000litt/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covers</a> for the evangelical minister H.A. Ironside; to more evocative works like Alan Viliers’ <a href="https://archive.org/details/whalersofmidnigh0000alan/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whalers of the Midnight Sun</a> (1936). This last title stands in for many illustrations for maritime-themed books, often for younger readers. Pont himself published an intriguing synthesis of theology, speculative architecture, and illustration called <a href="https://archive.org/details/tabernaclealphab0000char/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tabernacle Alphabet</a> (1946). In later years he moved to Wilton, CT living in a home he himself had constructed. He passed away in 1971.11 works at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Charles%20E.%20Pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/charles-e-pont-3834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 16 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Charles+Ernest+Pont&searchField=ArtistCulture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/33895-charles-ernest-pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>. 3 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-18-folder-31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. 14 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2183/charles-ernest-pont/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: Official Guide Book, New York World’s Fair 1939. Exposition Publications, 1939 <a href="https://archive.org/details/1939-nyworlds-fair-official-guidebook/page/156/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Charles E. Pont, The World’s Collision (W.A. Wilde, 1956); “Charles E. Pont,” Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_E._Pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> 1939 World's Fair Charles E. Pont Corona Ash Dump Engraving Federal Art Project New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/325c9ed9760e8f2a6bbcd5cd004ddb1b.jpg c9ab0b76cfafe13a686a201fd8390b0c https://openvalley.org/files/original/4334b64b8afc7f06eeac6f567b63db95.jpg e9bea7a9febbba1e86ea476c3823de4c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 11-1/4 x 15-3/4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bridge Worker No. 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Murphy, Arthur G. (1906 - 1991) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photographer) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Item #FA 1349 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource This lithograph is one of several prints in Murphy’s “Bridge Worker” series in 1935, which was followed by a “Steel Riggers” series in 1936. The subject matter of both is construction of the Golden Gate Bridge whose active phase began in 1933 and was completed in 1938—one of the New Deal’s most famous infrastructure projects (see a collection of historical photos <a href="https://calisphere.org/collections/8624/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>). Virtually all of Murphy’s prints link the physical strength of men to their collective, nearly heroic, accomplishments; in this, the artist was like many others in mythicizing modern industry. Murphy’s lithograph, however, also explores an uncanny valley: the worker’s back muscles and legs are massive, so much so that his clothes barely can contain them. Wisps of torn fabric are mirrored by strands of hair, giving the worker a pre-human quality (or later in the later 20th century, suggesting the Marvel Comics character <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_(comic_book)#/media/File:Talestoastonish60.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Incredible Hulk</a>). Was industrial society so harshly divided into scientific brains and laboring brawn? Besides a strand of steel cable, there is little social context to the individual figure here: no co-workers or suggestions of specialized knowledge. To some extent, Murphy’s <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artworks/149156-steel-riggers-no-5-bay-bridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Steel Rigger”</a> series remediates that lack, although again their bodies are somewhat fetishized. About the Artist  Arthur Murphy was born in Tiffin, OH, later crediting aimless walks through its woodlands for teaching him how to see as an artist (Robinson). After graduation he moved to Cleveland and began work in the art department of the Central Press Association, meanwhile taking classes at the Cleveland School of Art. In 1927 Murphy relocated to New York, continuing his studies at the Art Students League with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boardman_Robinson">Boardman Robinson</a>. In 1930 Murphy took “one hell of a gamble” and left his illustrator job at the Associated Press—this during the Great Depression—to become a painter (Burkholder). He traveled West with virtually no money, riding trains with other hoboes and sketching scenery. Eventually, he settled in San Francisco, met the influential Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, and became a well-regarded painter, printmaker, and muralist. Murphy’s unconventional life path and choices of subject matter led a reviewer to remark in 1933:  “His story interests because it reveals how an artist grows up in America today, what it feels like to be an artist and what hardships may be cheerfully endured by one who feels the need to create” (Millier). All of Murphy’s work for the FAP dates to this period, nearly a hundred individual prints: series of lithographs showing steel riggers at work building the new Golden Gate Bridge; Ballet Russe dancers traveling through the city; rurally themed prints of cowboys, horses, and rodeos. “I can’t stand total realism,” he claimed, but as later critics suggested it was more a matter of matching at times wildly different styles to his wide-ranging subject matter (Cotter). After several exhibitions under the auspices of the FAP, in 1941 the San Francisco Museum of Art staged a solo show of Murphys’s considerable output. He was drafted into the Army, in 1943, as a combat artist in the Pacific. Murphy was an eyewitness to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf">Battle of Leyte Gulf</a> (1944), the largest naval battle of WWII, and on land recorded war atrocities through his drawings. Years later, he still was drawing those scenes from memory. Murphy returned to the US married to an Australian partner, settled in Old Saybroook, CT, and continued with his painting supplemented by income as an art teacher. During the mid-1960s, he was instrumental in forming the Old Saybrook Artists Association, supporting others until his death in 1991. 33 works at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Arthur%20Murphy">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 25 works at <a href="https://www.moma.org/artists/45861-arthur-murphy">MoMA</a>. 25 works at <a href="https://dia.org/search/collection?keys=arthur%20murphy">Detroit Institute of Arts</a>. 10 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/33826-arthur-george-murphy">National Gallery of Art</a>. 2 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/arthur-murphy-3464">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/4067">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. 119 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/1862/arthur-g-murphy/objects/images?page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: Arthur Millier, “Comfort and Security Mean Nothing to Creative Artist,” Los Angeles Times 10 Sep. 1933: 26; Kenton Robinson, “He Began To Draw, Then To See,” Hartford Courant 27 Dec. 1981: 23+; Steve Burkholder, “At 80, Artist Finds New Challenges in Early Subjects,” Hartford Courant 24 Jan. 1986: 56; Holland Cotter, “A Wanderer With an Eye For Textures of His Time,” New York Times 10 Sep 1993: 73 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/10/arts/review-art-a-wanderer-with-an-eye-for-textures-of-his-time.html">Link</a>. Arthur G. Murphy Federal Art Project industrialization lithograph New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/647091752be8a76b691c3157d41f6025.jpg 5acabb1d6e0c482e627c30ab7f3cc1e1 https://openvalley.org/files/original/a0735f59460ac1cd77f853cd5358b38b.jpg 619c09e02fe99d7ac7e3f39a9e6bb7ec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Oil on canvas painting Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Canvas: 35 x 28 1/2 in. Frame: 41 x 34 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource House by the Water Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.9 MB jpeg, 1.4 MB Description An account of the resource Note: title was given by General Services Administration for the purposes of labeling; Noble's orignal title is unknown We see a house beside a calm body of water, bordered by trees and shoreline. Noble emphasizes tranquility and stability by placing the house in the midground, where it reflects softly in the water’s natural light. A curved walkway makes the painting fascinating, since it leads to small boats that symbolize a quiet waterway to escape from the modern noise. Industrialization is deliberately avoided in the painting, emphasizing a quieter and more traditional rural setting. Earthy greens, browns, and muted blues are used in the palette to create a quiet rural atmosphere. The brushwork is controlled in the foliage and water, giving the scene a calm, deliberate quality. Loose strokes appear as well, but they do not disrupt the overall stillness. The house is rendered with firmer lines, grounding the composition and emphasizing the theme of shelter and domestic security. Painted during the Great Depression, the work reflects a period of economic crisis that encouraged Americans to view the landscape as a site of resilience. Noble’s viewers feel a sense of stability since they are seeing an idealized home that’s connected to nature. Its placement in a public collection aligns with the New Deal’s goals of making art accessible and uplifting everyday Americans. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Noble, Carl E. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Taylor, Nadia (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 821 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Carl E. Noble Federal Arts Project New Deal Museum painting