3 10 261 https://openvalley.org/files/original/06d0b5b794d6e608f8e0a1b1a17b8f66.jpg 5043a8a79e61ed0a0ad6efc40a15c50f https://openvalley.org/files/original/9763db64a1c1c788b71115008d02229d.jpg 362ee2ddb27b89b64a7458c0824a2feb 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: 12.5 x 9.75 in. Sheet: 16 x 11.5 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 Cliffs by the Sea Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.2 MB jpeg, 2.1 MB Description An account of the resource About the Artist Born Mabel Jacque Williamson in Cincinnati, OH, Dwight was one of the more controversial and prolific lithographers of her time. She studied painting at the Hopkins School of Art in San Francisco, CA in her twenties, travelling to Paris, Egypt, India, and other destinations after her studies. She married Eugene Higgins in 1906 before divorcing in 1921, when she changed her last name to Dwight (for reasons unknown). Even before making art full time, she had become a champion of socialist art and ideals, inspired by her time in college. “I was born with a hatred for the duality of poverty and riches,” she recalled. In 1926, at the age of fifty, Dwight began making her first lithographs and by 1928 her work was displayed at the Weyhe Gallery in New York City. Dwight’s main subjects were the ordinary residents of New York City, depicting their lives during 1920s opulence and then the Great Depression. Dwight’s lithographs offered an unflinching, documentary view that was suffused with social commentary. As she later explained, “There are always artists who cannot be satisfied with the credo of art for art’s sake. They must tell stories, express opinions, and ‘take sides’” (“Satire in Art” 151). Dwight observed, however, that the great satirists like William Hogarth rarely made use of “arbitrary distortion,” and her lithographs usually had realistic and inclusive features—such as rounded forms and subtle lighting—that create unity among its subjects. Dwight brought complex social issues to an accessible medium with subtlety and artistic integrity. Dwight was employed by the Federal Art Project (1935-1939) and was a member of the American Artists’ Congress, which championed socialist policies and promoted artists’ rights. By the end of her career in 1941, she had created more than a hundred lithographs collected at a variety of museums and universities. 27 works at <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/388" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. 19 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=%22mabel+dwight%22&offset=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 20 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/search/artworks?content_type=artwork&persons%5b%5d=2611" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 23 works at <a href="https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/mabel-dwight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amon Carter Museum</a>. 20 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/6498-mabel-dwight/artworks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>. 10 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-6-folder-37" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. Works Consulted:Mabel Dwight, “Satire in Art," in Art for the Millions: Essays from the 1930s by Artists and Administrators of the WPA Federal Art Project, ed. Francis V. O'Connor (1973) <a href="https://archive.org/details/artformillionses00ocon/page/151/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; David Herman. “Mabel Dwight: Art as a Living Influence on the World,” Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (2026) <a href="https://www.villagepreservation.org/2026/03/18/mabel-dwight-art-as-a-living-influence-on-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Library of Congress, Life of the People: Realist Prints and Drawings from the Ben and Beatrice Goldstein collection, 1912-1948 (1999) <a href="https://archive.org/details/lifeofpeoplereal0000unse/mode/2up?q=%22mabel+dwight%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwight, Mabel (1876-1955) 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 Scamardo, Sam (biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1195 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project lithograph Mabel Dwight New Deal Museum Nude https://openvalley.org/files/original/75cadfc8f69db685424fc880eb5b3cb9.jpg 5d165e652c5d326495677a61f18f9d12 https://openvalley.org/files/original/b2e3ccc8330428115fe4a8118ccecd14.jpg 3cfd796f1c4b867963ccf442880bc17c 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 on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 5.5 x 7 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 Figure Subject Description An account of the resource Figure Subject is a print that showcases a nude woman looking off as she rests her arms and stands on a windy brick ground, barefoot. Wiltz plays with perspective by not having the road directly lead to the background--he even has the supposed ground blend in with a bridge. The woman’s body is split into muscle-group areas, creating distinct differences in different parts of her body. She is leaning on what looks like a wood structure, like a table, until you look closer and realize that it is stacked steel beams with a birdcage-like structure in front of it, creating the illusion. The print is composed in black and white, which seems to highlight the mundanity that is juxtaposed with the nude woman in a public space--which isn’t quite a real spot--and evokes how mass industrialization must felt. Public spaces were becoming unrecognizable. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 803 KB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wiltz, Arnold (1889 - 1937) 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 1936 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Loucks, Paige (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1581 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Arnold Wiltz Federal Art Project lithograph New Deal Museum Nude https://openvalley.org/files/original/79c83d47a9ac4368b796e822eb684cde.jpg afb7fa8e29f36d4bc8678b0f2f58b00f https://openvalley.org/files/original/2f8e9ab0ee0f7a228008dabef453aaf4.jpg 5c923118ea8c6e42b5a1f92e09a51376 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 painting on canvas Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 26 x 20 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 Green Mountain Village Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.8 MB jpeg, 969 KB Description An account of the resource A gray sky overlooks the main street of a small mountain town, rendered by Prestipino with flat shapes and minimal shading. The unrealistic proportions and perspective in the painting give the image a visual appearance that evokes American folk art, which employs similar formal techniques. In the village, several old men and a few young women with an infant are gathered. In the middle of the painting is a building with a prominent clock tower topped in goldwork, perhaps the town’s city hall. A tiny figure can be made out working on the side of the tower. Behind the town hall are a few buildings which appear to be mixed use for residential and commercial purposes. On the far left side of the painting, a man sits on a rocking chair on the porch of a house which also sports an oval blue “Ford” sign, the sole source of ‘branding’ in the image.A heavy-set man stands facing away from the viewer in the bottom center of the painting, his large posterior on prominent display. Perhaps the proximity of the substantial buttocks in the composition to the state building presents some sort of sly political commentary on Prestipino’s part? About the Artist Gregorio Prestipino was born in 1907 to Sicilian immigrants Antonino Prestopino and Letteria Rando, who raised the boy in Little Italy in New York City. Prestipino’s career in the arts was kickstarted when he received a scholarship to the National Academy of Design in New York. At this renowned institution, the burgeoning painter had the opportunity to study under the guidance of portrait and genre painter  C.W. Hawthorne. Drawing from the works of 16th-century artist Pieter Bruegel as well as contemporary urban scenes he observed in Manhattan and Harlem, Prestipino created social realist paintings with a cubist influence that depicted, in the words of historian Irma B. Jaff, “the human condition with a warmth tempered only by honesty." A series of paintings depicting scenes from a New York State prison was featured in Life magazine in 1954, a major achievement for Prestipino. The same year, Prestipino served as the director of the MacDowell Colony - America’s first artist-in-residence program, located in Peterborough, New Hampshire. In recognition for his body of work, Prestipino was awarded the Rome Prize in 1972, which allowed him to further his studies with a residency at the American Academy in Rome. In addition to the serious topics he tackled, Prestipino also produced fanciful paintings and illustrations for children; his 1937 mural work depicting Mother Goose rhymes adorned the Infant Pavillion of the Welfare Island hospital in New York, and he provided whimsical illustrations for the 1968 picture book The Reluctant Dragon. Gregorio Prestinio passed away in 1984 at the age of 77. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Prestopino, Gregorio, 1907 - 1984 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 1936 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Casey, Meaghan (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 403 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Gregorio Prestopino New Deal Museum painting Vermont https://openvalley.org/files/original/541301d3a77e08152d6a3ac5f2229df9.jpg fca3395af129292b3613945e9ed13360 https://openvalley.org/files/original/008588f1454011311b620e3969bc8cb3.jpg a7a70632703c69d6cee5802b12aa57af 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 Image: 8 x 6 1/2 in. Sheet: 11 1/2 x 8 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, 990 KB jpeg, 996 KB Title A name given to the resource Cumberland Checkers Description An account of the resource About the Artist: Born in Milwaukee, WI, Schardt studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and then the Art Students League in New York. His works were exhibited at the Federal Gallery and the Municipal Art Gallery. Beginning in the 1935 Schardt began working for the Federal Art Project in a variety of roles: printmaker, allocations administrator, facilitator in the Poster Division; he oversaw the WPA demonstration exhibits at the 1939 World’s Fair. During this period Schardt and his wife, the WPA artist Nene Vibber, shared a flat with Jackson Pollock. Schardt’s background in printmaking and administrative capacities often extended beyond the galleries. In the late 1930s and early ‘40s he worked for the National Youth Administration (NYA) at its Art Production Unit, where students learned about commercial art while creating posters for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and military recruiters (“NYA Youth”). After World War II, his friend Jackson Pollock mentions Schardt working at “silkscreen printing (cosmetics) on a big skale [sic]” (Savig 192). He also continued to mentor young artists via lessons at the Brooklyn Musuem. 4 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/bernard-schardt-4288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.33966.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>. 1 work at Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2 works at the Brooklyn Museum. 3 more images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-20-folder-29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. Sources Consulted: University of Michigan Museum of Art, The Federal Art Project : American Prints from the 1930s in the Collection of the University of Michigan Museum of Art (University of Michigan Museum of Art, 1985); “NYA Youths Design Air Corps Posters,” Brooklyn Eagle 24 Aug. 1941: 6A; Mary Savig, ed., Pen to Paper: Artists’ Handwritten Letters from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art (Princeton Architectural Press, 2016). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Schardt, Bernard P., 1904-1979 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 1935-1942 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1490 Bernard P. Schardt Federal Art Project Games New Deal Gallery woodcut https://openvalley.org/files/original/5559f06ffe501f669c4589dea2857f25.jpg 0ea93acdc96a1249711a9106af00275c https://openvalley.org/files/original/ebf1c36229fba985086ea98664eeac09.jpg b13a4156330c6133d73bb2952a7bb7c2 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: 10.5 x 12.5 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 City Playground Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Anchel, Harold (1912-1980) 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 Harris, Ariana (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Federal Art Project Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.5 MB jpeg, 628 KB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource Anchel’s lithograph is a perceptive depiction of an urban recreational space, which has numerous activities occurring around its focal point that create a dynamic of movement and energy. In the distance, tall buildings provide the backdrop for a playground constructed under elevated train tracks; a similarly curving fence encloses it. In the foreground, metal supports of a swing set contain most of the figures within a triangular frame, except for a girl in another triangle. The three closest children are in the midst of physical actions; two others observe them from the shadowy background. At first it might look like “playing games,” except that the larger boy running toward the swing seems to alarm the younger children—perhaps he means to take it for himself. Anchel’s print creates a momentary stage that organizes its meaning based on where individuals are located: in a city, there are almost always spectators and small dramas, even among children. children Federal Art Project Harold Anchel lithograph New Deal Museum new york city https://openvalley.org/files/original/a9d86eb1d69ec3f0b0ae32f4c68741a3.jpg 5593028fdba7e3b9853c3fe022926b3f https://openvalley.org/files/original/4578d2d96e0347e2363725dea11c7ae7.jpg bb624b911efe161830552f0d07b60e11 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 Print lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 11-1/2" x 16 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, 1.9 MB jpeg, 1.1 MB Title A name given to the resource Ballet Dancer No. 4 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Murphy, Arthur G. 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1342 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Arthur G. Murphy Dancing Federal Art Project lithograph New Deal Museum https://openvalley.org/files/original/58e6956a20434b81ee805911dddf9f7b.jpg d307b0fda38d26606f01ec04b1340a47 https://openvalley.org/files/original/e26817e5cf15e6d14d61c47d89471ac9.jpg 72bb55e60a734c6ebc6f85348c36ee1c 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 Iage: 4 x 5 in. Sheet: 8 3/4 x 11 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/. Title A name given to the resource Monsters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Becker, Frederick G. 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1117 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.2 MB jpeg, 635 KB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Frederick G. Becker lithograph Music New Deal Museum https://openvalley.org/files/original/7ad39e4916dddb2172c38734596d051f.jpg 07489431445bb078b497d1e871f2d1df https://openvalley.org/files/original/8bc336c5bcc26cdf717a08a0fbfee6a9.jpg cab449bb51e6cd5254d48652ba17e95a 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 15-3/4 x 20-1/4 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 The Postman Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Zilzer, Gyula 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1593 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.7 MB jpeg, 1.7 MB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Gyula Zilzer lithograph Music New Deal Museum https://openvalley.org/files/original/f102dcc31b9e61c953a531da60c072bf.jpg 76bd63ece46ddd47945655076aa55808 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 Image: 27.5 x 20.5 in. Frame: 35 x 28 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 Mending Nets Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Emerson, Sybil Davis (1892-1980) 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 Lay, Giavanna (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1504 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.3 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Description An account of the resource A group of men works together, repairing at least two nets used to catch fish. All the men in this painting are either bent over or facing away from the viewer. Very little individual detail is shown. It seems that the fishermen are in a rural area—although given Emerson’s life experiences, that might be coastal Massachusetts; Normandy, France; or Long Island, NY. There is only one building in sight, which looks to be a work shed most likely where the nets are stored. The men are all in a similar type of clothing; nothing in their body language tells us whether they are happy or upset at what they’re doing. It’s what must be done, a boring task but one that allows them to survive. It may be the only thing that allows them to do so. Emerson opens up a lot of space to be shown in this painting, displaying the isolation many rural Americans felt and how far away they were physically from receiving any immediate help. Only a telephone or telegraph line, strung along unmilled tree trunks, hints at any connection beyond their locale. The stark topography and Emerson’s narrow range of browns and green implies that they have no one else to rely upon but themselves. About the Artist Sybil Davis Emerson was a painter, sculptor, muralist, fabric artist, and teacher, born in Worcester, Massachusetts on April 4th, 1892. In 1910 she graduated from Ohio State University and later she studied at the Art Students League in New York and Academie Falguière. For a time she lived in California, where she was working as a teacher at Lowell High School and an artist. She exhibited at the San Francisco Art Association in 1924, winning 1st place. Meanwhile, she developed project ideas for art teachers (<a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_school-arts_1920-09_20_1/page/42/mode/1up">1</a>, <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_school-arts_1921-11_21_3/page/n54/mode/1up">2</a>, <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_school-arts_1922-05_21_9/page/n35/mode/2up">3</a>) while contributing <a href="https://archive.org/details/new-justice_1919-11_1_16/page/7/mode/1up">political cartoons</a> to the socialist monthly New Justice. In the 1930s Emerson moved to New York where she exhibited at the Midtown Galleries and the Morton Gallery. It was during this time that she wrote and illustrated the children’s books <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951000782335b&seq=10">Jaques at the Window</a> (1936) and <a href="https://archive.org/details/pigeonhouseinn0000sybi/mode/1up">Pigeon House Inn</a> (1939), drawing upon her summers spent in Normandy as a child and murals that she later created in classrooms there. In 1942 Emerson was hired by the Pennsylvania State College (today, a university) as a professor of art education and home economics. As a woman artist, she grappled with the contradictions implied by that job title and recognized that amidst reconstruction after WWII “there is grave danger of overemphasis of the mechanical aspects of education and a need for greater consideration of the spiritual development of our young people” (“Problems”). Emerson went on to write and illustrate a well-regarded textbook titled <a href="https://archive.org/details/designcreativeap0000emer/page/n7/mode/1up">Design: A Creative Approach</a> (1953). Emerson later moved back to California where she taught summer courses at the University of Southern California and at the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. Throughout her life she exhibited at numerous galleries and museums in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Albany, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. Emerson would later retire to McMinnville, Oregon in 1959 where she spent the remainder of her days until her death on September 15, 1980. 4 works at <a href="https://palmer.emuseum.com/people/1057/sybil-davis-emerson/objects">Palmer Museum of Art</a>. 15 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-6-folder-50">FAP</a>. Works Consulted: “Sybil Davis Emerson,” Traditional Fine Arts Organization <a href="https://tfaoi.org/cm/10cm/10cm115.pdf">Link</a>; Sybil Emerson, short autobiography in Bertha E. Mahoney, et al., Illustrators of Children’s Books, 1744-1945 (1947): 306 <a href="https://archive.org/details/illustratorsofch0000horn/page/306/mode/1up">Link</a>; Sybil Emerson, “Problems in Teaching Art” (Journal of Home Economics Dec. 1945: 615-617) <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_journal-of-family-and-consumer-sciences_1945-12_37_10/page/614/mode/1up">Link</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project fishermen New Deal Museum painting Sybil Davis Emerson Sybil Emerson https://openvalley.org/files/original/26883369101cb2fea842c471a7347b9f.png 9741ef1ba16adf2b281d6a26d45617d4 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 Poster Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 18 x 24 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 A Painting's Work is Never Done Description An account of the resource Promotional poster created for a May 2026 exhibition, added to OpenValley as artwork for the <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/a-painting-s-work-is-never-don/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landing page</a> of a five-part exhibit. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Theel, Rose Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available New Deal Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2026-05-08 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Theel, Rose Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource png, 5.6 MB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project New Deal Gallery Poster