7 10 295 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 Description An account of the resource In Monsters, white contour lines curve around humanoid figures. One figure is leaf shaped, stretching from the print’s top left corner to the bottom right. This leaf resembles a human face, with eyes, eyebrows, and even forehead lines at the top, a nose in the middle, and beneath it a mustache and mouth. The mouth looks like a leaf as well, its veins resembling cracked lips. Next to the figure is a drum set, where a tree branch extends up towards its ear. The natural element of this print continues with the second figure, who has a tree trunk for a neck, twisted branches stretching upwards. One of the branches has a snake head attached to it, and its forked tongue reaches out to the bass being strummed by the same figure’s large hand. This tree-person also wears a suit and tie like a proper jazz musician. They’re supported by two spindly hands for feet. 32 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/926/frederick-g-becker/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Derrell, Emma (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) 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 Description An account of the resource In The Postman, a seated man and his instrument take up most of the print. His clothes indicate that he is, indeed, a postman, but his identity as a musician comes first here. His instrument appears to be almost the size of his upper body, and it covers up most of his torso. The detailed hatching on his instrument creates shadows that draw further attention to it, especially in comparison to the lighter, less detailed background. The use of perspective in the background feels a bit warped as well, with the floorboards tilting left but the closet turned toward the right. This off-balanced room draws even more focus to the carefully illustrated postman/musician himself. 11 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2695/gyula-zilzer/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>.  Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Derrell, Emma (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) 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 https://openvalley.org/files/original/ffc26dc648fb565efc9f0902061ecb73.jpg 3ce769b9ab397a274a58fa8f808389fa https://openvalley.org/files/original/ea506b94a518a7dd392040a7dd5a3b37.jpg 0b6c4c5ffd2036609749263f1d73c4b0 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 Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Canvas: 29 1/2 x 23 1/2  Frame:  37 1/4 x 31 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 Bronx River and County Center, White Plains Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Worrall, W[illiam] H[enry], 1860-1939 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 Nicaj, Angelea (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 815 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Description An account of the resource Bronx River and County Center, White Plains is a scenic oil painting overlooking the eponymous landmarks the title suggests. Jumping past the absence of a foreground into the middle ground, half of the painting’s composition is taken up by billowing, soft trees to the left. To the right, in the distant background, lies the skyline of White Plains. Worrall uses the rule of thirds to divide existing nature and excavation of it for this city-adjacent community. Lying at the lower third of the painting is the Bronx River, reflecting both the closer, taller building and the trees in its clear, blue water. Above it is an even brighter sky from a cloudy sky, blanketing the painting in a comforting negative space. The painting has approached the scene with a unique tenderness, especially in the motion and texture of the trees, water, and grass. Color is used sparingly, Worrall limiting his palette to a selection of cool tones and a variation of green and blue. Much of the contrast is in the shadow cast by the trees, whereas the rest of the painting relies on midtones, achieving an overall calming, serene landscape just barely out of reach. About the Artist W.H. Worrall, born William Henry Worrall in Poughkeepsie, NY, was an American painter who spent brief moments in the limelight. Little is known about him, although his work was exhibited at the New York State Historical Association at Ticonderoga on June 13th, 1935, where an apparent series of his works depicting domestic labor tools, including cheese-making, spinning and weaving, and candle-making were displayed. This seems to be the only record of his exhibitions, although he worked as a professional illustrator, including projects like William H. Carson’s novel <a href="https://archive.org/details/fool00cars/page/n8/mode/thumb?q=%22w+h+worrall%22">The Fool</a> (1902) and drawings for <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_field-stream_1901-01_5_12/mode/1up?q=%22w+h+worrall%22">Field and Stream</a>. His activities outside of art are captured on news articles, such as The Lake Placid News and The Adirondack Record, covering some of his life interests. He was a man who loved the outdoors and was active in several communities, drawing open-air scenes and often credited for participation in conventions for young working men, like the YMCA and Rochester Public Health Association. His was the first individual contribution to the Daily Reporter’s Summer Camp Fund, funding several boys’ outdoor experiences. As far as education, Worrall attended the Art Students League. Despite his obscurity, his death was noted in The New York Times, where he was referred to as a widowed water-color artist who favored landscapes. Like his grandfather William Henry Worrall, a pioneer settler of Poughkeepsie with whom he shared a name, this painter was a lover of the Hudson Valley. He passed away at White Plains Hospital from a heart ailment on October 8th, 1939. Works Consulted: “Water-Color Landscape Artist of White Plains Was 79” (New York Times 8 Oct. 1939: 49); W.H. Worrall, “But Now the Pack Are Upon Him” (Field and Stream Jan. 1901: 721) <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_field-stream_1901-01_5_12/page/721/mode/1up">Link</a>; William Henry Carson, The Fool (1902) <a href="https://archive.org/details/fool00cars/page/n8/mode/1up">Link</a>. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project New Deal Museum Painter W.H. Worrall https://openvalley.org/files/original/60eb7e04c296f2a7d5091e3480d7c57d.jpg 4421116368f20085a1aa47846e2dafb1 https://openvalley.org/files/original/5932d6c9d6436e718651c21df73f3d06.jpg 1e806769ea169d39fdda02bfd8f4b04a 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: 11 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. Frame: 18 x 15 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 I Am an American Description An account of the resource A Black man in an all-black suit, paired with a top hat just off center in the foreground of the image, pushes a loaded cart down what seems to be an alley. The cart sports two miniature American flags at the end, and the three-wheeled wagon’s path points perpendicular to the road and directly toward the audience, suggesting an unstable control over the man’s own belongings. There are too many obstacles--even the piece’s heavily imbued texture works to visually chip away at the man’s effort--but despite the difficulties, the title suggests this stubborn man persists, perhaps commenting on the “true American” qualities of the working class. He pays no mind to the only other person in the image, a crouched homeless woman who sits outside a small domicile, just behind the American. Perhaps Steth is paradoxically noting the “rugged individualism” mentality that comes with perceived American success. From his shaggy, worn coat, to his asymmetrical top hat, down to his patriotic display, he remains diligent about appearances. He wheels his cart down the uneven, textured path of the road, heaving his body forward in an asymmetrical tilt to gain leverage. The contrast in the man’s suit and his environment centers him and further brings to light his futile action. Neither suit nor patriotic homages will grant him a place in the eyes of America’s racial majority. About the Artist Raymond Steth was an African American graphic artist born into a working-class farming family in Norfolk, Virginia before moving to Pennsylvania. He spent much of his childhood in North Carolina, where he worked on the farm his uncle sharecropped. In 1938, he began working for the graphics division of the Federal Art Project, where he shared a studio with colleague <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Clark">Claude Clark</a>, one of several artists Steth worked and exhibited alongside of. This allowed him the experience to work as a professional artist; he later furthered his education by attending the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1941 and the Barnes Foundation in 1942. While working for the W.P.A., Steth made social realist prints and drawings depicting labor, poverty, and culture all intersecting with the Black experience in America. As in his lithograph <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/objects/46659?keyword=Memberships" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I Am an American</a>, he can be seen both sympathetically and ironically depicting the abundant life and struggles of African American communities. <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/372049" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apostolic</a>, another lithograph, illustrates a lively room of black people rejoicing and praying, depicting, or even mocking, the importance of faith in African American identity, while highlighting communal uplifting and joy. <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/heaven-mule-23025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heaven on a Mule</a> is a scene of an impoverished family’s encounter with angels, commenting on how although religion may offer this family solace, it alone cannot change their circumstances. Fittingly, he was raised under the Pentecostal faith, being told by his mother and especially his aunt--who was an active participant and official at their church--that he could someday become great if he did as they told, went to church, and prayed. His works were exhibited at the Library of Congress in 1940, the South Side Community Art Center in Chicago in 1941, and Fort Huachuca in Arizona in 1943. Some of Steth’s prints were given to the Philadelphia Free Public Library in 1941, recognizing his usage of the carborundum print process invented by fellow Black artist, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dox_Thrash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dox Thrash</a>, that allowed for wider range and texture of tones in black and white, and thus depiction of varying black skin. Steth was the first to use the double print method for making color prints on a burnished plate. Steth also founded and directed the Philographic School of Art in 1948. Whether Steth remained religious in his later years as his family members advised, he certainly became an influential American artist in his time. 14 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/372052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 14 works at the <a href="https://collections.newarkmuseumart.org/search/steth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newark Museum of Art</a>. 8 at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Raymond%20Steth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 6 at <a href="https://www.slam.org/collection/constituents/2816/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saint Louis Art Museum</a>. 2 works at the <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/34307-raymond-steth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>. Works Consulted: “Art Exhibit Comes to Philly,” The Villanovan (16 Feb 1990: 21) <a href="https://archive.org/details/villanovan65_01_reel01/page/n259/mode/1up?q=%22raymond+steth%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; “New Carborundum Print Process,” New York Age 1940 (Tuskegee Institute News Clippings) <a href="https://archive.org/details/per_tuskegee-institute-news-clippings-file_inventions_1940/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22raymond+steth%22." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Jerry Wood, “A New Print Process” (The Crisis Dec. 1940: 379+) <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_crisis_the-crisis_1940-12_47_12/page/378/mode/1up?q=%22raymond+steth%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Synatra Smith, “Raymond Steth” (Philadelphia Museum of Art 14 April 2022) <a href="https://philamuseum.libguides.com/blog/Raymond-Steth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Marge Kline, “Clip of Oral History Interview With Raymond Steth” (Archives of American Art 28 April 1990) <a href="https://collections.si.edu/search/detail/edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_213643?q=steth%2C+raymond&record=4&hlterm=steth%2C%2Braymond." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Lowery Stokes Sims, “Artists for Victory and the WPA at the Met: Catalytic Acquisitions of Work by African American Artists in the Early 1940s (115-121 in Denise Murrell, The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism, 2024) <a href="https://archive.org/details/the-harlem-renaissance-and-transatlantic-modernism/page/114/mode/1up?q=%22raymond+steth%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steth, Raymond (1917-1997) 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 Nicaj, Angelea (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 1514 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.1 MB jpeg, 892 KB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image African American Federal Art Project Great Depression lithograph Raymond Steth https://openvalley.org/files/original/8a5585bb8bfe612d3d0071f74da39610.jpg bdc1e421b738e3c2a54fe45befac35c1 https://openvalley.org/files/original/023df2ac26c9eceffc2815ba75efdb57.jpg 7896f5a007cbd3d4ad914d1155d94ded 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 Window: 10 1/4 × 12 1/2 in Sheet: 11 3/8 × 15 7/8 in. Mat: 18 × 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/. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.9 MB jpeg, 925 KB Title A name given to the resource Garment Workers Description An account of the resource Blacks and grays are used to create a scene of women working in a factory at sewing machines. Birkin uses this monochrome palette to create a sense of weariness: no light comes in through the dark windows, leaving miserly electric lights inside to shine down on the employees and their work. This dramatic disparity in lighting gives us the impression that they have spent hours inside the factory to earn what they can. Despite a feeling of weariness that the darkness conjures, there is also a strange calmness to the print, despite what would be a noisy and hectic factory. A grid of electric cords separates viewers from the workers, almost like looking in through a window. There is also a separation of the workers as well, through these wires as well as the lighting. We pick out individual workers and see them separately, rather than as a connected unit. While it's dark outside, the women do not seem to be panicked or worried about the passing time. They are calmly and stoically doing the work that needs to be done. About the Artist Born in Philadelphia, PA, Birkin was a talented artist who created pieces in many different styles and mediums. His studies kept him near home during the 1930s, learning first at the Fleischer Memorial Graphic Sketch Club for six years before attending the Philadelphia Museum College of Art. This education gave him a solid foundation in muralism, drawing, and painting; by 1939 he was exhibiting his tempera painting, Cotton Pickers, at the New York World’s Fair. Birkin was employed by the Federal Arts Project between 1940 and 1942. He worked in watercolors, oils, and prints, exhibiting mostly in the Philadelphia area: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Free Library, United Artists Gallery, Civic Theater, and various private galleries. Birkin also designed and painted several murals—at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Fort Meade, MD; at the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens; and one entitled “Juarez and Lincoln” at the Navy Department Building in Mexico City—none of which still exist, so far as we know. Over the next forty years, he continued both his own education (a master’s in fine arts from Temple University in 1952) and taught high school students in New Jersey for more than twenty years. Birkin’s works were shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Academy, and the Brooklyn Museum, along with various one-many shows at the Morris Gallery, New York. A detailed appreciation and extensive gallery of Birkin’s art is available at a <a href="https://www.mortonbirkin.com/">website</a> created by his son, David Birkin. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Birkin, Morton (1919-1984) 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 1941 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Secor, Caleb (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 190 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Art Education Federal Art Project Morton Birkin https://openvalley.org/files/original/2070ad95bdeda96f7e333abbbfe17e29.jpg 21789ddee626e08c9af37a8e3f80907e https://openvalley.org/files/original/7afb48705013c1f260e4bb2fe2b13f51.jpg fecf7a901ab806c562b13b6c5cacafe8 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 36 x 30 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 Evening in Crotona Park Description An account of the resource A tree serves as the central focus for this piece, dividing the left and right of the portions of Alshets’ painting. Its setting is Crotona Park, in the Bronx. The narrower left side of the painting shows a road going into the distance and vanishing; the road heading to the right past the tree holds most of the action, with people walking and biking through the park underneath electric lights—still a new innovation during the 1930s. Evening in Crotona Park is painted in a darker palette, with details fading out the deeper into the painting you go. In the foreground near the tree are two people, a man and a woman, sitting on the grass and talking to one another. The brushstrokes in this painting are light, in the upper portion used to give an impression of dim moonlight filtering in through the cloudy sky. This piece shows a calm evening and evokes a sense of community and peace, one that Alshets himself may have felt about the park since he lived nearby. He offers us a few moments there ourselves, under the electric lights. About the Artist Alshets was an artist for the Federal Arts Project based in New York, having immigrated from Sheffield, England as a young child. Although we know a several of his artworks, and even have <a href="https://openvalley.org/items/show/2105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a photograph</a> of him painting Deserted Farm (1938), there is little more about the man who created them. Historical records indicate a large family, including a twin sister, and a toymaker father who struggled financially. We also can trace how his paintings, through the FAP, travelled across the United States. In 1941 his painting <a href="https://openvalley.org/files/original/05b061aa9e6a60ee712e5e1ff65893af.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tri Boro Bridge</a> was exhibited at the the Salt Lake City Art Center and praised by the local newspaper as a lively scene reminiscent of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Marsh_(artist)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reginald Marsh</a>. That same painting appeared a few months later in Oregon, at the Salem Arts Center, where a reviewer thought that it showed a good understanding of the average American. Deserted Farm traveled to the Federal Art Gallery in Chicago; a still life traveled to Bradenton, FL. Unfortunatelyartists like Alshets are everywhere: gifted people who created art but never had anyone to record the day to day of their life. 12 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-1-folder-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-1-folder-20"></a> Works Consulted:<a href="https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/202030969/person/212637303668/facts?_phsrc=xnF179&_phstart=successSource" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alshets Family Tree</a>, Ancestry.com; “Center Group Illustrates Realistic Art”( Salt Lake City Tribune 24 Feb. 1941: 9); “Art Center Notes” (Salem Statesman Journal (22 Jun. 1941: 12). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Alshets, Simon (1908 - ?) 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 1941 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Secor, Caleb (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 20137 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.2 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Crotona Park Federal Art Project Landscape Art New Deal Museum painting Simon Alshets https://openvalley.org/files/original/10af718ee26a938eecde964ac2e54541.jpg 075fb7cb2065d0153e7ba7a50618a117 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 Photograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 10 x 8 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 Simon Alshets at Easel Description An account of the resource The Federal Art Project sometimes photographed "artists at easels" in order to publicize that WPA program. Here, Alshets is shown at work on his oil painting Deserted Landscape. Because it traveled to Chicago for an exhibit in the Federal Art Gallery in that city, the photograph may have been conceived deliberately. Very little is known about Alshets himself, beyond a few striking artworks created during the late 1930s. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pollard, [Aubrey] 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 1938-08-22 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archives of American Art Federal Art Project, Photographic Division collection, circa 1920-1965, bulk 1935-1942 <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-1-folder-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Box 1, Folder 20: Alshets, Simon, 1936-1941</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 656 KB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Painter Photo Simon Alshets https://openvalley.org/files/original/33e909e45b367c50c1bf6307da602eb5.jpg 1d85511103c531c299b3e19d6a9091ad https://openvalley.org/files/original/0a8bdaabaf8183552f9d194a524e719d.jpg 4749772f22cd83867ced1642c86232b6 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: 23 1/2 × 19 1/2 in. Frame: 31 1/4 × 27 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 Gladioli Description An account of the resource Witten’s still-life painting depicts a vase of gladioli flowers with a framed nude portrait set next to and slightly behind the vase. The exact year of production is unknown, like much of Witten’s personal history. The flowers are bright red and gold, a sharp contrast to the deep blue-green vase and light green wall. The nude portrait shows a woman on her knees looking downward, apparently posing next to the edge of a bed. Her body language is soft, inviting comparison to the flowers.  Our immediate focal point is the flower vase, particularly its bright red flowers: most of them seemingly lean towards the portrait, creating a line of attention across the piece. By utilizing a contrast of hues and saturations, Witten also invites juxtaposition of the portrait and its surroundings. The pale figure, posed against a deep blue background and cool-hued colors, contrasts the warm-hued colors of its framing room. This shifts the initial focal point towards the picture frame and away from the flowers. Witten’s technique gives the painting a soft, romantic feeling. The visual brushstrokes and soft linework make the work feel familiar but not distinct, as though Witten were portraying a memory. About the Artist Mabel Alice Mary Azure was born in London, her exact birth year unknown, to an English father and Spanish mother. After the early passing of her parents, Witten attended an all-girls private school in Hampshire, England, thanks to family wealth.  During this time, she met her husband, George Walter Bond Witten, whom she married in 1912. George Witten was not only a writer, but also an army Major. The newlywed couple moved to New York, staying for a short time before relocating to Florida, where they remained the rest of their lives. She got the nickname “Bunty” from her husband and used it as a professional name throughout her career.  Witten spent a great deal of time on education. She attended 8 years of school in the U.S., some of them spent at the Metropolitan Art School of New York, one year in a school in England and another in Paris. She is mostly known as a painter, but also sketched, illustrated and created cartoons and personal portraits. Her illustrations appeared in books such as <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33333023737766&seq=7">A Merry Menagerie</a> (1924), <a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_parents_1928-02_3_2/mode/1up">Children: The Magazine for Parents</a> (1928) and <a href="https://openvalley.org/items/show/1332">Rip Darcy, Adventurer</a> (1938). In Florida, she helped run the Pen and Brush Club, later renamed The Galleon: A Pen and Pencil Club. She was a chair of the club and used her interior design skills to make the club space a gorgeous spot for artists and creators to create a better world for art and literature. Witten passed in 1968, an obituary determining her age to be 74, although her original birth year is unknown. Works Consulted: Paul Guzzo, “Crabby Bill’s CEO honors family’s benefactor” (Stuart News 29 Aug. 2021: 26A); Lillian Blackstone, “Artist and Husband Forget Their Proposed Trip to Guatemala As Soon as They Reach Here" (Tampa Bay Times 30 April 1939: 14); “Obituaries.” (Tampa Bay Times 18 Nov. 1968: 17); “Pen and Brush Club is Now Organized in St. Augustine" (St. Augustine Record 19 Jan. 1924: 1); “‘The Galleon’ New Name for Writers’ and Artists’ Club” (St. Augustine Record 23 Jan. 1924: 1). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Witten, Bunty (1895? - 1968) 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 Pasiak, Olivia (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 826 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Bunty Witten Federal Art Project New Deal Museum painting still life