Guide to the Kenneth Patchen Festival Records

UCSC OAC Unit
The University Library
Special Collections and Archives
University Library
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California, 95064
Email: specoll@library.ucsc.edu
URL: http://library.ucsc.edu/speccoll/
© 2005
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Guide to the Kenneth Patchen Festival Records

Collection number: MS 166

The University Library

Special Collections and Archives

University of California, Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
Processed by:
UCSC OAC Unit
Date Completed:
December 2004
Encoded by:
UCSC OAC Unit
© 2005 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Kenneth Patchen Festival records
Dates: 1927-1991
Bulk Dates: 1989-1991
Collection number: MS 166
Creator: Trumbull Art Gallery
Collection Size: 4 archival boxes
Repository: University of California, Santa Cruz. University Library. Special Collections and Archives
Santa Cruz, California 95064
Abstract: Contains correspondence, publicity including catalog layout sheets, photographs, slides, recordings, an artifact and mail art material generated and collected mainly by Trumbull Art Gallery director during the Kenneth Patchen Festivals held between 1987-1991 in Warren, Ohio. Included are festival exhibit material; Warren G. Harding High School yearbooks and newspapers from 1927-1929.
Physical location: Stored offsite at NRLF: Advance notice is required for access to the papers.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to publish or to reproduce the material, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Preferred Citation

Kenneth Patchen Festival records. MS 166. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Trumbull Art Gallery c/o William E. Mullane, 1988, & C. M. James, 1991; Vivian Pemberton, 1988; Judith Wray 1989; Joel Climenhaga, 1988.

Biography / Administrative History

In the Spring of 1987 Artist and Curator at the Trumbull Art Gallery, William Mullane organized a major celebration of Kenneth Patchen's work in his home town of Warren, Ohio. Kenneth's sisters and other members of Patchen's family were involved in four days of events, commemorative poetry readings and exhibitions. During this first gathering the Ohio Arts Council decided to sponsor an annual Kenneth Patchen Festival to celebrate the poet's work beginning in 1989.
Account of Events:
Kenneth Patchen: An Exhibition of painted poems, books, sculptures and documentation on Kenneth's early years in Warren, Ohio, Mar 7-Apr 5, 1987. Trumbull Art Gallery (TAG) with the cooperation of the Kenneth Patchen Archives located at the UCSC presented an exhibit. In addition to presenting Patchen's works, the exhibit explored the Warren from 1910-1930 in an attempt to document the community, industry, and schools, which influenced the writer's vision. Special program was held on Mar 5, 1987 at Kent State University Trumbull Campus featuring Kenneth's wife Miriam, who spoke about her late husbund's work and read his poetry.
Kenneth Patchen: Literary Festival, Apr 27-30, 1989. Scheduled events consisted of exhibition of Patchen' Art; production of Patchen play Don't Look Now (Apr 28, 30, May 5-7, 1989), video presentation of "Kenneth Patchen; an Art of Engagement", readings, panel discussion, presentation on Kenneth Patchen Archive, and a tour of Kenneth Patchen Coffee Shop at Trumbull Memorial Hospital. "Don't look now" opend at the Kent State University Trumbull Campus theatere for a two week run. It was directed by Joel Climenhaga, poet, playwright and professor of speech and theatre from Tarkio College, Missouri. Some of the program participants included Miriam Patchen; poet, teacher, freedom fighter Dennis Brutus; poet, artists, publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Patchen bibliographer Larry Smith.
Kenneth Patchen Festival: A Celebration of the Arts, Apr 27-29, 1990 Scheduled events included a reading by Miriam Patchen, panel Discussion of "The Role of the Small Press in American Letters", video presentation of "Kenneth Patchen and Art of Engagement", reproduction of Kenneth Patchen's radio play "City Wears a Slouch Hat" undet direction of Joel Climenhaga, soundscaped by Gary Boggess, and an exhibit of Patchen's silkscreens. Program participants included Dennis Brutus, Carlos Cortez, C. M. James, Miriam Patchen, Bern Porter, Larry Smith, Jonathan Williams, and Al Young.
Kenneth Patchen Mail Art Festival, 1991. Project was sponsored by the Kenneth Patchen Festival Group, and was housed at the Trumbull Art Gallery in Warren, Ohio. C. M. James, the event organizer, culminated year's worth of mail art from around the world.

Chronology

Mar 7-Apr 5, 1987 Kenneth Patchen: An Exhibition of painted poems, books, sculptures and documentation on Kenneth's early years in Warren.
Apr 27-30, 1989 Kenneth Patchen: Literary Festival
Apr 27-29, 1990 Kenneth Patchen Festival: A Celebration of the Arts
1991 Kenneth Patchen Mail Art Festival

Scope and Content of Collection

Contains correspondence, publicity including catalog layout sheets, photographs, slides, recordings, an artifact and mail art material generated and collected mainly by Trumbull Art Gallery director during Kenneth Patchen Festivals held between 1987-1991 in Warren, Ohio. Of special interest are the festival exhibit material, Warren G. Harding High School yearbooks and newspapers dating to 1927-1929.

Arrangement

Material is devided into three series. Series 1. General Festival Business; contain correspondence, festival publicity ,and event photographs, slides & audio recordings accumulated during the first three Patchen festivals. Series 2. Kenneth Patchen Exhibit Material, 1987; consists mainly of historical items relating to Patchen's High School Years shown in 1987. Series 3. Mail Art Material, 1991; consists of year's worth of mail art items and a few business records collected by the event cordinator C. M James, 1991. Mail art is arranged alphabetically by sender.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Kenneth Patchen Festival--Archives
Trumbull Art Gallery
Trumbull Art Guild
Kenneth Patchen Literary Festival
Art museums--Ohio--Warren
Mullane, William E.
James, C. M.
Climenhaga, Joel
Patchen, Kenneth--d1911-1972--Kenneth Patchen archive
Correspondence
Photographs
Sound recordings
Artifacts
Mail Art
Newspapers

Related Material

The following collections in Special Collection at UCSC:

Related Material


box-folder 1:1-9, 4

General Festival Business 1987-1990

Physical Description: 8 folders, 3 audio tapes, 8 slides, 1 artifact

Series Scope and Content Summary

Conatains correspondence, publicity, layout sheets to Patchen Festival Catalog published in 1989, event photographs, slides and recordings dating 1987-1990. Bulk of the correspondence consists of letters between Joel Climenhaga and William Mullane 1988-1989 in regards to theater production of Patchen's play Don't Look Now in 1989.
box-folder 1:1-2

Correspondence 1987-1989

box-folder 1:1

Letters from Patchen's classmates; William A. Congalton, Iva Fay, Mrs. Roscoe E Marrs, Nellie K. Regan, Helen Ridgley (7 ALS) [also includes class of 1929 50th High School reunion lists] 1987

box-folder 1:2

Joel Climenhaga to William Mullane (22 photocopied letters) 1988-1989

box-folder 1:2

Letters between Richard Morgan and Ronald Shimer (2 TLS and carbon) 1981

box-folder 1:3-4

Publicity 1989-1990

box-folder 1:3

Printed ephemera (8), press release announcements, newsletters, clippings

box-folder 1:4

Programs; "Don't Look Now" (2 copies, one signed by cast) + ticket stub, and "Marriage Wheel" 1989-1990

Box 4

Kenneth Patchen Festival poster (11 x 17; black ink on white) Apr 1990

box-folder 1:9 and 4

Layout sheets to Kenneth Patchen Festival Catalog 1989

Use Note

Catalog was published in conjunction with Trumbull Art Galley & Pig Iron Press. Edited by William E. Mullane., Warren Ohio, 1989. [See also Library holding: PS3531.A764 Z79 1989]
box-folder 1:9

Legal size layout sheets with half toned photos (pg. 1-37, 46-48)

box 4

Oversized layout sheets (includes cover, total 7 sheets 15x19)

box-folder 1:5-7

Photographs and Slides 1987-1990

box-folder 1:5, 1:7

Black and white 1987

box-folder 1:5

Patchen opening, Trumbull Art Guild, 5"x7" (5) Mar 6, 1987

box-folder 1:5

Miriam Patchen Reading at Harding HS, 4"x6" (3) & 5"x7" (5) Mar 1987

box-folder 1:5

Miriam Patchen reading, 5"x7" (4) Apr 1987

box-folder 1:5

Miss Helen Ridgley, 8"x10" (1)& 4"x5" (1 reduction copy) [Photo by William Mullane, Youngstown Ohio] 1987

box-folder 1:7

"Don't Look Now" stage production shots, 8"x10" (11)[photos by Ray McClintock, Warren, Ohio] 1990

box-folder 1:6

Color photos: Miriam Patchen reading and Patchen exhibit snap shots, 4"x5" (25) and 5"x7" (6) [Gift of Vivian Pemberton] Apr 1987

Box 1: Case 1

Slides: Patchen Festival, (8 frames) [Gift of Judith Wray] Apr 1989

box-folder N/A

Festival Catalog Negatives, 60 mm black & white strips (7 strips, 28 frames) 1989

Use Note

Format unavailable for use. Removed from the collection.
Box 1

Audio Recordings 1987-1991

box-folder 1

Bern Portero amd Mark McInicore performing excerpts from Kenneth Patchen's Sleepers Awake at the 2nd Kenneth Patchen Festival Apr 27, 1990

Box 1

Interview with Helen Ridgley, Kenneth Patchen's 1929 Class Advisor 1987

Box 1

"Patchen Mail Art, June 23 1991", publicity tape by Fantome Audio 1991

box 1

Artifact; Kenneth Patchen Festival T-shirt (XL; white with black print) 1990

 

Kenneth Patchen Exhibit Material 1987

Physical Description: 5 folders, 3 books, 62 serial issues

Series Scope and Content Summary

Contains exhibited material; a set of Warren G. Harding High School Yearbook "The Echoes" (1927-1929), Warren Sr. High School Newspapers (1925-1930) and anniversary editions which include Patchen pictures and poems, printed ephemera, clippings and historic photographs and a class pin.
Box 2

Warren G. Harding High School Yearbook, The Echoes 1927-1929

box-folder 2:1-3

Warren Sr. High School Newspaper High School Life (58 issues) 1925-1930

box-folder 2:4

Cauldron, Warren G. Harding Senior High School Anniversary Editions; v. 50:1, Dec. 1950 (2 copies) & v. 84, May 1986 (2 copies) 1950 1986

box-folder 2:5

Printed High School Ephemera; Class of 1929 commencement program and invitation, School dance card with pencil, Invitations to Senior-Senior Banquet and "A Tea" party given by English Department, Program to HS production of "Pirates of Penzance", and High school transcript (photocopy) 1926-1929

box-folder 2:6-7

Clippings; about Kenneth Patchen (1936-1972), photocopies of family photos (1910's-1950's), graduate class of 1929 in Warren Tribune Chronicle (Jan 21 and Jun 10 1929), misc. Harding High School press clippings and 3 scrapbook pages 1910-1972

box-folder 1:8

Historic Photographs; Warren Sr. High School exterior photo, 1929 (4"x6"), and "Pirates of Penzance" High School production group photo (8"x10") 1929

box-folder 2:9

Artifact; Honor Society Gold pin [donated by classmate Alice McKibben] 1929

box-folder 3:1-5, 1:10

Patchen Mail Art Festival 1991

Physical Description: 6 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

Contains mail art material, correspondence and publicity to Patchen Mail Art event, 1991. Mail art is arranged alphabetically by sender. Contributing artists include Guy Bleus, Richard C., John Held Jr., Clement Padin, Crackerjack Kid, FaGaGaGa, Christopher Franke, Bern Porter, Bruno Pollacci and Shmuel etc.
box-folder 3:1-3, 1:10

Mail Art; A-W, legal size 1991

box-folder 3:4

General business correspondence, in regards to the mail art event 1991

box-folder 3:5

Publicity/clippings ["Patchen Mail Art, Jun 23 1991" a cassette tape by Fantome Audio moved to Box 1 (tape 3)] 1991