Michael Leonard Oral Histories Collection, 1983-1984

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Summary

Creators:
Michael Leonard Flo Allen Joan Brown Jay DeFeo Wally Hedrick Jack Jefferson Hayward King Erle Loran Fred Martin Ernest Mundt Ralph Putzker Nell Sinton
Abstract:
Extent:
One archival box containing 11 audio cassette tapes, all of which have been digitized, approximately 0.75 linear feet.
Language:
Preferred citation:

Michael Leonard Oral Histories Collection. San Francisco Art Institute Archive

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of eleven audio cassette tapes and transcripts, including digitized versions of the recordings, containing oral history interviews conducted in 1983 and 1984 by Michael Leonard. The interviews document the experiences of key individuals—administrators, faculty, and students—connected to the California School of Fine Arts: Flo Allen, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, Wally Hedrick, Jack Jefferson, Hayward King, Erle Loran, Fred Martin, Ernest Mundt, Ralph Putzker, and Nell Sinton.

Biographical / historical:

Michael Leonard, an artist, art historian and educator, pursued an MA in art history at San Francisco State University from 1982 to 1985. During his tenure as a graduate student, Leonard conducted a series of interviews with prominent figures in the San Francisco Bay Area art world as part of his research for his MA thesis, “A History of Painting at the California School of Fine Arts, 1940-1960.” These oral history interviews provide insights into the cultural and artistic landscape of mid-20th-century California and help trace the history of painting at a pivotal time for the California School of Fine Arts. (Note that the school changed its name from the California School of Fine Arts to the San Francisco Art Institute in 1961, and that both names appear within the recordings.) They particularly illuminate the emergence of Bay Area Abstract Expressionism and the rise of the Bay Area Figurative movement and shed light on the school’s evolving leadership during this transformative period and its subsequent impact on the trajectory of Bay Area art.

Acquisition information:
The Michael Leonard Oral Histories Collection was donated to the San Francisco Art Institute Archives by Michael Leonard. The transcripts were internally generated by the San Francisco Art Institute Legacy Foundation + Archive from the donated audio cassette tape collection.

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Contact the San Francisco Art Institute Legacy Foundation + Archive for questions or requests regarding use of these materials. Please note that documents, photographs, ephemera, recordings, and transcripts from the collections of the San Francisco Art Institute Legacy Foundation and Archive may be protected by copyright, trademark, or a related interest separate from the SFAI Archive. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to determine whether any such rights exist, and to obtain necessary permission for use.

Preferred citation:

Michael Leonard Oral Histories Collection. San Francisco Art Institute Archive

Location of this collection:
20 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, CA 94105, US