Finding aid for the Betty Turnbull interviews with Southern California artists and related ephemera 2015.M.28

Ellen Colvin and Hannah Mandel.

Special Collections

2017

1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100

Los Angeles 90049-1688

Business Number: (310) 440-7390

Fax Number: (310) 440-7780

reference@getty.edu

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/askref

Contributing Institution: Special Collections

Title: Betty Turnbull interviews with Southern California artists and related ephemera

Creator: Turnbull, Betty, 1924-2010

source: Henderson, Victor, 1939-

source: Lutjeans, Phyllis

Identifier/Call Number: 2015.M.28

Physical Description: 2.6 Linear Feet (4 boxes)

Date (inclusive): 1960-1988

Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy .

Abstract: The collection consists of interviews with leading Southern California artists conducted by Betty Turnbull, in preparation for her 1976 exhibition The Last Time I Saw Ferus, which documented the circle of artists and art figures surrounding the Ferus Gallery. Also included are ephemera, photographs and correspondence relating to the exhibition and other projects.

Language of Material: Collection material is in English.

Publication Rights

Contact Library Reproductions and Permissions .

Preferred Citation

Betty Turnbull interviews with Southern California artists and related ephemera, 1960-1988, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2015.M.28.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2015m28

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection comprises interviews, photographs, and ephemera related to southern California artists, art dealers and curators in the mid 1970s and 1980s, including Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha and Ed Kienholz. The bulk of the collection relates to the organization of Turnbull's 1976 exhibition at the Newport Harbor Art Museum, The Last Time I Saw Ferus, which was focused on the legacy of Los Angeles' recently closed Ferus Gallery (1957-1966) and the artists affiliated with it. Also present are materials relating to other projects by Turnbull, such as the TLK Gallery, which Turnbull operated jointly with Phyllis Lutjeans and Victoria Kogan from 1982 to 1985, and articles written by and about Turnbull from the late 1970s and 1980s.

Processing history

Processed and described in March 2017 by Hannah Mandel and Ellen Colvin under the supervision of Kit Messick.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series:

Series I. Interviews, 1975-1988; and

Series II. Papers and ephemera, 1960-1985.

Biographical Note

Betty Turnbull (1924-2010) was the first curator of exhibitions for the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now the Orange County Museum of Art), serving from 1968 to 1981. She also served as acting director of the museum from 1972 to 1973. She operated the TLK Gallery with Phyllis Lutjeans and Victoria Kogan from 1982 to 1985.

Access

Open for use by qualified researchers. Audiovisual materials unvailable until reformatted.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Glenda Winterbotham in memory of Betty Turnbull.

Digitized Material

C19 Craig Kauffman Laguna Beach, 1976 January 13, was digitized in 2018. Access is available only to on-site readers and Getty staff.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Art -- California -- Exhibitions

Art, American -- California -- Exhibitions

Art, American -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century

Artists -- California -- Interviews

Artists -- California -- Los Angeles -- 20th century

Printed ephemera -- California

Art museum curators -- Interviews

Sound recordings

Ruscha, Edward

Plagens, Peter

Kienholz, Edward, 1927-1994

Hopps, Walter

Irwin, Robert, 1928-

Glicksman, Hal

Blum, Irving, , 1930-

Kauffman, Craig, 1932-2010

Bischoff, Elmer, 1916-1991

Park, David, 1911-1960

Strombotne, James

Harden, Marvin, 1935-

Henderson, Victor, 1939-

Oliveira, Nathan, 1928-2010

Lutjeans, Phyllis

Bengston, Billy Al

Orange County Museum of Art (Calif.)

Ferus Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Interviews, Series I. 1975-1988

Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains twenty-eight audiocassettes created between 1975 and 1988 of interviews conducted by Betty Turnbull with leading Southern California artists of the time, including Ed Kienholz, Robert Irwin and Ed Ruscha. Titles are transcribed from the cassette labels. Audio materials are unavailable until reformatted.

Arrangement

Material is arranged chronologically.

box 1, Cassette C1

KCET Nick Williams' Roundtable w/ Peter Plagens, Pastier, C. Polack and Murphy, 1975 February

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C3

Ed Kienholz Hope, 1975 September 25 - 1975 September 27

Ed Kienholz Hope, 1975 September 25 - 1975 September 27 (digitized version available on-site only)

view online item

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C4

Irving Blum NY, 1975 October 6

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C5

Walter Hoppes [sic], 1975 October 4

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C6

Hoppes [sic] New York, 1975 October 4

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C7

Ed Ruscha / Billy Al Bengston, 1975 October 7 - 1975 October 8

Ed Ruscha / Billy Al Bengston, 1975 October 7 - 1975 October 8 (digitized version available on-site only

view online item

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C8

Hal Glicksman, 1975 October 12

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C9

Bob Alexander, 1975 October 29

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C10

Turnbull Re: Moss, 1975 November 12

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C12

1st Part of Chronology, BT Intro to Herms, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C13

Berlant Excerpts / Berlant Revised, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C14

Gene Summers, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C15

Marvin Harden, circa 1975

Marvin Harden, circa 1975 (digitized version available on-site only)

view online item

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 1, Cassette C16

Mike Davis Plaza 58 Ex Cat, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C17

Nate Olivera Essay, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C18

Wonner / Brown, circa 1975

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C19

Craig Kauffman Laguna Beach, 1976 January 13

Craig Kauffman Laguna Beach (digitized version available on-site only): 1976 January 13

view online item

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 sound cassette : analog, 1 5/16 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C20

Elmer Bischoff / Tom Jefferson Re: David Park, 1977 January-March

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in. Side A: 1977 January Side B: 1977 March 5

box 2, Cassette C21

Victor Henderson Takes a Walk, 1978 November 2 - 1978 November 12

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

Cassette tape is printed with label reading: Victor Henderson Takes a Walk / Copyright 1979 / Editing Assistance from Michael Lenhart. Front of cassette contains handwritten note: Dear Betty +++ We had fun together. I hope we can do it again. Love Vic. Back of cassette is printed with the following text: This 60 minute tape covers a 150 mile 10 day walk across Los Angeles, starting at the ocean in Venice, California, through the city, across the desert, finishing on Mount San Jacino near Palm Springs, California. This performance was sponsored by the Newport Art Museum, Newport Beach, California.

box 2, Cassette C22

J[ames] Strombotne, 1979 January 25

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C23

Paul Dillon: Informal Discussion Re: Exhibition, 1979 10 October

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C24

Richard Turner Discussion and Plan for November Exhibition, 1982 August

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C25

Richard Turner Continued Discussions, 1982 October

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C26

Janice Roper Reading at Tea and Sympathy, 1987 August 1

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

Cassette box also contains business card from Tea and Sympathy with handwritten note. Front of business card reads: Proprietor: Nancy Williams - 714/645-4860 - English Antiques with Tea Room - Tea and Sympathy - (Tustin at 17th), 369 E. 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. Back of business card contains pencil note reading Janice Roper - August 1 - 1:30 + 2:00.

box 2, Cassette C27

Turnbulls on Holloway Dec 1987 (Copy), 1987 December

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

box 2, Cassette C28

KUCI / Arts O.C, 1988 January 6

Scope and Contents

1 audiocassette : analog, 1 7/8 ips ; 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.

Back of box contains insert reading: Interview-Betty Trumball - 1-6-88/KUCI ARTS IN OC @ Paul

Papers and ephemera, Series II. 1960-1985

Physical Description: 1.6 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Scope and Contents

Series consists of ephemera, photographs and correspondence relating to the 1976 exhibition The Last Time I Saw Ferus and other projects.

Correspondence, 1960-1985

box 3, folder 1

General, December 1969-November 1984

Scope and Contents

Contains materials related to Betty Turnbull, including handwritten letter from Wallace Berman, letter from Ken Tyler regarding Gemini GEL resignation, copies of letters, and invoices for art purchases.

box 3, folder 2

Support Letters, May 1980-September 1981

Scope and Contents

Contains professional and personal letters written in support of Betty Turnbull upon her dismissal from the Newport Harbor Art Museum in May 1981.

box 3, folder 3

TLK Gallery, July 1982-October 1985

Scope and Contents

Also contains notes, invoices, and letters relating to TLK Gallery operated by Betty Turnbull, Phyllis Lutjeans, and Victoria Kogan.

David Park material, 1960-1977

box 3, folder 4

Photographs, 1977

Scope and Contents

From David Park retrospective at Newport Harbor Art Museum. Contains photographs of paintings by David Park.

box 3, folder 5

Research material, 1960-1977

Scope and Contents

Also contains information about Richard Diebenkorn and Dennis Hare.

box 3, folder 6

Ferus Party, March 5, 1976

Scope and Contents

Contains the dinner menu for the Newport Harbor Art Museum opening of The Last Time I Saw Ferus.

box 3, folder 7

Walter Hopps interview transcript, October 4, 1975

box 3, folder 8

Writings about Betty Turnbull and Southern California art, April 1966-March 1985

Scope and Contents

Contains miscellaneous articles by and about Betty Turnbull and art in Southern California and PR done for the TLK gallery.

box 3, folder 9

Writings by Betty Turnbull, November 1984

box 4

Newspaper clippings, May 1973-December 1981