Papers of William Dole (1917-1983), American abstract collage artist born in Angola, Indiana, and former Professor of Art at UC Santa Barbara. This collection includes exhibition catalogs, correspondence, gallery records slides and photographs, teaching files, press clippings, and Dole's personal archive. In addition to his papers, this collection includes a large amount of material related to his art-making process, such as old books and paper ephemera which Dole used as source material for his collages. Finally, the collection includes many Dole prints: lithographs, monoprints, and test prints.

Born in Angola, Indiana, William Dole (1917-1983) was a prominent American collage artist of the twentieth century. After receiving his bachelor's degree in 1938 from Olivet College in Michigan, Dole married Kathryn Holcomb and served in the US Army from 1942-45. After the army, Dole went on to obtain a master's degree from UC Berkeley. Dole then served as a lecturer in art at UC Berkeley until he received a faculty position at UC Santa Barbara in 1949. In 1958 he became chairman of the art department, and in 1962 he was promoted to full professor. During his lifetime, Dole's work was exhibited in California and New York (as well as other parts of the United States) and also in London and Berlin. His collages are characterized by Dole's consistent inclusion of textual components in his compositions. As Dole stated, "The printed work…even in and unknown foreign language…has a sense of authority that no other graphic element has." In addition, he favored more geometric compositional arrangements, and displayed nuanced and studied use of color. Dole's life and work make up a significant contribution to a greater understanding of post-War abstract and collage art in the United States.

37.23 linear feet (54 document boxes, 7 cartons, 7 oversize boxes, 7 audiocassettes, 4 videocassettes, and 119 films)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

The collection is open for research. A portion of the collection is stored offsite. Advance notice is required for retrieval.