Boyd (Greg) Asylum Arts and Unicorn Press collection, 1979-2012

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Summary

Title:
Greg Boyd Asylum Arts and Unicorn Press collection
Dates:
1979-2012
Creators:
Boyd, Greg
Abstract:
Literary press material of American writer and illustrator Greg Boyd. The collection (1979-2012) covers Asylum Arts and the Unicorn Press, as well as the written and graphic work of Boyd himself.
Extent:
12.33 Linear Feet (2 document boxes, 8 cartons, 6 videocassettes, 7 DVDs)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Greg Boyd Asylum Arts and Unicorn Press collection, Mss 374. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

Literary press material of American writer and illustrator Greg Boyd, dating from 1979 to 2012. The collection covers Asylum Arts and the Unicorn Press, two literary imprints devoted to poetry, prose, and translations (founded in 1990 and 1966 respectively). The collection includes business records, correspondence, manuscripts and copies of scripts, interviews, reviews, published books, chapbooks, artwork, photography, publications, letter press proofs, designs, linocuts, thesis, postcards, broadsides, ephemera, as well as audiovisual materials and digital photographs on CD.

Biographical / historical:

Founded in 1966 by Teo Savory and Alan Brilliant in Santa Barbara, California, Unicorn Press began in conjunction with Ken Maytag's Unicorn Book Shop. Beginning with poetry postcards and posters, the press began publishing poetry broadsides using handset type printed on a letterpress. In the early 1980s the press relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina. By the late 1980s, Unicorn Press had published almost 100 books, including prose poems and original block illustrations by Greg Boyd.

From 1985 to 1995, Boyd edited and published Asylum a literary and arts magazine. From 1990 to 2000, Boyd was editor and publisher of Asylum Arts Books, an imprint devoted to American surrealistic poetry, prose, as well as translations.

Boyd's own books include two collections of poems, three collections of prose poems, three collections of short stories, two novels, translations, and essays. Boyd's prints, paintings, drawings and collages have illustrated his own work and have been featured in magazines, journals, and books.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Greg Boyd, 2019.
Physical location:
Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library
Material specific details:
Boxes 1-7 and box 9 contain published books and journals many packaged by Greg Boyd by series for monographs or journal or magazine title for serials. These cover Boyd's literary output, both for Unicorn Press and Asylum Arts. Packaging will need to be removed to access these materials.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-09 15:41:48 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Greg Boyd Asylum Arts and Unicorn Press collection, Mss 374. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
UC Santa Barbara Library
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
Contact:
(805) 893-3062
special@library.ucsb.edu
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