The Guide to the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection, 1870 - 2005,, bulk 1950 - 2005 bulk

Collection context

Summary

Abstract:
The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery was built in 1993 on the campus of Scripps College and shows the artwork of professional artists as well as works by the college's teachers and students. The Williamson Gallery is most known for hosting the “Scripps College Annual Ceramic Exhibition,” which has the distinction of being the longest running ceramics show in the United States. The archival collection covers years 1870-2005, with the bulk of the material ranging from 1950-2005.
Extent:
40.25 cubic feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Claremont, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection contains correspondence, photographs, financial documents, insurance documents, contracts, biographic material, art reviews, newspaper clippings and other records related to the gallery’s administration, art collection, and exhibitions.

The largest series in the collection is in Series 1. Artist Records. The documents pertain to artists who have artwork in the permanent collection or of artists who have exhibited their artwork at the gallery in the past. The artist records consist of photographs, resumes, announcement cards and art reviews.

Documents relating to art exhibitions can be found in Series 8. Exhibitions, Series 2. Ceramic Annuals, and Series 3. Loan Records. These documents represent exhibitions held on the Scripps College campus or of exhibitions held by other institutions that borrowed artwork from Scripps’ permanent collection. Much of the material in these series consist s of contracts, correspondence, publicity, insurance valuations and appraisals.

Administrative records can be found in Series 4. Annual Reports, which range from 1979 through 2005, Series 5. Donor Records, Series 6. Internships, and Series 7. Grants. These series consist of correspondence, reports, wills and testaments, insurance valuations and appraisals, applications, and contracts.

Series 9. Subject files is a small series that contains information about topics of interest to the Gallery’s administration and contains essays, articles, and correspondence.

  • Series 1: Artist Records, 1870-2005, 12 cubic ft.
  • Series 2: Ceramic Annuals, 1950-2005, 7 cubic ft.
  • Series 3: Loan Records, 1950-2005, 3 cubic ft.
  • Series 4: Annual Reports, 1973-2005, 1.5 cubic ft.
  • Series 5: Donor Records, 1925-2005, 7 cubic ft.
  • Series 6: Internships, 1993-2005, 3 cubic ft.
  • Series 7: Grants, 1980-2001, .25 cubic ft.
  • Series 8: Exhibitions, 1943-2005, 16 cubic ft.
  • Series 9: Subject files, 1946-1995, .5 cubic ft.
Biographical / historical:

Scripps College has had numerous locations for art exhibitions since its founding in 1926. The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, built in 1993 is the school’s most recent venue. In the early years, the first exhibitions were held at Balch Hall until Lang Gallery was built in 1939. In 1974 an agreement joined the Montgomery Gallery of Pomona College and the Lang Gallery together administratively to be known as the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges. This agreement remained in effect until 1994, around the time the Williamson gallery was opened and the galleries returned to being separate entities. Over the years the Scripps’ galleries have shown the work of its art teachers including painter Millard Sheets, sculptor Albert Stewart, and ceramist Paul Soldner. Most of the artwork housed at the Williamson Gallery is a result of donations from collectors and artists. The largest donated collection is the Fred Marer ceramics collection. Other significant donors are Edward M. Nagle, who donated a variety of art objects, General E. C. Young, who donated several American paintings, and General Munth and W. B. Pettus donators of Asian paintings and decorative arts. Scripps College has played an important role in the promotion of ceramics and ceramists. Since 1944 it has hosted the “Scripps College Annual Ceramic Exhibition,” which has the distinction of being the longest running ceramics show in the United States.

Chronology
Date Event
1926 Scripps founded as an undergraduate school for women only
1933 Scripps hosts for first Ceramic Annual exhibition
1937 Construction begins on the Florence Rand Lang building
1939 Florence Rand Lang building opens and houses the Art Department and Art Gallery
1944 First Annual Ceramic Exhibition
1974 Pomona College and Scripps College enter an agreement whereby their art galleries (Montgomery at Pomona and Lang at Scripps) would be joined administratively and known as the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges.
1993 Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery opens
1994 Pomona College and Scripps College end the agreement of 1974 regarding gallery administration and return to separate entities.
Processing information:

The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection is an artificial collection encompassing materials acquired from various sources and is organized into nine series.

Physical location:
Baxter Hall, Scripps College
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Rules for Archival Description

Access and use

Terms of access:

Property rights reside with Scripps College, Claremont, California.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Chandler Williamson Gallery Collection, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Claremont, California.

Location of this collection:
1030 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711, US
Contact: