Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Lois Dodd Papers, 1945-2013, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.doddlois
Creators:
Dodd, Lois, 1927-
Dates:
1945-2013
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
6.82 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of New York City painter, educator, gallery owner, and activist Lois Dodd date from 1945 to 2013 and measure 6.82 linear feet. The papers focus on Dodd's personal work and contain little documentation of her involvement with Tanager Gallery. Found are biographical materials, including an interview conducted by Pat Mainardi in 1973; personal business records; professional correspondence; project and teaching files for Artist Housing Projects and various teaching positions; scattered writings and notes; printed materials including exhibition catalogs and announcements; and photographs. The 2014 and 2015 additions date from 1945-2013 and provide additional material related to Dodd's career as a painter and educator. Found here are biographical material; correspondence with friends and artists; writings by others; project and teaching files; personal business records; printed material; photographical material of artwork and Dodd; eleven travel sketchbooks; and a few pieces of artwork by George Schneeman.

Scope and Content Note

Scope and Content Note
The papers of New York City painter, educator, gallery owner, and activist Lois Dodd date from 1945 to 2013 and measure 6.82 linear feet. The papers focus on Dodd's personal work and contain little documentation of her involvement with Tanager Gallery. Found are biographical materials, including an interview conducted by Pat Mainardi in 1973; personal business records; professional correspondence; project and teaching files for Artist Housing Projects and various teaching positions; scattered writings and notes; printed materials including exhibition catalogs and announcements; and photographs.
The 2014 and 2015 additions date from 1945-2013 and provide additional material related to Dodd's career as a painter and educator. Found here are biographical material; correspondence with friends and artists; writings by others; project and teaching files; personal business records; printed material; photographical material of artwork and Dodd; eleven travel sketchbooks; and a few pieces of artwork by George Schneeman.
Notable correspondents in the collection include Charles Cajori, Dave and Kathy Dewey, Lucien Day, Rackstraw Downes, William King, James L. Lentz, James McGarrell, Zalmar Perlin, Sidney Simon, Paul Smith, and Tom Wesselmann.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 7 series:
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Biographical Information, 1949-1989 (Box 1; 9 folders)
  • Series 2: Personal Business Records, 1950-1990 (Box 1; 0.1 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Correspondence, 1952-1991 (Box 1; 0.7 linear feet)
  • Series 4: Project and Teaching Files, 1969-1983 (Box 1-2; 0.2 linear feet)
  • Series 5: Writings and Notes, circa 1970-1990 (Box 2; 5 folders)
  • Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1970-2001 (Box 2; 0.6 linear feet)
  • Series 7: Photographs, 1952-circa 1990 (Box 2; 0.3 linear feet)
  • Series 8: Addition to the Lois Dodd Papers, 1945-2013 (Box 3-8; 4.8 linear feet)

Biographical Note

Biographical Note
Lois Dodd (1927- ) is an observational painter, educator, activist, and co-founder of the Tanager Gallery. She is active in New York City and Maine.
Lois Dodd was born in 1927 in Montclair, New Jersey. Beginning in 1945, Dodd commuted from Montclair to New York City to attend The Cooper Union, from which she graduated in 1948. She married fellow student and sculptor William King with whom she had one child, Eli. King and Dodd, among others, established the Tanager Gallery in 1952.
Dodd worked for various organizations in New York City promoting affordable housing for artists, especially the renewal of Cooper Square. She continues to exhibit her paintings at both individual and group exhibitions.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Hanson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Lois Dodd donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in several increments between 1981-2007. Dodd donated an additional 4.8 linear feet of material in 2014 and 2015.
Processing Information
The Lois Dodd papers were minimally arranged upon receipt. In 2012, all accretions were merged, processed, and described by Jayna Hanson with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. The 2014 and 2015 additions of 4.8 linear feet were minimally processed by Hilary Price 2016.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
The Lois Dodd papers, 1945-2013. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Related Material
Among the collections of the Archives of American Art are the Tanager Gallery records, 1952-1972 and an oral history interview with Lois Dodd by Barbara Shikler conducted in 1988.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Political activists -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women educators Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women art dealers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists' studios -- Photographs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mainardi, Patricia Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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