Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Buffie Johnson

Summary

(Sound Recording)

Oral history interview with Buffie Johnson, 1977 Nov. 22-1978 Jan. 23, Digital Sound Recording (Excerpt)
Collection ID:
AAA.johnso77
Creators:
Johnson, Buffie
Cummings, Paul
Dates:
1977 Nov. 22-1978 Jan. 23
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2 Sound tape reels
Sound recording
5 in.
140 Pages
Transcript
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
An interview of Buffie Johnson conducted 1977 Nov. 22-1978 Jan. 23, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art.
Scope and Contents
Johnson speaks of her childhood in New York City and Ducksbury, Mass.; her early encouragement in art; life in Paris and the European scene before World War II. She discusses gettting established as a painter, selling her early work, the change in her painting toward abstraction, her friendship with gallery owner Howard Putzel, painting a mural for a movie theater, her inspirations for painting and her interest in the women's movement. She recalls Tony Smith, Hans Hofmann, Stanley William Hayter, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Buffie Johnson (1912-2006) was a painter and muralist from New York, N.Y.
Administration
Sponsor
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript: 35mm microfilm reel 3198 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Digital Content

(Sound Recording)

Oral history interview with Buffie Johnson, 1977 Nov. 22-1978 Jan. 23, Digital Sound Recording (Excerpt)
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript: Use requires an appointment.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painting, Abstract -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mural painting and decoration -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women muralists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hayter, Stanley William, 1901-1988 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Putzel, Howard, 1898-1945 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rothko, Mark, 1903-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smith, Tony, 1912-1980 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions