Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Marvin Lipofsky Papers, 1954-2018, in the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.lipomarv
Creators:
Lipofsky, Marvin, 1938-2016
Dates:
1954-2018
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
46 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of studio glass artist Marvin Lipofsky measure 46.0 linear feet and date from 1954 to 2018. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, travel diaries, artist files, exhibition and gallery files, organization files, professional files, technical studio files, printed material, photographic material, three scrapbooks, sketchbooks, and artwork. There is a 0.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes personal and professional correspondence between Lipofsky and others regarding travel and shows, a file on teaching, and biographical information, and "In a Bottle" transparency. Materials date from circa 1964-2002.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of studio glass artist Marvin Lipofsky (1938-2016) measure 46.0 linear feet and date from 1954 to 2018. Found are biographical materials, correspondence, writings and notes, travel diaries, artist files, exhibition and gallery files, organization files, professional files, technical studio files, printed material, photographic material, three scrapbooks, sketchbooks, and artwork.There is a 0.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes personal and professional correspondence between Lipofsky and others regarding travel and shows, a file on teaching, and biographical information, and "In a Bottle" transparency. Materials date from circa 1964-2002.
Of note are materials concerning Lipofsky's extensive travel, likely with the Glass Art Society, and his files on oher artists. 108 travel diaries contain notes and contact information and date from 1970 to 2015. Professional files contain Lipofsky's international files which are organized by country. Within these are correspondence and printed materials from local artists. Also found are photo albums for many of Lipofsky's trips abroad.
Artist files are for Fritz Driesbach, Nick Labino, Harvey Littleton, Ronald Pennell, Raechel Running, Italo Scanga, Jean-Pierre Umbdenstock, Patti Warashina, and many others.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 15 series
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1954-2017 (2.0 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 46)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1960-2016 (3.3 linear feet; Boxes 3-6)
  • Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1962-2010 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 6-7)
  • Series 4: Travel Diaries, 1970-2015 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8)
  • Series 5: Artist Files, 1956-2016 (2.7 linear feet; Boxes 8-11, 46)
  • Series 6: Exhibition and Gallery Files, 1966-2016 (7.7 linear feet; Boxes 11-19)
  • Series 7: Organization Files, 1965-2015 (1.8 linear feet; Boxes 19-21)
  • Series 8: Professional Files, 1960-2018 (5.4 linear feet; Boxes 21-27)
  • Series 9: Technical Studio Files, circa 1960s-circa 2000s (3.9 linear feet; Boxes 27-30)
  • Series 10: Printed Material, 1960s-2000s (4.6 linear feet; Boxes 30-35, 46)
  • Series 11: Photographic Material, 1980-2004 (9.2 linear feet; Boxes 35-44, 46-47)
  • Series 12: Scrapbooks, 1960s-1995 (0.2 linear feet; Box 44)
  • Series 13: Sketchbooks, 1960s-2009 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 44-46)
  • Series 14: Artwork, 1960s-2000s (0.4 linear feet; Box 45)
  • Series 15: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1964-2002 (0.4 linear feet, Box 48)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Marvin B. Lipofsky (1938-2016) was a glass artist and educator active in Berkeley, California.
Marvin Lipofsky was born in Barrington, Illinois in 1938. He began his study of art at the University of Illinois, where he studied industrial design and received his MS and MFA in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Wisconsin, he studied under Harvey Littleton, one of the founders of the Studio Glass movement.
Lipofsky would have a long career as an educator and lecturer at institutions throughout the United States. He held positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-Berkeley, and the California College of Arts and Crafts. He taught regular seminars at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and the Pilchuck Glass School.
In addition to his teaching career, Lipofsky was a founding and active member of the Glass Art Society which held conferences all over the world to promote the study and sharing of glass art techniques. He traveled extensively to places such as Czech Republic, Japan, Italy, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. He visited glass factories and studios, usually forming professional relationships and friendships with other glass artists.
Marvin Lipofsky died in 2016 in Berkeley, California.

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Marvin Lipofsky papers were donated in 2004 by Ruth Okimoto, Lipofsky's spouse, on behalf of Marvin Lipofsky as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, and in 2017, 2018 and 2021 by Lisa Lipofsky-Valenzula, Marvin Lipofsky's daughter.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2020. The Archives of American Art has implemented accelerated processing when possible to increase information about and access to more of our collections. For this collection, accelerated processing included arrangement to the series, subseries and folder levels, adhering to the creator's original arrangement as much as possible. Generally, folder contents were simply verified with the original folder titles, but items within folders were not arranged further. All materials were rehoused in archival folders and boxes for long-term stability, but staples and other fasteners have not all been removed.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
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.
Preferred Citation
Marvin Lipofsky papers, 1954-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of Marvin Lipofsky conducted 2003 July 30-August 5, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, in Berkeley, California.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glass artists -- California -- Berkeley Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Educators -- California -- Berkeley Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American studio craft movement Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pilchuck School Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
California College of Arts and Crafts Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glass Art Society Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Warashina, Patti, 1940- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scanga, Italo, 1932-2001 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions