Archives of American Art

National Watercolor Society records

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.natiwate
Creators:
National Watercolor Society (U.S.)
Dates:
1920-1995
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3.6 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Articles of incorporation, newsletters, artist's biographies, slides for exhibitions (1980-1990) and rental slides (1990-1995), pamphlets and programs (1954-1995), six scrapbooks (1921-1994) containing printed materials and some with photographs and artists' resumes, three Presidents' books (1922-1995), a guidebook, group portraits from 1949 and 1951, and NWS newsletters documenting the history and members of the National Watercolor Society (formerly the California Watercolor Society).

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Art society; Los Angeles, Calif. The California Watercolor Society was founded in Los Angeles in 1920. The organization continued for fifty-five years as the CWS. In 1975 the name was changed to the National Watercolor Society (NWS). In the early years the organization was dominated by members of the California School, the group of West Coast painters whose most prominent representative was Millard Sheets. These artists developed a regionalist style that focused on California landscape and, less frequently, the urban scene. The approach and aesthetic represented by Millard Sheets and others greatly influenced the members of the Society for years, and as a result the organization became increasingly viewed as conservative and even decorative.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1995 by the Society's club historian and secretary Rosemary MacBird. Three additional scrapbooks were donated in 1997 by Society historian Ed Gill.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Watercolor painting -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watercolor painting -- California Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arts organizations Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watercolorists -- United States Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watercolorists -- California Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sheets, Millard, 1907-1989 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
California Watercolor Society Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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