Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Kenneth Callahan papers, 1950-1978
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Callahan, Kenneth, 1905-1986
- Title
- Kenneth Callahan papers
- Dates
- 1950-1978 (inclusive)19501978
- Quantity
- .56 cubic feet plus 1 sound tape reel (40 min.) and 3 transcripts (2 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 2638
- Summary
- Tape-recorded interview of Washington artist concerning his artistic philosophy and other papers related to him
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Spokane-born painter Kenneth Callahan was one of the leading artists of the Pacific Northwest school. As a young painter he was exhibited in the First Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the Whitney Museum in New York. He subsequently was recognized in a breakthrough 1953 Life magazine article as one of the "Mystic Painters of the Northwest." He spent years working as a curator at the Seattle Art Museum, and when he was fired in 1952 (he had been using the museum as a studio, which a new curator found reprehensible), he continued painting and selling paintings from his studio on the south fork of the Stillaguamish River, near Granite Falls in Snohomish County.
Source: "Callahan, Kenneth (1905-1986), Painter" HistoryLink, 14 Feb 2003, http://www.historylink.org/File/5203
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Interviews, transcripts, correspondence, exhibit notices, photographs, and clippings from the life of Washington State artist Kenneth Callahan.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 3 accessions.
- Accession No. 2638-001, Kenneth Callahan interview, 1962
- Accession No. 2638-002, Kenneth Callahan transcripts, circa 1971
- Accession No. 2638-003, Kenneth Callahan papers, 1950-1978
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 2638-001: Kenneth Callahan interview, 1962Return to Top
Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview by Curt Green on 25 Jan 1962, in conjunction with KING-FM series "Conversation with an artist" conducted by Jim Wilke.
Interview concerns Mr. Callahan's artistic philosophy.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Received ½5/1962.
Accession No. 2638-002: Kenneth Callahan transcripts, circa 1971Return to Top
Scope and Content: Two transcripts from taped conversations with Kenneth Callahan.
Callahan discusses his life and career, his painting, his philosophy, and some of his associates. Time period discussed covers 1910-1971.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by M. Johnson, 1973.
Accession No. 2638-003: Kenneth Callahan papers, 1950-1978Return to Top
Scope and Content: Biographical features, interview fragment, correspondence, exhibit notices, photographs, clippings. Includes dozens of black and white photographs, also a typewritten draft of a writing based on an interview edited by Michael Johnson, "Kenneth Callahan: Universal Voyager". Includes transcript of panel discussion with Callahan, Viola Patterson and George Tsutakawa, conducted by Gervais Reed.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights retained. Contact repository for details.
Acquisition Info: Received 1/1/1983.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/1 | 2638-003 | Biographical Features |
undated |
| 1/2 | 2638-003 | General Correspondence |
1950-1973 |
| 1/3 | 2638-003 | Correspondence of Henry Gallery re Callahan |
1963-1974 |
| 1/4 | 2638-003 | Financial Records |
1950 |
| 1/5 | 2638-003 | Transcripts of Interviews
Scope and Content:
Partial transcript of taped interview with Kenneth Callahan,
Viola Patterson, and George Tsutakawa, autumn 1971. Gervaise Reed, interviewer.
Transcript of sides 3 and 4 of a panel discussion with Kenneth
Callahan, Viola Patterson, and George Tsutakawa, date not known. Sides 1 and 2
are missing.
|
1971; undated |
| 1/6-7 | 2638-003 | Gallery Notices |
1953-1977 |
| 1/8-10 | 2638-003 | Exhibition Catalogs |
1949-1976 |
| 1/11 | 2638-003 | Card File, owners of Callahan paintings |
undated |
| 1/12 | 2638-003 | Lists- owners of Callahan paintings, bibliography of
articles about Callahan |
1947-1968, 1972-1973 |
| 1/13 | 2638-003 | Writings by Callahan |
1937-1961 |
| 1/14-15 | 2638-003 | Writings about Callahan
Scope and Content:
Includes typewritten draft of a writing based on/edited from an
interview, "Kenneth Callahan: Universal Voyager," by Michael R. Johnson.
|
1959-1978 |
| 2/1 | 2638-003 | Publications |
1959-1964 |
| 2/2-8 | 2638-003 | Photographs
Scope and Content:
8x10 black and white portrait of Callahan by David Ziegler.
8x10 photographs of artworks.
4x5 photographs of art, collected by Beth Callahan.
Miscellaneous photographs.
|
undated |
| 2/9 | 2638-003 | Negatives |
undated |
| 2/10-11 | 2638-003 | Clippings |
undated |
| 2/12 | 2638-003 | Ephemera |
1970-1974 |
| 2/13-14 | 2638-003 | Subject Series
Scope and Content:
Master class at Port Townsend taught by Callahan.
Visual conceptions for Seattle Repertory Theatre production of
"Macbeth"
|
1972-1974 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Artists--Washington (State)
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Callahan, Kenneth, 1905-1986--Archives
- Camfferman, Margaret
- Camfferman, Peter
- Graves, Morris, 1910-2001
- Johnson, Michael R
- Tobey, Mark
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Patterson, Viola, 1898-1984 (creator)
- Reed, Gervais (creator)
- Tsutakawa, George (creator)
Corporate Names
- Henry Art Gallery (creator)
