Doris Chase papers, 1941-2017

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Chase, Doris, 1923-2008
Title
Doris Chase papers
Dates
1941-2017 (inclusive)
Quantity
15.96 cubic feet (23 boxes plus 1 sound cassette and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
2842
Summary
Papers and interview of a sculptor and video artist in Seattle and New York City
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

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Doris Chase was born in Seattle, Washington in 1923. She studied architecture at the University of Washington between 1941 and 1943. In 1950, after the birth of her two children and after her husband was paralyzed by polio, she began to teach painting as a way of combating the overwhelming difficulties confronting her. Working in Seattle through the fifties and the sixties, she established herself as a recognized painter. By 1962, at a time when the art world in the United States was almost exclusively male, she had her first New York City gallery show. During the sixties she turned to sculpture. In order to create large-scale wood pieces, she found it necessary to work collaboratively with a wide range of skilled craftsmen. This experience proved essential when, in the late sixties, she began collaborating with the dancer Mary Staton to create dance sculpture - sculpture designed for interaction with dancers in performance. It was during these collaborations that Chase began to use film, first as a means of documentation and eventually as an integral artistic element.

Through the seventies, Chase created a number of dance/sculpture films, placing her at the front of contemporary avant-garde movements. After coming to New York, she was encouraged by the video artist Nam June Paik to explore video art. Her works in this medium have been shown widely in festivals, screenings, and exhibits worldwide, and have been collected by museum, libraries, and archives. During the seventies Chase also produced a number of videos for children including Sculpture for Children, The Emperor's New Clothes, and How Do You Feel? that explore themes of self-esteem, body awareness, and movement. She also began to use the medium of video to explore the subject of women from a feminist point of view in documentaries such as Lies, Masks, Windows, Skyfish, Electra Tries to Speak, Travels in the Combat Zone, and Thulani, which comprise the "Concept Series". By the mid-eighties, Chase achieved a breakthrough into mainstream television with the "By Herself" series, in which she introduced the subject matter of older women in society to a popular audience. Chase also produced and directed works in the series, such as Table for One, Dear Papa, A Dancer, Glass Curtain, and Sophie. She died in Seattle in December 2008.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Interviews, biographical features, correspondence, exhibition notices, photographs, clippings, financial records, news releases, journals, calendars, notebooks, project files, subject series, promotional materials, publications, sketches, posters, drawings, photographs and slides of artwork, business and museum files, lectures, essays, published material about Doris chase, reviews, writings, History of Women/Artists/Filmmakers programs, slides, and scrapbooks.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Ms. Chase retains copyright to her graphic and moving image materials (film and videotape).

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 6 accessions.

  • Accession No. 2842-001, Doris Chase interview and related materials, 1977
  • Accession No. 2842-002, Doris Chase papers, 1962-1977
  • Accession No. 2842-003, Doris Chase papers, 1970-1996
  • Accession No. 2842-004, Doris Chase papers, 1941-2003
  • Accession No. 2842-005, Doris Chase Papers, 1943-2017
  • Accession No. 2842-006, Doris Chase papers, 1978-1988

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Doris Chase Collection (Accession No. PH2003-035)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2842-001: Doris Chase interview and related materials, 1977Return to Top

.03 cubic foot plus 1 sound cassette (50 min.)

Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview conducted by Gloria Peck; transcript, summary, resume, xerox of clipping.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Doris Chase, 9/7/1977.

Accession No. 2842-002: Doris Chase papers, 1962-1977Return to Top

.14 cubic foot

Scope and Content: Biographical features, correspondence, exhibition notices, photographs, clippings.

This accession documents her work, especially her kinetic sculpture. There are many black and white photographs.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received 1/1/1983.

Separated Material: Doris Chase Collection (Accession No. PH2003-035)

Accession No. 2842-003: Doris Chase papers, 1970-1996 (bulk 1976-1986)Return to Top

.42 cubic foot

Scope and Content: Biographical features, correspondence, financial records, publicity, news releases, clippings, ephemera.

Publicity includes the publicity materials for her video productions ("By Herself" series and Video Sculpture), and her sculpture for children (1970, ca. 1990-1996).

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Doris Chase, 4/10/1987.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2842-003
Biographical Features
1980-1985
1/2-7 2842-003
Incoming Letters
1979-1985
1/8 2842-003
Outgoing Letters
1980-1985
1/9 2842-003
Financial Records
1980-1986
1/10 2842-003
Publicity
1980-1986
1/11 2842-003
News Releases
1977-1985
1/12 2842-003
Writings
1982
1/13 2842-003
Lists
1979-1986
1/14 2842-003
Grants and Grant Proposals
1984-1985
1/15 2842-003
Clippings
1976-1986
2/1-5 2842-003
Ephemera
1978-1986

Accession No. 2842-004: Doris Chase papers, 1941-2003 (bulk 1960-2003)Return to Top

7.42 cubic feet (8 boxes)

Scope and Content: Journals, calendars, notebooks, project files including letters, publicity materials, photographs, and related materials, subject series.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Doris T. Chase, 5/16/2003.

Container(s) Description Dates
Series 1: Writings and Publicity
1941-2003
Box/Folder Accession
1, 3-4 2842-004
Calendars
1942-1943, 1973-2002
1-3, 5 2842-004
Journals
1960-2001
2 2842-004
Press Clippings
2001-2002
3-4 2842-004
Publicity
1965-2003
4 2842-004
Notebooks
1963-1989
4 2842-004
Catalogs and Invitations
1950-2003
4 2842-004
911 Media Arts Center
1992-2001
4 2842-004
Sculpture and Children Exhibit
1970-1972
4 2842-004
Sketches and Paintings
1961-1972
4 2842-004
Miscellaneous
undated
Series 2: Project Files and Subject Series
1965-2002
Box/Folder Accession
5 2842-004
Publications
1983-1998
5 2842-004
Project Files
1965-1999
5 2842-004
Video Sculpture
undated
5 2842-004
Dance Sculpture
undated
5 2842-004
Sculpture Articles
undated
6 2842-004
Chelsea Hotel
undated
6 2842-004
Documentaries on Doris Chase
1980-2001
6 2842-004
Biographical Essays and Photos
1976-2002
7 2842-004
Dance
1971-1998
7 2842-004
Concepts
undated
7 2842-004
"By Herself" Series
1985-1995
8 2842-004
"By Herself" Series: Mary Ann Anderson
1996-1997
8 2842-004
"By Herself" Series: Nancy Holloran
1996-1997
8 2842-004
"By Herself" Series: Francella Olson
1996-1997

Accession No. 2842-005: Doris Chase Papers, 1943-2017Return to Top

7.43 cubic feet (11 boxes plus one oversize folder)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, promotional materials, sketches, posters, drawings, photos and slides of artwork, business and museum files, lectures, essays, published material about Doris Chase, reviews, writings, scrap books.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Randy Chase, 2019-12-12. This accession remains unprocessed. It was sorted, arranged, and described by Randy Chase with the assistance of Matthew Kangas.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2842-005
Full Circle: Profile of Video Artist Doris Chase by Patricia Failing
1989
1/2 2842-005
Letters From Doris Chase
1958-1970
1/3 2842-005
Video P.R. Nina Klippel
2000
1/4 2842-005
R. Pluto B/W Prints
1968
1/5 2842-005
Letters To Doris Chase
1958-1970
1/6 2842-005
Poetry By Doris Chase
1958-1979
1/7 2842-005
Letters To Doris Chase
1999
1/8 2842-005
Obituaries Dories Chase
2008-2009
1/9 2842-005
Miscellaneous Museums
1991-2004
1/10 2842-005
Whatcom Museum, Bellingham
1991-2007
1/11 2842-005
Collection U.W.
1987-2004
1/12 2842-005
Tacoma Art Museum
2003-2004
1/13 2842-005
Seattle Art Museum
1990-2004
1/14 2842-005
National Women's Museum Proposal
1998-1999
1/15 2842-005
Mary L Hurst
2004
1/16 2842-005
Museum of Modern Art
1997-2004
1/17 2842-005
Museum of History and Industry
2000-2004
1/18 2842-005
Museum of Northwest Art
1994-2004
1/19 2842-005
Jundt Art Museum, Gozanga University
2004
1/20 2842-005
Henry Art Gallery
1994-2017
1/21 2842-005
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
2003
1/22 2842-005
Donnell Library
2002-2003
1/23 2842-005
Bellevue Art Museum
1965-2003
1/24 2842-005
Photos
1940-1999
1/25 2842-005
Doris Chase Miscellaneous Notebooks
1997-1999
1/26 2842-005
Doris Chase Miscellaneous Notebooks
1970-2003
1/27 2842-005
Monument-UW
2004-2005
1/28 2842-005
Steel and Plexiglass Photos
1995-1999
1/29 2842-005
Glass and Drawings
1999-2005
1/30 2842-005
Early Paintings
1998-2004
1/31 2842-005
Cement Painting
1962
1/32 2842-005
Sculpture Photos - Small and Wood
1966-2008
1/33 2842-005
Changing Forms - Kerry Park
1966-2003
1/34 2842-005
Sculpture - Metal - Large
1970-2001
1/35 2842-005
Sculpture - Wood - Large
1970-2004
1/36 2842-005
Sculpture - Models - Metal
1995-2005
1/37 2842-005
Seattle Center/Moon Gates
1998-1999
2/1 2842-005
Moon Gates - Business
1994-2000
2/2 2842-005
West Seattle Sculpture
Undated
2/3 2842-005
Sculpture for Children Photos
1968-1973
2/4 2842-005
Sculpture for Children, Continued - Patent Applications, Invoices, Etc.
1968-1973
2/5 2842-005
Sculpture for Children, Continued - Patent Applications, Invoices, Etc.
1968-1973
2/6 2842-005
Proposals - Sculpture
1991-2002
2/7 2842-005
Proposals - Sculpture
1975-2006
2/8 2842-005
Fountain Sketches
1972
2/9 2842-005
Festivals/Film Video files
1974-2002
2/10 2842-005
Listings/Title Lists/Descriptives Film/Video
1989-1999
2/11 2842-005
Film/Video Press Releases/Video Showings
1973-2003
2/12 2842-005
Book/Video "Portrait of an Artist" Press Release/Reviews
1991-2000
2/13 2842-005
By Herself Video promotional materials
1985-1997
2/14 2842-005
By Herself Photos
Undated
2/15 2842-005
Chelsea movie promotional materials
1986-1994
2/16 2842-005
Concepts (Series)
1981-1994
2/17 2842-005
Video Sculpture
1990
2/18 2842-005
Photos - By Herself/Concepts
Undated
2/19 2842-005
Dance and Film
1970-2002
2/20 2842-005
Sculpture Based - Dance
1969-1993
2/21 2842-005
Student Papers on Doris Chase
1982-2007
2/22 2842-005
Magazines, Publications, Photos, etc.
1983-1999
2/23 2842-005
Catalogs and History
1959-2004
2/24 2842-005
United States Information Service Tour
1970-1977
2/25 2842-005
Miscellaneous Clippings, Correspondence, Photos
1955-2003
2/26 2842-005
Awards
1991-2004
2/27 2842-005
Artist Statements
1996-2004
2/28 2842-005
Letters To Doris Chase
1999-2004
2/29 2842-005
Friesan Gallery Financial
1997-2004
2/30 2842-005
Experiments in Art and Technology (EAT) Group
2001-2004
2/31 2842-005
Exhibition Catalogs
1961-1971
2/32 2842-005
Film/Video Placements
1984-2004
2/33 2842-005
Correspondence
1971-2006
2/34 2842-005
Past Correspondence
1989-2004
2/35 2842-005
Release Forms
1999-2001
2/36 2842-005
Scholarship at University of Washington
2002-2008
2/37 2842-005
Plan for Show
1990
2/38 2842-005
John Braseth/Gordan Woodside Gallery
1990-1997
3/1 2842-005
Scripts
1973-1984
3/2 2842-005
Harriett Bullitt Script
1980-1989
3/3 2842-005
The Bride's Notebook, wedding clippings
1943
3/4 2842-005
Reviews
1968-2001
3/5 2842-005
Illustrated Directory: Architectural Craftsmen of the Northwest
1961
3/6 2842-005
Doris Chase Biography Info
1961-2004
3/7 2842-005
Doris Chase Biography Info/Obituary
1990-2008
3/8 2842-005
Innovations in Wood Vol. IV, No. 3
Undated
3/9 2842-005
Women Make Movies 20th Anniversary Film & Video Catalogue
1992
3/10 2842-005
Discovery Patterns Supplement One
1971
3/11 2842-005
Mizue Fine Arts Monthly Review
May 1963
3/12 2842-005
Puget Soundings Magazine
June 1972
3/13 2842-005
Art: A Fair Legacy - The Journey from Fair to Museum Publication
July 2003
3/14 2842-005
The Total Movement Medium? Thesis by Andrew James
1988
3/15 2842-005
Formes Gallery Guestbook
1963
3/16 2842-005
In-Put Conference Brochure
1980
3/17 2842-005
Craft Horizons
July-August 1969
3/18 2842-005
Huntington Hartford Foundation Photobook
Undated
3/19 2842-005
Arts Magazine
April 1965
3/20 2842-005
Arts Magazine
Summer 1969
3/21 2842-005
Balkan Tour Sketchbook
1969
3/22 2842-005
Composition Book
1963-1964
3/23 2842-005
Japan Visit Sketchbook
1963
3/24 2842-005
Chairs Thru The Ages - Handmade Book
Undated
3/25 2842-005
Loose Photos and Clippings
1959-2008
3/26 2842-005
Photos and Clippings
1956-1965
3/27 2842-005
Photos and Clippings
1965-2002
3/28 2842-005
Video Sculpture - Video Dance Photos
1975-1985
3/29 2842-005
Film/Video Concept Series Slides and Photos
Undated
3/30 2842-005
Career Survey: Film and Video
1968-2000
3/31 2842-005
Career Survey: Film and Video
1968-2000
3/32 2842-005
Musicians D401-D495
1958-1966
3/33 2842-005
Glass - Bases for Glass
1996-1999
3/34 2842-005
Sculpture - Steel and Bronze
1964-1996
3/35 2842-005
Painted Wood S101-S123
1959-1967
3/36 2842-005
Laminated Oak/Large Sculpture S201-S249
1962-1999
3/37 2842-005
Lucite/Plexi S301-S308
1967-1971
3/38 2842-005
Wood Collages WC1-WC9
1991-1993
3/39 2842-005
Loose Material
Undated
4/1 2842-005
Photos from "Artist in Motion" Book, UW Press
1999
4/2 2842-005
Sculpture - Marquettes Slides
1965-1995
4/3 2842-005
Sculpture - Small Wood Slides
1964-1992
4/4 2842-005
Sculpture - Medium Wood Slides
1965-1990
4/5 2842-005
Sculpture - Monumental Wood Slides
1965-1999
4/6 2842-005
Sculpture - Wood Collage Slides
1993
4/7 2842-005
Sculpture - Wood Painted
1964-1967
4/8 2842-005
Sculpture - Crane Series Slides
1999
4/9 2842-005
Red Disks Slides
1979-1992
4/10 2842-005
Small Metal Slides
1991-2004
4/11 2842-005
Medium Metal Slides
1992-1995
4/12 2842-005
Monumental Metal Slides
1969-1999
4/13 2842-005
Gallery Shots Slides
1961-1998
4/14 2842-005
Steel Circles Slides
2001-2002
4/15 2842-005
Slide Annotation Sheets, Miscellaneous Slides, Photo, Film Negatives
1964-2004
4/16 2842-005
Glass: Photos
1996-2004
5/1 2842-005
Painting: Slides
1953-1965
5/2 2842-005
Prints: Photos, Slides
1980-1999
5/3 2842-005
Glass/Prints: Slides, Photo Negatives
1996-1999
5/4 2842-005
Paintings P3-P76
1947-1972
5/5 2842-005
Trees - Watercolor/Gauche/Sumi D301-D353
1958-1964 `
5/6 2842-005
Landscapes D500-D590
1954-1971
5/7 2842-005
Still Life D601-D614
1960
5/8 2842-005
Cement Painting: Photos
1962
5/9 2842-005
Daily Minder
2004
5/10 2842-005
Bankok and Kyoto Sketchbook
Undated
5/11 2842-005
Get Well Cards, Notes, and Collages
Undated
6/1 2842-005
European Art Catalog
Undated
6/2 2842-005
Mosta Internazionale di Arte Astratta
September 1961
6/3 2842-005
After Dark Magazine
October 1970
6/4 2842-005
Small Sculpture from the United States Catalog
1971
6/5 2842-005
Zoom Magazine
November-December 1971
6/6 2842-005
University of Washington Press Catalog
Fall/Winter 1991
6/7 2842-005
University of Washington Press Catalog
Spring/Summer 1992
6/8 2842-005
Vanity Fair
March 1992
6/9 2842-005
Women Artists News
1993
6/10 2842-005
Zeit Magazine
September 1994
6/11 2842-005
The Macdowell Colony News
Summer/Fall 1995
6/12 2842-005
Twenty-second Athens International Film and Video Festival
1995
6/13 2842-005
Anthology Film Archives
April-June 2009
7/1 2842-005
Wedding Scrapbook
December 1943
7/2 2842-005
Prize-Winning Paintings Book V
1965
7/3 2842-005
South America Lecture Tour Scrapbook
1975
7/4 2842-005
Jerusalem Film Festival Poster
1987
7/5 2842-005
Sketches, Bangkok
Undated
7/6 2842-005
Photo by Michiko Matsumoto and Photo Collage by Catherine Basetti
Undated
7/7 2842-005
Doris Chase Posters
1969-1970
8/1 2842-005
Video Art Frame Printout
Undated
8/2 2842-005
Video Art Frame Printout
Undated
9/1 2842-005
London Film Festival Awards
1986
9/2 2842-005
Sketch and Schematics, Washington State Pavilion, Osaka, Japan
1969
9/3 2842-005
"the Chelsea" MOMA Showing Poster
11 November 1993
9/4 2842-005
Seven Memorable Films of Dance and Music by Doris Chase Poster
Undated
folder:oversize
OS Folder 2842-005
Sculpture Plans for Seattle Opera
1968-1969
OS Folder 2842-005
AFI Fest Los Angeles Poster
1988 April
Box
10 2842-005
Scrap Book
1945-1959
11 2842-005
Blue Scrap Book
1977

Accession No. 2842-006: Doris Chase papers, 1978-1988Return to Top

0.52 cubic feet (1 box including 3 floppy disks)

Scope and Content: An addition to Doris Chase papers that includes newspaper clippings, publications, papers written by Doris Chase, papers written about Doris Chase, interviews, History of Women/Artists/Filmmakers programs, slides, and three floppy disks.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access. Digital media is closed until evaluated.

Separated from Doris Chase films, audio and video recordings collection.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Patricia Failing

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2842-006
Patricia Failing interviews
1/2 2842-006
Collaborators
1/3 2842-006
Newspaper clippings
1/4 2842-006
Publications
1/5 2842-006
Art and Scrapbook
1/6 2842-006
Doris Chase and Shirley Clarke, a conversation
December 1979
1/7 2842-006
Newspaper clippings about Elaine Summers
1/8 2842-006
Foreign Language reviews
1/9 2842-006
Publications
1/10 2842-006
Documentation Versus Interpretation in the Video-Theater work of Doris Chase
1987
1/11 2842-006
History of Women/Artist/Filmmaker programs and distributions
1/12 2842-006
Publications about Doris Chase
1/13 2842-006
Interviews with Doris Chase
1/14 2842-006
Student Papers on Doris Chase's work
1/15 2842-006
Written statements by Doris Chase
1/16 2842-006
Sculptures
1/17 2842-006
Kinetic Sculptures for Children
1970s
1/18 2842-006
Bibliographies, Filmographies, Lectures, collections
1/19 2842-006
Doris Chase BY HERSELF series presentation and discussion guide
1995
1/20 2842-006
Slides
1/21 2842-006
Floppy disks
3 floppy disks
Restrictions on Access: Digital media is closed until evaluated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Artists--United States
  • Kinetic sculpture
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Sculptors--United States
  • Video art

Personal Names

  • Chase, Doris, 1923-2008--Archives
  • Chase, Doris, 1923-2008--Interviews

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Chase, Doris, 1923-2008 (interviewee)
    • Peck, Gloria B (interviewer)