Robert Bibler papers, 1972-2016

Overview of the Collection

Title
Robert Bibler papers
Dates
1972-2016 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 linear feet, (6 boxes)
Collection Number
WUA117
Summary
The Robert Bibler papers consist of newspaper articles, photographs, a scrapbook, sketches and drawings, digital files, promotional fliers, and correspondence related to Bibler's commission to paint former Oregon governor Neil Goldschmidt's official portrait from 1990 to 1993 and the creation and promotion of The Amherst Film Cooperative at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1972 and The Wednesday Evening Film Series at Chemeketa Community College and The Historic Elsinore Theatre from 1974 to 2015.
Repository
Willamette University Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Mark O. Hatfield Library
900 State Street
Salem, OR
97301
Telephone: 5033706866
Fax: 5033706141
archives@willamette.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open to researchers.

Languages
Sponsor
Processed with funds provided by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission's (NHPRC) Access to Historical Records grant.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Robert Bibler was born in 1948. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, and his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. While completing his MFA, Bibler worked with John Morrison to co-found The Amherst Film Cooperative in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1972. Bibler and Morrison developed film schedules for the Cooperative and organized public film screenings held at Hampshire College, the Amherst Folklore Center, and venues on the University of Massachusetts campus. In 1973 Bibler began teaching part-time at Mt. Hood Community College, in Gresham, Oregon and at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. In the fall of 1974, he was hired full-time to develop the Art Program at Chemeketa Community College, where he taught drawing, painting, design, printmaking, and film studies and served as chair of the Art Program. While teaching at Chemeketa, Bibler also developed the Film Studies Program with Leonard Held, Ph.D., an instructor in the English department. In the fall of 1974, a film studies curriculum that included the study of film directors, genres, and cinema history was established at Chemeketa Community College using funds received from a two-year Program Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. These funds also enabled the creation of a weekly campus film series, The Wednesday Evening Film Series, which showcased a diverse selection of movies. The Wednesday Evening Film Series was open to Chemeketa Community College students and the public. Bibler and Held coordinated the series together until Leonard retired in 1996. Bibler continued to coordinate series programming and publicity at Chemeketa Community College until his retirement in 2003. In 2004 The Wednesday Evening Film Series was relaunched at the Historic Elsinore Theatre, in partnership with Chemeketa Community College, offering big-screen presentations in a newly restored 1926 movie palace in downtown Salem, Oregon. At this new location, Bibler coordinated the selection of movies, authored publicity, and wrote or edited the educational program notes distributed at the screenings from the fall of 2004 until the summer of 2015. Bibler has exhibited artwork professionally since 1974. His drawings and paintings utilize classical techniques and traditional genre subjects to explore his interest in implicit narrative, film history, and Renaissance art through figurative representation and symbolism. His works can be found in private and public collections throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, as well as in cities in the eastern United States. One of Bibler's paintings, the official portrait of former Oregon governor Neil Edward Goldschmidt, was on display at the Oregon state Capitol from 1993 until 2011. Bibler was a member of the Blackfish Gallery in Portland, Oregon and was represented by the Lidtke Fine Art Gallery in Seattle, Washington and the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem, Oregon. He currently resides in Salem, Oregon with his wife, artist Carol Hausser.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Robert Bibler papers include materials concerning Bibler's commission to paint the official portrait of former Oregon governor Neil Edward Goldschmidt and publicity for film series presentations, including The Amherst Film Cooperative at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and The Wednesday Evening Film Series at Chemeketa Community College and the Historic Elsinore Theatre. The programs for the film series contain short essays offering analysis and historical context in addition to production information about the films. The collection also includes greeting cards and mail art from Sandra Loy and Dave Nichols, who comprise Nicholsloy Studio.

The Bibler papers contain newspaper articles, photographs, a scrapbook, sketches and drawings, digital files, promotional fliers, brochures, and correspondence. Newspaper articles document the scandal involving Governor Goldschmidt and the removal of the Goldschmidt official portrait from the Oregon State Capitol in 2011. Several of the news articles are included in email correspondence between Bibler and his colleagues and include discussion about the scandal. Photographs in Box 3 are of former Governor Goldschmidt and were collected by Bibler to prepare and execute the governor's official portrait for the State of Oregon. Box 6 contains publicity posters for The Amherst Film Cooperative at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and The Wednesday Evening Film Series at Chemeketa Community College and the Historic Elsinore Theatre. Art created by Carol Hausser was used on some of the promotional posters for The Wednesday Evening Film Series at Chemeketa Community College.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Library acts as "fair use" reproduction agent. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the Willamette University Archives and Special Collections.

Copyright Information: Before material from collections at Willamette University Archives and Special Collections may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permission. Persons wishing to quote from materials in any collections held by University Archives and Special Collections should consult the University Archivist. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Robert Bibler papers, Archives and Special Collections, Mark O. Hatfield Library, Willamette University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The records are arranging into three series: I. Goldschmidt portrait, II. Publicity for film series, and III. Corrrespondence. Files are arranged in original order and in chronological order.

Location of Collection

Mark O. Hatfield Library

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Goldschmidt portrait, 1987-2016Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box item
1 1
Scrapbook
This scrapbook documents Bibler's interactions with former Governor Goldschmidt and his staff during the portrait painting process from 1990 to 1993. Loose material from the back of scrapbook was removed and foldered and is located in Box 2 folder 1.
1990-1993
Folder
1 1
Photos of Goldschmidt as governor and news articles re: his return to private life after public life
1990-1992
1 2
Photographic color prints of the unveiling ceremony at the Oregon State Capitol of the Official Portrait of Governor Neil Goldschmidt; Photos taken by Carol Bibler and friends of Rober Bibler
1993
1 3
Correspondence and documents relating to Official Portrait of Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt
1990-2004
2 1
Material supplied by the governor's staff
Material supports the "children's agenda" theme that the governor's staff wanted expressed in the portrait. Loose material removed from the back of the scrapbook in Box 1.
1990-1993
3 1
Photographs of Governor Neil Goldschmidt
Photographs by photographers Michael Lloyd of the Oregonian newspaper and Max Gutierrez. Bibler received these photographs from the governor's staff, his press office, and the Oregonian newspaper.
circa 1987-1991
3 2
Photographs of Governor Neil Goldschmidt
These photographs were purchased by Bibler from David Browne. David Browne was contracted by Robert Bibler to photograph former governor Neil Goldschmidt in 1990 for the governor's official portrait. Some of the photographs include notes and grid-marks made by Bibler.
1990
4 1
Pencil sketches of Governor Goldschmidt
circa 1990-1991
4 2
Portrait of Governor Neil Goldschmidt- color study and pencil studies 1-4
1991
5 9
Goldschmidt portrait: suppression of the painting, accounts of sexual abuse, news items, and PTG's location
2004-2016
5 8
My photo session with Governor Goldschmidt
1990

Series II:  Publications for film series, 1972-2015Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
5 1
The Wednesday Evening Film Series Chemeketa Community College
1974 Fall - 1987 Fall
5 2
The Wednesday Evening Film Series Chemeketa Community College
1989 Winter - 1997 Spring
5 3
The Wednesday Evening Film Series Chemeketa Community College
1998 Winter - 2003 Spring
5 4
The Wednesday Evening Film Series Chemeketa Community College and the Historic Elsinore Theatre
2004 Winter - 2009 Fall
5 5
The Wednesday Evening Film Series Chemeketa Community College and the Historic Elsinore Theatre
2010 Winter - 2015 Spring
5 6
Notes and film schedules for The Wednesday Evening Film Series
1972-2015
1 4
Chemeketa Community College film studies program
undated
6 3
Amherst Film Cooperative
1972-1973
6 4
The Wednesday Evening Series promotional posters
1974-2005

Series III:  Correspondence, 1994-2010Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
5 7
Correspondence with Sandra Loy and Dave Nichols (Nicholsloy)
undated
Nicholsloy Studio mail art
Mail art sent to Rob Bibler and Carol Hausser from San Loy and Dave Nichols (Nicholsloy Studio). Includes three dimensional cactus made of cardboard by Dave Nichols. Currently on display in the case outside of Archives and Special Collections.
1994-2010

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Art--Study and teaching
  • Arts--Northwest, Pacific
  • Community and college
  • Fine Arts
  • Portrait painting

Personal Names

  • Goldschmidt, Neil E., 1940-
  • Held, Leonard
  • Loy, Sandra
  • Morrison, John
  • Nichols, Dave

Corporate Names

  • Chemeketa Community College
  • Elsinore Theatre
  • Hallie Ford Museum of Art
  • Nicholsloy Studio
  • Oregonian (Firm)
  • University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Geographical Names

  • Oregon State Capitol (Salem, Or. : 1938- )
  • Oregon--Politics and government
  • Portland (Or.)
  • Salem (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs
  • Posters
  • Scrapbooks
  • clippings (information artifacts)
  • correspondence
  • fliers (printed matter)
  • newspapers
  • paintings (visual works)