Tom Cramer papers, 1964-2017

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Cramer, Tom
Title
Tom Cramer papers
Dates
1964-2017 (inclusive)
Quantity
9 linear feet, (18 boxes)
Collection Number
WUA122
Summary
The Tom Cramer papers documents the art career of Tom Cramer during the years 1964-2017. It also includes an extensive collection of family correspondence from 1943 to 2012. This collection contains original art, art gallery promotional fliers and posters, photographs and slides, sketchbooks, newspapers and clippings, and daily planners and journals.
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

Tom Cramer was born on February 9, 1960 in Portland, Oregon. He attended the Catlin Gabel School in Portland, the Museum Art School (later known as the Pacific Northwest College of Art), and the Pratt Institute in New York. He is best known for his colorful murals, painted cars and motorcycles, and intricate wood-relief paintings. His art is influenced by his environment, music, and various cultures including Indian, African American, and indigenous peoples of the Northwest coastal region.

Cramer began drawing at the age of 12 and quickly became interested in visual art. He was mentored by Portland modernists Clifford Gleason and Milton Wilson and his work is often viewed as a bridge between this earlier generation of artists and the younger artists in Portland. By the mid-1980s, Cramer became popular through his shows at the Folk Craft Gallery in Portland, Oregon and the Jamison Thomas Galleries in Portland, Oregon and New York. His work was also shown in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as various Portland, Oregon galleries including the Butters Gallery, the Pulliam Gallery, the Mark Woolley Gallery, and the Laura Russo Gallery. From 1994-1997, Cramer worked with James Canfield and the Oregon Ballet Theatre to design sets and costumes for ballets. In 1989 Cramer painted his iconic mural "Machine" on a warehouse building on North Williams Avenue in Portland, Oregon. "Machine" helped change and increase the value of the neighborhood. In 2016, the mural's existence was jeopardized when the warehouse was purchased by a developer who planned to demolish the warehouse in order to construct a new building called Parallax. In 2017, after much controversy, deliberation, and threatened legal action, Cramer and the developer settled amicably. The mural was destroyed when the warehouse was demolished with the agreement that Cramer would paint a new mural on Parallax.

Tom Cramer's current work is built upon his style of the late 1990s with a focus on merging painting and relief wood carving with a less vibrant color palette. His work is included in permanent galleries at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon; the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon; the Jordan Schnitzer Museum at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon; and the Boise Art Museum in Boise, Idaho. He is currently represented by the Augen Gallery in Portland, Oregon and the Imogen Gallery in Astoria, Oregon.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Tom Cramer papers provide insight into the Portland, Oregon art and culture scene from the 1980s to the present. Series I (Art career) includes gallery and art exhibition fliers and posters, publicity for Cramer's art in newspapers and magazines, materials related to his education and teaching career, and original art by Cramer, including fragments of his "Machine" mural, and other artists. Series II (Sketchbooks) includes drawings and notes from 1976 to 2013. Series III (Day planners and journals) includes Cramer's daily planners from 1982 to 2007 and journals from his extensive European travels. Series IV (Correspondence) includes letters to Cramer from friends and family, a collection of family correspondence from 1943-2012, and examples of mail art. Series V (Photographs and slides) includes an extensive collection of slides and photographs of Cramer's art, travels, friends, and family.

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], Tom Cramer papers, Archives and Special Collections, Mark O. Hatfield Library, Willamette University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The records are arranged into five series: I. Art career; II. Sketchbooks; III. Day planners and journals; IV. Correspondence; and V. Photographs and slides. Series I includes four subseries: A. Galleries and exhibitions; B. Publicity; C. Education and teaching; D. Art by Tom Cramer and other artists. 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:  Art career, 1972-2017Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries A: Galleries and exhibitions
1982-2017
Box Folder
1 4
Poster: Pacific Northwest College of Art Thesis Exhibition
1982
1 5
Poster: Clinton Street Quarterly
1986 Winter
1 6
Poster: Tom Cramer at Clochard Gallery
1987
1 7
Posters: Tom Cramer at Jamison Thomas Gallery
1988
1 8
Posters: Tom Cramer at Blue Gallery
1990
1 9
Posters: From All Walks of Life - A Walk for AIDS
1993-1995
1 10
Posters: Oregon Biennial
1997
1 11
Poster: AIDS Walk Oregon - "Step Forward"
1997
1 12
Poster: Piano Festival Northwest
Currently folded. Has water damage. May need to move to map case.
2000
1 13
Posters: Tom Cramer at Folk Craft Gallery
undated
1 14
Posters: Tom Cramer at Jamison Thomas Gallery
undated
1 15
Posters: daVinci Arts Fair
undated
2 1
Art gallery agreements and art lists
circa 1983-2007
2 2
Art proposals and art benefits
1989-2010
2 3
Exhibition fliers (for Tom Cramer and other artists)
circa 1959-1991
2 4
Exhibition fliers and postcards
circa 1985-2016
2 5 circa 1987-2015
2 6
Oregon Biennial: contemporary works by Oregon artists
1987-1998
2 7
Art auctions and exhibits
circa 1991-2013
2 8
Art exhibitions (Art Quake, Arts in the Arboretum, 1st Thursday, and Portland Art Dealers Association)
1992-2007
2 9
From All Walks of Life fliers and pins
1993-1995
2 10
Oregon Ballet Theatre booklets and fliers (season schedules)
1994-1997
2 11
Theatre performance programs
1995-1996
2 12
Laura Russo Gallery exhibit fliers
circa 2006-2007
2 13
Business cards
undated
2 14
Business cards
undated
2 15
Name tags for various events
undated
2 16
Resumes and recommendation letter
circa 1994-2003
2 35
Journey to the Third Dimension: Tom Cramer Drawings and Paintings, 1974-2019, Jordon Schnitzer Museum of Art
2019
Subseries B: Publicity
1979-2016
Box Folder
3 1
Clippings (newspaper articles about Dr. John F. Cramer, John F. Cramer junior, and Anne Cramer)
circa 1937-1968
3 2
Newspaper clippings (and exhibit fliers and correspondence to Betty Perkins (mother) and Francesca Stevenson)
circa 1979-2011
3 3
Newspaper articles about art
1986-2012
3 4
Newspaper articles about art and exhibits (collected by Betty Cramer Perkins - Tom Cramer's mother)
circa 1987-2009
3 5
Newspaper clippings (and art critiques, gallery resume, and photocopies of art)
circa 1988-2004
3 6
Northwest Examiner (article about Cramer's art)
1987 August
3 7
1st Thursday (articles about Cramer's art)
1988 September - 1993 October
3 8
1st Thursday (articles about Cramer's art)
1995 May - 1999 May
3 9
The Business Journal (article about Tom Cramer's painted cars)
1991
3 10
Portland Downtowner (article about Cramer's art)
1993 September 6
3 11
The Boise Voice (article about restoration of mural by Tom Cramer)
2003 Spring
3 12
Portland Life: Portland Tribune (article about restoration of Cramer's mural "Machinery")
2003 June 10
2 17
Tom Cramer: P.R. (public relations)
1984-2007
4 1
Metro (article about Cramer)
1986 October
4 2
The New York Times (Jamison - Thomas Gallery exhibition listing and Art Biennale)
1988 February 14 - 2003 June 27
4 3
Face magazine (Tom Cramer and Gus Van Zant)
1991 November - 1992 April
4 4
Willamette Week (articles about Tom Cramer)
1993 July - 2016 July
4 5
Oregon Ballet Theatre "Spring Romance" (article about Tom Cramer)
1995 March 9 - March 12
5 1
The Oregonian (newspaper articles)
1990 August - 2009 October
5 2
Hipfish Monthly (article about Tom Cramer)
2016 August
2 18
Magazine articles
2001-2015
Subseries C: Education and teaching
1972-2010
Box Folder
2 19
Catlin Gabel School correspondence and documents
1972-1978
2 20
Pacific Northwest College of Art (Museum Art School) correspondence and records
1978-1982
2 21
Pacific Northwest College of Art catalogs
1989 Fall - 1992 Fall
2 22
Pacific Northwest College of Art catalogs
1993 Spring - 1994 Summer
2 23
Pacific Northwest College of Art catalogs and benefit art auction
1994-2010
2 24
Class syllabi (taught by Tom Cramer)
circa 1991-1998
2 25
Pratt Institute statement of purpose and report card
undated
2 26
School assignments and reports
undated
2 27
Pacific Northwest College of Art - Museum Art School Diploma
1982 May 2
Subseries D: Art by Tom Cramer and other artists
1974-2017
Box Folder
1 1
Art by Tom Cramer
circa 1983-1987
1 2
Tom Cramer pole figures: Casa U Betcha Seattle proposal art
undated
1 3
Mail art from unknown artist
undated
2 28
Art by Tom Cramer
circa 1974-2010
2 29
Pamphlets and cards featuring art by Tom Cramer
1994-2001
2 30
Art supplies (receipts and costs)
circa 2002-2015
2 31
Art related materials - miscellaneous
undated
2 32
Art and music magazines
1978-2016
2 33
Artslandia, volume 6
2016-2017
2 34
Shannon Kraft Photographs, volume 2 (photography book)
circa 2015
3 13
Art by other artists
circa 1979-2005
3 14
Portfolio and resume
circa 2005-2009
item
6 1
"Machine" mural fragments
1989-2017

Series II:  Sketchbooks, 1976-2012Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
7 1
Sketchbook (mixed media)
Two sketchbooks have been removed and are on display in the Archives and Special Collections case.
1976-1977
7 2
Sketchbook (black and white sketches)
1979
7 3
Sketchbook (spring vacation)
1980
7 4
Sketchbook (black and white ink)
1982
7 5
Sketchbook
1983-1984
7 6
Sketchbook
1984-1985
7 7
Sketchbook
1986
7 8
Sketchbook (mixed media)
1987
7 9
Sketchbook (mostly portraits)
1987
7 10
Sketchbook (black and white ink)
1995-1996
7 11
Journal and sketchbook for trip to India
1998
7 12
India trip: journal and sketchbook
2002-2005
7 13
Trip to India: Calcutta, Puri, Hampi, Hospet, and Goa (sketchbook)
2007 January
7 14
Sketchbook: Madurai, India
2007
7 15
Brighton Beach "Brown Betty" beach cottage guest book (with sketches)
2007-2008
7 16
Sketchbook
2008-2012
7 17
Tom Cramer: titles for art
2013
7 18
Sketchbook (Tom Bennett Cramer)
undated
7 19
Sketchbook
undated
item
8 1
Sketchbooks
Contains 3 sketchbooks. Includes First Year Sculpture sketches.
circa 1979-1981
9 1
Sketchbooks
Contains 21 sketchbooks.
1982-1993
Folder
10 1
Sketchbook
1986
10 2
Sketchbook
1986
10 3
Sketchbook (black ink)
1986
10 4
Sketchbook
1986-1987
10 5
Sketchbook
1986-1987
10 6
Sketchbook
1987
10 7
Sketchbook
1988-1997
10 8
Sketchbook (black and white ink)
1989
10 9
Sketchbook
1989-1990
10 10
Sketchbook
1989-1995
10 11
Sketchbook (black ink)
1992
10 12
Sketchbook (black ink)
1992-1993
10 13
Sketchbook
circa 1994
10 14
Sketchbook
1995-2010
10 15
Sketchbook
circa 1996-1997
10 16
Sketchbook
1998
10 17
Sketchbook
1999
10 18
Sketchbook
circa 2000-2006
10 19
Sketchbook
2001-2009
10 20
Sketchbook (includes sketches of Portland)
2007-2008
10 21
Sketchbook
2013

Series III:  Day planners and journals, 1982-2008Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
11 1
Travel journal (trip to Europe)
1982
11 2
Day planner (calendar)
1982
11 3
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1992
11 4
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1992-1993
11 5
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1993-1994
11 6
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1994-1995
11 7
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1995-1996
11 8
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1996-1997
11 9
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1997-1998
11 10
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1998-1999
11 11
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
1999-2000
11 12
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2000-2001
11 13
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2001-2002
11 14
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2002-2003
11 15
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2003-2004
11 16
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2004-2005
11 17
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2005-2006
11 18
Day planner (calendar/organizer)
2006-2007
11 19
Planner (daily calendar)
2007-2008

Series IV:  Correspondence, 1943-2015Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
12 1
Correspondence: John and Mary Cramer (father and step-mother)
circa 1964-1998
3 15
Correspondence: John and Mary Cramer (father and step-mother)
1984 September 4 - November 1
12 2
Correspondence: Betty Cramer Perkins (mother)
circa 1964-2012
12 3
Correspondence: Seldy Cramer Speers (sister)
circa 1983-2014
12 4
Correspondence: personal
1961-1987
12 5
Correspondence: personal
1981-1986
12 6
Art sold and donated and gallery correspondence
circa 1984-2015
12 7
Correspondence: Bill Yost
circa 1985-2003
12 8
Correspondence
1987-2014
12 9
Correspondence: personal
1988-1989
12 10
Correspondence: personal
1990-1993
12 11
Correspondence: personal
1994-1999
12 12
Correspondence: personal
2000 January 16 - 2008 December 13
1 16
Correspondence: Rebecca Burrows
2004 May
12 13
Correspondence: Jack Eyerly
2007 February 10
12 14
Correspondence: personal
circa 2009 April - 2015 August
12 15
Correspondence: personal
undated
12 16
Correspondence: personal
undated
12 17
Correspondence: personal
undated
12 18
Correspondence
undated
12 19
Blank postcards
undated
12 20
Art related correspondence
circa 1977-2014
12 21
Tom Cramer: paintings and sculpture (correspondence)
circa 1984-1992

Series V:  Photographs and slides, circa 1927-2015Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 17
Poster: compiled photographs of friends and family
undated
3 16
Photographs of family, friends, and art
undated
item
13 1
Photographs of art, friends, and family
Includes older family/relatives photographs.
undated
14 1
Photographs of art, friends, and family
undated
Folder
15 1
Photos of Tom Cramer
circa 1966-1996
15 2
Art photographs (photographs of Tom Cramer and friends)
circa 1993-2005
15 3
Photo negatives of art (Laura Russo Gallery and Linda Hodges Gallery)
circa 1996-2002
15 4
Photograph negatives of art
undated
15 5
Art photographs: Tom Cramer/Burlon Craig - by William Jameson
undated
15 6
Photographs (painted cars)
undated
15 7
Art photographs
undated
15 8
Cramer X-mas (Christmas) party (from Rebekah Johnson and E. J. Haar)
1996
15 9
Photograph negatives (art, friends, and family)
undated
15 10
Photographs of family, friends, and art
undated
15 11
Photographs of family, friends, and art
undated
16 1
Photographs of family, friends, and art
undated
16 2
Photographs: family, friends, art and travel
undated
16 3
Photographs: family, friends, and art
undated
16 4
Photographs: family, friends, and art
undated
item
17 1
Carousels of slides of Cramer's art and other styles of art
undated
18 1
Slides of Cramer's art
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Art
  • Art--Study and teaching
  • Arts--Northwest, Pacific

Personal Names

  • Eyerly, Jack
  • Jamison, William Robert, 1945-1995
  • Van Sant, Gus

Corporate Names

  • Catlin Gabel School
  • Folkcraft Gallery
  • Hallie Ford Museum of Art
  • Jamison Thomas Gallery
  • Laura Russo Gallery
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre
  • Oregon Biennial (Portland, Or.)
  • Oregonian (Firm)
  • Pacific Northwest College of Art
  • Pratt Institute
  • Willamette Weekly

Geographical Names

  • Portland (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Posters
  • clippings (information artifacts)
  • color photographs
  • correspondence
  • fliers (printed matter)
  • mail art
  • mural paintings
  • newspapers
  • sketchbooks
  • zines

Functions

  • color slides