James A. McGrath was born in Tacoma in 1928. McGrath studied at Central Washington State College and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1950. He received an Master of Arts Degree from the University of New Mexico in 1973. He taught in Richland, Washington public schools, 1952-1955; in American schools in Germany, 1955-1958; then served as Director of Arts for American Schools in Europe, 1958-1962. When the Institute of American Indian Arts opened in Santa Fe in 1962, McGrath returned to the U.S. to teach design, painting, and poetry there. He served as the Institute's Director of Arts, 1966-1972 and Director of Special Projects, 1972-1973. From 1973 until 1982 he was the Arts and Humanities Coordinator for U.S. Department of Defense Schools in Southeast Asia.
After one year as teacher and arts curriculum developer at a community school on the Hopi Indian Reservation, he went back to Asia as Arts, Humanities and Intercultural Studies Coordinator for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools in Southwest Asia. In late 1985, he returned to Santa Fe to re-enter the American arts scene. He again served the Institute of American Indian Art as Dean, 1988-1989; and as Museum Director, 1989-1990. Beginning in 1989, McGrath served as consultant with the New Mexico Arts Division and New Mexico State Department of Education to develop teaching training in the arts. He continued his consultant work in New Mexico and abroad, including Korea, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the Congo.
Photographs of James McGrath teaching students at overseas schools; traveling through Asia, Europe, and Africa; working at the Institute of American Indian Arts; and his involvement in acting and community projects.
Arranged in 7 series.
Collection is open to the public.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Donor: William Witherup, October 13, 2003.
Preliminary processing by Arlene G. Cohen, 2016.
Accessioned as PH2004-053.
The current photograph collection, Photo Acc. 2004-053, was received together, on October 13, 2003, with the materials that form Accession No. 4547-004 in the Manuscripts Collection. The photographs were transferred to the Visual Materials collection on December 12, 2003 and February 2016.
Contact sheet with 11 images of traditional Native American
dancers performing the
White House event coordinated by McGrath who was serving as Art Director at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Sante Fe, New Mexico.
The album, created by James McGrath, documents his work with the school from 2005 through 2009. Includes photographs of students and their work, reports, a newspaper clipping, and other materials relating to the school.
Draft contains a mock-up of the 1955 yearbook and assorted photographs of the school and students.
McGrath was an art teacher and the Columbia High School Yearbook advisor.
Extent: 1 photo. Photograph shows McGrath with Anita Voetz, the Frankfurt High School the yearbook editor, preparing a student for yearbook photos.
4 photographs made while McGrath was the Arts and Humanities Coordinator for the Department of Defense Overseas Schools in Southeast Asia. Photographs are: McGrath showing an Indian moccasin to a group of children; McGrath showing what appears to be a skunk pelt to a group of children; McGrath fitting an Indian motif vest on a child surrounded by group of children; McGrath showing an Indian neckpiece to a group of children. All photographs stamped on verso: Official USAF photograph.
2 photographs of McGrath attending the workshop. Photographer: U.S. Air Force.
Photograph of McGrath and students in the Ethnic Cooking class. Description of the class, attendees and recipe for "coffee can bread" on verso.
3 photographs of McGrath teaching a clay arts workshop to a group of children. Photographer: U.S. Air Force
9 photographs and 36 negatives of the McGrath's students sculpture projects.
1 photo.
3 photographs of workshop and murals.
3 photographs of McGrath teaching art students under the auspices of the United States Information Agency’s Arts America Program.
3 photos from the clay and bronze sculpture workshop.
Notes on verso convey that painting was oil and ink on wood, 19 in. x 48 in. and was exhibited at the Meridian Gallery in San Francisco in 2002. ; and 10 Polaroid photographs found with the painting.
10 Polaroid photographs found with the painting.
2 photographs of an art exhibit including the work of McGrath. Photographer: Robert Nugent Photography, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
4 slides of McGrath's sculptures submitted to the
6 photographs of area around Cieneguilla, New Mexico submitted to for publication to the West End Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
5 Christmas cards designed by McGrath with photographs and poetry.
2 photographic prints (black/white; color) from the Zen Calligraphy Workshop given at the Ypaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico; a calligraphy Birthday card given to McGrath from Cynthia ?; and a calligraphy painting possibly done by McGrath.
2 photographs: one of an actor in costume, possibly McGrath, with handwritten notes on front "Rip looks into the Fifties..." "Oh! What a Beautiful Baby" and "All the best, [signature illegible]"; and the other of actors in costume with handwritten notes on front, "Eddy" and "Best of luck Jim and Jean after 4 months with Rip" [signature illegible]. The performance photographs are from the time McGrath and his wife Jean spent as cast members with the Montana based Virginia City Players Theater Company during the 1951 season.
8 photographs: participants in the Route 201 portion of the "Hands Across America" event taking part in various activities. This was a benefit and publicity campaign event staged on Sunday, May 25, 1986 throughout the continental United States. Approximately 6.5 million people held hands in a human chain for fifteen minutes along a path across the country. The event hoped to raise money for and draw attention to homelessness and hunger.
17 photographs of McGrath on a hitchhiking trip through Washington, Idaho, Utah and Colorado.
1 photograph: McGrath atop a structure at the archaeological ruins of Ephesus, south of Izmir in Turkey.
1 photograph: McGrath and three others at the festival.
1 photograph: McGrath sitting on a camel. The photograph is mounted on a Christmas card. Printed on front of card: Greetings from Libya. Printed on inside of card: Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Handwritten on inside of card: Love from Jim with camel and fleas.
1 slide of McGrath
1 color postcard; 1 black and white enlarged copy.
1 photograph.
2 photographs of McGrath with others at the exhibit.
2 photographs: James McGrath on his balcony; McGrath and other members of the writers' group during the workshop he developed with Santa Fe poet Morgan Farley.
18 photographs with notes, some with notes on verso.
16 photographs: graduation portrait of James McGrath, 1950 [McGrath graduated from University of Oregon with a B.S. in 1950]; McGrath in front of artwork, approximately 1973, photographed by Robert Nugent [Photograph used in an article about McGrath appearing in the Tacoma News Tribune, June 25, 1973, page 8]; photographs of McGrath with notes by Tadao Suzuki, the photographer, approximately 1980, 1984; portrait of James McGrath by Nora Fisher, 1990; headshot portraits of McGrath, various dates; James McGrath at home, 2008.
The file contains printed brochures and the 18 photographs and a thank you note from a student used in their design.
A list of the items in the book is included but many of the items on the list are not included.
2 photographs of Betty Taira with McGrath. She taught at the U.S. Department of Defense Dependents School in the Far East.
5 photographs. A letter and poem is on verso of two photographs.
John Hoover was an Alaskan Aleut artist in the Philippines and Taiwan.
Beall was a mentor of McGrath at the University of Oregon. The correspondence includes photographs of her art work.
1 color print-out of photograph.
3 photographs of Suzuki's family with a handwritten note.
2 photographs: Jeni McGrath; Jeni McGrath with her father.
16 photographs of friends celebrating.