MSS Watercolor Guide to the Watercolor Society of Oregon Records 1958-2009 Watercolor Society of Oregon Records Finding Aid Authors: Karl McCreary. Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center 2016
121 The Valley Library Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-4501 Phone: 541-737-2075 Email: scarc@oregonstate.edu Web: http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu
This finding aid was encoded in EAD by Archon 3.21 from an SQL database source on February 1st, 2016. Encoding was modified by Elizabeth Nielsen for Archives West compliance. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition). Watercolor Society of Oregon. Watercolor Society of Oregon Records 1958-2009 1966-2009 MSS Watercolor 4.3 cubic feet, including 2362 photographs 5 boxes Materials in English. Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-4501 Phone: 541-737-2075 Email: scarc@oregonstate.edu Web: http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu
The Watercolor Society of Oregon Records document the activities, membership, and administration of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. These records date back to the organization's establishment in 1966 and include materials from the Oregon Amateur Watercolor Society, which merged with the Master Watercolor Association to form the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Historical Note:

The Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO) was formed in 1966 by members of two Oregon-based organizations, the Master Watercolor Association and the Oregon Amateur Watercolor Society. Seeking to "further the interest of transparent watercolor painting and to encourage a wider experience, enjoyment, and education to the painter and the viewing public," WSO founders stipulated that the society would hold two juried shows a year at two different locations throughout the state. Upon the conclusion of these shows, the featured artwork would then travel as part of a traveling exhibit throughout the state. The first WSO show took place in Lincoln City in April 1966 and the tradition of the two semi-annual shows continues to this day. Starting out with a membership of 38 artists at the time of its establishment, the WSO counted about a 1000 members by 2012.

Tom Allen, one of the founding members of the WSO, worked for the Oregon State University Botany Department from 1962 until 1991. At Oregon State University, he established the Art About Agriculture program in 1983 and served as the university's first artist-in-residence.

 Watercolor Society of Oregon. Film negatives. Photographic prints. Artists--Oregon. Traveling exhibitions--Oregon. Watercolor painting--Oregon. Fine Arts Oregon Photographs

These records were transferred to the Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center in 2015 by the Watercolor Society of Oregon.

Collection is open for research.

Watercolor Society of Oregon Records (MSS Watercolor), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

There are other collections that document WSO founder and Oregon State University Botanist Tom Allen. Images of Allen, his paintings, and his  research projects can be found in the Robert W. Henderson Photograph Collection (P 098), the Frederick Earl Price Photograph Collection (P 073), and the Media Services Photograph Collection (P 119). An interview with Tom Allen is featured as a part of the OSU Sesquicentennial Oral History Collection. Documentation of the Art About Agriculture program at Oregon State University, established by Allen in 1983, is included in the Memorabilia Collection, the OSU Development Office and Foundation Records (RG 144), and the College of Agricultural Sciences Photograph Collection (P 036).

The Watercolor Society of Oregon Records are arranged into 8 series: 1. Notebooks, 1958-2006; 2. Photographs, 1988-2000; 3. Handbooks, 1984-1996; 4. Correspondence, 1973-1984; 5. Show Entry Lists, 1966-1974; 6. Exhibit Catalog for 25th Anniversary Show, 1990; 7. Newspaper Clippings, 2009; and 8. Account Ledger, 1966-1975.

The Watercolor Society of Oregon Records document the activities, membership, and administration of the Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO). These records primarily consist of notebooks assembled by WSO members that reflect the two shows of WSO artwork held annually as well as painting workshops and board meetings. In addition to photographs, the notebooks contain exhibit catalogs, flyers, meeting minutes, membership rosters, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and reports. One of the notebooks contains materials from the Oregon Amateur Watercolor Society, which pre-date the formation of the WSO in 1966.

 Series 1 Notebooks 1958-2006

Series 1 is comprised of notebooks assembled by Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO) members that contain bylaws, calendars, committee reports, correspondence, exhibit catalogs, flyers, meeting minutes, membership rosters, newsletters, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, posters, and survey materials. These notebooks primarily document the planning process and activities associated with the two shows of WSO member artwork organized every year by the society. The first and oldest notebook in this series contains meeting minutes and membership rosters from the Oregon Amateur Watercolor Society, one of the predecessor organizations to the WSO. This series contains 2165 color and B&W photographic prints.

 1.1 1958-1971 1.2 1972-1974 1.3 1975 1.4 1976 1.5 1977 1.6 1978 1.7 1979 1.8 1980-1981 1.9 1982 1.10 1983

Spring Show-Corvallis

 1.11 1983

Fall Show-Bend

 1.12 1983

Fall Show-Bend

 1.13 1984

Spring Show-Forest Grove

 1.14 1984

Fall Show-Roseburg

 1.15 1984

Fall Show-Roseburg

 1.16 1985

Spring Show-Eugene

 1.17 1985

Spring Show-Eugene

 2.1 1985

Fall Show-The Dalles

 2.2 1986

Spring Show-Portland

 2.3 1986

Spring Show-Portland

 2.4 1986

Fall Show-Medford

 2.5 1987

Spring Show-Salem

 2.6 1987

Spring Show-Salem

 2.7 1987

Fall Term-Bandon

 2.8 1987

Fall Show-Bandon

 2.9 1988

Spring Show-Albany

 2.10 1988

Spring Show-Albany

 2.11 1988

Fall Show-Bend

 2.12 1989

Spring Show-Portland

 2.13 1989

Fall Show-Newport

 2.14 1989

Fall Show-Newport

 2.15 1990

Spring Show-Salem

 2.16 1990

Spring Show-Salem

 3.1 1990

Fall Show-Ashland

 3.2 1990

Fall Show-Ashland

 3.3 1990

25th Anniversary Exhibit at OHS

 3.4 1990

25th Anniversary Exhibit at OHS

 3.5 1990

25th Anniversary Exhibit Slides/Bios

 3.6 1990

25th Anniversary Exhibit Slides/Bios

 3.7 1991

Spring Show-Eugene

 3.8 1991

Spring Show-Eugene

 3.9 1991

Fall Show-Timberline Lodge

 3.10 1992

Spring Show-Grants Pass

 3.11 1992

Spring Show-Grants Pass

 3.12 1992

Spring Show-Grants Pass

 3.13 1992

"Splash" Auction and Sale

 3.14 1992

Fall Show-Astoria

 3.15 1993

Spring Show-Corvallis

 3.16 1993

Spring Show-Corvallis

 4.1 1993

Fall Show-The Dalles

 4.2 1993

Fall Show-The Dalles

 4.3 1994

Spring Show-Roseburg

 4.4 1994

Fall Show-Coos Bay

 4.5 1995

Spring Show-Troutdale

 4.6 1995

Fall Show-Medford

 4.7 1995

Fall Term-Medford

 4.8 1996

Spring and Fall Shows-Salem and Bend

 4.9 1997

Spring Show-Eugene

 4.10 1997

Fall Show-Joseph

 4.11 1998

Spring Show-Hillsboro

 4.12 1998

Fall Show-Newport

 4.13 1999

Spring Show-Portland

 4.14 1999

Fall Show-Medford

 4.15 2000

Spring Show-Corvallis

 4.16 2000

Fall Show-Florence

 4.17 2001

Spring Show-Hood River

 4.18 2001

Fall Show-Grants Pass

 4.19 2002

Spring Show-Portland

 4.20 2002

Fall Show-Astoria

 4.21 2003

Spring Show-Springfield

 4.22 2003

Fall Show-Forest Grove

 5.1 2004

Fall Show-Ashland

 5.2 2005

Spring and Fall Shows-Burns and Roseburg

 5.3 2006

Spring Show-Tualatin

 5.4

WSO Presidents, ca. 1991

 Series 2 Photographs 1988-2000

Series 2 is made up of photographs depicting the paintings exhibited at the 1994 Fall Show and receptions for shows in 1988 and 2000. The 197 images in this series consist of color prints and color film negatives.

 5.5 1994

Paintings from 1994 Fall Show

 5.6 1988-2000

Spring and Fall Show Installations and Receptions

 Series 3 Handbooks 1984-1998

Series 3 consists of handbooks outlining the duties of WSO officers and the show chairman.

 5.7 Job Descriptions 1984 5.8 Show Chairman's Handbook 1998 Series 4 Correspondence 1973-1984

Series 4 is made up of correspondence received by WSO President Mae Cronant that reflect administrative activities of the society such as tour publicity, the selection of show judges, and the receipt of photos taken of the shows. Among the items Interfiled with the correspondence include: financial worksheets, meeting minutes, and a membership roster.

 5.9 1973-1984 Series 5 Show Entry Lists 1966-1974

Series 5 is made up of lists of the artwork featured at the Watercolor Society of Oregon shows.

 5.10 1966-1974 Series 6 Exhibit Catalog for 25th Anniversary Show 1990

Series 6 consists of three copies of the exhibit catalog published for the Watercolor Society of Oregon's 25th Anniversary Exhibition. The publication includes an essay on the history of the WSO.

 5.11 1990 Series 7 Newspaper Clippings 2005-2009

Series 7 consists of newspaper clippings with stories about WSO members Mike Hill and Blenda Tyvoll. There is also a feature about the 2005 WSO Spring Show in Burns.

 5.12 2009 Series 8 Account Ledger 1966-1975

Series 8 is made up of an account ledger listing expenditures, deposits, membership dues received, and account balances.

 5.13 1966-1975