AHJ_ah400060 Inventory of the Robert I. Russin papers, 1929-2017 Russin (Robert I.) papers Processed by Chelsea K. Nelson University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2015

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort August 2013 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Russin, Robert I., 1914-2007 Robert I. Russin papers 1929-2017 400060 12.40 cubic feet (19 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Papers of a sculptor and University of Wyoming professor, including sketchbooks, publicity materials, and business records showing how his works were conceived, executed, and marketed. Biography of Robert I. Russin

Robert Isaiah Russin was an American sculptor, artist, and University of Wyoming professor. He was best known for a number of public sculptures throughout the United States, including the "Spirit of Life" fountain sculpture located at the City of Hope National Medical Center in California and a giant bust of Abraham Lincoln, located on Interstate 80 in Wyoming.

 Scope and Content

The collection contains sketchbooks, publicity materials, and business records pertaining to Robert I. Russin's artistic works and duties as professor and artist in residence at the University of Wyoming. Also included are some personal materials.

Donor retains copyright of all material within the collection.

 Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

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Four artworks by Robert Russin, Wyoming State Museum: Casting (A-1982.64.1) -- Original plaster cast model for the monumental bronze statue of President Lincoln. Mixed Media Sculpture (A-1984.50.1) -- "Wyoming Crystal", originally created for the Herschler Building lobby. Bronze Sculpture (A-1991.64.1) -- "Governor Stanley Hathaway", created for the Hathaway Building lobby. Mural (A-2019.18.1) -- Conte crayon on dry-wall, removed from a private home in Laramie.

The material was received from Robert I. Russin from 1992-1997 and Joseph M. Russin from 2012-2018.

The collection was processed by Chelsea Nelson, April 2015 and updated by Jamie J. Greene in January 2017 and May 2020.

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Access Terms Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Statues -- Wyoming -- Albany County. University of Wyoming. Department of Art. University of Wyoming -- Faculty. City of Hope National Medical Center (U.S.) -- Statues. Outdoor sculpture -- United States -- 20th century. Lincoln Highway. Wyoming -- History -- 1946- <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Education Colleges and Universities Wyoming Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Fine Arts Container List Series I. Personal Materials

This series contains material related to Robert Russin's personal life including some work done by his wife, Christmas postcards of his work (some in progress), and correspondence between the Russins and various family aquaintances.

 1 1 Adele Russin 1950-1975 1 and 18Christmas Cards from the Russin familyundated 13City College of New York - magazines, commencement, clippings1930-1961 13City College of New York Yearbook - "Microcosm"1935 17Cloud Messenger1963 18Early Works, Images, Momentos1930-1956 12Europe Travel Letters1971 12Italy - Travel Informationundated 1 3 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1956-1978 10Miscellaneous Letters to Russin1941-2002 10Miscellaneous Letters by Russin to family and friends1943-1980 17Old Letters and Documents1930-1947 13Passports1960-1976 13Photographs: Robert I. Russin1929-2000 12Real Estate Assessment1986 11Song Bookundated Series II. Professional Artistic Production Materials

This series contains material related to Robert Russin's role as an actively producing artist during and after his death, including show programs, logistical correspondence, gallery and collector correspondence, photographs of his pieces (predominantly taken by his wife, Adele), and project files concerning all of his major works.

 Sub-series 1. Business Materials of a Producing Artist

This sub-series contains the writings Russin produced as an artist, in addition to promotional and critical material and newspaper clippings regarding his work.

 10Chthonodynamis Dedication, Washington D.C.1992 1 4 Clippings and Obituaries 1983-2007 10Clippings1957-1979 12Correspondence - A1979-1987 12Correspondence - F1978-1979 11Correspondence - G1978-1979 10 and 17Correspondence - Milward Simpson1955-1993 10Correspondence - Tom Stroock1979-1999 10Correspondence - Senator Alan Simpson1980-1993 11Correspondence - Public Works1981-2003 11Correspondence - Miscellaneous1979 12Correspondence - Victor Issa2001 1 5 Dedications 1967-1980 11Dedication Programs1961-1994 11Exhibition Notes and Miscellaneous Information1969 11Exhibition Catalogs1946-2008 11Early Shows - catalogs1942-1966 1 6 Fan Mail 1968-1975 10Invitation Listsundated 1 7 Miscellaneous Letters 1969-1977 10Photographs: RIR with Senator McGeeundated 12Receipts - Miscellaneous Sculpture Biz Receiptsundated 1 8 Russin Comments on Statues 1974 1 9 Russin Miscellaneous Materials 1990-2012 7 Russin Miscellaneous Oversized Materials 1990-2012 1 10 Russin Show Catalogs and Invitations 1967-1977 10Russin Speeches, Writings1982-1985 10Writings by Russin on art1978-1990 Sub-series 2. Construction and Shipping

This sub-series contains material related to the logistics of acquiring the stone and metal used in his creations, shipping those sculptures, and installing them.

12Allan Carrall - Sculpture Resource Studio1994 12Architects (correspondence)2001 13Art Castings of Colorado1987-1991 12Carvers1991 12Computer Graphics1980 12Dakota Granite (correspondence, invoices, and photographs)undated 1 11 Dallas Shipment 1982 1 12 Dedication of Cthno in DC undated 1 13 Europe 1977 13Fedde Bronze Works1989-1993 12Foundry Correspondence1979 1 and 13Foundries - miscellaneous suppliers1967-1974 1 and 12Freight1970-1990 12Gawett Marble1991 12H.P.I. Foam2001 12Haak and Associates Inc. (correspondence)2001 13Henraux - stone yard and bronze foundry, Italy1974-1989 14Henraux, Mariani1976-1978 14Henraux Statues1985-1986 13Johnson Atelier1998-1999 1 16 Lincoln--Inqueries to Foundries 1958-1959 12Marble Receipts1993 14Mariani Foundry1956-1978 1 17 Medallic Art 1978-1979 1 18 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1964-1978 12O'Gorman (correspondence and photographs)2002-2004 12-13Palla Foundry, Italy1966-1972 17Pardini Angelo1971-1972 17Picco Industries1963-1964 12Projection, Bronze-Cleaning1989 12Structural Data2001 1 19 Travel 1976-1978 Sub-series 3. Gallery and Collector Correspondence

This sub-series contains the information and correspondence Robert Russin maintained on the galleries and collectors who purchased and displayed his work.

 172 Squares Gallery1968-1969 11323 Gallery, Casper1972-1973 1 20 Adele M Fine Art 1982-1983 1 21 Biographies and Collectors 1999-2008 1 22 Bender, Cortlandt 1978-1979 1 23 Camhi Gallery 1974-1976 1 24 Carson-Sapiro Gallery 1981 11Chasteen Gallery1996 11Collector History1937-1986 1 25 Collectors Miscellaneous Material 1977-1978 11Collectors - Private1968-1995 11Collectors - Russin Biography1990-1994, undated 1 26 Colorado Springs Exhibit 1967-1970 1 27 Corwin, Norman 1976-1977 1 28 Dallas '2719' Gallery 1971-1976 1 29 Driscol Gallery 1981-1982 1 30 Du Bose Gallery 1972-1975 1 31 Florence Art Gallery 1980-1990 11Galleries: Correspondence, Cosignments1962-1999 1 and 11Galleries - Miscellaneous Material1969-1979 1 33 Galerie de Tours: Carmel 1979 1 34 Gallery '85' 1964-1973 11Nancy Gary1997 1 and 11Samuel Gary, Collector1974-1987 17Graff-Collector1966-1968 1 36 Halseth, Elmer 1960-1978 2 3 Henraux S.P.A. 1976-1978 12Henraux1972-1991 2, 8, and 11Heritage Gallery1964-1979 2 4 Hurwitch, Ambassador Robert A. 1980 2 5 International Consignment Services (ICS) 1981 2 6 Indonesia--India--Iran 1973 2 7 International Sculptors Conference 1968-1978 2 8 James Hunter and Associates Architechts 1960-1968 11Karin Newby Gallery1988-2001 2 9 Kennedy Gallery 1980-1986 2 10 Magnus Museum Medal 1972-1973 2 11 Mariani-Henraux Shipment 1981 2 and 11Maxwell Galleries1977-1999 2 13 McGee,Senator Gale 1963-1970 2 14 Mehta, Zubin 1971-1972 2 15 Miscellaneous Papers 1976-1979 2 16 Mockler, Frank 1970 2 17 National Sculpture Conference 1976 2 18 North American Insurance Claim 1979 2 19 North American Van Return from Heritage 1979 2 20 North American Move to Heritage 1979 2 21 O'Connor Gallery 1976-1977 2 22 O'Meara Gallery 1982-1985 11Old Town Park City1969-1999 2 23 Owen Gallery 1968-1974 9 2 Palm Springs Museum and Gallery 1967-1973 2 24 Pan-American 1979 2 25 Peterson, French 1977-1979 2 26 Plotsky, Herbert 1972-1975 2 27 Rebechi, Aldo 1979-1981 11Riggins Gallery1987-1997 2 28 Rock Springs Panels 1978 2 29 Rosenthal, Jack 1971-1979 2 30 Rutherford-Barnes Collection 1979 2 31 Saks 5th Ave. 1974-1980 2 32 San Francisco Show Notes 1978-1981 12Sculpture Conference1993 2 33 Stevens, Rosalind 1967-1972 2 34 Stroock, Tom 1972-1974 2 35 Swiss Galleries 1982 11Tubac, AZ Show1986-1987 10UW Museum Exhibit1990-1991 10UW Art Museum1992-1994 2 36 Weintraub Gallery 1980-1982 2 37 Western States Arts Foundations 1978 2 38 Yad Vashem 1977-1978 Sub-series 4. Photographs

This sub-series contains the professional and informal photographs taken of Robert Russin's work, process, and studio. The photographs were largely taken by his wife, Adele.

3 1 Drawings 1954 3 2 Earlier Work 1958 10Exhibitionsundated 3 3 Greeting and the Gift 1976-1977 13Miscellaneous photos of Robert I. Russin with sculptures1956-2001, undated 13Miscellaneous Statues1946-2000, undated 13Paintings1953, undated 3 4 Paintings and Drawings 1952-1954 3 5 Portraits 1930-1953 3 and 13Public Sculptures1938-1999, 3 8 Public Sculptures Slides undated 13Robert I. Russin working with plastic steelundated 13Robert I. Russin at work1965-2001, undated 18Robert I. Russin Sculptures1930-1959 18Russin - Portraits in Stone and Terra Cottaundated 13Sculpture Heads1993, undated 3 9-10 Sculptures 1950 3 and 13Song of Songs1965-2000 3 13 Song of Songs Slides undated 3 14 Studio--Robert and Adele undated 3 15 University of Wyoming Agriculture Building 1951 3 16 University of Wyoming Bronze Foundry 1963-1964 3 17 Various Architectural Sculptures 1958-1983 13WWII Postersundated Sub-series 5. Project Portfolios

This sub-series contains project files of each of Robert Russin's major projects, including sketches, correspondence, logistics, and photographs, along with several minor projects and potential projects that failed to come to fruition.

 8 1 Beaver for City College in New York 1956-1957 8 2 Ben Franklin Statue 1956-1958 10Bi-Centennial Commission1976 12Bludhorn Bust (photographs)undated 14Blue Onyx, Rebachi correspondence1992-1998 8 3 Brookhaven 1967-1968 10Casper Chamber of Commerce ("The Energy Man")1971-1974 10Casper, WY Prometheus1999 3 18 Charles Bluohorn undated 3, 8, and 10City of Hope1966-2000 3 21 William Coe Bust 1958 17Commerce Building1961-1962 3 and 10Cythonodynamis (including photos of unveiling with Al Simpson)1965-1992 3 22-23 Dominican Show 1976 3 and 12Duarte Monument, Dominican Republic - Balagner and Amo Hosiwitz (correspondence, photographs, clippings, and a Miss Universe magazine)1976-1977 4 1 Elk Statue 1960-1962 4 2 Embarcadero Center and Energy Man 1977-1978 4 3 Evanston, IL. Police Department 1937-1938 11Fedde Bronze: O'Gorman Proposal2002 8 5 Feinman Fountain 1968-1969 10Franklin Statue, Photos1956 4 4 Freedom Fighter Project 1978 4 5 Fountainhead, Casper WY 1979-1980 10Stan Hathaway Bust1987-1989 10Helio Dallas1983 12Herschler Building Wyoming Crystal/Diamond1984 10Holocaust Correspondence1988-1989 10Holocaust Museum proposal, LA (photographs and negatives)undated 10Holocaust Statue Bronze1980-1991 10Judah Magnes Museum medals1978-1988 4 6 Judaism, UMU 1978-1979 11L'Chayim Photographs2002 12L'Chayim, Denver (correspondence and photographs)2001 4 7-8 Lincoln Monument 1959-1960 10Medals1977-2002 8 7 Mexican Lincoln Statue Proposal, folder 1 1956-1964 9 1 Mexican Lincoln Statue Proposal, folder 2 1956-1964 12National Jewish Hospital Photos2011 11National Jewish Medical and Research Center (correspondence, photographs, and negatives)2002-2011 12National Jewish Research Center: Technical Mapundated 4 9 Natrona County Library 1978-1979 10Olsen Head1989-1991 4 10 Pan-American Statue 1980 4 11 Pomona College Fountain 1971-1972 4 12 Primavera Fountain for Provident Bank, Casper 1962 4 13 Prometheus 1975 4 14 Sheridan College 1958-1959 10Statues on UW Campus1956-1985 9 and 17Steamboat Proposal1950-1959 10Tucson Jewish Center Holocaust1987-1991 10UW Family Remarks1979-2003 10UW Family Project1979-1996 10UW Football Hall of Fame Medal1981-1996 10UW Trio Castings1990-1991 10UW Law Schoolundated 4 15 Veterans Administration Project 1975 Sub-series 6. Sketchbooks and Drawings

This sub-series contains a collection of Robert Russin's sketchbooks, some of which are labeled as relating to various travels he took.

 5 England Sketchbook undated 5 Fiesole, Italy--Etruscan Museum 1990 5 Florida-Italy Boat Trip 1990 5 London 1959 5 and 13Miscellaneous Sketchbooksundated 5 Rome, Italy 1954 15-16Sculpture concept drawings by Russin - "Law Enforcement," "Boy with Bird," and others1983, undated 5 Sicily 1977 13Student Drawingsundated Series III. Professorial Materials

This series contains awards Russin was granted during and after his tenure at the University of Wyoming, including the Outstanding Former Faculty Award granted in 2000. This series also contains committee notes, reccomendations he wrote and recieved, correspondence, and applications he submitted for various fellowships.

5 University of Wyoming Dean's Club Certificate undated 5 Distinguished Artist Award Plaque 1994 4 16 Faculty Record Sheets 1950-1978 4 17 Fellowship Applications 1970-1981 10Former Faculty Award1984-2003 4 18 George Eggers Recommendations 1948-1963 10Golden Key National Honor Society Award1996 4 19 Honors 1933-1999 10Medal U of Wyo1986 5 Outstanding Former Faculty Plaque 2000 5 Outstanding Former Faculty framed Student Thank You 2000 4 20 Outstanding Former Faculty Award 2000 17Research Grant1956-1963 4 21 Retirement 1977 10Retirement Reception Guest Book1985 10Russin Fellowship1982-1986 4 22 Teaching Materials at the University of Oregon 1970-1973 4, 10, and 17University of Wyoming Correspondence1953-1998 4 24 University Materials 1967-1975 10UW Catalogs1950-2000 10UW Students1977-2005 Series IV. Promotional Materials

This series contains interviews, biographies, programs, brochures, and publication features regarding Russin and his work.

 6 1 Artist Biographies 1966-1983 13Biographyundated 6 2 City of Hope Interviews 1980 6 3-8 Exhibition Programs 1940-2017 6 and 19 Magazine Features 1939-1981 6 10 Newspaper Features 1967-1988 6 11 One Man Show Programs 1959-1979 6 12 Organizational Brochures 1948-1993 15Posters1972-1984 6 13 University of Wyoming Programs 1959-2005 13WWII artwork in "What's New" magazine1945 10 and 17Writings about Russin's Art1945-2005