The modern and contemporary art gallery records of the Susan Conway Gallery in Washington, D.C. measure 23.9 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from circa 1928, circa 1940s-2003, with the bulk of the material dating from 1987-2003. Nearly half of the collection documents the gallery's work as the sole representative of artist and political cartoonist Pat Oliphant through administrative records, exhibition files, press clippings, and a handful of photographs. Also found in the collection are artists' files of other artists represented by the gallery, client files, administrative records, printed and digital materials, and the records of the Susan Conway Conservation Studio.
The exhibitions and sales of artwork by artists represented by the gallery are documented through biographies, correspondence, exhibition printed materials, newspaper clippings, notes, price lists, photographs and slides, sales invoices, and shipping records. Artists of interest include Eric Aho, Will Barnet, Leonard Baskin, Dorothy Dehner, Mary Ellen Doyle, Brece Honeycutt, Ross M. Merrill, Otto and Gertrud Natzler, Sam Scott and Edward Sorel. Sales records can also be found in Client Files, along with correspondence with individual clients and galleries, notes, and shipping records.
Nearly half of the collection documents the exhibitions, loans, promotion and sales of Patrick Oliphant's artwork. Materials found include contracts, correspondence with galleries, museums, and clients, exhibition printed materials, notes, scattered photographs, price lists, proposals, sales invoices, and shipping records. Much of the material relates to Oliphant's numerous traveling exhibitions, including "Oliphant: The New World Order in Drawing and Sculpture," "Oliphant's Presidents: 25 Years of Caricatures," and "Seven Presidents."
Administrative and Miscellaneous Records includes records related to the daily operation of the gallery space and promotion of the gallery, such as contracts, a guest book, documents created for Conway's public talks, scattered documentation regarding gifts of artwork, and other miscellaneous records.
The bulk of the printed materials are Susan Conway Gallery exhibition announcements. Also found are some catalogs, clippings and a brochure. The records of the Susan Conway Conservation Studio include condition reports, correspondence with clients, notes, and photographs and slides of artwork.
None of the gallery records of the Santa Fe location are included in this collection. The outlying dates of this collection include older photographs and a negative found in the Artists' Files.
The collection is arranged as 7 series.
The Susan Conway Gallery was founded by Susan Conway in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in 1987. In 1991, the gallery relocated in Georgetown to the Glackens House, former home of painter William Glackens. In 1998, Conway opened a second location in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Prior to opening the gallery, Conway ran her own fine arts conservation studio.
The gallery represents modern and contemporary artists including Eric Aho, Will Barnet, Leonard Baskin, Dorothy Dehner, Mary Ellen Doyle, Brece Honeycutt, Ross M. Merrill, Otto and Gertrud Natzler, Sam Scott and Edward Sorel. The gallery is also the sole fine arts representative of sculpture, painting, and drawings by Patrick Oliphant, a Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist.
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the
The Susan Conway Gallery records were donated by Susan Conway in 2004 and 2007.
Susan Conway Gallery records, circa 1928, circa 1940s-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Haug in 2013, with funding provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care Preservation Fund. Born-digital materials were processed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2019 with funding provide by Smithsonian Collection Care and Preservation Fund.
The Archives of American Art has implemented minimal processing tactics when possible in order to increase access to more of our collections. Minimal processing included arrangement to the series and folder levels. Generally, items within folders were simply verified with folder titles and dates, but not arranged further. Folder titles were transcribed from original folder headings. The collection was rehoused in archival containers and folders. Staples and other fasteners were not removed, but correspondence was removed from envelopes and filed behind the envelope. Materials were removed from binders or damaged binding when necessary.
Materials with Social Security numbers and personal financial information were redacted with copies left in the collection. The original documents are maintained separately.
Artists' Files contains a variety of materials documenting the gallery's representation of its artists and their careers. Materials may include biographies, correspondence, exhibition printed materials, price lists, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs and slides, sales invoices, and shipping records. Artists of interest include Eric Aho, Will Barnet, Leonard Baskin, Dorothy Dehner, Mary Ellen Doyle, Brece Honeycutt, Ross M. Merrill, Otto and Gertrud Natzler, Sam Scott and Edward Sorel.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by artist's last name.
Oversized material housed in OV 27
Contains original pen and pencil drawings
Oversized material housed in OV 27
Hilleary, James
Hilleary, James, Hilleary and Efron Presentation
Sockwell, Carroll
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 18
Oversized material from Box 4, Folder 2
This series includes correspondence with individual clients and galleries regarding sales or inquiries, notes, sales invoices, shipping records, and other miscellaneous materials.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by client's last name or institution's name.
Exhibitions and loans are documented through correspondence with clients, galleries and artists; inventories; notes; press releases; price lists; sales receipts; and shipping records. The records found here are not comprehensive; additional documentation regarding exhibitions and loans can be found in Artists' Files, and the bulk of Pat Oliphant exhibition material is found in Series 4.
Folders are arranged chronologically by exhibition date.
This series documents the exhibitions, promotion and sales of artist and political cartoonist Patrick Oliphant though correspondence with clients, galleries, and museums regarding exhibitions and sales; inventories and lists; publicity portaits and slides of an installation; press clippings; sales invoices; shipping records; writings; and other miscellaneous records. Extensive documentation is found on the following traveling exhibitions: "Oliphant: The New World Order in Drawing and Sculpture," "Oliphant's Presidents: 25 Years of Caricatures," and "Seven Presidents." The bulk of Oliphant client files are found in Series 2.
The series is arranged as 4 subseries.
Materials may overlap with those in subseries 4.2.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Contains original artwork
Oversized material housed in OV 27
Oversized material from Box 14, Folder 21
Folders may contain information about multiple exhibitions/loans/gifts, and may overlap with materials in subseries 4.1.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title, typically the exhibition title or the exhibiting institution's name.
Includes born-digital records, see ER02
Folders are arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Includes 1 sound cassette
Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
This series includes records related to the gallery space and daily workings of the gallery, such as flood repairs and permits; samples of contracts; scattered correspondence; a guest book; documents created for Conway's talks; scattered documentation regarding gifts of artwork; and other miscellaneous records.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Exhibitions held at the Susan Conway Gallery are documented through exhibition announcements and a handful of catalogs. Also found are some clippings, a brochure, and a catalog for an exhibition at the Library of Congress.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Oversized material housed in OV 27
Oversized material from Box 23, Folder 12
Records of the Susan Corn Conway Conservation Studio include condition reports, correspondence with clients, notes, and photographs and slides of artwork.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.