This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
The scattered papers of painter May Heiloms measure 0.5 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1975. Found are biographical material, correspondence, photographs of Heiloms and works of art, printed material, and two mixed media scrapbooks.
May Heiloms (1906-1996) was an abstract painter in New York City, New York. Heiloms was born May Levinson in Russia and came to the United States and studied at Hunter College and the Art Students League. She exhibited her works around the world and was active in the Association of American Painters and Sculptors.
May Heiloms donated her papers to the Archives of American Art in 1976.
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Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
May Heiloms papers, 1942-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Jayna Josefson in 2022 with support from the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative.
Biographical materials include awards, prize plaques from exhibitions, and resumes. Correspondence is scattered and includes letters from Julie Chanler, Painters and Sculptors Society of New Jersey, Inc., and James Johnson Sweeney concerning her artwork. Also found are personal notes from friends. Photographs depict Heiloms with her art, exhibitions, and at painting demonstrations, and include photos and slides of works of art. Printed materials include clippings and exhibition announcements and catalogs. Two dismantled mixed media scrapbooks include correspondence, photographs, and printed material. One of the scrapbooks focuses on Heilom's work with the Painters and Sculptors Society of New Jersey.