Watercolor Society of Oregon Records, 1958-2009

Collection Overview

Title: Watercolor Society of Oregon Records, 1958-2009

Predominant Dates: 1966-2009

ID: MSS Watercolor

Primary Creator: Watercolor Society of Oregon

Extent: 4.3 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: 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.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

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.

Scope and Content Notes

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.

Biographical / Historical Notes

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.

Author: Karl McCreary

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 2362 photographs; 5 boxes

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

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

Related Materials: 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 Photographs 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 Photographs (P 036).

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

Box and Folder Listing

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.

Box-Folder 1.1: 1958-1971
Box-Folder 1.2: 1972-1974
Box-Folder 1.3: 1975
Box-Folder 1.4: 1976
Box-Folder 1.5: 1977
Box-Folder 1.6: 1978
Box-Folder 1.7: 1979
Box-Folder 1.8: 1980-1981
Box-Folder 1.9: 1982
Box-Folder 1.10: 1983: Spring Show-Corvallis
Box-Folder 1.11: 1983: Fall Show-Bend
Box-Folder 1.12: 1983: Fall Show-Bend
Box-Folder 1.13: 1984: Spring Show-Forest Grove
Box-Folder 1.14: 1984: Fall Show-Roseburg
Box-Folder 1.15: 1984: Fall Show-Roseburg
Box-Folder 1.16: 1985: Spring Show-Eugene
Box-Folder 1.17: 1985: Spring Show-Eugene
Box-Folder 2.1: 1985: Fall Show-The Dalles
Box-Folder 2.2: 1986: Spring Show-Portland
Box-Folder 2.3: 1986: Spring Show-Portland
Box-Folder 2.4: 1986: Fall Show-Medford
Box-Folder 2.5: 1987: Spring Show-Salem
Box-Folder 2.6: 1987: Spring Show-Salem
Box-Folder 2.7: 1987: Fall Term-Bandon
Box-Folder 2.8: 1987: Fall Show-Bandon
Box-Folder 2.9: 1988: Spring Show-Albany
Box-Folder 2.10: 1988: Spring Show-Albany
Box-Folder 2.11: 1988: Fall Show-Bend
Box-Folder 2.12: 1989: Spring Show-Portland
Box-Folder 2.13: 1989: Fall Show-Newport
Box-Folder 2.14: 1989: Fall Show-Newport
Box-Folder 2.15: 1990: Spring Show-Salem
Box-Folder 2.16: 1990: Spring Show-Salem
Box-Folder 3.1: 1990: Fall Show-Ashland
Box-Folder 3.2: 1990: Fall Show-Ashland
Box-Folder 3.3: 1990: 25th Anniversary Exhibit at OHS
Box-Folder 3.4: 1990: 25th Anniversary Exhibit at OHS
Box-Folder 3.5: 1990: 25th Anniversary Exhibit Slides/Bios
Box-Folder 3.6: 1990: 25th Anniversary Exhibit Slides/Bios
Box-Folder 3.7: 1991: Spring Show-Eugene
Box-Folder 3.8: 1991: Spring Show-Eugene
Box-Folder 3.9: 1991: Fall Show-Timberline Lodge
Box-Folder 3.10: 1992: Spring Show-Grants Pass
Box-Folder 3.11: 1992: Spring Show-Grants Pass
Box-Folder 3.12: 1992: Spring Show-Grants Pass
Box-Folder 3.13: 1992: "Splash" Auction and Sale
Box-Folder 3.14: 1992: Fall Show-Astoria
Box-Folder 3.15: 1993: Spring Show-Corvallis
Box-Folder 3.16: 1993: Spring Show-Corvallis
Box-Folder 4.1: 1993: Fall Show-The Dalles
Box-Folder 4.2: 1993: Fall Show-The Dalles
Box-Folder 4.3: 1994: Spring Show-Roseburg
Box-Folder 4.4: 1994: Fall Show-Coos Bay
Box-Folder 4.5: 1995: Spring Show-Troutdale
Box-Folder 4.6: 1995: Fall Show-Medford
Box-Folder 4.7: 1995: Fall Term-Medford
Box-Folder 4.8: 1996: Spring and Fall Shows-Salem and Bend
Box-Folder 4.9: 1997: Spring Show-Eugene
Box-Folder 4.10: 1997: Fall Show-Joseph
Box-Folder 4.11: 1998: Spring Show-Hillsboro
Box-Folder 4.12: 1998: Fall Show-Newport
Box-Folder 4.13: 1999: Spring Show-Portland
Box-Folder 4.14: 1999: Fall Show-Medford
Box-Folder 4.15: 2000: Spring Show-Corvallis
Box-Folder 4.16: 2000: Fall Show-Florence
Box-Folder 4.17: 2001: Spring Show-Hood River
Box-Folder 4.18: 2001: Fall Show-Grants Pass
Box-Folder 4.19: 2002: Spring Show-Portland
Box-Folder 4.20: 2002: Fall Show-Astoria
Box-Folder 4.21: 2003: Spring Show-Springfield
Box-Folder 4.22: 2003: Fall Show-Forest Grove
Box-Folder 5.1: 2004: Fall Show-Ashland
Box-Folder 5.2: 2005: Spring and Fall Shows-Burns and Roseburg
Box-Folder 5.3: 2006: Spring Show-Tualatin
Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 5.5: 1994: Paintings from 1994 Fall Show
Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 5.7: Job Descriptions, 1984
Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 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.

Box-Folder 5.13: 1966-1975