Stan Brodsky papers, 1951-2004

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A Finding Aid to the Stan Brodsky Papers, 1951-2004 , in the Archives of American Art, by Carla De Luise

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Table of Contents:

• Biographical Information
• Overview of the Collection
• How to Use the Collection
• Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Biographical Information

Stan Brodsky (b. 1925), was on the faculty of C. W. Post College, Long Island University for 31 years.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, he earned a bachelor's degree in photo-journalism from Missouri University (1949) and the M.F.A. in painting from Iowa University (1950). He completed a doctorate in education at Columbia University (1959). Brodsky began teaching at C. W. Post College (now C. W. Post Campus, Long Island University) in Brookville, New York, and for many years was Director of Studio Programs. He married in 1960 and five years later moved from New York City to Huntington, New York. The year after his retirement, the university presented him a career achievement award (1992).

Brodsky painted both figuratively and abstractly at various points in his career. He was influenced by artists such as Milton Avery, Richard Diebenkorn, Edward Hopper, and Mark Rothko. Brodsky often took his cue from the landscape. Earlier works were geometric and realist, reflective of his New York City surroundings; after Brodsky moved to Long Island, his work gradually became more abstract. Color and light are key elements in his work. His canvases range from soft hues and delicate brushstrokes to bold colors exuberantly applied. For Brodsky, travel was a source of inspiration. Visits to the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, France, Greece and Spain were reflected by distinct color palettes.

Brodsky held fellowships at MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire (1971), Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, Virginia (1985, 1986, 1989), and Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, New York (1987). His first major retrospective, "Transformations into Color: The Art of Stan Brodsky" (1991), was held at the Heckscher Museum, Huntington, New York. In 1998, Brodsky received a Richard Florsheim Art Fund grant to mount a second retrospective "Stan Brodsky, Seeing Through-Seeing Beyond: A Retrospective of Work from the 70s, 80s, and 90s" at Bridgeport University in Connecticut.

Brodsky continues to live and work in Huntington, New York. He is represented by June Kelly Gallery, New York City.

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Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The Stan Brodsky papers measure 1.8 linear feet and date from 1951 through 2004. The collection reflects Brodsky's career as a painter and educator through biographical material, letters, printed material, and sketchbooks. Also found are photographs of the artist, slides of his artwork, and sound and video recordings.

Letters from Brodsky are to his friend, painter Margo Allman. Letters received are from various museums as well as New York City galleries such as Lerner-Heller Gallery and June Kelly Gallery Inc. Printed material consists of catalogs and announcements for Brodsky's solo and group exhibitions, clippings, magazines and journals and monographs. Artwork includes 10 sketchbooks with drawings in pencil, pen and ink, pastels, and watercolor. Many volumes contain scenes from foreign travel as well as various Long Island locations. Among the sound and video recordings are interviews with Stan Brodsky, lectures by him, and a conversaton with art critic Amei Wallach.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged as 6 series:

• Series 1: Biographical Material, 1959-2004, undated (Boxes 1, 4; 0.2 linear feet)
• Series 2: Letters, 1976-2004, undated (Box 1; 2 folders)
• Series 3: Printed Material, 1958-2003, undated (Boxes 1, 4, OV 5; 0.5 linear feet)
• Series 4: Artwork, 1951-1999, (Boxes 1, 4; 0.5 linear feet)
• Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1951-2004 (Boxes 1, 3; 0.3 linear feet)
• Series 6: Sound and Video Recordings, 1979-1999 (Box 2; 0.3 linear ft.)

Subjects and Names

Provenance

The papers were donated in 2004 by Stan Brodsky.

How the Collection was Processed

The collection was processed by Carla De Luise in 2007.

How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Use requires an appointment. Use of audio visual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The Stan Brodsky papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

How to Cite this Collection

Stan Brodsky Papers, 1951-2004. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1959-2004, undated (Boxes 1, 4; 0.2 linear feet)

Biographical material consists of curriculum vitae, a list of private collectors, and a scrapbook that documents Brodsky's achievements. Included in the scrapbook are exhibition announcements, catalogs, press releases, photographs, and clippings.

Series 2: Letters, 1976-2004, undated (Box 1; 2 folders)

This series contains letters from Brodsky to his friend, painter Margo Allman. Also found are letters received from galleries such as Lerner-Heller Gallery, New York City, June Kelly Gallery Inc., New York City and museums including the William A. Farnsworth Library and Art Museum, Rockland, Maine, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Heckscher Museum, Huntington, New York. Found in the files are artist statements and press releases.

This series is organized chronologically.

Series 3: Printed Material, 1958-2003, undated (Boxes 1, 4, OV 5; 0.5 linear feet)

Printed material consists of exhibition catalogs and announcements, clippings, magazines and journals, monographs, and an exhibition poster. Group exhibition catalogs include 44th Annual Delaware Show: Watercolors, Drawings, Prints (1958), The Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts Delaware Art Center; 33rd Annual (1968), The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio; Artists of Suffolk County, Part IV, The New Landscape (1970), Heckscher Museum, Huntington, New York; Long Island Artists (1987), Nassau County Museum, Roslyn, New York; and ART…made in USA: 37 Positionen Junger Kunst (1989), Städtische Galerie Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. Exhibition catalogs of one-man shows include Transformations into Color: The Art of Stan Brodsky (1991), Heckscher Museum, Huntington, New York; and Stan Brodsky, Synthesis: Redefining the Landscape (2003), June Kelly Gallery, New York City.

Two monographs, Riding at Anchor and Influences of the Landscape, contain illustrations by Stan Brodsky; the latter also includes writings by the artist.

Some material is in German.

Series 4: Artwork, 1951-1999, (Boxes 1, 4; 0.5 linear feet)

This series houses ten sketchbooks, many of which reflect Brodsky's interaction with landscape, color, and light during his travels to France, Greece, Italy and Spain, as well as various locations in Long Island, New York. Pencil, pen and ink, pastels, and watercolors were used.

Also included is a pencil and pen sketch for a lobby mural for the P.R.D. Electronics Company, Syosset, New York.

Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1951-2004 (Box 1, 3; 0.3 linear feet)

This series houses photographs of Brodsky in his studio, as well as transparencies and slides of artwork.

Series 6: Sound and Video Recordings, 1979-1999 (Box 2; 0.3 linear ft.)

Sound recordings contain interviews of Stan Brodsky and lectures by him. Interviews that aired on Long Island, New York college radio stations include: "An Artist's Journey" (1979), Morgan Morrow for C.W. Post College station WCWP, and "An Art Show, Brodsky on Landscape" (1981); Stella Russell for Nassau Community College station WHPC. Also found is a recording of Stan Brodsky in conversation with Amei Wallach (1998). Lectures by Brodsky on his artwork were held at Nassau Community College (1981), the Huntington Arts Council, New York (1984), and the Suburban Art League, Long Island, New York (1985).

Video recordings are of interviews with Stan Brodsky, discussions by the artist on his artwork, and an awards ceremony in which Brodsky received a career achievement award. Interviews that aired on Long Island television stations are from News Channel 12 (1990), Art Scene on Long Island for Cablevision (1991), and Centering Today for Channel 67 (1982). Also found is a video of the artist discussing works in the exhibition "Stan Brodsky, Seeing Through-Seeing Beyond: A Retrospective of Work from the 70s, 80s, and 90s" (1999). The video was directed by Brodsky's daughter, Alexandra.