Oral history interview with Frank Lobdell, 1980 Apr. 9-May 7

Collection Information

Size: Sound recording: 7 Sound cassettes; 77 Pages, Transcript

Summary: An interview of Frank Lobdell conducted 1980 Apr. 9-1980 May 7, by Terry St. John, for the Archives of American Art.

Lobdell speaks of his youth and family background; his early interest in art; his education; studying with Cameron Booth; his service in the U.S. Army; artist friends and influences; political influences on his work; the community of artists in San Francisco in the 1950s, including Elmer Bischoff and Clyfford Still; his "dark years"; teaching at Stanford; reviews by critics; and the avant-garde art of the 1960s. He recalls Ninfa Valvo, Douglas MacAgy, Hassel Smith, Richard Diebenkorn, Wilfred Zogbaum, Sam Francis, Jerry (Julian) Hatofsky, Claire Falkenstein, Clay Spohn, and John Hultberg.

Biographical/Historical Note

Frank Lobdell (1921- ) is a painter, printmaker, and teacher of Stanford, Calif.

Provenance

These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.

Language Note

English .

Funding

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.