Oral history interview with James Penney, 1964 May 19

Collection Information

Size: 19 Pages, Transcript

Format: Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 12 min.

Summary: An interview of James Penney conducted 1964 May 19, by Joseph S. Trovato, for the Archives of American Art.

Penney speaks of his experiences as a mural painter for the WPA Federal Art Project; painting murals for schools and hospitals; the administration of the FAP; his background and education; coming to New York City during the Depression; the influence of the Mexican and Italian muralists; and important collections which include his work.

Biographical/Historical Note

James Penney (1910-1982) was a painter, mural painter, and educator in Clinton, N.Y.

Provenance

This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.

Language Note

English .