Oral Histories

Interview of Robert Ellis

Artist and curator of education at the Pasadena Art Museum.
Subtitle:
Pasadena Art Museum: Robert Ellis
Series:
Oral History of the Pasadena Art Museum
Topic:
Art
Biographical Note:
Artist and curator of education at the Pasadena Art Museum.
Interviewer:
Ratner, Joanne L.
Interviewee:
Ellis, Robert, $d 1892-1974
Persons Present:
Ellis and Ratner.
Place Conducted:
Tapes I-II: Department of Special Collections, University Research Library, UCLA; Tape III, Ellis's home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Joanne L. Ratner, Researcher/Interviewer, UCLA Oral History Program; B.A., American Studies/Art History, Scripps College; M.A., Art History/Museum Studies, University of Southern California.Ratner prepared for the interview by reviewing a variety of materials directly related to the Pasadena Art Museum, including minutes of the executive committee from 1958 to 1974, calendars of events, exhibition catalogs and reviews, scrapbooks, newspaper and magazine articles, California Design files, and essays, brochures, and speeches pertaining to the museum's early history. In addition, Ratner read relevant interviews conducted by the UCLA Oral History Program for its Los Angeles Art Community: Group Portrait series.
Processing of Interview:
David P. Gist, assistant editor, edited the interview. He checked the verbatim transcript of the interview against the original tape recordings, edited for punctuation, paragraphing, and spelling, and verified proper names. Words and phrases inserted by the editor have been bracketed.The edited transcript was sent to Ellis in November of 1988. Ellis did not return the transcript. As a result, the transcript was completed without interviewee corrections or additions.Richard Candida Smith, principal editor, prepared the table of contents. Alex Cline, assistant editor, prepared the biographical summary and interview history. Rebecca Stone, editorial assistant, compiled the index.
Length:
4 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Series Statement:
This series focuses on the history of the Pasadena Museum of Art and its role as a pathbreaking venue for contemporary art in Southern California in the 1960s.
Abstract:
TAPE NUMBER: I, Side One (March 30, 1987)Art education—Teaching at the South Pasadena Art Center—Recruited as curator of education at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1956—Museum staff in 1950s—Exhibitions in 1950s—Responsibilities as curator of education—Suzanna Mueller—Art education for children—Stimulating individual creativity—Dance classes—Comparing the art education programs at the Pasadena Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art—Grant from the Rosenberg Foundation.