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Tiska Blankenship Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-1136-BC

Scope and Contents

The collection contains personal and professional materials related to Tiska Blankenship’s work as curator and director of Jonson Gallery, and as an artist. The collection includes correspondence with and of artists such as Raymond Jonson, Ed Garman and Paula Hocks. The collection also contains materials related to the Transcendental Painting Group and its founding, and materials related to feminist art and the establishment of a women’s art class at UNM in the 1980s. Included in the collection are exhibition catalogs, photographs, slides, essays, publications, clippings, articles, and works of art.

The collection is organized into 5 series:

Jonson Gallery, Raymond Jonson - Provides biographical information about Raymond Jonson and documents activities of the Jonson Gallery via correspondence, exhibition catalogs, publications, essays, slides, articles, etc.

Transcendental Painting Group (TPG) - Includes papers by Alfred Morang (who served as the group's spokesman), materials related to painter Lawren Stewart Harris (who helped organize the group). Slides, research for talks, and exhibition materials are included.

Ed Garman - Included are personal and professional correspondence with Ed Garman, including discussions of exhibitions; catalogs and working copies of catalogs; essays by Tiska Blankenship; and a number of booklets and sketches by Ed Garman.

Paula Hocks - Includes materials used by Hocks for collages, biographical material, photographs, 2 computer discs, 1 audio cassette, as well as artists' books and her carved book cradle.

Tiska Blankenship and Development of UNM Women's Art Class - Materials related to the development of a women’s art class at the University of New Mexico in the 1980s. Includes a brief historical essay by Tiska Blankenship, as well as a copy of “Daily Bread”, a publication that grew out of the class. The title was inspired by “Work of a Common Woman”, a copy of which is included. Also included are essays by Tiska Blankenship and others, slides, feminist exhibition catalogs and notices.

Dates

  • 1938 - 2023

Creator

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.

Biographical Information

Tiska Blankenship began working at the University of New Mexico's Jonson Gallery in 1985, and later served as director until her retirement in 2000. Through her work, Blankenship developed friendships with artists including Ed Garman and Paula Hocks.

Extent

3 boxes : (2.4 cu. ft.), plus 1 oversized folder

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection cotains personal and professional materials related to Tiska Blankenship’s work as curator and director of Jonson Gallery and as an artist. Raymond Jonson, Ed Garman, Paula Hocks, and the Transcendental Paintering Group are prominent themes.

Related Archival Materials

Paula Hocks Papers. Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico Libraries

Save the Jonson Gallery Collection. Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico Libraries

Separated Materials

The following books have been removed from the collection for cataloguing into CSWR book collection:
  • Dear Doppelganger (artist book by Paula Hocks)
  • La Camara (artist book by Paula Hocks)
  • Two Heads in Three Quarter Time: A Santa Fe Story (artist book by Paula Hocks)
  • The Art of Raymond Jonson Painter, by Ed Garman (inscribed to Tiska Blankenship by Ed Garman)
  • Noa Noa, by Paul Gauguin (inscribed to Tiska Blankenship by Ed Garmin)
  • Woman and Nature, by Susan Griffin
  • The Work of a Common Woman, by Judy Grahn
  • The Crone, by Barbara G. Wlkeer
  • Gossips, Gorgons & Crones, by Jane Caputi
  • Title
    Finding Aid of the Tiska Blankenship Papers
    Status
    Completed
    Author
    B. Silbergleit
    Date
    10/2024
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    English
    Script of description
    Latin

    Repository Details

    Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

    Contact:
    University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
    University Libraries, MSC05 3020
    1 University of New Mexico
    Albuquerque NM 87131
    505-277-6451