Quality Farm:
Home Movies at Skowhegan,
circa 1960s

Generations of artists have documented their time at campus gathering for studio visits, workshops, critiques, parties, and meals alike. Selections of these moments end up in Skowhegan’s archives including through a collection of home movies from the 1950s-60s. While the home movies reside alongside footage known to be shot by faculty artist Karl Fortess and Trustee Jack Eastman, little is known about the documentarians behind the camera apart from the years they were on campus, likely 1965-68 due to the individuals visible in their footage.

Titled as simply, “Home Movies,” this compilation includes the following segments:

[1] Founder Willard “Bill” Cummings, and faculty artists Jacob Lawrence, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Mangold, and Philip Pearlstein during a reception outside of the David Smith cottage, 1968.

[2] Founder Willard “Bill” Cummings, and faculty artists Jane Freilicher, Jacob Lawrence, Robert Mangold, Philip Pearlstein, Ben Shahn, and George Spaventa sitting for a portrait, 1968.

[3] Faculty artist Ronald Bladen during a critique outside of the fresco barn, 1968.

[4] Participants working on a large-scale outdoor sculpture.

[5] Outdoor sculpture critique with participants and faculty artists Jacob Lawrence, James Rosati, and George Spaventa, 1968.

[6] Faculty artist Philip Pearlstein working on a painting in studio.

*Quality Farm is the title of a painting by Jane Freilicher from 1963.

This footage resides in our records and archives. Additional materials are accessible at archive@skowheganart.org and also through the Archives of American Art, Washington D.C.