"The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture" LP

In 1979, Skowhegan published an LP on the occasion of their 1979 Benefit Awards Dinner at Carnegie Hall. One side of the record was narrated by Beatrice Straight, the actress and daughter of the arts philanthropist Dorothy Payne Whitney, with excerpts of speeches by artists and supporters at the 1971–1978 Awards Dinners. The other side featured two songs by the celebrated composer Michael Valenti, “Skowhegan Piano Quintet” and “Winter in Central Park, with the former commissioned to accompany a 1977 event slide show. 

The record is evocative of the relationships within the organization and the longstanding relationships of patrons in the arts. Producer and Trustee Jack Eastman garnered funding support from CBS, producing the record as a gift for patrons of the organization and a point of access for many to support the organization. As a fundraising edition, it was available for a mere $2—the approximate equivalent of modern-day $9—to make Skowhegan’s sounds accessible to any and all who were interested. The album was designed by Carla Hall Design Group, and produced by John Eastman, Jr.

The album 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.