Lecture Archive

Richard Porter gives a lecture talking about the work and life of Henry Varnum Poor. Porter describes Poor’s interdisciplinary practice which spanned paintings, ceramics, pottery, drawings, and printmaking works. Porter says that throughout all of the work Poor did, it was always rooted in late French modernism. Poor would experiment with all kinds of mediums to make his work, drawing from traditional methods to making his own oil sticks to even drawing with matchsticks which he would dip in India ink. Porter comments on the fact that despite the many changes that happened in his paintings, his watercolours were one part of his oeuvre that always stayed the same.

Artist David Hockney discusses a past conversation with a museum curator, during which Hockney observed that photography is a limited medium that can’t express layered time like painting and drawing, and is also one-eyed by virtue of the box viewfinder. This revelation led Hockney to experiment with Polaroid pictures and a grid system for bringing together numerous photographs of the same subject, with a result which he likens to Cubism and to drawing. The recording of this lecture is incomplete.

Painter Jake Berthot shows slides of eight paintings which were part of an unidentified show hung the January prior to the lecture. After showing and commenting on the slides, audience questions lead him to talk about many topics including: his interest in art which started in childhood, his continuing interest and involvement in the arts, aspects of painting including his movement from oils to acrylics and back again to oils, his admiration for certain other artists, notably, Paul Cézanne and Constantin Brâncuși, and his conscious choice to separate his drawing style from his painting style. The works are not identified.

Painter-turned-sculptor Ronald Bladen shows slides of his sculpture, commenting on materials, techniques and artistic interests. He also outlines his general approach and procedures when undertaking a new project, particularly public commissions. His talk is frequently interrupted by questions that cover a wide range of issues.

Painter and photographer Connie Fox talks about her early lack of exposure to art in rural Colorado; her allergies to specific paint which led to an exclusive use of acrylics; the constancy of her subject matter contrasted with changing content, particularly with regard to color; and her photography, including her later transition to making images using a color xerox machine.

Painter and former POW Jean Helion shows early figurative work, his subsequent discovery of abstraction, and his return to figuration balanced by abstraction. He talks of Mondrian who was a personal acquaintance, and of the meaning in shapes and in reality.

George McNeil presents an overview of modern art from 1930 to 1960 from the perspective of one who lived through the whole period, and his early experiences as an art student and young artist in contact with names like Matulka, Arshile Gorky and Hans Hofmann. This is followed by a chronological showing of paintings, drawings and prints from about 1927 on, with comments on his development and changing style and expression.

In his third lecture at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, artist and Interim Director Sidney Simon presents a comprehensive overview of his work, including both painting and sculpture, and a general autobiography. The artist’s appreciation of humor and inventiveness, and his use of them in his art, is evident from his description of the various works shown, most of which are identified by title.

African American sculptor Melvin Edwards present slides from his travels and personal life interwoven with slides of his steel sculptures as he talks about the way his private, social, and political life are intimately connected with his work.

Milton Resnick gives a lecture at Skowhegan, immediately starting off by telling the participants about the difficult precarious nature of being an artist, and the difficulty and rigor it takes to make paintings. Resnick says that as an artist, one will always be confronted by things that will be unfamiliar. It is important for artists to be open to that and allow themselves to ask questions that they don’t seek out everyday. It is also important for artists to be aware of their limits. Resnick ends his lecture by telling the participants that the more artists make their visions peripheral, the more they can take in the kinds of paintings we wish to make or see.

Ronald Bladen gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his painting and drawing practice. Bladen is interested in the interception between creating large scales and surfaces for his sculpture, drawing and painting practice. Bladen also talks about working with public art. For Bladen, public art allows him to create qualities and atmospheres in his work. Bladen is interested in industrial influences and thinking about how investing in different forms with a degree of power and adventure shapes his artistic practice. Bladen tries to bring this to his sculptures in particular. The rock is a form which Bladen always goes back to. He is interested in rocks; specifically their form and the history of geology. Bladen sees rocks having a fantasy, adventure and structural proportion that he is interested in. Bladen ends his lecture by telling participants of the importance for artists always to communicate and be in dialogue with one another, because it can be difficult for artists to sometimes communicate with the broad public. 

Al Blaustein gives a lecture at Skowhegan. He begins the lecture by talking about the important role drawing plays in his life. Blaustein states that drawing is something that cannot be defined in any way. He talks about the many different kinds of drawings: outline, painterly, texture drawings, black and white drawings, small drawings, and large drawings. Blaustein says that there is a sense of spontaneity and freedom that comes with expressing oneself through drawing. Drawing gives artists the sense that they can reveal themselves. People draw for their own private pleasure and because of that. they can be free, inhibited, and unpretentious. For Blaustein, it doesn’t matter if something is called drawing or painting. Instead, it is more important to make a work of art. Making a work of art is a moral and religious commitment, It allows artists to create a vital living organism; something that is alive. Making art tries to reach excellence which guides artists to their deepest concern. Blaustein then tells the participants that there should be no absolutes in art either. The more artists make art absolute, the more fragile it can become. Blaustein considers his work abstract and allegorical at the same time. All of Blaustein’s work is essentially a struggle to find relationships. Blaustein explores these thoughts in his drawings and paintings by also always working in series. Blaustein then states the importance preliminary sketchbooks play in his work. Sketchbooks allow Blaustein to make new drawings. Blaustein ends his lecture by telling the participants that a work of art demands more then just a single theory or doctrine. It searches for life, and something that is whole. An artist cannot search for parts or fragments, it must feel as if everything is integrated.

Latvian-born artist Vija Celmins presents a brief autobiography with emphasis on her art school experience, followed by slides and observations on her early paintings, three-dimensional works and graphite works on paper, and ending with a few later paintings and works in bronze. Works are not identified by title.

Interim Director Sidney Simon gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his interdisciplinary practice which spans drawing, woodcarving, sculpture, terracotta, painter, and mural art. Simon draws from autobiography, experiences in teaching, storytelling, and his influence in architecture and bauhaus among other things to develop his artistic practice. Simon also tells the participants how he is invested in portraiture, and what one can do with a portrait. Simon is interested in how portraiture painting can be smelt, and how we can imagine it to sound. Simon makes portraits of family, friends, loved ones, and strangers. Simon ends his lecture telling participants that being an artist is a difficult and risky thing, but this is something Simon has decided to do, and he feels strongly about making change as an artist.

Susan Hall gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about her painting and drawing practice. Hall states to the participants that she prefers not talking too much about her work because of the visual experience she likes people to have on her own. For Hall, the first impact should be a private one. Hall says that she draws from an emotional response to start her paintings, and then later gives her paintings realities by using structures that are visible in the physical world which is the only way Hall can make her paintings. Hall sees her paintings reflect different moments in time, drawing from motifs such as the moon, lighthouses, and landscape. Throughout the lecture, Hall draws from proverbs to explore her artistic process as well, and shares some of them with the students:Indecision is the key to flexibility never let your studies interfere with your educationteaching is the fine art of imparting knowledge without possessing itif you can’t baffle them with brilliance, befuddle them with bullshit

Lloyd Mcneill Jr talks about his painting, sculpture collage and drawing practice. McNeill Jr also talks about making the shift from art to music and plays the flute to the participants throughout the lecture. For McNeill Jr, the Music has allowed him to establish a more sincere contact with people and he tells the participants that he enjoys composing and writing his own music. Making Records and using records as a way to talk about what Mcneill Jr is interested has allowed him to further develop his musical practice alongside artistic practice. McNeill Jr tells the participants that he is interested in improvisational music, classical flute, and plays with his dancers, with bands and also tells stories of playing all over the streets of New York with his guitarist. Mcneill Jr reflects on his drawing practice as well. He states how his drawing practice is something that he always combines with line-work and colour. Mcneill Jr explores a wide range of themes in his drawings which include social protest, structure, composition, and even pure colour. Mcneill Jr further states that he uses drawing to instill structure and composition which range from smaller works as well as larger works. This maintains monumentality in his smaller works and can lead to an important experience. Teaching is another aspect of Mcneill Jr’s life that he shares with the participants. Mcneill Jr states that for him, teaching is about creating experiences in introspection and self reflection for his students, and not about them always wanting to be artists. Mcneill Jr ends his lecture stating that the most important thing for him as an artist is to always take care of one’s own personal space, The commitment one has to their own life and the passion one has in the involvement on one’s own life is very important.

John Moore shows a series of slides documenting his paintings, drawing and watercolours from 1965-present. Moore is interested in examining light situations in his work, juxtaposing the notion of still life, landscape, and the foreground. Moore often drew from his watercolours as an entry point to create his paintings. Moore would also draw from city scapes and interiors, talking about the relationship between foreground and background and how light also operated in these scenes as well. For Moore, he found that figure paintings also existed because they created certain kinds of parallel relationships for him as an artist.

Critic and dealer John Myers gives a lecture on the life and work of Joseph Cornell, showing a series of slides of works from the interdisciplinary artist and film-maker. Myers first gives a brief definition of modern art, stating that it is something that is not concerned with illustrating ideas, but embodying a concept of an idea without words in order to harness an intellectual energy. Myers then goes into details on how Cornell was interested in these very thoughts. Myers also states that Cornell developed an obsession with romantic figures. It allowed him to deal with the nostalgia for the dead, which also complemented the many other interests he had. Some of these interests ranged from astronomy, his experiences teaching and working with children, surrealism, religion, flora and fauna, and animals to name a few. Myers ends his lecture by telling the participants that for Cornell, once he made a work of art, it allowed him to destroy reality and develop ambiguity. This is why ambiguity was something that was always so pronounced in Cornell’s work.

African American sculptor Martin Puryear gives a chronological presentation of his sculptures in wood and animal hides, identifying the pieces by title, describing each one, and commenting on the background and unique circumstances surrounding their creation, and answering questions from the audience throughout the talk. He expresses a particular interest in selecting materials, most notably his woods, for their functional characteristics instead of any inherent beauty.

Painter George Schneeman shows slides of his own work and talks about painterly and compositional issues which interest him, such as using creative surfaces to achieve desired effects, choice of medium, and reducing or eliminating background elements. Included in the lecture are nudes, frescoes, portraits, landscapes; the works are not identified by titles.

Painter Elizabeth Murray gives her first slide lecture (other lectures in 1985 and 1992) at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. It includes autobiographical information, beginning with her original interest in pursuing a career as a commercial artist and her discovery of museums and the fine arts. She shows examples of work from her earliest paintings up to her most recent work, explaining how her style developed and changed, particularly her increasing interest in using organic shapes. She spends some time discussing her views of the mainstream art world and how that affected her own work and outlook, both at the time of the lecture and earlier. Works shown are not named.

George Schneeman gives an art historical lecture at Skowhegan, showing a series of slides of art work which surveys a range of artists who have inspired Schneeman. These artworks range from paintings which depict landscapes, figures, and still life, to portraiture. Schneeman also talks about the process of Egyptian iconography paintings, and the history of artists working in fresco and ceramics. Schneeman in particular profiles Roman Frescos, examining their history which comes from Pompeii, and the ways in which the frescos became distinctly unique for their smooth surfaces. Schneeman ends his lecture by then shifting gears and talking about his own painting practice which includes frescos.

Painter Francis Barth discusses her development as a painter, including specific decisions, interests and influences that guided that development, illustrating with slides of her own work (not identified). Of particular interest to her are issues of subject, content and layers of meaning, as well as poetry, music and language.Agnes Denes

Painter Lois Dodd shows slides of her landscapes, figures, interiors, and still lifes, reflecting on her entering the art world through the back door of textile design. She discusses compositional, design, practical and other challenges she experienced over the course of her career. Her commentary includes how her evolving working method (whether from photographs or drawings or directly from the subject) affected her compositions and the evolution of her subject matter. Paintings are not identified by name.

Reading from prepared material and showing slides of both contemporary art and prehistoric sites and symbols, Lucy Lippard posits that images from prehistory have been overlaid onto contemporary art and the landscape by artists responding to primal impulses.

Landscape painter Susan Shatter shows slides of her painting and talks about her working methods and the painterly themes of subject matter, including the horizontal expanse of the land, the treatment of light reflected on water, and her constant quest to find new and unusual places to paint. Works shown cover a variety of mediums, but the artist professes a particular interest in watercolor. Paintings are described but not mentioned by title. The recording is not complete.

Philip Pearlstein gives a lecture at Skowhegan where he shows a series of slides of his works which span drawing, printmaking and painting. Pearlstein is interested in exploring the use of the male nude in his art, and he sees art as a way to create units of measurements and processes. Pearlstein then goes on to talk about film work too, which he is drawn to because of the film’s immediate documentary process. Pearlstein talks about a film he made where he interviewed fellow artists, and how he wanted this film to be a commentary on the current generation of realists, stating that they are the first in his generation to choose realism. Pearlstein says how artists can deal with realism and abstraction as fascinating technical procedures capable of endless permutations, and how each of these permutations can become its own aesthetic world. For Pearlstein, artists have to be just as aggressive with realism as they are with abstraction, for painting is ultimately an aggressive act. Pearlstein in particular uses realism to deal with confrontation, drawing from creating stylistic techniques to creating moments which also take on a political meaning, with pop art being a major influence in this type of working. Active looking is also something that is important for Pearlstein for it helps him fall into a hypnotized state which helps him establish his paintings. Pearlstein ends his lecture telling the participants that he doesn’t want to get in the way of their development as artists and wants to try to do as little as possible. Pearlstein further articulates these final points by saying that the ideas he shares with the participants can be useful but ultimately the students have to follow the logic of their own work.

George Schneeman gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about the process of making frescoes. Schneeman also talks about his painting practice and his engagement with working in a large scale format to produce work in a series. The lecture then shifts to a series of question and answer sessions between Schneeman and the participants where he shows them slides of historic frescos.

Artist Louise Nevelson fields a variety of questions from her audience and uses them to return to a central theme, that art is creation and that things outside of the creation of the work (society, where one lives, income, influence) should be irrelevant to the artist.

Lynda Benglis talks about her early education as an artist, followed by a slide presentation of transitional and mature works in which she focuses on techniques and materials she has used, commenting on material-related problems where applicable. The lecture contains numerous personal anecdotes. In answer to questions from the audience, she also talks about ritual in the making of her work and about supporting oneself and one’s art financially.

Painter David Driskell gives a detailed chronological look at the themes, mediums, style, ideas and influences which formed the basis for his prolific painting production in (primarily) landscape and still life over a period of about twenty-five years. Driskell is a 1953 alum of Skowhegan.

Beginning with examples of his painting from the early 1960s, when he was living in Europe, painter Peter Saul speaks about the motifs drawn from common culture in his early work. He talks about periodically incorporating text in his work, and about his lack of training as well as lack of interest in technique. Continuing with work done after his return to the United States in the mid-Sixties, the speaker shows examples of his politically inspired paintings drawn from issues such as the Vietnam War, the Berkeley riots and major political figures, and art, emphasizing his use intention to amuse and offend through caricature and parody. The last slides are of a few sculptures. The recording is poor, with many unintelligible sections.

African-American Color Field painter William T. Williams shows slides and talks about his working methods and the development of his work from the late 1960s to 1977. During the question and answer period he addresses issues of boredom, selection of titles, the relationship of icons, geometry, imagery and symbols in his painting, his interest in nurturing art as a life-long career, ending with autobiographical information about his art education.

Anne Poor shows a series of slides and gives a lecture talking about her painting practice while also covering a wide range of artists who have inspired her, ranging from Italian Renaissance Painters to art works by the founders of Skowhegan. Poor also talks about her experience living abroad in France and how she started studying abstract painting there, as well as the important role teaching plays in her life as an artist.

Yvonne Jacquette presents slides to illustrate the chronological development of her work (paintings and prints) along with a brief autobiography and information on her materials and working methods and the subject matter and treatment that interest her as an artist. The recording is not complete.

During this 1977 lecture, Martha Diamond shares an array of literary passages that she came across primarily during the previous year and a half, ranging from ancient poetry to contemporary novels. Texts excerpted include: Homer’s The Iliad, a poem by Ron Pagett, Alexandria: A History and A Guide and Howards End by E.M. Forster. Diamond shows slides of works she made during this same period. She also discusses a handful of definitions of different words she is interested in. The audio recording is not accessible, the only remainder of the event are the artist’s preparatory notes.

All images courtesy Martha Diamond Trust
Artworks © Martha Diamond Trust

Allen Ellenzweig gives a lecture talking about the early founding of Skowhegan by focusing on the career, work and life trajectories of Henry Varnum Poor, Sidney Simon, and Willard–Bill–Cummings. Ellenzweig talks about their different early creative projects, including making art work to raise awareness about the War, how they all became friends, and the decision to eventually start Skowhegan. Ellenzweig says that the founders were inspired by Walt Whitman to instill the school with its current philosophies of utopian, socialist notions. Ellenzweig then mentions how Henry Varnum Poor wrote a statement for the school and how the first students to come were also coming from the recent World War II that had just ended. Ellenzweig also states how the initial budget of the school consisted of only 30 thousand dollars, with the first class making up 38 students and the first three studios being in chicken coops. 

Edwin Gamble gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his artistic practice which spans drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and installation. Gamble talks about the impact Skowhegan had on him when he was a participant in the 1950s, and how it pushed him to explore sculpture in his work. Some of the themes he explores in his work are ornithology, landscape, the environment and materiality. Gamble also engages with sound to record noises of birds and loons which he adds to his sculptures, which allows him to incorporate a sense of touch in his sculptures. Gamble utilizes a wide range of materials in his sculptures including gold, fibreglass, copper, bronze, and wood to name a few. Gamble tells the participants the importance for building a community, so artists can constantly learn from one another. 41 minutes

Charles Ginnever gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his sculpture practice and his time living in Paris and San Francisco which has had an important impact on him as an artist. Ginnever utilizes a wide range of materials in his work ranging from wood, plexiglass, metal, and steel. Ginnever is concerned with the elements and forms of sculpture and creating perceptions of illusion. By creating these perceptions, Ginnever states how he tries to disconnect from the habit one has of looking at things through an instinctive translation. Ginnever explores this by drawing on the renaissance concept of space. Ginnever says how this is a concept of space that is unique to western art and is not something that is paid that much attention in eastern art. Ginnever also tells participants how he is interested in creating the kinds of spaces one also finds in Japanese woodcuts and Chinese landscape paintings; spaces that according to Ginnever deal with reverse perspectives due to their better use of expressing these perspectives. 

Speaking on the occasion of his first visit to the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, sculptor George Segal talks about his intense love affair with art and his impressions of the best-known artists of his day. He goes on to discuss his decision to accept all materials in the real world as legitimate subject matter, his interest in figurative sculpture, and his willingness to break artistic rules as a reaction against his Abstract Expressionist teachers. During the lengthy question and answer portion of the lecture he comments on the concept of Pop Art, the evolution of casting from the figure, integrity in using found objects in art, his reasons for abandoning painting as a medium, and, more briefly, on a variety of other topics.

Susan Shatter gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about her painting practice. Some of the themes Shatter studies in her work includes an exploration of issues around the cosmos, architecture, the relationship one has to natural geography, and a fascination with water and its relationship to the land. Shatter then mentions the importance light has on her thinking as a painter. Shatter sees colour as something constantly being affected by the light and region she is painting, and sunlight allowing her to transform the ways in which she approaches colour in her paintings. Shatter also explores scale and cityscapes in her painting as well, drawing from the urban landscape of New York and Boston. Shatter ends the lecture talking to the participants about her own experience being a participant at Skowhegan in the 1960s.

Speaking without the aid of slides or notes, sculptor Richard Stankiewicz speaks to an audience at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture about what it means to be an artist. He talks about having an inner compulsion to make art, an ability to communicate expressively, the ability to select and use the most effective materials for what is being expressed, and an understanding of form. He also addresses how talent can act as a mere facility, preventing the artist from doing what he needs to do in his work. The question and answer portion of the lecture is not complete.

Theater and opera director Robert Wilson talks about the process by which he created the opera Einstein at the Beach and other theatrical and operatic pieces, as well as ideas for projects not yet realized. He also devotes some time to comparing and contrasting Europe and the United States with regard to their support of the arts, both financially and in terms of exposure, offering some innovative ideas for making art more accessible to the American general population. The cohesiveness of the presentation, which mirrors in some ways the speaker’s theatricality, is marred by numerous unintelligible fragments.

After carefully detailing the approach of artists who influenced and excited him as a young painter (Jack Levine, James McGarrell, Caracci, Raphael, Bernini, Tiepolo, Philip Pearlstein, Dewain Valentine), Willard Midgette shows how he brought all those interests together in large illusionistic murals. Midgette also shares humorous incidents regarding audience reactions to entering his “walk-in” murals. Eventually, the cumbersomeness of the multiple-painting walk-in spaces led the artist to return to a more traditional format.

Mary Frank gives a lecture at Skowhegan showing a series of slides that depict her ink drawings and mono prints. Frank talks about the process of making her drawings and how she works from imagination, life drawing, and sculpture. Frank is interested in capturing the ordinary nature of everyday life. Frank describes the influence a wide range of ideas have had on her practice, ranging from botanical gardens, museum spaces, and dance; all of which have led her to exploring these themes. Frank goes further into detail about how dance has become a way of living for her, and how it also lends itself as an entrance to her drawings and prints. All of these ways of working help Frank to perceive and connect with the world she lives in. Frank goes on to talk about other ways of working she has developed for herself, which include terracotta, woodworking, and sculpture.

Painter Brice Marden gives a slide presentation of selected artwork which he admires, roughly divided by category: animals, landscapes, men and women, women and children, still lifes. Comments on the individual works are minimal and not all the paintings are identified. About halfway through the lecture he shows slides of his own work, also with minimal narrative, although in response to a question he does talk briefly about his painting technique. During the Q&A section he talks about influences on and the evolution of his style.

Paul Resika gives a lecture at Skowhegan where he shows a series of his paintings and drawings spanning the years of 1942-1977. Resika states how for him, paintings are humble objects that contain everything he wishes to say as an artist; both his deficiencies and strength as a person. Resika also reflects on his experiences living in New York and the many teachers he has had who have shaped him into the artist he is today. Resika ends the lecture by telling participants that the more they hone their craft, the more they reveal themselves. Resika further goes on to say that revealing themselves requires patience but it will lead them to their destiny. By following our destiny, our best work will also reveal itself to us, and we realize as artists we are just getting started.

Joel Shapiro gives a lecture at Skowhegan showing a series of works over the last seven years. Shapiro is interested in investigating ideas of destiny and establishing a language for this through sculpture. Shapiro uses a wide range of material in his work ranging from but not limited to marble, limestone, and marble. Shapiro is further interested in exploring ideas of touch and establishing a presence in his work that is not ordinary. Shapiro states how he has a regular drawing practice which he uses to establish size and thickness for his sculptural pieces. Shapiro also states how for him, sculptures should have solid shapes inside and erratic forms outside: this gives his sculptures solidity and negative space so he can further play with ideas of space and volume.

Carol Haerer gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about her drawing and painting practice, and showing a series of slides. Haerer uses different kinds of painting and drawing material; particularly being drawn to watercolour pigments as well as silver, gold, and coloured pencils, all which help Haerer create subject matter that is floral and realistic. Haerer talks about being inspired by her travels and how she is constantly trying to discover light in her work. Some of the places Haerer has spent time in are the landscapes of Greece, the botanical gardens in the Bronx and the pyramids in Mexico. Haerer is also interested in using bodily gestures to create her paintings. Haerer explains how exploring colour is important in her work, especially white for it allows her to reflect on ideas of purity and nirvana. Haerer tells the participants that no matter where they are in their life, they must always set up their life so they have time to make art on their own terms and keep their hands in training.

John Button shows a series of slides of his paintings and gouaches. Button talks about the influence abstract expressionism had on his practice and how it has provided a new energy that was right from the soul; an energy that wasn’t political. For Button, this energy is something else which comes from learning about the free use of paint and the importance of composing a picture while also paying attention to the edges of the canvas. Button says that this way of working eventually leads him to becoming a landscape painter, particularly the landscapes of New York City. Button tells the participants that when one makes art, they must make art to live in the present in order to recognize what the present looks like. Button urges participants to tell their story in the best way possible and try not to create too many discrepancies for yourself. Button further tells participants that if they are going to do something narrative, they should do it in an absolutely straightforward manner and not use paint academically. Button ends the lecture telling the participants that art is about being in the present and not worry too much about the past or the future.

In his first lecture at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (additional lectures in 1981 and 2002), painter Rackstraw Downes shows slides of his work from 1962, while he was still in art school, to the present time. The speaker talks at length about the work he shows, his progress as an artist and his method of working and subject matter. He also comments on his life in Maine, New York City, Yaddo and short stays in Belgium, Holland and Italy, interspersed with personal anecdotes and historical comments. He shows many landscapes, as well as some nudes and portraits. Following the slides Downes reads a long article which he wrote about the aspects of landscape painting, as well as some journal entries from his trip to Italy. In the Question and Answer period he talks about why he has chosen to live in the United States, his affection and admiration for Fairfield Porter, and a variety of other topics.

Painter Stephen Greene challenges his audience’s assessment of creativity and inventiveness of some well-known and respected 20th century painters and discounts the idea of being part of a school of painting as counterproductive to true inspiration. The recording of this lecture is incomplete.

Painter Alex Katz begins with general comments on artistic style in relation to social position and lifestyle; subject matter; and scale. These observations are followed by slides of his work, limiting his narrative in this section to description, with occasional comments on his motivation for choosing the subject of individual paintings. Responding to questions at the end of the slide presentation, Katz addresses issues of volume, 3-D and light; discusses how he plans the composition of his large paintings; comments on the importance of pacing one’s work in relation to personal temperament; and talks briefly about the Kennedy Gallery, a cooperative gallery which he and several colleagues sold work from until the early 1960s.

Don Nice gives a lecture at Skowhegan showing a series of slides that depict his paintings and watercolours from 1959-1975. Nice goes into detail about his process which explores his usage of selecting an object, placing the object at a close range, making an observational drawing and then painting that composition. Nice mentions how this way of working allows him to make forms in a certain way, develop a consciousness of the shapes he uses, and reaffirm for him an interest in his subject matter. Nice ends his lecture telling the participants of creating certain problems for themselves which can teach them how to move through those problems.

Painter and sculptor Sidney Simon speaks of his transition from painting to sculpture and shows examples of his often humorous and inventive sculptures, grouping them into the following categories: sculptures married to architecture, portraits, themes (or heroes), sculptures with moving pieces, and sculptures incorporating mirrors. Various sculptural techniques and a wide assortment of materials are included. The question and answer portion of the lecture is not complete.

Abstract artist Jack Youngerman shows slides of his paintings and drawings from 1954 forward, and talks about his interest in organic shapes and color, issues of symmetry and asymmetry and his technique and working methods and materials. Also mentioned are sculptures, screens, cut paper, banners and tapestries designed by the speaker. Works discussed are not identified by title.

Janet Fish gives a lecture at Skowhegan where she talks about her painting practice, which is rooted in abstract expressionism. Fish explains how working in abstraction expressionism eventually led her to painting landscapes, interiors, and portraits. Fish states that she always paints exactly what she sees, and finds deep fascination in observing what’s happening in something right in front of her. Fish ends the lecture reflecting on her time as a student at Yale, as well as her time as a participant at Skowhegan in 1961.

Sculptor Anne Arnold shows a selection of slides of her work over a fifteen year period, and commenting on materials, techniques and the art world of the time. Sculptures shown include carving and constructions (or combinations), cast pieces, and reliefs of animals, as well as portraits, which might be head studies, full figures or isolated body parts of the individuals portrayed. The speaker expresses a particular interest in attention to color and scale.

Using slides, relating personal anecdotes, and reading from letters and essays, Leland Bell gives an illustrated lecture on the art and artistic life of Andre Derain. The final fifteen minutes or so of the original recording was damaged, leaving intermittent fragments which are unsuitable for listening or transcription

John Moore gives an intimate lecture talking about his painting practice which ranges from still life, landscape and portraiture. In his work, Moore explores ideas of line, geometry and triangulation, drawing from observational photography. More also explores the relationship of foreground, middle ground and background in his work when thinking about picture construction. For Moore, being invested in contour and drawing from colour is really important. Scale is also important too, with Moore’s paintings ranging from larger format canvases to smaller works.

Elliot Porter gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his experiences working as a medical doctor and his gradual shift of giving up science to pursue photography, mostly working in colour photography. For Porter, photography allows him to be controlled by the subject of the way in which one is controlled by their camera, whereas in painting sometimes one doesn’t have to be controlled. Porter states how he is always interested in the subject of the photograph, sometimes just as much as the final result. This has allowed Porter to chase certain types of emotions and simulations which he is seeking in art, and which he believes lies in nature. Porter ends the lecture telling participants that they can’t do everything. All they can do is what they want to do, and that is what they should concentrate on. If people don’t like what they do, that is none of their business and they should keep staying focused on their art.

Fairfield Porter gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his practice which lies at the intersection of art and science. Porter touches upon themes of evolution, entropy, and energy, discussing these ideas with the participants. Porter states how the advance of technology can separate us further and further away from facts, which is why the value of art is so important because it can help reconnect us to that fact again. For Porter, art is ultimately the antithesis to the way technology separates us.

Painter turned sculptor George Rickey presents a brief overview of the possibilities that can be explored in kinetic sculpture (and how it defines a space through motion). He shows slides of his work, describing the principles of balance, structure and geometry that characterized them, interrupting frequently to illustrate the principles by drawing diagrams for his audience. Questions are directed toward his artistic decisions, problems encountered, citing preferences and working methods. Works are generally not identified by title.

Painter Neil Welliver begins his lecture at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture with a short film. This is followed by a chronological sampling of slides which are shown while he reads a statement about his personal philosophy and approach to painting. Considerable attention is given to color, and how studying with Joseph Albers contributed to the Welliver’s interest in that element, despite the fact that Albers was an abstract painter and Welliver is a figurative painter. The questions which follow the lecture cover a broad range of topics, including Welliver’s life in Maine, his working methods, and the relationship between photography and painting in so far as their ability to capture an isolated moment as opposed to referencing a longer period of time.

Robert White gives a lecture at Skowhegan where he shows a series of slides depicting his artistic practice that includes work ranging from sculpture, plaster, fibre, drawing, terracotta and wood working. White specifically talks about the medium of terracotta and how it allows him to make many series of works that give him the chance to expand on his model making, which is constantly changing. This allows White the chance to consistently evolve in his practice. White also engages with questions from the participants, and tells them his many ways of working has allowed him to become deeply invested in ideas of movement, putting together disparate methods, and taking them apart to explore configuration when creating his work.

The recording for this lecture begins with the lecture in progress. Painter Janet Fish shows slides of and talks about her paintings. Her particular interest is in portraying objects, often glass or a liquid, to the point where she often eliminates or reduces the background and surface as much as possible.

Philip H. Grausman gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his artistic practice, primarily rooted in Sculpture. Grausman uses a wide range of material including hammer, copper, glass, sheet metal, stainless steel, plaster, as well as working with plants, bugs, embryonic forms and other insects. Grausman is interested in working with scale and the human body, as well as thinking about the role sculpture can play in ideas of portraiture and family. Grausman tells the participants that in order to understand sculpture, artists should always look at sculpture through every angle. Grausman goes on to reflect on his current sculptural experimentations which looks at his use of working with stone and polishing stone to create more sensuality with different materials. Grausman ends his lecture reflecting on the relationship that time has with his sculptural practice. Time has allowed Grausman to think more deeply about observation and decompose the structures he works with.

Armando Morales–an artist of Nicaraguan descent living and working in New York–gives a lecture at Skowhegan. Morales works in a wide range of materials including drawing, watercolour, and oil painting. Morales explains in his lecture how his work shifts from figurative motifs such as bulls, fruits, plants, trees, and vegetables into abstract compositions. Morales also talks about the importance that drawing has played in his life as an artist. Morales states the older he gets the more he values drawing. For Morales, drawing continues to influence the way he seeks to produce volume and roundness in his work, and how drawing also gives him the courage to think about three dimensional works. Morales ends his lecture telling the participants about the importance of always being a critic of one’s own work.

Claes Oldenburg gives a lecture at Skowhegan where he shows a series of slides of his work. Oldenburg reflects on his relationship with materials, his interest in politics, and his observation of life around him which acts as a catalyst to produce his work. Oldenburg’s work–which is primarily rooted in sculpture–is interested in using unconventional materials ranging from vinyl, to bacon, to toothpaste. Oldenburg is interested in taking away an object’s function and then reconstructing it into material in his work, which allows him to then recall the history of where these objects come from. Oldenburg goes on to talk about his interest in the potential of soft sculpture and the ability soft sculpture has to change shape. For Oldenburg, this makes him think about notions of objectivity, and how he can let his materials develop their own feelings. Oldenburg also talks about the role writing and language plays in his work, and the writing practice he has been building over the last 10 years. Oldenburg ends his lecture by asking participants about the nature of Skowhegan; what kind of work goes on there and how the participants are around one another.