00220.xml Ann Cushing Gantz papers A Guide to the Collection Finding aid prepared by Ellen Buie Niewyk, 2012. Hamon Arts Library
P. O. Box 750356 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275-0356
Finding aid encoded by Ada Negraru, 2012. Finding aid written in English. Description based on DACS. Overview Jerry Bywaters Special Collections, Hamon Arts Library, Southern Methodist University Gantz, Ann Cushing, 1933 – 2012 Ann Cushing Gantz papers 1941 – 2012 8 boxes, 3 flat boxes (11.50 linear feet) Ann Cushing Gantz (1933 - 2012), a Dallas native, achieved distinction as artist, gallery owner, and art instructor. Her gallery, known as “Cushing Galleries,” served as a location for both gallery exhibitions and art classes. Gantz has taken an active role in many Texas and Dallas art organizations including the Texas Printmakers, a women’s printmaking organization, and the Dallas Print and Drawing Society, serving as president of both organizations. The collection includes artwork, clippings, correspondence, documents, ephemera, gallery files, guest books, photographs, publicity, published works, and scrapbooks. Material is in English Biographical Note

Born in Dallas on August 27, 1933, Ann Cushing moved with her parents, Maurice and Margaret Cushing, to Memphis, Tennessee in 1940 due to her father’s work with the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Interested in art as a young girl, Ann studied at the Memphis Academy of Art during the summers beginning in 1947 through 1952. In 1953 and 1954 she took summer classes at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College, and continued her art studies at Sophie Newcomb College, Tulane University, in New Orleans, where in 1955 she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. While at Newcomb College, Ann Cushing studied oil painting with Patrick [Pat] Trivigno, professor of drawing and painting from 1947 – 1987. After she graduated from college, Ann moved back to Dallas with her parents, where she immersed herself in the city’s art scene as artist, art juror and judge, gallery owner, and teacher.

In 1955, Ann Cushing was asked to have her first solo exhibition at the popular Black Tulip Gallery, located at Inwood Village in Dallas, by the gallery owner Everett Rassiga. There she met her future husband, Everett Ellis Gantz, Jr., an aeronautical engineer but also a silent partner in the gallery. On September 20, 1958, Ann and Everett married in Dallas. They had two daughters – Elaine [born 1961] and Melissa [born 1963].

From 1956 to 1964, Ann Cushing Gantz taught art at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Jerry Bywaters, then director of the Dallas Museum, asked her to demonstrate how to make a woodcut in the museum’s “Artists in Action” program. In the same year her wood block print, “Seated Girl,” was accepted into the 6th Southwestern Exhibition of Prints & Drawings, sponsored by the museum and the Dallas Print Society. Gantz continued to have oil paintings and prints accepted into competitions at the Dallas Museum of [Fine] Arts including - 7th Southwestern Exhibition of Prints and Drawings [1957], 28th Annual Dallas County Exhibition [1957], 8th Southwestern Exhibitions, Prints and Drawings [1958], 21st Annual Texas Painting & Sculpture Exhibition [1959], 9th Southwestern Exhibition of Prints and Drawings [1959], 10th Southwestern Exhibition, Prints and Drawings [1960], 24th Dallas County Painting, Drawing and Sculpture Exhibition [1963]. Her work is in the permanent collection at the Dallas Museum of [Fine] Arts including Deidre [ca. 1957, color woodblock print] and Bayou [ca. 1957, Oil on Masonite].

Ann Cushing Gantz was also active in the Texas Fine Arts Association, the Texas Visual Arts Association, the Texas Printmakers organization, serving as president 1958 – 1960, and the Dallas Print and Drawing Society, serving as president 1958 – 1960 and vice-president 1963 - 1964. Her skills received national recognition when she was nominated in the graphic artists division for “New Talent in the U.S.” in the spring, 1958 edition of Art in America. A year later she was nominated in the painting division for “New Talent 1959” in the spring, 1959 issue of Art in America. In 1963 her pencil drawing, Girl in a Sweater, was included in the XXth American Drawing Annual exhibition at the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences, which toured the United States under the auspices of the Traveling Exhibition Service of the Smithsonian Institute. Gantz showed her work in exhibitions in other national museums, including the Philadelphia Museum, the Denver Art Museum, and in Dallas and throughout Texas during the 1950s – 1990s. In 1990, she was included in the exhibition The Texas Printmakers: 1940 – 1965 at the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University and in 1996, her work was featured in a 40-year retrospective at the Dallas Visual Art Center.

In 1959, Gantz and fellow artist Ruth Tears whom she had met earlier at the Black Tulip Gallery, opened a studio referred to as “The Barn” on North Central Expressway in Dallas. There she and Tears taught adult classes in drawing, painting, and woodblock printing, and children’s classes in drawing and painting. Their endeavors were highly successful. In 1966, the studio moved to the newly opened Quadrangle in Dallas as “Cushing Galleries,” drawing in fellow artists and art enthusiasts Kay Hunter, Irving Bock, and Fran Newman. Cushing Galleries included a frame shop, gallery, and teaching space for classes. The location of her classes was sometimes referred to as “The Studio,” “Cushing Studio,” or “Cushing Atelier.” The gallery remained at this location until 1971 when it moved into a 125 -year old house at 2723 Fairmount Avenue where the business continued until 1979 when Cushing Galleries closed. Throughout its years in operation, Cushing Galleries featured contemporary artists from Dallas and from across the country. In addition to gallery work, Ann Cushing Gantz was diligent in organizing and exhibiting her students’ work in galleries throughout Dallas including the Ethel May Brodnax Memorial Gallery at Highland Park Town Hall, Cushing Galleries, and later at her teaching studio, referred to as “The Atrium,” located at 11333 North Central Expressway.

Ann Cushing Gantz is known for her successful gallery business and her passionate approaches to teaching, but for over 40 years she also used her art work and artistic skills in Dallas philanthropic work. During the 1960s, she volunteered at the State Fair of Texas in the art division of the Women’s Department and participated in the Dallas chapter of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee with book and art sales. In 1960, she and Ruth Tears contributed their talents in painting a mural in the Ivor O’Connor Morgan Tuberculosis Hospital in the Children’s Medical Center. In 1973 and 1975 Gantz designed Christmas cards for the Dallas Woman’s Forum Auxiliary to the Wadley Institute of Molecular Medicine. In 2005 she donated a painting for auction to benefit the Retina Foundation of the Southwest.

In 2010 Ann Cushing Gantz retired from teaching and gallery work; she died in Dallas August 22, 2012.

Source:

Email correspondence with Melissa Gantz Bowden, July 10, 16, 2012

Email correspondence with Hillary Bober, Digital Archivist, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, July 13, 2012

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Ann Cushing Gantz collection consists of archival materials that include artwork, clippings, correspondence, documents, ephemera, gallery files, guest books, photographs, publicity, published works, and scrapbooks. The scrapbooks are divided into three categories, including Career of Ann Cushing Gantz, Cushing Galleries - Dallas, and Dallas Print and Drawing Society [Memorabilia]. The archival material is organized into five groupings including Ann Cushing Gantz, Ann Cushing Gantz - Students, Cushing Galleries - Business Records, Cushing Galleries – Gallery Files, and the Dallas Print and Drawing Society.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into 5 series:

Series 1: Ann Cushing Gantz Subseries 1: Artwork, undated Subseries 2: Clippings, undated, 1940s – 2010s Subseries 3: Correspondence, undated, 1950s – 1990s Subseries 4: Documents, undated, 1950s – 1980s Subseries 5: Ephemera, undated Subseries 6: Guest Books, 1960 – 1977 Subseries 7: Negatives, undated Subseries 8: Photographs, undated, 1960s Subseries 9: Publicity, undated, 1950s – 1980s Subseries 10: Published Works, 1950s – 1990s Subseries 11: Scrapbooks, 1960 - 1965 Series 2: Ann Cushing Gantz – Students Subseries 1: Publicity, undated, 1960s – 1990s Series 3: Cushing Galleries - Business Records Subseries 1: Clippings, undated, 1960s – 1990s Subseries 2: Correspondence, undated, 1960s Subseries 3: Documents, 1960s – 1970s Subseries 4: Photographs, scrapbook “Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977” Subseries 5: Publicity, undated, 1960s – 1990s Subseries 6: Scrapbooks, 1972 - 1977 Series 4: Cushing Galleries – Gallery Files Subseries 1: Gallery Files: A – E Subseries 2: Gallery Files: G – K Subseries 3: Gallery Files: K – P Subseries 4: Gallery Files: P – S Subseries 5: Gallery Files: Black notebook, Blue notebook A – Z Subseries 6: Scrapbooks, 1972 - 1977 Series 5: Dallas Print and Drawing Society Subseries 1: Correspondence, 1950s Subseries 2: Documents, 1960 – 1963 Subseries 3: Publicity, undated, 1960s Subseries 4: Published Works, 1960s Subseries 5:Scrapbooks, 1940s – 1960s Related Materials

This is one of the visual art collections in Bywaters Special Collections that concentrates on the art of Texas and the Southwest. Related materials are located in the Bywaters Special Collections of the Hamon Arts Library of Southern Methodist University.

Ann Cushing Gantz papers, 1948-1980. [Microfilm reel 2093] Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

 Access to Collection:

Collection is open for research use. Appointment with curatorial staff at Hamon Library is required.

 Publication Rights:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the staff of Jerry Bywaters Special Collection.

 Copyright Statement:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.

 Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University Libraries' online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog using these terms.

Gantz, Ann Cushing. Women painters – Texas. Art – Study and teaching – Texas – Dallas. Women art teachers – Texas – Dallas. Printmakers – Texas – Dallas. Photographs. Scrapbooks – Texas – Dallas. Jerry Bywaters collection on art of the Southwest. Preferred Citation

Ann Cushing Gantz Collection, Bywaters Special Collections, Hamon Arts Library, Southern Methodist University

 Acquisition Information

Gift, Ann Cushing Gantz, 1999.

 Custodial History

The Ann Cushing Gantz Collection was donated to Bywaters Special Collections in 1999 by Ann Cushing Gantz

 Processing Information

The Ann Cushing Gantz papers were received in no discernible order. During processing the collection was divided into five categories - Ann Cushing Gantz’s personal art career, Ann Cushing Gantz - Students, Cushing Galleries - Business Records, Cushing Galleries – Gallery File[s], Dallas Print and Drawing Society – and placed in archival boxes. The archival material was divided into separate archival files for artwork, clippings, correspondence, documents, ephemera, gallery files, guest books, negatives, photographs, publicity, and published works. Some items had to be placed in an oversize archival flat box. The scrapbooks were digitized for documentation, preservation and research purposes. The scrapbooks entitled September 1960 through 1965 and Dallas Print and Drawing Society, Memorabilia, 1941 – 1964 were placed in two archival flat boxes. The contents in the scrapbook labeled “Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977” were removed and placed in file folders; newspaper clippings were copied onto acid-free paper. The Cushing Gantz – Gallery Files were kept in order as created by Ann Cushing Gantz. The files located in notebooks were rehoused in archival folders and organized by artist’s last name.

 Processed by

Ellen Buie Niewyk, 2012.

 Finding aid written by

Ellen Buie Niewyk, 2012.

 Encoded by

Ada Negraru, 2012.

 Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1: Ann Cushing Gantz

Subseries 1: Artwork, undated The artwork consists of 48 bookplate designs, Christmas cards, note cards, letterhead and envelopes designed by Ann Cushing Gantz 11-2Artwork, undated Subseries 2: Clippings, undated, 1940s – 2010s The Clippings contain 229 items from various publications including the Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Times Herald chronicling the art career of Ann Cushing Gantz. 13undated, 1940s, 1950s 141960s 151970s 161980s 171990s-2010s Subseries 3: Correspondence, undated, 1950s – 1990s The Correspondence contains 46 items from art and professional organizations, including the Texas Printmakers, friends and acquaintances, museums and galleries, and universities and schools to Ann Cushing Gantz, mainly regarding her work in exhibitions. 18undated 191950s 1101960s 1111970s 1121980s 1131990s Subseries 4: Documents, undated, 1950s – 1980s The Documents contain 41 items consisting of art inventories, biographical material, consignment sheets, invitation lists, gallery notes, and shipment receipts, concerning Ann Cushing Gantz’s art career. 114undated 1151950s-1960s 1161970s 1171980s 11960s, 1970s Subseries 5: Ephemera, undated The Ephemera contain 10 items of misc. notes, recipes, notepads, business forms, and empty envelopes. 118undated Subseries 6: Guest Books, 1960 - 1977 The Guest Books contain 4 guest books kept by Ann Cushing Gantz for gallery openings. 211960 – 1965; 1965 – 1980; 1974 – 1976; 1976 – 1977 Subseries 7: Negatives, undated The Negatives contain 64 images of Ann Cushing Gantz, people [not identified], and art work. 22undated Subseries 8: Photographs, undated, 1960s The Photographs contain 16 images of Ann Cushing Gantz, art work [many images not identified], including works by Gerald Roy, Gabor Peterdi, James L. Steg, Toshi Yoshida; and people [many not identified] including: Pat Goode, Sandy Snouffor. 23undated, 1960s Subseries 9: Publicity, undated, 1950s – 1980s The Publicity contain 103 items consisting of exhibition opening announcements and notices, flyers, and gallery checklists relating to Ann Cushing Gantz’s art career. 31undated 32undated 331950s 341960s 351970s 361980s Subseries 10: Published Works, 1950s – 1990s The Published Works contain 25 items relating to Ann Cushing Gantz’s art career, education, personal life, and professional organizations. 371950s 381960s 391970s 3101980s 3111990s Subseries 11: Scrapbook, 1960 - 1965 The scrapbook contains clippings, correspondence, documents, ephemera, publicity, and published works. 2Career of Ann Cushing Gantz, September 1960 through 1965 [due to condition of the crapbook a digitized copy was made for preservation and research purposes] Series 2: Ann Cushing Gantz - Students

Subseries 1: Publicity, undated, 1960s – 1990s The Publicity contains 45 items advertising Ann Cushing Gantz’s art classes, class brochures, or exhibitions by her students. 312undated 3131960s 3141980s 3151990s Series 3: Cushing Galleries - Business Records

Subseries 1: Clippings, undated, 1960s – 1990s The Clippings contain 95 items from various publications including the Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Times Herald regarding Cushing Galleries; also includes clippings from the scrapbook “Cushing Galleries, 1972 – 1977.” 316undated, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s 317“Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977,” pp. 1 – 20 318“Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977,” loose items Subseries 2: Correspondence, undated, 1960s The Correspondence contain 7 items relating to artists and business associated with Cushing Galleries. 319undated 3201960s 321“Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977” Subseries 3: Documents, 1960s – 1970s The Documents contain 4 items relating to Business Records including Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, and stock record for Cushing Galleries. 3221960s 3231970s Subseries 4: Photographs, scrapbook – “Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977” The Photographs contain 36 items relating to Ann Cushing Gantz, artists at Cushing Galleries, and Cushing Galleries 24“Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 - 1977” 25“Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 - 1977” Subseries 5: Publicity, undated, 1960s – 1990s The Publicity contains 91 items consisting of exhibition opening announcements and notices, flyers, and press releases relating to Cushing Galleries. 324-25undated 3261960s 3271970s 3281980s 3291990s 330Scrapbook – “Cushing Galleries, Dallas, 1972 – 1977” Subseries 6: Scrapbooks, 1972 - 1977 The scrapbook contains clippings, correspondence, photographs, and publicity relating to Cushing Galleries from 1971 through 1977. Due to condition of the scrapbook a digitized copy was made for documentation, preservation, and research purposes. The contents were removed and placed in archival folders; the clippings were copied onto acid-free folders. Series 4: Cushing Galleries – Gallery File[s]

The Cushing Galleries – Gallery File[s] contain 119 files on artists represented at Cushing Galleries. The files contain various clippings, documents, ephemera, photographs, publicity, and published works on the artists. The file information was gathered and maintained by Ann Cushing Gantz. The files are arranged by artist’s last names and kept in organizational scheme as set by Ann Cushing Gantz.

Subseries 1: Gallery Files: A - E 41Abraham, Kim T. 42Adams, Betty Jardine 43Altman, Harold [1] 44Altman, Harold [2] 45Altman, Harold [3] 46Berman, Vivian 47Boodman, H. Citron 48Boren, Evelyne 49Brozik, Barbara 410Burkert, Robert [1] 411Burkert, Robert [2] 412Burkert, Robert [3] 413Burkert, Robert [4] 414Burkert, Robert [5] 415Burkert, Robert [6] 416Burkert, Robert [7] 417Carpenter, Laura 418Citron, Minna [1] 419Citron, Minna [2] 420Clark, Rosie [1] 421Clark, Rosie [2] 422Clark, Rosie [3] 423Clark, Rosie [4] 424Clark, Rosie [5] 425Coke, Anne 426Dailey, Merlin [1] 427Dailey, Merlin [2] 428David, Nathan 429Escartin, Andres Subseries 2: Gallery Files: G - K 51Gantz, Ann Cushing [1] 52Gantz, Ann Cushing [2] 53Gantz, Ann Cushing [3] 54Harrison, Ruth 55Hart, Elizabeth 56Hayes, Lorraine 57Hearst, Winfrey 58Hickman, Beth 59High, Tim 510Hulme, Mike 511Christ – Janer, Albert [1] 512Christ – Janer, Albert [2] 513Christ – Janer, Albert [3] 514Christ – Janer, Albert [4] 515Christ – Janer, Albert [5] 516Christ – Janer, Albert [6] 517Judd, DeForrest 518Kawashima, Takeshi [1] 519Kawashima, Takeshi [2] Subseries 3: Gallery Files: K - P 61Kawashima, Takeshi [3] 62Kawashima, Takeshi [4] 63Lee, Doris 64Leiber, Gerson [1] 65Leiber, Gerson [2] 66Lockspeiser, Nancy 67Longley, Bernique [1] 68Longley, Bernique [2] 69Lusk, Jean 610Maxwell, John [1] 611Maxwell, John [2] 612Medler, Susan 613Meeker, Dean [1] 614Meeker, Dean [2] 615Moy, Seony [1] 616Muirhead, Bruce 617McGough, Charles 618Noyes, Harold 619Packer, Gita [1] 620Packer, Gita [2] Subseries 4: Gallery Files: P - S 71Peterdi, Gabor [1] 72Peterdi, Gabor [2] 73Peterdi, Gabor [3] 74Peterdi, Gabor [4] 75Peterdi, Gabor [5] 76Peterdi, Gabor [6] 77Pierce, Danny [1] 78Pierce, Danny [2] 79Poulos, Dorothy 710Pozzatti, Rudi [1] 711Pozzatti, Rudi [2] 712Price, Walter 713Ramsey, Daga 714Roy, Gerald [1] 715Roy, Gerald [2] 716Rozman, Joseph 717Schafer, Laura Subseries 5: Gallery Files: Black notebook, Blue notebook A - Z 81Contents of black notebooks: contains designs for interior of gallery space and equipment The following files are from a blue notebook organized by Ann Cushing Gantz: 82Abraham, Kim T. 83Altman, Harold 84Berman, Vivian 85Burkert, Robert 86Escartin, Andres 87Gantz, Ann Cushing 88Harrison, Ruth Dunken 89Hayes, Lorraine 810Hearst, Winfrey 811High, Timothy Griffin 812Hulme, Mike[?] 813Jardine, Betty 814Judd, DeForrest 815Kawashima 816Leiber, Gerson 817Lockspeiser, Nancy 818Longley, Bernique 819Maxwell, John 820McGough, Charles 821Medler, Susan 822Moy, Seong 823Muirhead III, Robert Bruce 824Noyes, Harold 825Packer, Gita 826Peterdi, Gabor 827Poulos, Dorothy 828Pozzatti, Rudy 829Ramsey, Daga 830Winn, Betty 831Yoshida, Toshi 832Zupan, Bruno Series 5: Dallas Print and Drawing Society

Subseries 1: Correspondence, 1950s The Correspondence contains 1 letter to Mrs. Gantz from John Palmer Leeper, Director of the Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, Austin, Texas. 8341950s Subseries 2: Documents, 1960 - 1963 The Documents consists of 1 brown folder labeled “Dallas Print and Drawing Society, 1960 – 61, 1961 – 62, 1962 – 63” containing minutes for the organization. 8351960s Subseries 3: Publicity, undated, 1960s The Publicity contains 12 items relating to class, exhibition, and meeting announcements. 836undated 8371960s Subseries 4: Published Works, 1960s The Published Works contain 2 newsletters from the Dallas Print and Drawing Society. 838undated Subseries 5: Scrapbooks, 1940s – 1960s The Scrapbooks contain clippings, correspondence, documents, ephemera, publicity, and published works relating to the Dallas Print and Drawing Society. 3Dallas Print and Drawing Society, Memorabilia, 1941 – 1964