Guide to the Helen E. Hughes collection on Betye Saar, 1966-2012, undated
Helen E. Huges Collection on Betye Saar, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine.
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Betye Irene Saar was born July 30, 1926, in Los Angeles, California, was graduated from the University of California in 1949 with a degree in design, and continued her education with graduate studies at several California universities. An American artist, Saar is known for her multimedia collages, box assemblages, and altars, the bulk created with found materials. Through her art Saar expresses family nostalgia as well as gender, political, racial, and religious concerns. Betye Saar has received numerous awards and honors for her work, which has been included in many solo exhibitions and museum of art collections.
Helen E. Hughes and Betye Saar met and became friends in the 1960s at Long Beach State University in California where they both took courses at Long Beach State University.
Helen E. Hughes's collection of materials relating to Betye Saar including digital copies of Saar's artwork, printed materials (mainly exhibition catalogues), correspondence, photographs, and memorabilia.
Digital copies of artwork on compact discs and magazines by or relating to Betye Saar.
Arranged alphabetically by material type, then by title.
Artist's books by Saar, exhibition catalogues, and books have been removed from the manuscript collection and cataloged separately.
Artists' Books: Hand Book, 1967
Artists' Books: Sanctified, 1990 (removed and catalogued separately)
CDs: "Betye Saar Slides," display quality, 800 px wide, n.d.
CDs: "Betye Saar Slides," full resolution, 3000 px, n.d.
CDs: "Digital Griot," Betye Saar, 1998
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: African Americans in Art, Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1999 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "Betye Saar: Collages," National Urban League, Inc., Gallery 62, 1979 May 7-Jun 15 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "Betye Saar: Resurrection: Sight Installations, 1977-1987," California State University, Fullerton, 1988 Feb 6-Mar 6 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "Betye Saar: Secret Heart," Fresno Art Museum, 1993 Sep 7-1994 Jan 9 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "Betye Saar: Workers + Warriors: The Return of Aunt Jemima," New York, Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, 1998 Sep 10-Oct 31 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: Creative Fire, Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1994 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "David Driskell: Painting Across the Decade, 1996-2006," New York, DC Moore Gallery, 2006 Oct 11-Nov 11 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "The Negro in American Art," UCLA Galleries, 1966-1967 (removed and cataloged separately)
Exhibition Catalogues and Books: "Towards a Society for All Ages: World Artists at the Millennium," New York, United Nations Visitor's Lobby, 1999 Sep 11-Oct 18 (removed and cataloged separately)
Magazines: The Creative Woman Quarterly, v.2, no.1, Summer 1978
Magazines: The Creative Woman Quarterly, v.6, no.2, Winter 1983 (cover only with enclosed miscellaneous letters to "Helen," notes, newspaper clippings about Betye Saar exhibits, and written exchanges about lectures given by Betye Saar)
Greeting cards, letters, postcards, and photographs, the bulk sent to Helen Hughes by Betye Saar, with enclosed gallery announcements, invitations, clippings, and flyers.
Loose letters, photographs, and postcards arranged alphabetically; letters, photographs and postcards in plastic sleeves and envelope packages arranged chronologically.
Birthday card to "Helen," 1999 Apr
Blue hand-painted envelope with a pink flower, n.d.
Card in the shape of a fan, Monday, 2003 Feb 24
Christmas card from Tracye to Helen, 2006
Christmas card from Tracye to Helen, 2007
Envelope containing: "Betye Saar exhibition schedule" announcing Betye Saar exhibitions in 2005 and 2006 in Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, California, Connecticut, England, and Paris; greeting card from 2004 and a photo of a tree in a gallery; Valentine's Day card from 1991 to "Helen"
Envelope containing: invitation to Helen from Betye for "An Artful Evening at California African American Museum, 2011 Oct 15
Greeting card, purple, with "BETYE" on the front, 2006
Painted envelope from Betye Saar to Helen Hughes, postmarked from Van Nuys, California, 1991 Aug 13
Valentine's Day card from Betye to Helen, 2002
Photograph: "Belfast, August 15, 2006, Spencer, Helen, Betye, & Megan"
Photograph: Black and white photograph of a woman: "To Helen, from Betye, 1967"
Photograph: "Holiday Happiness," printed copy of family picture with family members identified, Christmas, 1997
Photograph: House wih a mailbox numbered "8074," n.d.
Photograph: Inside of a room, n.d.
Photograph: "Mrs. Mojo, Spencer, Tracye, and Megan, Cadillac Mt., Maine, 2006 Aug"
Photograph: "Old friends, Helen and Betye, Belfast, Maine, 2006 Aug 15"
Photograph: Plant: back "upper patio, Willow Glen Gardens, 1991 Jul"
Photograph: "Saar sisters, Lesley, Alison, and Tracye, Thanksgiving, 1973"
Photograph: Wedding, n.d.
Photograph: Wedding, n.d.
Postcard: "Blow Top Blues, The Fire Next Time," by Betye Saar, ca. 1997
Postcard: Crosses: back "Epiphany," written to Helen from Betye, n.d.
Plastic Sleeves: 1970, 2001, n.d., Photograph: back "May 23rd, 1970, Pleasure Fair;" letter to Helen with a collage called "Coffee," 2001; family picture with Sola, Kyle, Geneva, Maddy, Spencer, and Mega, n.d.
Plastic Sleeves: 1970-2010, Three postcards, 1990, 1994, 2010; and one letter, 1970 Aug 25
Plastic Sleeves: 1989, 1995, Valentine's Day card, New Zealand, 1989; and postcard from Betye to Helen from South Africa, 1995 Mar 8
Plastic Sleeves: 1992, n.d., Two Valentine's Day cards from Betye to Helen
Plastic Sleeves: 1995, n.d., Two postcards from Betye to Helen
Plastic Sleeves: 2001, "Happy Valentine's Day 2001," from Betye
Plastic Sleeves: 2002, Two photographs and a postcard
Envelope Packages: 1977 Dec 27, Manila envelope addressed from 8074 Willow Glen Rd., Hollywood, California 90046 to Dr. Helen E. Hughes, 808 Pin Oak Lane, Park Forest, So. Illinois 60466 containing multiple postcards, letters, photographs, gallery announcements, and invitations
Envelope Packages: 1992 Jul 15, Off-white envelope to Helen containing several photos, letter to Helen from 1999 and letter from 1967
Envelope Packages: 1996 Dec 26, Gray envelope containing photo from Christmas, 1989, and a collage
Envelope Packages: 1998 Jul 21, Gray envelope containing Betye Saar review journal, bumper sticker, invitations, newspaper clippings, etc.
Envelope Packages: n.d., Manila file folder, "Betye Saar Program," containing articles, letters
Envelope Packages: n.d., Manila file folder, "Saar Collection for Collage?" containing reviews of Betye's work, photos, letters, miscellaneous pamphlets, etc.
Envelope Packages: n.d., Off-white envelope from Betye to Helen, "`Sheba' with slide (for TCW cover)" containing letters, postcards, flyers, and a magazine called "News Magazine" (School of the Art Institute)
Envelope Packages: n.d., White envelope to Helen containing two gallery exhibition books: "Betye Saar in Service: A Version of Survival," New York: Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, 2000 Mar 9-May 6 and "Betye Saar As Time Goes By," Savannah College of Art & Design, Pinnacle Gallery, 2000 Mar 24-May 30
Mailings announcing exhibitions by Betye Saar and her daughters, Lezley and Alison Saar. Letters to Helen Hughes, photocopied photographs, and a lecture by Helen entitled "My Friend Betye Saar," are included with the mailings.
Arranged chronologically.
1996, Announcement of exhibition called "Betye Saar: Personal Icons," Omaha, Nebraska: Joslyn Art Museum, 1996 Aug 31-Oct 13 with enclosed letters to "Helen" and photocopied photographs
2000, "Art Insights," with enclosed lecture (2000 Feb 1, Department of Museum Education, Art Institute of Chicago) entitled "My Friend Betye Saar," by Helen E. Hughes; bibliography; list of slides
2001, "Alison Saar (Post)terior," New York: Phyllis Kind Gallery, 2001 Oct 27-Nov 30
2002, "Lezley Saar: Paintings from the Rap Series," New York: Lehman College Art Gallery, 2001 Oct 16-2002 Jan 4
2005 Dec-2006 Mar, "Family Legacies: The Art of Betye, Lezley, and Alison Saar," Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Ackland Art Museum, 2005 Dec 18-2006 Mar 26
2011, Two gallery cards: "Betye Saar: Red Time," Culver City, California: Roberts & Tilton, 2011 Sep 10-Dec 17 (One card is red and blank on the back, the other is red and has a letter to Helen from Betye dated 2011 Oct 17 on back)
Various printed materials including lecture invitations, newspaper clippings, and a calendar and program with art work by Betye Saar.
Arranged chronologically.
1979 (?), Print of unidentified work, signed
1983, "LA Energy," mural by Betye Saar card, wall celebration, 1983 Sep 11
1984, "Contemporary Women Artists," calendar which contains art work by Betye Saar
1987, "The Creative Woman" booklet and Helen E. Hughes business card
1989-1990, 1993 Signed Posters from Betye Saar to Helen E. Hughes, 2001, 2006 Calendars featuring artwork of Betye Saar
1998, Print of "Mother and Children in Blue," signed
1998, 1999, Reviews of work by Alison and Betye Saar (photocopies)
1999, ArtNews articles re: Kara Walker piece (photocopies)
2000, Manila envelope containing clippings from the New York Times and Los Angeles Times Magazine, a letter and photos
2002, "Colored: Consider the Rainbow," New York: Michael Rosenfeld Gallery (program)
2002, "Crossing Boundaries: Stories from Biracial America," Chicago: Field Museum, 2002 Feb 1 (program with cover art by Betye Saar)
2011, "The 20 Artists who are Setting the Standard," Los Angeles Times 2011 Sep 18 (photocopy)
2011, "Crimson Visions Stir the Psyche," Los Angeles Times, 2011 Oct 14 (photocopy)
2011, Mini guest lecture invitation for "Red Time," Culver City, California: Roberts & Tilton, 2011 Sep 10-Dec 19
2012, Guest lecture invitation for "Red Time," Culver City, California: Roberts & Tilton, 2011 Sep 10-Dec 19, with 2012 Jan 12 note from Betye to Helen on the back
2013, "The Alpha & Omega: The Beginning & The End," Culver City: Roberts and Tilton (program)
n.d., Bookmark from the Art Institute of Chicago
n.d., Drawing of a hand and moon