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A Guide to the
Jean and Arthur Ames Scrapbook Collection
D19xx.2
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Table of contents
Title:
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook
Collection
Scrapbook
Collection
Creator:
Ames, Jean
Dates: 1929-1980
Date (bulk): {bulk 1934-1939, 1967-1974)
Extent: 3 cubic feet.
Repository:
Claremont Colleges. Library.
1090 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, California 91711
Abstract: The
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook
Collection contains examples of paintings, enamel panels, tapestry designs, murals
and drawings created by
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
. The original title of the scrapbooks
was “Art in Collaboration - Ceramic Tile Decoration, Enamel, Mosaic, Tapestry,
Painting, Drawing.” The collection covers the years 1929-1980 with the bulk of the
material ranging from 1934 to 1939 and 1967 to 1974.
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook
Collection contains examples of paintings, enamel panels, tapestry designs, murals
and drawings created by
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
. The original title of the scrapbooks
was “Art in Collaboration - Ceramic Tile Decoration, Enamel, Mosaic, Tapestry,
Painting, Drawing.” The collection covers the years 1929-1980 with the bulk of the
material ranging from 1934 to 1939 and 1967 to 1974.
Collection Number: D19xx.2
Language: English
Physical Location: Ella Strong Denison Library
This collection is open for research with permission from Ella Strong Denison
Library staff.
Property rights reside with Scripps College. Literary rights are retained by the
creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to
publish, please contact Ella Strong Denison Library staff.
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook Collection. Ella Strong Denison Library, Scripps
College, Claremont, California.
Gift of Jean Ames prior to her death in 1986.
Preliminary arrangement by library staff. Processed by History Associates
Incorporated, 2005
No addition to the collection is anticipated.
Biography of
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Jean Goodwin Ames (1903-1986), painter, muralist, sculptor, and ceramicist was born
and raised in Santa Ana, California. Ames first studied at the Art Institute of
Chicago, and received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los
Angeles in 1931, and a Master in Fine Arts from the University of Southern
California in 1937. After receiving her B.E. from UCLA in 1931, Jean taught art from
1933-1936 at Citrus High School and Junior College. Between 1940 and 1969 Jean Ames
served as a faculty member at both Scripps College and Claremont Graduate School.
While attending USC she became interested in mural decoration. In a ceramics class,
taught by Glen Lukens, she learned ancient glaze methods and, for her master’s
thesis, in the lobby of the Science building at USC created a majolica tile mural,
Youth and Science. While attending Lukens’ evening ceramics class she also met her
husband, and fellow painter, Arthur
Ames,
and in 1941 they married. After several
years of experimentation,
Arthur
and
Jean
perfected their craft, and by 1955 were
practicing all three of their decorative art mediums for ceramic: glazed tile, glass
mosaic, and enamel.
Ames,
and in 1941 they married. After several
years of experimentation,
Arthur
and
Jean
perfected their craft, and by 1955 were
practicing all three of their decorative art mediums for ceramic: glazed tile, glass
mosaic, and enamel.
Jean and Arthur collaborated on a number of projects throughout their careers,
including decorative murals for the mural division of the Works Progress
Administration (W.P.A.). While working for the W.P.A. they became leaders in the
revival of ancient decorative mural techniques, and were among the first in
California to use mosaics. In 1937 they created two W.P.A. sponsored mosaic murals
in the patio of the Newport Union High School in Orange County. In 1939 they also
worked with the fresco secco technique in another W.P.A. project – three murals
titled Agriculture, Recreation, and Conservation – for the Council of San Diego
County. Their work for the W.P.A. mosaics was the springboard to their long and
successful career.
Jeans’ tapestries and mosaics decorate buildings throughout Southern California. Many
of these include decorative architectural commissions for churches, such as a mosaic
altar for Claremont Community Church (1955), and twenty-four enamel and copper
panels used on the entrance doors at the Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills (1956). In
1964, three tapestries - jointly titled the Dance of Destiny - which were created in
Aubusson, France, were placed in the foyer of Garrison Theatre at Scripps College..
Other works include the mosaic fountain on the Pomona Mall, and the entrance statue
at the West Covina Broadway store. During these years Ames continued to teach at
Scripps, served as Chair of the Art Department at the Graduate School from 1962 to
1969, and became Professor Emerita in 1969.
Jean Ames also gave a number of her works and those of her husband to Scripps
College, whose permanent art collection consists of around 8,000 objects. She also
donated post-war ceramics Laura Andresen, Shoji Hamada, Glen Lukens, Harrison
McIntosh, Gertrude and Otto Natzler, Paul Soldner, and Peter Voulkos.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook Collection contains examples of paintings, enamel
panels, tapestry designs, murals and drawings created by
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
. The
original title of the scrapbooks was “Art in Collaboration - Ceramic Tile
Decoration, Enamel, Mosaic, Tapestry, Painting, Drawing.” The collection covers the
years 1929-1980 with the bulk of the material ranging from 1934 to 1939 and 1967 to
1974.
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
Scrapbook Collection contains examples of paintings, enamel
panels, tapestry designs, murals and drawings created by
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
. The
original title of the scrapbooks was “Art in Collaboration - Ceramic Tile
Decoration, Enamel, Mosaic, Tapestry, Painting, Drawing.” The collection covers the
years 1929-1980 with the bulk of the material ranging from 1934 to 1939 and 1967 to
1974.
The collection consists of two scrapbooks – volume 1 and volume 2. Although the
material within each scrapbook was removed from the scrapbooks themselves, the items
in each scrapbook were left in their original order. The largest series in this
collection is series 2 – scrapbook volume 2 – which is divided into two sub-series.
The first sub-series contains examples of Arthur Ames paintings, enamels, and
drawings, including murals, which Arthur created for the Works Progress
Administration Art Project. This sub-series also contains photographs of Arthur
posing with various examples of his work. The second sub-series contains examples of
Jean Ames enamel panels, tapestry designs, and acrylic paintings, including tapestry
designs woven in Aubusson, France. This sub-series also contains photographs of Jean
Ames working on various projects, and a photograph of her receiving the 1958 Los
Angeles Woman of the Year in Art award along with Jane Wyman, and Lucille Ball. The
second series is almost as large as series 1. Series 1 consists of photographs of
both
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
, as well as, examples of their enamel panels, tapestry
designs, and acrylic paintings. The second series contains examples of
Arthur
Ames
paintings, enamels, murals
and drawings,
and examples of
Jean
Ames enamel panels,
tapestry designs, and acrylic paintings, including tapestry designs woven in
Aubusson, France.
Jean
and
Arthur
Ames
, as well as, examples of their enamel panels, tapestry
designs, and acrylic paintings. The second series contains examples of
Arthur
Ames
paintings, enamels, murals
and drawings,
and examples of
Jean
Ames enamel panels,
tapestry designs, and acrylic paintings, including tapestry designs woven in
Aubusson, France.
The collection is organized into two series:
- Scrapbook, Volume 1
- Scrapbook, Volume 2
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Ames, Jean, 1903-1986
Scripps College (Claremont,
Calif.)--Archival resources.
Clippings
Correspondence
Photographs
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