Artists in Michigan:

• Henry Bernstein: The son of Henry Bernstein, WPA artist, has written a detailed and revealing biography of his father, describing the artist from a very personal and insightful viewpoint.
• Samuel Cashwan: He was a sculptor, taught at the University of Michigan during the Depression, and was supervisor of sculpture for the Works Progress Administration/Federal Art Project in Michigan.
• Francis E. Danovich: University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor
• Carlos Lopez: "Carlos Lopez: A Forgotten Michigan Painter by George Vargas, Ph.D. Austin, Texas Occasional Paper No. 56, February 1999, Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI).

Ann Arbor
At the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor - "Legend of Paul Bunyan" (original title) in the Children's Waiting Room, by Francis E. Danovich (WPA) in 1939. (link contributed by Shannon O'Dell, Curator, Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, UM)

Chelsea - May 9, 2005 Post Office article ("Fate of Chelsea Post Office Murals Uncertain")

Clare Middle School, Clare, MI
Home to a series of 4 murals by Gerald Mast and an 8' sculpture by Samuel Cashwan at the Clare Middle School. The Mast murals have been restored and will be re-dedicated in a special ceremony on Saturday, September 4, 2004.

Detroit, MI
Home to the Walter Speck (head of the Detroit FAP) mural sponsored by the West Side Local 174, UAW. Read Jim Burton's article "Saving a Piece of Labor History," and see this beautiful piece of labor art.

316 Garfield Building, Detroit: There is a photo of the 13 foot Lincoln Memorial statue made of limestone, funded by the Federal Art Project and sponsored by the Lincoln Consolidated Training School, Ypsilanti, Michigan. The photo shows the artists from this project - Samuel Cashwan, Nelva Browning, Margaret Ann Lau, &Dorris Garrod.

The Brodhead Armory on Jefferson Avenue just past the Belle Isle Bridge in Detroit, MI houses several examples of great WPA art. David Fredenthal created the three murals in the Ward Room (unfortunately suffering from severe water damage). Gustave Hildebrand in 1941 created the fantasy wood carvings, displaying mermaids, seahorses, fish, and flowing water plants.

Grosse Point High School near Detroit houses several WPA murals.

The Detroit Public Library has a mural by Marvin Beerbohm (1908 Canada–1981 USA) funded by the WPA, entitled "Automative Industry."

Lansing, MI

Exterior sculpture on the Lansing Water Conditioning Plant in Lansing MI

On the Kresge Art Museum walking tour page is a photo of "Aquarius," by Samuel Cashwan done in 1938/39. This 32-foot statue stands above the Cedar Street entrance. The Kresge Art Museum currently has an exciting virtual on-line walking tour entitled: New Deal Art and Architecture in East Lansing and Lansing, Michigan.

Michigan State University
In front of the Music Building, is a cast-concrete sculpture by Samuel Cashwan depicting a group of musicians. It includes a bass player, a drummer, and a saxophonist.

Located in front of the Kellogg-Dental School on the North University campus at the University of Michigan is a marble-like (probably limestone) sculpture entitled "Willoughby D. Miller", a memorial of Dr. Miller (class of 1875) that was done by Samuel Adolph Cashwan in 1940 with partial WPA funding.

Royal Oaks - in the auditorium of the Royal Oaks (Dondero) High School are three fabulous WPA murals that are in the process of being restored.

Ypsilanti
The Lincoln Consolidated School murals

Most of the Post Office works of art were funded through commissions under the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture (later known as The Section of Fine Arts) and not the WPA.

"Often mistaken for WPA art, post office murals were actually executed by artists working for the Section of Fine Arts. Commonly known as "the Section," it was established in 1934 and administered by the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department. Headed by Edward Bruce, a former lawyer, businessman, and artist, the Section's main function was to select art of high quality to decorate public buildings if the funding was available. By providing decoration in public buildings, the art was made accessible to all people." from "Articles from EnRoute : Off The Wall: New Deal Post Office Murals" by Patricia Raynor

Source:
Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
by Marlene Park & Gerald E. Markowitz

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