New Deal/WPA Art in Washington
Post Office New Deal Artwork
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
Unless indicated, works of art are located in the US Post Office building.
|
Location |
Artist |
Title |
Date |
Medium |
|
|
Kenneth Callahan |
"Halibut Fishing" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Ernest Norling |
"Northwest Logging" |
1938 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Douglas Nicholson |
"Beginning of a New World" |
1941 |
tempera |
|
Centralia |
Kenneth Callahan |
"Industries of Lewis County" |
1938 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
|
"Lewis and Clark" |
1940 |
wood relief |
|
Colville |
Edmond J. Fitzgerald |
"Hudson's Bay - The Pathfinder" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
David McCosh |
"Incidents in the Lives of Lewis and Clark" |
1938 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Zygmund Sazevich |
"From Far Away" |
1941 |
three wood reliefs |
|
Lynden |
Mordi Gassner |
"Three Ages of Phoebe Goodell Judson" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
Mount Vernon |
Ambrose Patterson |
"Local Pursuits" |
1938 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Ernest Notling |
"Mail Train in the 80's" |
1937 |
oil on canvas |
|
Renton |
Jacob Elshin |
"Miners at Work" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Jacob Elshin |
"Historical Review of Education" and "Present Day Education" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Albert C. Runquist |
"Loggers and Millworkers" |
1941 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Richard Haines |
"Skid Row" |
1940 |
tempera |
|
|
Lance W. Hart |
"Construction of a Skid Road in the 80's" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
Toppenish |
Andrew McD. Vincent |
"Local Theme" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
Wenatchee |
Peggy Strong |
"The Saga of Wenatchee" |
1940 |
oil on canvas - five panels |
All mural images depicted
on this site are used with permission
of the United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Source:
Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
by Marlene Park & Gerald E. Markowitz
Alki Elementary School
3010 59th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 phone: (206) 252-9050
There is a 10-foot-by-3-foot cedar wood carving depicting the arrival of
Seattle’s white pioneers done by Marion “Ivan” Kelez under the PWAP. Currently
being restored. (article)
© 2004 Nancy Lorance
All Rights Reserved.