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L to R: 1981 New York Magazine feature | 1977 Rocky Mountain News | 1981 Rocky Mountain News | Betty Woodman’s pottery at WFF. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
1981 New York Magazine feature. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman's and George Woodman's press clippings: FROM THE ARCHIVES
Archives Intern Shauna Fitzgerald shares some thoughts on her experience in the WFF Archives in the Fall of 2024.
L to R: Group, T to B: Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint / George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas / Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint | George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 1977. Gelatin silver prints | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “Untitled,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 5/16 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “2,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print All artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Group, T to B: Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint / George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas / Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Acquisition by the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 2024
We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of a group of important works by Betty Woodman, Francesca Woodman, and George Woodman from the Foundation’s holdings by the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire.
L to R: Betty, Charles, and Francesca Woodman in front of the New York World's Fair Unisphere, 1964 / Charles and Francesca Woodman in front of Thailand's pavilion, 1964 / Bird's eye view of the New York World's Fair, 1964. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty, Charles, and Francesca Woodman in front of the New York World's Fair Unisphere, 1964. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
The Woodmans at the 1964 New York World's Fair: FROM THE ARCHIVES...
Sixty years ago, before they had traveled much of the world together, the Woodman family visited the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
L to R: 1: Betty Woodman, “Wallpaper,” 2013, 84 x 120 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint | 2, 9: Page from “The Cut-Outs of Henri Matisse” | 3: Betty Woodman, “Orange Rug with Clay Bones,” 2013, 105 1/4 x 47 x 1 in. Earthenware, canvas, acrylic paint | 4: Detail from Henri Matisse, “Oceania, the Sea,” 1948, 68 1/8 × 152 1/2 in. Linen, plain weave; screen printed. Produced by Zika Ascher, Ltd. Art Institute of Chicago. | 5: Detail from “Orange Rug with Clay Bones,” 2013 | 6: Betty Woodman, “Balustrade Relief Vase 05-1,” 2005, 55 x 48 x 9 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer | 7: Betty Woodman, "Outside and In," 2017, 75 1/2 x 120 x 10 1/2 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas, wood | 8: Betty Woodman, “House of the South,” 1994-1996, 159 x 246 x 9 1/2 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, paint. Installation view from “The Art of Betty Woodman,” Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 2006 | 10: "The Cut-Outs of Henri Matisse” by John Elderfield, New York: George Braziller, 1978, from Betty Woodman’s collection. All Betty Woodman artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. All Henri Matisse artworks © Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Betty Woodman, “Wallpaper,” 2013, 84 x 120 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Betty Woodman's works and Matisse's cut outs
Betty Woodman's eclecticism reflects a wide array of influences, including those from modernist French painters like Gauguin, Bonnard, and Matisse. Yet Woodman’s connection to Matisse transcends their shared use of vivid, exuberant colors. Both artists indulged in decorative impulses through their inventive use of positive and negative space.
Image details: 1. Betty Woodman at work in her studio in Antella, Italy, 1996. Photograph by George Woodman | 2. An assemblage of Betty Woodman’s studio materials. Clockwise from bottom left: Rocket Expansion cement, broken ceramic pieces, measuring cup, sponges, Orton standard pyrometric cones (open box) Orton small pyrometric cones, fork, toothbrush, kitchen knife | 3. George Woodman in his New York City studio c. 1980s | 4. An assemblage of George Woodman’s studio materials. Clockwise from bottom left: Gorton vapor equalizing valve, Bessey vise clamp, Xcemite screw driver, rubber hook tool, Dap silicone, GE silicone, Stanley level, Conair hair dryer, Wiss pliers, Great Neck wood chisel, Maimeri set of paints
Betty Woodman at work in her studio in Antella, Italy, 1996. Photograph by George Woodman. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Tools used by Betty Woodman and George Woodman: FROM THE ARCHIVES
October is American Archives Month and we are celebrating by looking at some of the tools of the trade used by George Woodman and Betty Woodman in our collection.
L to R: 1: Betty Woodman. “Edo Fashion Ladies,” 2006, glazed earthenware, 34 1/2 x 32 1/2 x 7 in. | 2: Page from “Fashion of Edo: Women's Dress in Ukiyo-e Paintings 1989." Japan Institute of Arts and Crafts, 1989 | 3 & 7: Betty Woodman. “After the Bath,” 2011, glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, 35 x 37 1/2 x 8 in. | 4: Pair: Detail from Betty Woodman, “After the Bath” / Ippitsusai Bunchō, “Kagiya Osen,” from “Japanese Prints” by Gabriele Fahr-Becker, Barnes & Noble Inc., 2003 | 5: Detail from Betty Woodman, “After the Bath” | 6: Ishikawa Toyonobu, “After the Bath,” page from “Japanese Prints” by Gabriele Fahr-Becker | 8: Spread from “Edo Chiyogami” by Hirose Tatsugoro, Seigensha, 2002 | 9: “Fashion of Edo: Women's Dress in Ukiyo-e Paintings 1989." Japan Institute of Arts and Crafts, 1989, with torn page | 10: Selected publications on Japanese art from Betty Woodman’s collection All Betty Woodman artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Betty Woodman. “Edo Fashion Ladies,” 2006, glazed earthenware, 34 1/2 x 32 1/2 x 7 in. © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Betty Woodman’s books on Japanese textiles and woodblock prints
Over the past few months, the Foundation delved into Betty Woodman's and George Woodman’s personal library as part of our ongoing work to build a study center. Betty Woodman’s books on Japanese textiles and woodblock prints, in particular, are extensively bookmarked, with pages cut and ripped away by the artist. She often amassed many of these books on her travels regardless of whether she could read the language, choosing instead to let the images weave themselves into her visual lexicon.
L to R: Pair: “Athens,” 1991 / “Massenet,” ed. 8/8, 2010 | “Athens,” 1991, Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint. 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. | “Massenet,” ed. 8/8, 2010, Soft-paste porcelain biscuit. © Sèvres - Manufacture et musée nationaux, 2013.D.8587.1 / 20013.D.8587.2. Photographer: Gerard Jonca. All works by Betty Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
New Betty Woodman exhibitions, September 2024
This month, explore two group exhibitions in New York showcasing diverse works by Betty Woodman from the 1990s and 2000s.
L to R: “July 1, 2016,” 2016, India ink, 16 ½ x 11 ¾ in. Acrylic paint on sketch paper. / “Karen’s Room,” 2015, 63 x 36 ¼ x 8 ¾ in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas, wood. / “Nov 19, 2016,” 2016, 16 ½ x 23 ¼ in. India ink, acrylic paint on sketch paper. / “July Table and Grey Carpet,” 2016, 63 x 94 ½ x 11 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas, wood. / “March 9, 2015,” 2015, 14 ¾ x 17 in. India ink, acrylic paint on sketch paper. / “The Dining Room #2,” 2014, 60 x 83 ½ x 10 ½ in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas, wood. All works by Betty Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Betty Woodman. “July 1, 2016,” 2016, India ink, 16 ½ x 11 ¾ in. Acrylic paint on sketch paper. © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Jennifer DiCocco, The Woodman Family Foundation's Registrar: STAFF PICKS
As the Foundation’s registrar, I have the privilege of managing Betty, George, and Francesca Woodman’s artwork inventories. Though impossible to select a favorite object from such a prolific inventory, one of my favorite groups of works are Betty’s paintings on sketch paper.
Betty Woodman. "Wall Vase," c. 1980s, approx. 25 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 7 in. Glazed earthenware © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Betty Woodman: Images of Function” by Layaan Roufai
We are pleased to share “Betty Woodman: Images of Function” by Layaan Roufai, who was our Library & Archives intern this summer through the Studio Institute Arts Intern program.
L to R: 1-3: Betty Woodman and George Woodman on their wedding day, Cambridge, MA, June 27, 1953 / Wedding announcement, 1953 / 4 & 5: Wedding telegrams from friends and family, June 27, 1953. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman and George Woodman on their wedding day, Cambridge, MA, June 27, 1953. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Happy 71st anniversary to Betty Woodman and George Woodman
Happy 71st anniversary to Betty Woodman and George Woodman, who were married on this day in 1953.
Detail: Betty Woodman walking under torii gates, Japan, 1990 / Pair: Details of Betty Woodman and George Woodman in a traditional ryokan inn, Japan, 1990 / Betty Woodman, Japan, 1990 / George Woodman, Japan, 1990 / George Woodman, Shinto shrine, Japan, 1990 / Hōryū-ji Temple, Nara, Japan, 1990 / Buddhist Guardian statue, Hōryū-ji Temple, Nara, Japan, 1990 / Pillars, Hōryū-ji Temple, Nara, Japan, 1990 / Shave ice stall, Japan, 1990. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Detail: Betty Woodman walking under torii gates, Japan, 1990. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman and George Woodman in Japan, 1990
As the solstice today marks the official beginning of summer, we are reminded of the Woodmans’ extensive travels around the world and their months immersed in global artistic influences.
L to R: Betty Woodman with potted flowers, Antella, Italy, c. 1990s / Betty in her garden in Boulder, Colorado, c. 1960s / Betty putting fresh flowers in a group of her “Vase and Stand” works, 1984. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman with potted flowers, Antella, Italy, c. 1990s. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Happy birthday to Betty Woodman
Happy birthday to Betty Woodman—a garden enthusiast and artist who ingeniously experimented with her lifelong muse, the vase, and its multitude of sculptural possibilities.