Tools used by Betty Woodman and George Woodman
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
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. As artists, both worked in tactile, physical ways and assembled collections of products, tools, and materials to make their work.
Their studio material collections combine items specific to their respective mediums - ceramics for Betty, painting for George - with repurposed household or everyday products.
While people often think of archives as collections of papers - and we have those as well - sometimes a hairdryer covered in paint or a fork covered in clay can reveal volumes about the working lives of artists.