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DEAN 
Although my first impressions of the Corcoran School were most negative, I realized that was the fault of the Colonel. The school was run to pay for the operation of the gallery; with faculty under paid and badly treated. I realized that on that faculty were some outstanding artists and fine teachers. Many remain good friends to this day: William Christenberry, Sam Gilliam, Ed McGowin, Robert Stackhouse, Brockie Stevenson, Peter Thomas, Elliott Thompson and Rosemary Wright. Also on the faculty were Leon Berkowitz, Gene Davis and Bill Dutterer; all deceased. Barbara Price was on the faculty and, later, came to join me at Cranbrook as Dean of the Academy.
I was most outspoken in my criticism of the school: particularly in a meeting of faculty with the gallery/ school administration. I could afford to be critical at that meeting in the spring of 1968, as I was a visiting artist; about to go back to England. On my return, later that year, I was contacted my Aldus Chapin, now Chief Executive of the Corcoran. He asked whether I would be willing to consider returning to the School as Associate Dean. After discussion and much thought, I decide to accept. I realized that there was far more opportunity for me in America. In September1969, I returned to the school as Associate Dean. Early the following year, the Trustees asked me to take over as Dean; the Colonel left. In November 1972, I was appointed Director of the Gallery; I continued to serve as Dean of the School.
Of course, there is far more to tell in regard to these appointments, particularly in regard to becoming Director; that story will come later. My appointment as Dean is more straightforward; obviously, there was need for change. The school needed to move forward, develop a full time program and consider accreditation; that was my task. To achieve these goals, I needed full authority; the Trustees agreed, particularly the school committee led by Carleton b. Swift, Jr. At this time, the overall restructuring of the Corcoran should be mentioned as the Trustees had appointed a Chief Executive Officer over the Director and Dean, now considered co-equals. At the time of becoming Dean in 1970, Aldus Chapin was CEO and Walter Hopps was Director. In all this change, more upheavals were to come.
As Dean, I worked with the faculty and staff to develop a full time program; a four year professional program was introduced that year, 1970. The following year, in April 1971, the Corcoran School of Art was admitted as a Division III member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. In all this activity not only had I the support of the faculty but also Peter Thomas who acted as Associate Dean and Dean. On my departure in 1977, he was appointed Dean of the School. Peter Thomas is a dedicated educator and fine artist; he was responsible for the day to day operation of the school when I became Director. I can not express my debt of gratitude to Peter and his wife, Addice, who became my secretary and assistant. Moreover, Peter was an outstanding graphic designer and became responsible for the publications of the school and gallery; admirable indeed. Addice and Peter remain good friends; visiting them in Virginia is always a delight, as is seeing daughter Alicia.
As with any institution, success is due to the efforts and support of many people: trustees, staff, faculty, volunteers, patrons and friends. I regard myself as a conductor of an orchestra or a coach of a sports team; I am dependent on my players. At the Corcoran, Peter Thomas thinks my greatest accomplishment was getting the school fully accredited; that occurred in October 1976. I left for Cranbrook the succeeding year. The school catalogs of that time, in the 70’s, are read by me with nostalgia. Much of the writing seems to be mine; reflecting the history of the school and the emergence of a full time accredited program: a tribute to the efforts and commitment of many fine individuals.
The Corcoran School of Art was founded toward the end of the last century. The possibility of the establishment of art school was first considered by the Board of Trustees in November 1873. In 1875, the Corcoran Gallery allowed students to draw and paint in the collection. Provisions for education with frequently considered and discussed by trustees. In 1884, W. W. Corcoran wrote, saying “How greatly such an education would contribute to the economic prosperity of our country as well as to the national reputation". The Corcoran School of Art was established in 1890, with a small building erected in the back of the old Renwick Gallery. When the gallery moved to 17th and New York Avenue in 1897, larger and better facilities were provided to the school. For many years students would draw from antiques in the basement. To my day, the basement of the gallery provided the main studio spaces. The implementation, in 1970, of a structured full-time program changed the nature of the school. The foundation course was the basis of the diploma program with the emphasis on individual development and achievement. First-year students studied together in the foundation program and continued to study together in the second year. Students were encouraged to expand their skills and begin to develop more personal questions and ideas. The foundation course was based upon the concept of team teaching that I had brought from Leeds College of Art. The faculty responded well to this concept of team teaching and intense involvement with the basics of art and design.
The resulting diploma program was accredited in 1973, with a letter from the President of the National Association of schools of Art (NASA), saying “You and your colleagues are to be congratulated on the very fine progress that the Corcoran School of Art realized in the three years just transpired while in Division I candidacy status, and on the fact that you were able to achieve full accredited status in less than the usual five years of candidacy.”
Of course, I was delighted with full membership in NASA of which, for the past years, I had been an active member. In October 1975, the Corcoran School of Art acted as host for the annual conference of the Association; this was the first time that the annual conference had met in Washington, DC. An active program dealing with governments and the arts, funding and marketing, and collective bargaining was presented to the delegates. At the same time, many visits were made to numerous cultural institutions of Washington. To this day, my colleagues tell me that they remember that conference with delight and pleasure. Of course, as director of the gallery, I was able to host my academic colleagues in the splendor of the atrium and museum; a fine impression was made upon deans and presidents from throughout the country. An address was read from the Vice President of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller in which he stated, “You can take great pride in your many accomplishments and arts education. Your dedication to the highest standards has been invaluable in encouraging quality higher education for artists and designers.”
Another aspect of the school, with which I was particularly proud, was the visiting artist program. Artists, dealers, authors and scholars were invited to speak and work with students throughout the year. The advantage of the school being under the same roof as the gallery brought many benefits. One of my first acts, as Dean and Director, was to open the interior door between school and gallery; allowing easy access to the collections and exhibitions. To study original works of art is critical in educating students. The exhibiting artists and their work greatly enriched the education offered by the school. Full time students were members of the gallery “the liveliest place in town” and encouraged to participate in its activities and events. During my tenure, visiting artists included Carl Andre, Jennifer Bartlett, John Elderfield, Walker Evans, Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Friedlander, Al Held, Robert Irwin, Lee Krasner, Sol LeWitt, Dennis Oppenheim, Larry Poons, Martin Puryear, Dorothea Rockburne, Alma Thomas, Anne Truitt, Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselman, Robert Wilson; to name a few. The program ensured a continuing flow of diverse and stimulating ideas for students and faculty; encouraging the process of learning.
On of the fun things for me personally was to work in the studio with the students. I would get involved in the foundation course; teaching basic design, color theory and practice being a favorite, To work with a life model, with unusual settings, movement and music was always fun. Of course, those were the days when I was Dean, the opportunities became less as Director; although I always tried to talk and keep in touch with students; the artists of tomorrow.
In my early years at the school, students were encouraged to do innovative work; individually and as groups. One student wrapped a Volkswagen in aluminum foil; the silver car caused consternation parked across the street from the gallery; the White House in the background. Even greater anxiety occurred when a student sprinkled sugar around the trees next to the Executive Building. The Park Police came out to investigate; nonplussed by the students desire to create an art work of a circle of ants! On another occasion, a group of students created fantasy costumes: colorful masks and flowing fabrics; animal like figures with tails and horns; tall towering apparitions; futuristic forms from another galaxy. The fanciful and fantastic parade that spilled out from the school into the streets was a wondrous sight to behold. Government workers, tourists and vendors gawked in awe and disbelief; as usual, the police looked bemused but apprehensive. My favorite was a sculpture; an inflatable and transparent tube, 30 feet long. The heating system that the Corcoran then shared with the White House was used to inflate the work; the only time that all that hot air has been put to good use?! |
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