National New Deal Preservation Association president and California’s Living New Deal collaborator Harvey Smith has, with gallery curator Carrie J. Lederer, culled collections in California and beyond for a major show of New Deal art at the Lesher Center for the Arts Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek. The American Scene: New Deal Art, 1935-1943, commemorates the 75th anniversary of the WPA which briefly sponsored a volcanic output from painters, sculptors, printmakers, musicians, actors, and writers. This major exhibition — assembling a wealth of art largely unseen for seven decades — will run from October 3-December 19, 2010. A free reception will be held at the gallery October 5, 6-8 PM at the Gallery. Visit www.bedfordgallery.org for more information.
This was my second visit to this impressive exhibit, which covers the WPA era in every art form, from photography to plastic sculpture. Artist such as Dorothea Lange to Bufano, and many that I had never hear of, but should have. The curator did an outstanding job piecing together a collection that sets every image, illustration and sculpture among their equals. The only downside to this show is that there is no catalog because this is one that you do not want to forget.
There is an Exhibition Guide available from the Bedford Gallery. It includes short bios on all the artists and one image of their work.
Harvey Smith
Co-Curator, The American Scene