Descriptive summary
|
creator:
|
Adams, Bertrand
R. (1907-1994) |
|
title:
|
Papers |
|
dates:
|
1927-2007, n.d. |
|
extent:
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4 linear ft. (1
document box, 1 oversize box, and 1 map case folder) |
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collection number:
|
MS 255 |
|
repository:
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Special
Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative
information
|
access:
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Open for research
|
|
publication rights:
|
Consult Head, Special Collections Department
|
|
preferred
citation:
|
Bertrand R.
Adams Papers, MS 255, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.
|
Biographical
note
|
|
Bertrand R. Adams was born
November 29, 1907, on a farm south of Webster City, Iowa. During
high school, he became interested in art, and upon graduation he
enrolled in an art correspondence course through the Federal School
of Commercial Designing (now Art Instruction Schools). He received
his diploma from the school in 1932 and also graduated with a BFA
(1932) from the University of Iowa the same year.
Adams, along with 13 other
artists, was selected by Grant Wood to assist in painting a set of
murals for the Iowa State College (University) Library in 1934.
Adams was later commissioned by the United States government to
complete two murals for placement in post offices. One was for the
Dubuque, Iowa, post office titled "Early Settlers of Dubuque" and
the other for the post office in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, titled
"Lumbering in Arkansas."
After over a decade of
pursuing a career in art, Adams decided to change course and
attended the Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy (now Des Moines
University). He received his license to practice in 1943. He
interned at the Detroit Osteopathic Hospital and in 1944 opened an
office in downtown Ames, Iowa, as an osteopathic physician. Adams
eventually moved his office into the lower level of the house he
built in Ames and retired from practice in 1991.
Adams was a very inquisitive
man. As a physician he was interested in all kinds of medical
research related to a wide spectrum of areas including diet,
exercise, nutrition, and organic food and was also willing to
explore less mainstream fields such as acupuncture, reflexology, and
electronic medicine. Adams also had a number of equally varied
interests outside of his medical profession. He studied hypnosis,
auras, psychic phenomena, graphology, phrenology, astronomy,
astrology, religion, architecture, and gardening. He devoted many
hours to professional, civic, and religious groups and associations.
Adams first met
Mary E. Beymer while both were attending art school at the
University of Iowa. They eventually married in Des Moines in 1956.
They had no children together, but helped raise Mary's nephew,
William Wolters. Bertrand Adams died December 15, 1994. |
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Collection description
|
|
This collection (1927-2007, n.d.) contains
artwork and correspondence of Bertrand R. Adams. The artwork
includes pencil and ink drawings, sketches, and a cartoon drawing
for a mural that was never completed. The collection also includes
a number of illustrations completed during high school and for the
art correspondence course he took in the 1920s. Other artwork
includes Christmas cards created by Adams and his wife along with
some of the original woodblock carvings used to print the cards.
The correspondence contains letters regarding
the commission for the Siloam Springs, Arkansas, post office mural.
Other correspondence includes letters of rejection and some of a
more general nature. There are also several publications which have
information about Adams.
Further
information about Adams can be found in the Iowa State University
Archives collection RS 4/8/5, Campus Art - PWAP artists and their
works related to the Grant Wood murals in the ISU Library.
Additionally, information
about Bertrand and Mary Adams can be found by contacting the Ames
Historical Society which received the bulk of their estate. The
Ames Historical Society also hosts an online exhibit about Mr. and
Mrs. Adams which can be viewed at
http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/adams.htm. |
|
Organization
|
|
The collection
is listed alphabetically.
|
Container list
| Box
|
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
| 1 |
1 |
Biographical information |
1980-2007,
n.d. |
| 1 |
2-3 |
Christmas cards |
1969,
n.d. |
| 1 |
4 |
Christmas cards: Drawings (3) |
1969,
n.d. |
|
Artifact collection |
|
Christmas cards: Woodblock carvings (Artifacts 2007-293.001 to
2007-293.004) |
n.d. |
| 1 |
5 |
Christmas letters |
n.d. |
| 1 |
6 |
Correspondence: General |
1933,
1938 |
| 1 |
7 |
Correspondence: Letters of rejection |
1933-1939, n.d. |
| 1 |
8 |
Correspondence: Siloam Springs, Arkansas, post office mural
(includes contract) |
1938-1940 |
| 1 |
9 |
Illustrations (2) |
1930,
1943 |
| Map case |
C406 D07 |
Illustrations: Pencil drawing with Bible scripture; pencil drawing
of clock face design; and ink drawing of woman by unknown artist,
possibly Adams |
n.d. |
| Map case |
C406 D07 |
Mural
drawings: Pilot line drawing for Dubuque, Iowa, post office mural;
rejected design for Dubuque mural; and cartoon drawing for unknown
mural project |
ca.
1937, n.d. |
| 1 |
10 |
Mural
photographs (Dubuque, Iowa, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas, post
office murals) (1- 4x5 b/w and 1- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
| 1 |
11 |
Publications with mentions of Adams |
1930-1964 |
| 1 |
12 |
Sketches
(7) |
n.d. |
| 2 |
|
Sketches: Tablet of portrait drawings (10) |
1947 |
| 1 |
13 |
Student
artwork: Book of biological illustrations created by Adams in high
school |
n.d. |
| 1 |
14 |
Student
artwork: Book, "3000 Years of Palm and Olive," created by Adams |
n.d. |
| 1 |
15 |
Student
artwork: Illustrations for advertisements (14) |
1927,
n.d. |
| 1 |
16 |
Student
artwork: Illustrations of equipment and automobile (2) |
1927,
n.d. |
| 1 |
17 |
Student
artwork: Illustrations of landscape (1) |
ca. 1928 |
| 1 |
18 |
Student
artwork: Illustrations of people (12) |
1928,
n.d. |
| 1 |
19 |
Writings: "My Conception of My Role" |
n.d. |
|
