For a list of the images in this collection click here and go to the WHMC photograph database
OASIS (Older Adult Services and Information System), Executive Director, Marylen Mann, donated the records of the St. Louis Living Treasures, Ethnic Artists Oral History Project to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on February 14, 1986.
The Older Adult Service and Information System a national program originating and based in St. Louis, provides educational and cultural programs for older adults. Developed by Older Adult Services in cooperation with Famous Barr Department Stores, OASIS seeks to help older adults develop new skills and to recognize the contributions they have already made.
OASIS began the St. Louis Living Treasures Project in 1983. Project organizers interviewed older adult folk artists in the greater St. Louis area who create folk art with techniques learned from their countries of origin. The project also photographed their work.
The project culminated with a craft exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum June 8-9, 1985. Over twenty-five ethnic artists representing thirteen countries displayed and demonstrated their work. Works included Hungarian embroidery, Sri Lankan batik, Russian pysanka eggs, French puppetry, American quilting, and Indian beadwork.
Funded partially by a grant from the St. Louis Arts and Humanities Commission, with assistance from many community organizations, the St. Louis Living Treasures Project publicly recognized and honored those older adults who preserve their culture and contribute to an understanding of the cultural diversity in the St. Louis community.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The collection documents the lives and folk art of the thirty-one ethnic artists who participated in the St. Louis Living
Treasures, Ethnic Oral History Project from 1983-1985. Arranged alphabetically according to country of origin, the
collection contains questionnaires on the family history of the artists and origin of their craft work, tapes of oral history
interviews, photographs and slides of the artwork. Tapes located in sl829.
Tapes #s 804-832
Photographs and Slides #s 10570-10692
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1, FOLDERS 1-32
Folder 1. Biographies of Artists, June 7,8,9, 1985
AFRO-AMERICAN
2. Gasway, Lorraine Haynes (apron bonnets), T-804, 11/21/84
3. Richardson, Malverna (Quilts), T-805, 5/14/84 slides #s 10570-10573
4. Young, Nathan B. Jr., T-806, 6/18/84, slides #s 10574-19575
AMERICAN INDIAN
5. Davenport, Leona M. (beadwork), T-807, 2/26/85, slides #s 10576-10579
BULGARIAN
6. Karandeff, Mimi (embroidery), T-808, 2/1/85 slides #s 10580-10583
7. Wasilow, Tsena (embroidery), T-809, 6/4/84, photograph #10689
CHINA
8. Wu, Nelson Ikon, no tape, 2/28/85
DENMARK
9. Petersen, Karen (embroidery, sewing), T-810, 2/7/85
FRANCE
10. Chicaineau, Jacques, Puppeteer, T-811, 4/18/84, slides #s 10690-10692
11. L'Ange, Alphonse Joseph (metal engraver), T-812, 5/16/84, photographs #s 10584-10590
GERMANY
12. Berberich, Hilda, (tatting/fiber), T-813, 8/2/84, photographs #s 10591-10602
13. Bilgrim, Herbert (wood, inlay), T-814, 5/19/84
14. Kormier, Mildred (quilter), T-815, 7/12/84, slides #s 10605-10606
15. Pepmueller, William (stenciler), T-816, 2/26/84, slides #s 10607-10609
16. Rasch, Darlyn (sugar ornaments), T-817, 4/2/84, slides #s 10610-10614
17. Wilding, Clem (wood carver), T-818, 7/12/84, slides #10615
HUNGARY
18. Chapo, Marie (zetz/embroidery), T-819, 11/16/83, slides #s 10616-10617
19. Cstngody, Mary Chapo (embroidery/ceramics), slides #s 10618-10620, photograph # 10621
20. Kallos, Arpad de (woodworking), T-821, 2/16/85, slide # 10622
21. Kuehrner, Anna (egg painting), T-822, 11/17/83, slides #s 10623-10629
22. Lendvay, Imre (wood inlay), T823, 9/22/84, slides #s 10630-10640
ITALY
23. Scuito, Ann (cutwork), t-824, 6/26/84, photographs #s 10641-10643
JAPANESE
24. Sakahara, Pauline (Ikebana/designer), T-825, 4/27/84, slide # 10644
LITHUANIAN
25. Grybinas, Zigmas (woodwork), T-826, 7/21/84, slides #s 10656-10661
26. Svarcas, Aldona (weaving straw ornaments), no tape, 9/15/84, photographs #s 10645-10655
ROMANIAN
27. Nicola, Catherine (crotcheting), T-827, 2/1/85, slides #s 10662-10669
28. Zonia, Ohimitri (icon painting/iconography), T-828, 1/24/85, slides #s 10670-10672
RUSSIAN
29. Bakan, George (psyanka eggs), T-829, 7/24/84, slides #s 10673-10675
30. Gordon, Isadore (painter), no tape, 1/31/85, photographs #s 10676-10677
SRI-LANKA
31. Silva, Nanda de (batik), T-830, 7/15/84, photographs #s 10678-10684
UKRANIAN
32. Kastl, Helen Logush (Ukranian eggs), T-831, 1/31/85, slides #s 10685-10688
INDEX
Afro-American Folk Art, f. 2-4
American Indian Folk Art, f. 5
Art Exhibitions, f. 1-32
Artists, f. 1-32
Artwork, f. 1-32
Bulgarian Folk Art, f. 6-7
Chinese Folk Art, f. 8
Crafts, f. 1-32
Danish Folk Art, f. 9
Ethnic Art, f. 1-32
Famous Barr, f. 1-32
French Folk Art, f. 10
German Folk Art, f. 12-17
Hungarian Folk Art, f. 18-22
Italian Folk Art, f. 23
Japanese Folk Art, f. 24
Lithuanian Folk Art, f. 25-26
Older Adult Service and Information System (OASIS), f. 1-32
Oral History, f. 1-32
Romanian Folk Art, f. 27-28
Russian Folk Art, f. 29-30
St. Louis Art and Humanities Commission, f. 1
St. Louis Living Treasures, Ethnic Artists Oral History
Project, f. 1-32
Sri-Lankan Folk Art, f. 31
Ukranian Folk Art, f. 32
Young, Nathan B. Jr., f. 4
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu