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Artist's Biography
Robert Willson (1912-2000) was one of the most complex and contradictory
American artists of the past century. Among the first American sculptors
to use solid glass in a small factory setting, he was at once regional
and international, steeped in pre-Columbian art as well as Texas
folklore. Educated in the Southwest and Mexico, he discovered the
glass studios of Murano, Italy, at the age of forty-four and never
looked back. Robert Willson was a gangly fellow who sounded like
actor James Stewart, fell in love with Venice and spent the next
thirty-seven summers there making solid glass sculptures.
Long before other American glass artists found their way to the
island of Murano in the Venice lagoon in the 1960’s, Willson
was already a respected, steady presence. By the time of his death
at eighty-eight in San Antonio, he had been repeatedly recognized
by art museums through exhibitions and acquisitions, received two
prestigious Italian museum retrospectives, participated (as an Italian)
in several Venice Biennale exhibitions and been feted in a palazzo
or two. Moving far beyond the humble stone house on a Choctaw Indian
reservation of his childhood, Robert Willson lived multiple lives;
young man in Mexico, family man and academic in Arkansas and Florida,
sophisticated international artist in Venice, secret author and
diarist in San Antonio, Venice and Miami.
As a young man of twenty-three, Willson was swept up in the Mexican
Revolution, briefly painted with Diego Rivera, and was befriended
by Frida Kahlo, Jos Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and
Rufino Tamayo, many of whom he captured in photographs. Part of
Mexican art history, too, Willson was among the first U.S.-born
artists in the 1930s to adapt Mayan and Mexican folk art imagery.
His art continually blended ancient Mayan imagery with ancient Venetian
glassmaking techniques.
Willson was a diarist, correspondent, art magazine contributor,
museum catalogue author, and loquacious television interview subject.
His observations included prescient comments, not only about the
future of glass in American art and architecture, but also about
major and minor figures of Mexican and Italian art, the Mexican
muralists of his youth, and three generations of Murano glass masters—Barbini,
Zuffi, Guarnieri, Rosin, Signoretto, Raffaeli—all of whom
he hired to execute his increasingly massive forms. Willson’s
writings form an important international archive, part of the tradition
of American artists who traveled abroad for instruction, exhibitions,
acceptance, and recognition.
Robert Willson’s story is a tale of the clash between American
pragmatism and European sophistication, the reconciliation of that
conflict and a mutual triumph. Illustrated with examples from numerous
American and Italian art collections, this site should be of interest
to artists, collectors, glass enthusiasts, curators and art critics.
Biographical Chronology
1912 Robert William Willson is born on May 12, 1912, in Mertzon,
Texas, to James Thomas and Birdie Alice Willson
1912-30 Family moves frequently during his childhood throughout
Texas and Oklahoma: reveals an artistic bent early on, drawing portraits
of friends and family; spends much time exploring on horseback with
Bud Dukes, a member of Native American Choctaw tribe
1930-34 Attends University of Texas at Austin on Texas Regents
Scholarship: concentrates studies in English: develops friendship
with noted Texas writer J. Frank Dobic: because the University has
no art department, he pursues his interests in visual arts independently:
creates a ceramic tile design which is installed on campus dining
hail; graduates with honors in 1934, Bachelor of Arts degree with
a major in English
1935 Granted Farmer International Fellowship from University of
Texas to study in Mexico: begins art research with Jose Clemente
Orozco; studies with Rufino Tamayo: paints with Diego Rivera on
mural at the National Palace: meets David Alfaro Siquieros: originated
first course in the history of modern Mexican art at the University
of Mexico; travels to various regions of Mexico to see significant
ruins, local museums and peoples; records much of what he encounters
in a sketchbook
1936-40 Public school teacher in various small Texas towns such
as Harlingen, Ranger and Shep
1940 Hired as director of art department as Texas Wesleyan College,
Fort Worth: enters studies of Texas landscapes in new sketchbook
he maintains until 1948
1941 Further research in Mexico with Jose Clemente Orozco; graduates
with honors, Master of Fine Arts degree from Escuela Universitaria
de Bellas Artes, San Miguel: visits master potter Harding Black
in San Antonio, initiating an ongoing personal and professional
relationship: marries Virginia Lambert on August 12
1942 Inducted into military: training at U.S. Marine Corps School
at Quantico, Virginia: further training at U.S. Navy School, Washington,
D.C.
1943-44 Serves in Marine Corps air intelligence in South Pacific:
depicts and describes in sketchbook tropical beauty of New Hebrides,
New Caledonia and Solomon Islands, as well as the terrors of war
1945 Discharged from Marine Corps as captain; resumes position
at Texas Wesleyan College; son Mark Joseph is born
1946 Takes year’s lease from Texas Wesleyan for further study
under G.I. Bill; experiments with ceramic glazes in workshop of
Harding Black at the Witte Museum, San Antonio; teaches drawing
at Trinity University, San Antonio; juror for Texas Watercolor Society
Exhibition, Witte Museum, San Antonio, with Etienne Ret and Eleanor
Onderdonk
1947 Returns to Texas Wesleyan; included in American National Ceramics
juried exhibition and tour
1948 Director, Nob Hill Art Gallery, Winslow, Arkansas; founder/director
of Ozark Council of Artists
1950 Included in US National Watercolor Juried Show, Alabama
1952 Hired as Professor of Art at University of Miami, Florida;
teaches ceramics, enameling and drawing
1956 Receives National Study Grant to the Corning Museum of Glass,
New York; there researches the history and techniques of glass;
also assists on installation of ancient glass display and initiates
museum’s bibliography of Latin American glass; studies glass
collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Freer
Gallery and Smithsonian Institution; visits glass factories in Scandinavia,
Germany, France, Spain, Greece, Egypt and Italy; initial visit to
Venice and the Island of Murano, where he tours studios and factories,
meets glass masters
1957 First of annual trips to Venice to work with glass as a sculptural
medium with Murano maestros; Harry Hershey and Robert Willson, two-person
exhibition of paintings and Florida tour to: Barry College Art Gallery,
Miami; Hartman Gallery, Sarasota; Florida Gulf Coast Art Center,
Clearwater; Norton Gallery, West Palm Beach
1959 First of annual museum research tours through 1976 to England,
Germany, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Guatemala
and Holland
1960 Visits Colombia no survey art resources; organizes exhibition,
writes catalog for 3500 Years of Colombian Art for Lowe Art Museum,
University of Miami
1961 Attends conference on glass at Columbia University; meets
others interested in the medium, including Dominick Labino and Harvey
K. Littleton; writes The Kress Collection, published by the University
of Miami
1962 Glassblowing seminar at Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, attended
by Littleton and Labino, marks the inception of the American studio
glass movement; Willson continues to create glass sculpture in Venice
1963 Honored by City of Murano as contributor of “the first
new concept in glass design in several centuries”
1964 Receives University of Miami research grant in glass to continue
studies in Venice; first solo exhibition of glass sculpture at Galleria
d’Arte dell’Opera Bevilaqua la Masa, San Marco, Venice
1966 Receives first International Research Grant in glass from
U.S. Office of Education, with others coming in the next two years;
visits Egypt to study ancient glass and its sources; solo exhibition
Glass Sculpture by Robert Willson, Harmon Gallery, Naples, Florida,
is first American showing of Willson glass art; included in La Fucina
degli Angeli Internationale, La Fucina degli Angeli, Venice, and
European tour, first of annual appearances through 1988
1967 Writes Art Concept in Clay, published by the University of
Miami
1968 Mostra di disegni e sculture in vetro di Robert Willson, solo
showing at Museo Correr, Venice. is first in museum’s history
dedicated solely to glass sculpture; included in Sculpture in Glass
of the Fucina degli Angeli, exhibition of designs executed in glass,
with Picasso, Le Corbusier, Leger, Amp, Cocteau, Chagall and others
at Adria Gallery, New York, New York: writes College Level Art Curriculum
in Glass, published by the U.S. Office of Education and the University
of Miami
1969 Consulant/Curator, Peoria Art Museum, Illinois; curates, writes
catalogs for Fragments of Egypt and Character of Collecting Modern
exhibitions
1970-73 Robert Willson: Glass Sculpture, solo touring exhibition,
to: Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida; Norton Art Gallery,
West Palm Beach, Florida: Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New
York: Vizcaya Dade County Art Museum, Miami, Florida: HemisFair,
San Antonio Art League, Texas
1971 Receives College Grant for Glass from Shell Company Foundation
for work in Venice: Glass Sculpture by Robert Willson, Harmon Gallery,
Naples, Florida: takes award in National Painting and Sculpture
Exhibition, Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco: included
in Major Florida Artists, Harmon Gallery, Naples, Florida: and 33
Miami Artists, Miami Art Center, Florida
1972 First of annual appearances in American Masters through 1988
at Harmon Gallery, Naples Florida: included in La Biennale de Venezia,
Venice: wins State Grand Medal Award for Sculpture, Executive Square
Garden, Miami
1973 Organizes and curates the acclaimed and unprecedented International
Glass Sculpture for Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami: Solid
Glass Sculpture by Robert Willson, San Antonio Art League
1974 Receives College Grant for Glass from Shell Company Foundation
for work in Venice: Robert Willson, glass and watercolors, Brickell
Gallery, Miami
1976 Receives Feldman Foundation Research Grant for work in Venice:
Robert Willson, Galerie 99, Ray Harbor, Florida: solo exhibition,
Harmon Gallery, Naples, Florida
1977 Retires from teaching at University of Miami; devotes himself
to painting and sculpture full time: takes first prize in sculpture,
14th Annual Major Florida Artists juried exhibition, Polk Public
Museum, Lakeland, Florida: divorces Virginia Willson
1978 Returns to San Antonio; works with glass masters Toso brothers,
Barbini and Signoretto on annual visits to Venice through 1984
1979 Establishes Tejas Art Press in San Antonio to publish American
Indian poetry and art: first of annual glass sculpture and paperweight
work trips to West Virginia studios through 1981: Robert Willson:
Sculpture in Glass, Michener Galleries, University of Texas at Austin
1981 Marries noted San Antonio watercolorist and arts activist,
Margaret Bosshardt Pace, on May 30; Robert Willson Glass Sculpture,
The McNay Art Institute, San Antonio; included in 20 American Masters,
Harmon Gallery, Naples, Florida
1982 Included in international invitational at Museum or Modern
Art, Mexico City, and in international glass sculpture exhibition
and tour, Italy; takes award in Texas Watercolor Society 33rd Annual
Exhibition, San Antonio
1983 Establishes new studio for painted and porcelain sculpture
on the canals of Texas coast near Gulf of Mexico; solo exhibition
of glass and paintings, Foster Harmon Gallery, Sarasota; included
in National Glass Sculpture Invitational, curated by Marvin Lipofsky,
Matrix Gallery, Austin, Texas
1984 Sculture in Vetro: Robert Willson, Museo d’Arte Moderna
Ca’ Pesaro, Venice; solo exhibition, Galleria d’Arte
Moderna Ravagnan, San Marco Venice
1985 Solo exhibitions, Tulane University and New Orleans Academy
of Fine Art, in conjunction with the Glass Art Society convention,
New Orleans
1986 Solo exhibition, Art Institute of the Permian Basin, Odessa,
Texas; Robert Willson and Florence Putterman, Foster Harmon Gallery,
Sarasota
1988 The Glass Sculpture of Robert Willson, San Antonio Museum
of Art, Texas
1989 Solo exhibitions: San Angelo Museum of Art, San Angelo, Texas;
Lyons Matrix Gallery, Austin, Texas; The Stein Gallery, Portland,
Maine; Galleria d’Arte Moderna Ravagnan, Venice; and Museo
Diocesano d’Arte Sacra-Santa Apollonia, San Marco, Venice;
New Orleans Museum of Art acquires 46 glass sculptures and 18 drawings
and watercolors for permanent collection
1990 Sculpture in Glass: Works by Robert Willson, glass sculpture
and works on paper, New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana
1992 Solo exhibitions: In Vetro, Intaglio and Ink, Lyons Matrix
Gallery, Austin, Texas; Robert Willson: Works in Glass, Martin Museum
of Art, Baylor University, Waco, Teuas
1993 Solo exhibition, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe; selection
of Willson glass sculpture goes on permanent view in New Orleans
Museum of Art’s new Lapin Decorative Arts Center
1994 included in Du fantastique ala visionnaire, Centro di Esposizione
della Zitelle, Venice; included in 982 Glass International, Venice
1995 Included in invitational at Jeanine Con Fine Art, Miami, Florida;
and in Contemporary Crystal and Glass Sculptures from the 16 Countries
of the European Union, Banque Generale du Luxembourg, and Liege,
Belgium
1996 Transparencies; Glass Sculpture by Robert Willson, Ellen Noel
Art Museum, Odessa, Texas; Robert Willson and Margaret Pace Willson,
Judy Youens Gallery, Houston, Texas; solo exhibition, Venezia Aperto
Vetro, Venice, Italy
1997 Robert Willson: Glass Sculptor Turning Point Gallery, Miami;
Glass and Ceramic Sculpture by Robert Willson, San Angelo Museum
of Fine Arts, Texas; included in Trial By Fire: Glass as a Sculptural
Medium, Newcomb Art Gallery, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana |
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