Letter Arts Review records
Scope and Content of the Collection
Material primarily from the period of Karyn Gilman's ownership of LAR. In addition to extensive correspondence from some of the leading figures associated with western calligraphy of the late 20th and early 21st century, there is also a substantial collection of informal photographs and slides taken by Gilman of many of these calligraphers.
Includes correspondence, layouts, and computer printouts relating to “Words of Risk”, “Celebrating American Poetry”, and “Lines/Letters/Images”, all separate publications by LAR. A selection of printed works by other publishers relating to calligraphy and lettering arts is included as well.
Business files, form letters, and press releases have information on the day-to-day operation of the magazine and contain sketches for the Calligraphy Review and Calligraphy Idea Exchange logos by several prominent calligraphers. Other significant items are correspondence regarding the organization of the Association for the Calligraphic Arts, and printed calligraphic and typographic specimens by various artists.
Issues of Calligraphy Idea Exchange, Calligraphy Review, and Letter Arts Review are individually cataloged as Wing folio Z43.A1 C347.
Dates
- Creation: 1969-2003
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1980 - 1998
Creator
- Letter Arts Review (Organization)
Language
Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The Letter Arts Review records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).
Ownership and Literary Rights
The Letter Arts Review records are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections at reference@newberry.org
History of Letter Arts Review
Quarterly magazine devoted to contemporary and historical lettering, calligraphy, typography, and text-based art.
Letter Arts Review (1994 to present) was originally called Calligraphy Idea Exchange (1982-1987), then Calligraphy Review (1987-1994). These names reflected the growth of the magazine from a craft publication to a journal for calligraphy to a quarterly periodical covering a broad range of lettering arts. The first issue of Calligraphy Idea Exchange (CIE) was published by Salem Kirban, Inc. and edited by Eileen Kirban. Karyn Gilman, then of Norman, Oklahoma, an early editor of the CIE, purchased the magazine in 1985 and sold LAR to John Neal Bookseller of Greensboro, North Carolina in 2001.
Extent
7.7 Linear Feet (16 boxes and loose magazines)
Abstract
Correspondence, calligraphic samples, advertising and press releases, magazine issues, publications, catalogs, and photographs documenting the publication of Letter Arts Review (formerly Calligraphy Idea Exchange and Calligraphy Review), a quarterly magazine devoted to contemporary and historical lettering, calligraphy, typography, and text-based art.
Organization
Papers are organized in the following series:
- Series 1: Correspondence: Contributors, 1985-2002
- Boxes 1-7
- Series 2: Form Letters and Press Releases, 1980s-1990s
- Box 7
- Series 3: Letter Arts Review, 1983-1998
- Volumes 1-14
- Series 4: Words of Risk, 1988-1990
- Boxes 8-9
- Series 5: Photographs and Slides, 1980s-1990s
- Boxes 9-9a
- Series 6: Publications and Catalogs by Other Publishers, 1969-2001
- Boxes 10-12
- Series 7: Business Files, 1984-2003
- Boxes 12-13
- Series 8: Calligraphy Conferences and Workshops, 1990-1998
- Box 13
- Series 9: Association for the Calligraphic Arts, 1997-1998
- Boxes 13-14
- Series 10: Calligraphic and Typographic Specimens, 1981-1990s
- Boxes 14-15
Collection Stack Location
3a 60 12
Provenance
Gift, Karyn Lynn Gilman, 2015.
Processed by
Robert Williams, 2020.
Subject
- Neuenschwander, J. Brody (Person)
- Taylor, Susie (Person)
- Waters, Julian (Person)
- Waters, Sheila, 1929-2022 (Person)
- Gilman, Karyn Lynn (Person)
- Letter Arts Review (Organization)
- Cusick, Rick (Person)
- Ingmire, Thomas (Person)
- Shaw, Paul (Person)
- Skarsgard, Susan (Person)
- Williams, Robert, 1936- (Person)
- Zapf, Hermann (Person)
- Association for the Calligraphic Arts (Organization)
- Calderhead, Christopher (Person)
- Cassel-Wronker, Lili, 1924-2019 (Person)
- Clayton, Ewan (Person)
- Gullick, Michael (Person)
- Kelly, Jerry, 1955- (Person)
- Knight, Stan, 1937- (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Letter Arts Review records, 1969-2003, bulk 1980-1998
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Robert Williams
- Date
- ©2020.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512
reference@newberry.org