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Frank Goodnow Papers

An inventory of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Summary

Creator: Goodnow, Frank.
Title: Frank Goodnow Papers
Dates: 1939-1994
Size: 4 boxes, 3 oversized packages (6.75 linear feet)
Abstract: The Frank Goodnow Papers contain artwork and other materials relating to his art and teaching career.
Language: English
Repository: University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biography

Frank Goodnow

Frank Goodnow was an American artist and professor at Syracuse University.

Frank A. Goodnow was born on December 14, 1923, in Evanston, Illinois. In 1941, he attended the Frederic Mizen Academy of Art in Chicago. After the United States entered World War II, in 1942 Goodnow postponed his education and joined the United States Army Medical Corps, serving until 1946. After his military service he enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago, studying under Boris Israëlevich Anisfeld, a Russian-American painter and theater designer. Goodnow graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1948. That same year he married Helen Domsella and was awarded a traveling fellowship to study art in Europe.

From 1948 to 1950, Goodnow and his wife traveled across Europe. They primarily lived in the South of France but also traveled through Italy, Belgium, and Holland. While he was in Paris he studied at École de Beaux-Arts, a highly influential art school. During his downtime he often attended the classes of Fernand Léger at Académie Montmartre, located on the famous Boulevard de Clichy. The art that Goodnow painted in Europe became a growing success. Several of his pieces were exhibited at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Jeunes Peintres.

Goodnow returned to the United States and was appointed as a professor at Syracuse University in 1950. He taught at the School of Art and Design, part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, for 38 years. He instructed classes in painting, drawing, watercolor, and the study of color. Later in his career he taught for the Division of International Programs Abroad. Goodnow was more than enthusiastic to return to Europe to teach summer sessions. In 1974 and 1978, he taught in Florence, Italy, and in 1985 he taught classes in London, England. He retired from teaching as Professor Emeritus in 1988.

Teaching art was just a portion of Goodnow’s life, he was also a successful painter in his own right. His style was that of a traditional color field painter, creating insightful paintings with solid bold colors spread across canvas. He excelled as a colorist, achieving excitement in his flashing, dancing abstracts. Goodnow’s paintings were influenced by his environment, from breathtaking landscapes to stimulating music. The Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, August L. Freundlich, called his paintings “harmonious music set to color.”

Goodnow’s work was featured in 34 one-person shows and numerous group exhibitions. Several of the places he exhibited in include the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Whitney Museum of American Art, Brooklyn Museum of American Art, Art Institute of Chicago, Pennsylvania Academy, and the Library of Congress.

His work can also be found in various permanent collections, including at the University of Rochester, Philadelphia Museum of Art, New York State University, Everson Museum of Art, and Syracuse University. Additionally, examples of his work are represented in 23 business and corporate collections including IBM, General Electric, Bausch and Lomb, Gannett Company, Discus Electronics Corporation, Canandaigua Wine Corporation, and Howe & Rusting, Inc.

Goodnow’s work was well-recognized within the United States. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art and was a recipient of two Ford Foundation Grants in 1977 and 1978.

Frank Goodnow died on October 1, 2004.

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Scope and Content Note

The Frank Goodnow Papers contain materials from 1939 to 1994 and are divided into three series.

The Art Series contains Goodnow's artwork and materials relating to his profession. There are several sketchbooks that contain assorted sketches from his time spent in Europe. Many of these were used as inspiration for a number of his paintings. The series also contains materials from binders, or "books," that Goodnow compiled to document his professional career. For preservation reasons, these materials, which include news articles on his exhibits, slides of his artwork, and photographs, were removed from the binders and placed in folders. Lastly, the series includes oil paintings that were color studies by Goodnow, many of which resulted in large-scale works on canvas which are now in various collections.

The Exhibition Series consists of materials relating to the art exhibitions that Goodnow was involved in. The majority of the series comprises exhibition catalogs and posters. There are also news clippings that report on the exhibits.

The Syracuse University Series comprises items relating to Goodnow's career at Syracuse University. There are two VHS tapes: one is a profile of Frank Goodnow, and the other is a taped lecture he gave at Cazenovia College. The series includes records of all the visiting artist speakers from 1970 to 1980, when Goodnow was the director of the visiting artists program. Additionally, there are items from his course Color and Pictorial Design, including examples of artwork from the class, hand-outs for students, and Goodnow’s lecture notes.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

The Archives holds a clippings file and portrait file on Frank Goodnow.

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Goodnow, Frank.
Syracuse University -- Faculty.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Art.
Painting.
College teachers.
Higher education.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Frank Goodnow Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Frank Goodnow donated his papers to the Archives in 1994.

Processing Information

All materials were placed into acid-free folders and boxes. Binders were dismantled and contents foldered for preservation.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Kyle C. Wilson
Date: 2007
Revision history: Processed and converted to EAD by Zachary Burnham, 2013.

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Arrangement

The items are arranged by series in alphabetical order.

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Inventory

Art
Assorted Sketches
Package 5 Sketchbook 1989 (oversized)
Box 1 Sketchbook—Chicago and Paris 1948
Box 1 Sketchbook—Italy and France 1949-1950
Box 1 Sketchbook—Southern France 1948-1949
Box 1 Sketchbook—Southern France, Italy, Brittany, Belgium, and Holland 1948-1950
Box 1 Sketches 1939-1954
Box 1 Curriculum Vitae 1994
Box 1 Frank Goodnow—Book #1 1946-1969 (2 folders)
Box 1 Frank Goodnow—Book #2 1970-1979 (2 folders)
Box 1 Frank Goodnow—Book #3 1980-1989 (2 folders)
Package 5 Preliminary Color Studies (oil on paper) by Frank Goodnow 1970s (oversized)
Exhibitions
Box 2 Clippings undated
Box 2 Exhibition Catalogs 1942-1986 (9 folders)
Package 7 Exhibition Posters undated (oversized)
Syracuse University
Color and Pictorial Design
Package 6 Color and Pictorial Design Examples—Paintings by Frank Goodnow 1979-1988 (oversized)
Box 3 Hand-Outs for Students undated
Box 3 Notes for Color and Pictorial Design—Notebook 1976-1988
Box 3 Sample Techniques for Class by Frank Goodnow undated
Box 3 Student Work undated
Box 4 VHS Tape, Cazenovia College Lecture, Frank Goodnow, Unedited, F/V 6384, March 1, 1988
Box 4 VHS Tape, Profile Frank Goodnow, WCNY TV, F/V 6383, December 29, 1990
Box 4 Visiting Artist Speakers—School of Art 1970-1980 (9 folders)

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