Bill Berkson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Berkson
Berkson speaking in Los Angeles, December 2007
Born	William Craig Berkson (1939-08-30)August 30, 1939 New York City, U.S.
Died	June 16, 2016(2016-06-16) (aged 76) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation	Poet critic professor emeritus San Francisco Art Institute
Spouse	Lynn O'Hare ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1996)​ Constance Lewallen ​ ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	2
Parents	Seymour Berkson Eleanor Lambert

William Craig Berkson (born August 30, 1939 – died June 16, 2016) was an American poet, art critic, and teacher. He was involved in the art and writing scenes from a young age.

Discovering Bill Berkson's Early Life

Bill Berkson was born in New York City on August 30, 1939. He grew up in Manhattan's Upper East Side. His father, Seymour Berkson, managed a news service. His mother, Eleanor Lambert, was famous for fashion public relations.

Bill went to several schools, including The Day School and Trinity School. He graduated from Lawrenceville School in 1957. He later studied poetry at The New School with Kenneth Koch. He also attended Columbia University and New York University.

Bill started writing poetry while at Lawrenceville School. Teachers like John Silver encouraged him. His passion for poetry grew stronger after studying with Kenneth Koch. Through Koch, he met many artists and writers. This group was known as the New York School. He became good friends with poets like Frank O'Hara and artists such as Philip Guston.

Bill Berkson's Career in Arts and Literature

After college, Berkson worked at ARTnews magazine for three years. In the 1960s, he wrote for ARTnews and Arts often. He also worked at the Museum of Modern Art. He helped produce a TV show about art for PBS. He taught writing at the New School and Yale University.

In 1970, Berkson moved to Northern California. There, he started publishing poetry books and magazines. These were released under his own company, Big Sky. He also taught poetry in schools across California.

Bill Berkson wrote about twenty collections of poetry. Some of his recent books include Portrait and Dream and Expect Delays. His poems have been translated into many languages. He also wrote books with other artists and poets. These include Philip Guston, Alex Katz, and Frank O'Hara.

In the mid-1980s, Berkson began writing art criticism again. He wrote for Artforum and Art in America. He also contributed to magazines like Aperture and Modern Painters.

From 1984, he taught art history and literature at the San Francisco Art Institute. He also organized public lectures there. He retired from the institute in 2008. He was then given the title of Professor Emeritus. He also taught at other colleges like Naropa Institute. Berkson continued to give lectures at universities until he passed away. He published three books of art criticism.

Bill Berkson as a Curator

Bill Berkson also worked as a curator. This means he helped organize art exhibitions. He put together shows for artists like Ronald Bladen and Albert York. He also co-curated "Facing Eden," an exhibition about Northern California landscape art. He worked with Ron Padgett on "A Painter and His Poets." This show featured the art of George Schneeman.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1998, Bill Berkson married Constance Lewallen. She is also a curator. They lived in San Francisco. Bill Berkson passed away from a heart attack on June 16, 2016. He was 76 years old.

Bill Berkson's writings and art materials are kept at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. This center is at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. It holds his letters and collaborations with other artists.

Awards and Recognition

Bill Berkson received many awards for his poetry and writing. These awards recognized his talent and contributions to the arts.