Dorr Bothwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorr Bothwell
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| Born | May 3, 1902 |
| Died | September 24, 2000 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | American |
| Movement | California Modernist |
| Spouse(s) |
Donal Hord
(m. 1932–1934) |
| Awards | San Francisco Women in the Arts Award (1979) |
Dorr Hodgson Bothwell (born May 3, 1902 – died September 24, 2000) was an American artist. She was also a designer, teacher, and loved to travel the world.
Dorr Bothwell created many different types of art. She was known for her unique style, which was part of the Bay Area Surrealist art movement. Her paintings, drawings, collages, and prints are displayed in famous museums worldwide. She was especially good at serigraphy, which is a special way of making prints.
Born in San Francisco, California, Dorr Bothwell later grew up in San Diego, California. She knew she wanted to be an artist from the young age of four. As a teenager, she studied dance. Her art journey began in 1921 at the California School of Fine Arts. There, she learned from teachers like Gottardo Piazzoni and Rudolph Schaeffer. She married sculptor Donal Hord in 1932 but they separated soon after. This was likely because she loved to travel and wanted to be independent.
Contents
Dorr Bothwell's Amazing Travels
Dorr Bothwell started her travels in 1928, after her father passed away. She decided to go to Samoa. She was inspired by a movie called Moana. She also wanted to live somewhere inexpensive because her money situation had changed.
Life in Samoa
Bothwell lived and worked in Samoa during 1928 and 1929. She learned the local language there. She was even made a "taupo," which means she was adopted as the daughter of a Samoan village chief. After agreeing to get a traditional tattoo, she was fully accepted by the Samoan people. She learned their songs, dances, and special ceremonies.
Adventures Around the World
After Samoa, she spent two years traveling in Europe. Then, in 1932, she moved back to San Diego. There, she married her childhood friend, sculptor Donal Hord. She later moved to Los Angeles in 1934. She joined a group of artists called the post-surrealists. She also worked on murals for the Federal Art Project. This is where she learned screenprinting, which became her favorite art technique.
She returned to San Francisco in 1942. Her travels continued throughout her life. She went to Paris in 1949 and 1951. She visited Africa in 1966 and 1967. In 1970, she explored England, France, and the Netherlands. Later, in 1974, she traveled to Bali, Java, and Sumatra. Finally, she visited China and Japan in 1982 and 1985.
Understanding Notan
In 1968, Dorr Bothwell and Marlys Mayfield wrote a book called Notan – on the Interaction of Positive and Negative Spaces. This book teaches about how light and dark areas work together in art and design.
The book was re-released in 1976. A Danish version came out in 1977. In 1991, Dover Publications republished it as Notan: The Dark-Light Principle of Design. This book has been very popular and is still being printed today.
Awards and Art Collections
Dorr Bothwell received many special awards during her life. These included an Abraham Rosenberg Fellowship. In 1979, she won the San Francisco Women in the Arts Award. She also received two Pollock-Krasner grants in 1998–2000.
Her artwork is displayed in many famous museums. You can find her art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Her pieces are also in the Whitney Museum of American Art. Internationally, her art is in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. It's also at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland.
Dorr Bothwell as a Teacher
Dorr Bothwell was also a dedicated teacher. She shared her knowledge at several art schools and workshops.
She taught at the San Francisco Art Institute. She also taught at the Mendocino Art Center. In New York, she taught at the Parsons School of Design. She even taught at the Ansel Adams Photography Workshops in Yosemite. Her teaching also took her to the Victor School of Photography in Colorado.
