Dorothy Mayhall
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Mayhall was an American museum director and sculptor. She worked at art museums in New York and Connecticut, primarily exhibiting contemporary art
.
. She went to high school in Omaha
, Nebraska
, where she was an honors student
and worked on the yearbook
. Her undergraduate degree was from the University of Iowa
.
Unable to make a living from her sculpture, she went back to college and got a master's degree in art history
. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and went to Paris, France. When her funds ran out, she returned to the United States and got a job at the University of Omaha. Still "stuck" in the midwest and determined to escape what she felt was a "cultural desert", she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps
for two years. After the period was over, she was told that if she remained in the Corps, she could be sent to the place of her choice, anywhere in the world, so she re-enlisted and went to Japan. While there, she visited museums, learned about oriental art and met Japanese artists, calling the time a "fabulous experience".
after working briefly at Time-Life
, but saw no future for herself, so in the mid-1960s, when Larry Aldrich
offered her the job of director at his new museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut
, she jumped at the offer. She was the first director of the "Old Hundred", as the museum was briefly called. The name was changed to the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art before being changed again to its present name. Mayhall stayed at the Aldrich Museum for six years before leaving to work at Storm King
. She later returned to the Aldrich.
Through a mutual friend, she met Ralph E. Ogden and his wife, who had built Storm King, and they became friends. Mayhall became the director of Storm King in 1972. Located in upstate New York
, about an hour north of New York City, it had few galleries, but had extensive grounds suitable for displaying monumental art. Part of Mayhall's job was to organize the installation of art that weighed tons.One of the pieces in the sculpture garden at Storm King stood 50 feet (15.2 m) tall, another weighed 44 tons (40 metric tons).
Mayhall had a solo exhibition of her own work at the Sachs Gallery in New York in 1972.
Mayhall's last job was director of art at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center
in Stamford, Connecticut
, where she worked for 12 years. At the Stamford Museum, she had successful solo exhibits with the work of Cletus Johnson, Reuben Nakian
and Nicholas Krushenick
, the last two, former residents of Stamford. Her last studio space was with the Loft Artists Association, at the former Yale and Towne
factory in the South End of Stamford
.
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
.
Early years
Mayhall hailed from OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. She went to high school in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, where she was an honors student
Honors student
An honors student is a person recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.Honors students may refer to# Students recognized for their academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as honor rolls, varying from school to school, and...
and worked on the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
. Her undergraduate degree was from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
Unable to make a living from her sculpture, she went back to college and got a master's degree in art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and went to Paris, France. When her funds ran out, she returned to the United States and got a job at the University of Omaha. Still "stuck" in the midwest and determined to escape what she felt was a "cultural desert", she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps
Women's Army Corps
The Women's Army Corps was the women's branch of the US Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 15 May 1942 by Public Law 554, and converted to full status as the WAC in 1943...
for two years. After the period was over, she was told that if she remained in the Corps, she could be sent to the place of her choice, anywhere in the world, so she re-enlisted and went to Japan. While there, she visited museums, learned about oriental art and met Japanese artists, calling the time a "fabulous experience".
Career
All the while, her goal had been to get to New York, which she finally accomplished. She got a job at the Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
after working briefly at Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
, but saw no future for herself, so in the mid-1960s, when Larry Aldrich
Larry Aldrich
Larry Aldrich was an American fashion design, art collector, and founder of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut.-Life:...
offered her the job of director at his new museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, she jumped at the offer. She was the first director of the "Old Hundred", as the museum was briefly called. The name was changed to the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art before being changed again to its present name. Mayhall stayed at the Aldrich Museum for six years before leaving to work at Storm King
Storm King Art Center
The Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York is an open air museum which has extended the concept of a "sculpture garden" to become a "sculpture landscape." Founded in 1960 by Ralph E. Ogden as a museum for Hudson Valley painters, it soon expanded into a major sculpture venue with the...
. She later returned to the Aldrich.
Through a mutual friend, she met Ralph E. Ogden and his wife, who had built Storm King, and they became friends. Mayhall became the director of Storm King in 1972. Located in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, about an hour north of New York City, it had few galleries, but had extensive grounds suitable for displaying monumental art. Part of Mayhall's job was to organize the installation of art that weighed tons.One of the pieces in the sculpture garden at Storm King stood 50 feet (15.2 m) tall, another weighed 44 tons (40 metric tons).
Mayhall had a solo exhibition of her own work at the Sachs Gallery in New York in 1972.
Mayhall's last job was director of art at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center
Stamford Museum and Nature Center
The Stamford Museum and Nature Center, located in Stamford, Connecticut, is an art, history, nature and agricultural sciences museum. The property covers 118 acres beginning about 1/2 mile north of the Merritt Parkway and was originally a private estate.- Facilities :The museum property was the...
in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, where she worked for 12 years. At the Stamford Museum, she had successful solo exhibits with the work of Cletus Johnson, Reuben Nakian
Reuben Nakian
Reuben Nakian was an American sculptor and teacher of Armenian extraction. His recurring themes are from Greek and Roman mythology. Noted works include Leda and the Swan, The Rape of Lucrece, Hecuba, and The Birth of Venus...
and Nicholas Krushenick
Nicholas Krushenick
Nicholas Krushenick was one of the forerunners of the pop art movement.Krushenick began showing his work publicly in New York in 1957, at the age of 28...
, the last two, former residents of Stamford. Her last studio space was with the Loft Artists Association, at the former Yale and Towne
Yale (company)
Yale is a lock manufacturer owned by Assa Abloy. It is associated with the pin tumbler lock, which is often known as the Yale lock.- History :...
factory in the South End of Stamford
South End of Stamford
The South End of Stamford, Connecticut is a rapidly growing neighborhood located at the southern end of the city, just south of the Downtown neighborhood. It is expected to be greatly changed with redevelopment over the next decade...
.
Legacy
There is a folder of Mayhall's papers at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. A year after Mayhall's death, the Stamford Museum's "New Art Annual '96", a show and competition, gave an award in Mayhall's honor. The piece that won the award was by painter Joan Wheeler and was titled, "I Always Wanted to Be a Redhead".Publications (selected list)
Catalogues- Highlights of the 1965–66 art season. Exhibition: July 10 thru September 11, 1966. Larry Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield Connecticut
- The Minimal Tradition. Exhibition held April 29 through September 2, 1979. Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut
- American Art: American Women 1965 through 1985. Exhibition dates: December 15, 1984 – February 23, 1985. Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford, Connecticut
- Beverly Fishman: Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture. Exhibition dates: November 4 – December 6, 1985. Housatonic Museum of Art
- American artists at the turn-of-the century. (1988) Stamford Museum and Nature Center