EXTENSIVE FACTS TAKE TIME TO LOAD
Adams, Jean Crawford
BORN: September 4, 1886 Chicago
DIED: September 27, 1972
MARRIED: Never
TRAINING
Public schools, Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago: 1902-1903 Matilda Vanderpoel; 1903-1904 Caroline D. Wade, John C. Johansen, John H. Vanderpoel; 1904; 1906 J. Vanderpoel; 1907-1908 Ralph E. Clarkson; 1913 Elmer A. Forsberg; 1914-1915; 1915-1917 Wellington J. Reynolds and Frank Phoenix, graduated
1917 Art Institute of Chicago, Charles W. Hawthorne
1919 Art Institute of Chicago, George W. Bellows
1920 Paris, André L’hote and Gallanais
1925-1926 Art Institute of Chicago, evenings
Cape Cod School of Art, Charles W. Hawthorne
ART RELATED EMPLOYMENT
Federal Art Project, easel division
TEACHING
RESIDENCES
Oak Park, Illinois
TRAVEL
c.1928-1930 Scotland; England; Germany; France; Spain; Italy
c.1928 Brown County Indianai
1928 Santa Fe, New Mexico (summer)ii
California; Florida; Wisconsin; Indiana; Michigan; New York; Pennsylvania; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee
MEMBERSHIPS/OFFICES
Arts Club of Chicago (director); Chicago No-Jury Society of Artists (board 1928-1930); Chicago Society of Artists (director c.1942-1946); Ten Artists, Chicago
HONORS
1915 Honorable Mention portraiture study oil, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1916, 1917 Honorable Mentions (seven), School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1925 Englewood Woman’s Club Prize, Art Institute, Chicago and Vicinityiii
1928 Honorable Mention, landscape, Art Institute of Chicago, American Annualiv
1928 Silver Medal, Chicago Society of Artists annualv
1929 Fifty Prints of the Yearvi
1933 Mr. and Mrs. Jule F. Brower Prize, Art Institute, Annual Exhibition of Chicago and Vicinity Artistsvii
JURIES SERVED
Art Students’ League, Chicago 1933
Chicago Society of Artist annual 1927, 1928
Public Works of Art, Chicago 1933, 1934
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
American Federation of Arts, contemporary Chicago painters, circulating exhibition, organized by the Art Institute of Chicago 1931, 1932viii
Art Institute of Chicago, The Charles Deering Collection 1930
Cincinnati Art Museum, International Watercolors 1925
Increase Robinson Studio Gallery, Chicago, Water Colors, Drawings And Prints By Chicago Artists 1931ix
Increase Robinson Studio Gallery, Portraits of Chicago Artists by Chicago Artists 1932x
Neo Arlimusc Society, Chicago Moderns in honor of Julius Meier-Graefe 1928xi
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annual 1929, 1930, 1932
Renaissance Society, Chicago, member’s show 1966
Whitney Museum of American Art, Chicago Artists 1933xii
ONE, TWO OR THREE MAN EXHIBITIONS
1926 Madison Art Association at Wisconsin State Historical Museumxiii
1928 Fine Arts Building Playhouse, Chicagoxiv
1928 Chicago Woman’s Aid Societyxv
1929 Chester H. Johnson Galleries, Chicagoxvi
1930 Art Institute of Chicagoxvii
1932 Milwaukee Art Institutexviii
1933 Chester H. Johnson Galleries, Chicagoxix
1938 Cordon Club of Chicagoxx
1944 Pokrass Gallery, Chicago: George Josimovich, Jean Crawford Adams, William Samuel Schwartzxxi
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Chicago Historical Societyxxii
INTERESTING NOTES
Adams specialized in city landscapes and was active in the Hyde Park area of Chicago. She was also a prolific etcher.
She stated, “When I attempt to analyze what it is that has had the greatest effect on my art I conclude that it is Chicago - Chicago as it is today... I seek fresh vision and am on the lookout for untrodden paths to follow.”xxiii In 1951 she was represented by the Palmer House Hotel gallery, Chicagoxxiv
iHer Courthouse, Nashville, Ind., was illustrated in the The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/13/1928, p.6.
iiA wood block print of hers was illustrated with the caption stating she would be in Santa Fe. Marguerite B. Williams, “Here and There in the Art World,” Chicago Daily News, 6/27/1928, in Art Institute of Chicago scrapbooks, vol. 55.
iiiEleanor Jewett, “Art And Artists,” Chicago Tribune, 2/1/1925, p.F6.
ivLena M. McCauley, “Jury Scored for ‘Shattering Faith’,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 10/30/1928, pp.1, 3, 11. The prize was awarded her Landscape No. 2.
vThe prize was awarded her Corsica. Tom Vickerman, “Purity Squad Sweeps Out Nudes as Chicago Artists’ Show Opens,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/13/1928, p.1. Eleanor Jewett, “Wide Variety in Art Exhibits: Modernism Wins,” Chicago Tribune, 11/18/1928, p.H9.
viThe show was organized regularly by the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Mention of her inclusion is found in Marguerite B. Williams, “Here and There in the Art
World,” Chicago Daily News, 4/10/1929, in AIC Scapbooks, Vol. 56, p.58.
viiThe prize was awarded her Winter With Flowers, illustrated in Inez Cunningham, “Annual Institute Show for Local Artists Revives Old Jury Riddle,” Chicago Herald & Examiner, 1/14/1933, in AIC Scrapbooks, vol.60, p.87. For controversy over the awarding of prizes see, Eleanor Jewett, “Moderns Win Dispute Over Art Awards: Carry Off Prizes in Show of City's Artists,” Chicago Tribune, 1/12/1933, p.15; “First Glimpse of Annual Show by Artists of Chicago and Vicinity,” 1/15/1933, part 8, p.3.
viiiEleanor Jewett, “News of Art and Artists,” Chicago Tribune, 7/17/1932, part 8, p.2.
ixHer Street Scene, woodcut was illustrated in The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 5/26/1931, p.4.
xEleanor Jewett, “Portrait Exhibit Here Is Worthy of Attention,” Chicago Tribune, 3/20/1932, part 8, p.6.
xiC. J. Bulliet, “What’ll We Do With It: An Inquiry Into the Future of Modern Art,” The Chicagoan, February 1932, p.43.
xiiHer High Bridge, Kentucky, was illustrated in “Chicago Artists Appear in New York Exhibition at the Whitney Museum,” New York Evening Post, 3/4/1933, in AIC Scrapbooks, vol.60, p.145.
xiii“Artists Reflect Chicago Scenes in Exhibit Here,” Wisconsin State Journal, 3/21/1926, Music and Art section.
xiv“Paintings by Jean Adams,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 3/13/1928, p.4 and “Jean Crawford Adams,” 3/20/1928 issue, p.4. Marguerite B. Williams, “Here and There in the Art World,” Chicago Daily News, 3/21/1928, in Art Institute of Chicago scrapbooks, vol. 54, p.130/131. Eleanor Jewett, “Staceys Show Versatility in Exhibition: News of Exhibits,” Chicago Tribune, 3/18/1928, p.H4.
xv“Jean Crawford Adams,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/6/1928, p.7. For a review see: “Jean Crawford Adams,” in the 11/13/1928 issue, pp.6, 7. Her Courthouse, Nashville, Ind., was illustrated with the article. Eleanor Jewett, “Here’s Modernist Who Uses Her Colors to Paint with Laughter,” Chicago Tribune, 12/1/1928, p.17. Eleanor Jewett, “American Exhibition in Last Week: Well Worth Seeing,” Chicago Tribune, 12/9/1928, p.I7.
xviC. J. Bulliet, “Chicago Woman Has Show at Johnson’s,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 12/3/1929, p.6. Eleanor Jewett, “Southwest's Lure Lives in Pictures in This Exhibition,” Chicago Tribune, 12/5/1929, p.36.
xviiInez Cunningham, “Jean Adams True to Herself, Always,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 8/12/1930, pp.1, 11. Her Wisconsin Landscape, was illustrated in the 8/26/1930 issue, p.2. “Emil Armin In One Man Show July 24,” Rockford Register Star, 7/12/1930, in AIC Scrapbooks, Vol. 57, p.129. Marguerite B. Williams, “Five Chicagoans Have Paintings on Exhibition,” Chicago Daily News-Journal, 7/28(?)/1930, in AIC Scrapbooks, Vol. 57, p.134. Eleanor Jewett, “Snow Pictures Offer Contrast at Art Show,” Chicago Tribune, 7/24/1930, p.12. The show
was later circulated by the Art Institute to other museums, including, for example, the Dallas Art Museum.
xviii“Jean Crawford Adams Has Milwaukee Show,” Chicago Evening Post, 6/14/1932, Art Section, p.8.
xix“Paintings by Miss Adams,” Chicago Daily News, 3/11/1933, Art and Artists section, p.5, and “Jean Crawford Adams’ Show,” 3/18/1933, p.12. Eleanor Jewett, “Three Shows Get Attention of Art Critic,” Chicago Tribune, 3/18/1933, p.19.
xxC. J. Bulliet, “Around the Galleries: Jean Crawford Adams,” Chicago Daily News, 2/12/1938, Art and Music section, p.25.
xxiArt Digest, Vol. 18, 4/1/1944, p.30.
xxiiHer View from the Auditorium was illustrated in Chicago Modern 1893-1945, (Chicago: Terra Museum and University of Chicago Press, 2004), p.81.
xxiiiJ. Z. Jacobson, Art of Today, Chicago 1933, (Chicago: L. M. Stein, 1933), p.32.
xxiv“Who’s Where,” Art Digest, Vol. 26, 11/1/1951, p.69.