ARTG 3316 Graphic Design 3: Special Collections Resources

The UTEP Library’s Special Collections Department located on the sixth floor holds several resources relating to art history, including some primary sources that could be used for advanced research.  See the following listings.

Manuscript collections

• Tom Lea papers (Tom Lea was a prominent El Paso artist and author.)
• John O. West papers (John O. West wrote about the folklore of the border region and about artist Jose Cisneros.)
• Cynthia Farah Haines papers (Haines documented murals in the El Paso region.)
• Backstage with the Arts records (This organization provided arts programs for children in the El Paso area.)
• Guild of El Paso Art Museum scrapbooks (documents activities of an organization that supported the local art museum and community.)
• Marta Arat papers (Arat was an El Paso artist active in the “Juntos” organization.)
• Twelve Travelers collection (Documents the efforts of sculptor John Houser to create a series of public sculptures.)
• Hal Marcus papers (Hal Marcus is an El Paso artist and gallery owner.)
• Anabel Livermore Chapel collection (Includes materials about this project and others by El Paso artist James Magee.)
• Betty Ligon arts files (Ligon was the arts reporter for the El Paso Herald-Post.)

Chicano vertical files and periodicals

           Newspapers, posters, newsletters, and other materials from the Chicano movement document popular art in the Mexican American community, especially in the late 20^th century.

Original art works in the UTEP Library

           The Special Collections Department administers a collection of over 300 original works of art, including works by El Paso or Southwestern artists Luis Jimenez, James Drake, Tom Lea, Jose Cisneros, John Houser, Fremont Ellis, William Rackocy, Frederick Kolliker, Jose Aceves, Eugene Thurston, and Mike Steirnagle.

Rare books and thematic book collections 

• Older books that may include illustrations from the16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
• Carl Hertzog Collection of books on book design and typography
• Art books, some of which came from the Urbici Soler Library
• Books on photography, especially examples of photographyfrom the Southwest and Mexico
• Facsimile editions of Pre-Hispanic codices 

Oral history interviews 

Over 900 interviews including some with El Paso artists Jose Cisneros, Tom Lea, and others.