Craig Kauffman papers
name: label: Creator
content: Kauffman, Craig, 1932-2010
label: Names
content: Ferus Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)
label: Names
content: Adams, Lisa, 1955-
label: Names
content: Bengston, Billy Al
label: Names
content: Moses, Ed, 1926-
label: Names
content: Shapiro, Babe
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- California
label: Occupation
content: Educators -- California
label: Topic
content: Abstract expressionism
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Craig Kauffman papers were donated 1997 by Craig Kauffman.
creator: label: Creator
content: Kauffman, Craig, 1932-2010
setName: label: See more items in
content: Craig Kauffman papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of artist and educator Craig Kauffman measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1946 to 1997. The collection comprises biographical materials including address books, 10 day journals, identification documents, oral history transcripts, student records, and a few writings; correspondence with Lisa Adams, Billy Al Bengston, Alan Lynch, Ed Moses, and Babe Shapiro; and correspondence between Kauffman and his family. Also found are records documenting Kauffman's professional and business activities; printed materials featuring Kauffman, his exhibitions, and artwork; and photographic materials and moving images that include portraits and snapshots of Kauffman, personal photographs, photos of travel and works of art, and 3 unidentified film reels.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Craig Kauffman (1932-2010) was an artist and educator in Los Angeles, California. 

Kauffman was born in Los Angeles to Judge Kurtz and Margaret Kauffman. He attended the University of Southern California School of Architecture in Los Angeles before transferring to the University of California in Los Angeles where he received both his bachelor's degree in 1955 and master's degree in 1956. 

After several years working from a San Francisco studio and associating with the leading Bay Area artists, he returned to Southern California where he became an original member of the legendary Ferus Gallery group that included artists John Altoon, Ed Moses, Ed Kienholz, Billy Al Benston, Robert Irwin, Larry Bell, and Ed Ruscha. The group was founded by Kienholz and Kauffman's high school friend Walter Hopps. Beginning as an abstract expressionist, Kauffman quickly became known as one of California's leading finish-fetish and, later, light and space artists because of his minimalist styled vacuum-formed wall sculptures using acrylic plastics. 

Kauffman began teaching art at the University of California, Irvine in 1967 and retired in 1994. He was also an instructor at the School of Visual Art in New York. Throughout his career, Kauffman was an avid traveler and spent much of his retirement living in the Philippines while continuing to exhibit and create new works.

Kauffman died in Angeles, Philippines in 2010.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4.6 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1946-1997
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.kaufcrai2
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Motion pictures
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as five series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, circa 1950-1990 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1956-1996 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 6)

Series 3: Professional and Business Records, 1950-1996 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2, 6)

Series 4: Printed Materials, 1946-1997 (2.2 linear feet; Boxes 2-4, 6, OV 7)

Series 5: Photographic Materials and Moving Images, circa 1940-circa 1980s (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 4-6)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2020.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of artist and educator Craig Kauffman measure 4.6 linear feet and date from 1946 to 1997. The collection comprises biographical materials including address books, 10 day journals, identification documents, oral history transcripts, student records, and a few writings; correspondence with Lisa Adams, Billy Al Bengston, Alan Lynch, Ed Moses, and Babe Shapiro; and correspondence between Kauffman and his family. Also found are records documenting Kauffman's professional and business activities; printed materials featuring Kauffman, his exhibitions, and artwork; and photographic materials and moving images that include portraits and snapshots of Kauffman, personal photographs, photos of travel and works of art, and 3 unidentified film reels.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Lisa Adams letters from Craig Kauffman, 1986-1991.