William P. Daley papers
name: label: Creator
content: Daley, William, 1925-2022
label: Names
content: Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America
label: Names
content: Philadelphia College of Art -- Faculty
topic: label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Ceramicists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Art teachers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Topic
content: Pottery -- Study and teaching -- Pennsylvania
label: Topic
content: Art -- Study and teaching
label: Topic
content: Glazes -- Formulae
label: Topic
content: Pottery
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The William P. Daley papers were donated by William Daley in 2003 and by Thomas Daley in 2022.
creator: label: Creator
content: Daley, William, 1925-2022
setName: label: See more items in
content: William P. Daley papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of ceramist William P. Daley measure 25.1 linear feet and 7.95 gigabytes and date from circa 1905-2022 (bulk 1951-2010). The collection documents Daley's career as both artist and teacher through biographical information, correspondence, exhibition files, project files, material on workshops, seminars, and lectures, writings, teaching files, artist files, reference files, printed material, photographs, personal business records, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical Note
content: Born in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, in 1925, William P. Daley developed an interest in art at an early age, and was encouraged by his parents William and Alice. In 1943 Daley finished high school and enlisted in the Army Air Corps. When the war ended, he returned home, and with the help of the G.I. Bill, completed a B.S. in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art, and a M.A. from the Teachers College at Columbia University. While at the Massachusetts College of Art he met and married fellow student Catherine Stennes. They had three children together, Barbara, Charlotte, and Thomas.

Originally intending to focus on painting, Daley discovered his love for ceramics while in art school. Much of his early work after graduation consisted of architectural and sculptural commissions. From 1961 to 1965 he held teaching positions as a ceramics instructor at the University of Northern Iowa, State University of New York at New Paltz, Philadelphia College of Art and Design, and the State University of New York at Fredonia. In 1965 he settled in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania and returned to the Philadelphia College of Art and Design, University of the Arts. There he taught in both the Industrial Design and Craft Department until his retirement from the college in 1990. When not teaching in the classroom, and even after retirement, Daley traveled extensively giving workshops and lectures at art centers, high schools, colleges, and universities. He has won several awards for teaching in the arts, including the College Art Association of America Distinguished Teaching of Art Award in 1991.

Daley became an active member of the crafts movement in Philadelphia, co-founding the Philadelphia Council of Professional Craftsmen. The Helen Drutt Gallery opened in Philadelphia in 1974 and gave Daley his first one man show there. Later, the gallery would become Daley's primary dealer. A self-proclaimed "mud man" and maker of "cosmic pots," Daley has focused throughout his career on the issues of the ceramic vessel, using drawings to explore his ideas. In 1994 the Renwick Gallery held a retrospective entitled, "William Daley: Ceramic Works and Drawings" which featured thirty years of his work. William Daley continued producing new work until his death in 2022.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 25.1 Linear Feet
label: Extent
content: 7.95 Gigabytes
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1905-2022
label: Date
content: bulk 1951-2010
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.dalewill
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Gigabytes
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Interviews
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into thirteen series. Each series is arranged either in rough chronological or alphabetical order.

Series 1: Biographical Files (0.7 Linear feet; Boxes 1, 16; 1.39 Gigabytes: ER0001)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1957-2001 (2.8 Linear feet: Boxes 1-2, 16-17)

Series 3: Exhibition Files, circa 1949-2015 (3.3 Linear feet: Boxes 3-5, 18; 0.461 Gigabytes: ER0002-ER0004)

Series 4: Project Files, 1956-2000, undated (1.3 Linear feet: Boxes 5-6, 18)

Series 5: Workshops, Seminars, and Lectures, circa 1958-2014 (3.8 Linear feet: Boxes 6-8, 18-20; 6.1 Gigabytes: ER0005-ER0008)

Series 6: Writings, circa 1951-2016 (1.6 Linear feet: Boxes 9, 20-21)

Series 7: Teaching Files, circa 1951-2017 (1.8 Linear feet: Boxes 9-10, 21)

Series 8: Artist Files, circa 1938-2020 (3.2 Linear feet: Boxes 10-12, 21-22)

Series 9: Reference Files, 1951-2001, undated (1.1 Linear feet: Boxes 13, 23)

Series 10: Printed Material, circa 1936-2022 (2.5 Linear feet: Boxes 14-15, 23)

Series 11: Photographs, circa 1950-2010 (2.5 Linear feet: Boxes 15, 23-24, OV25)

Series 12: Personal Business, circa 1962-2014 (0.3 Linear feet: Box 24)

Series 13: Artwork, 1954-2003, undated (4 Folders: Boxes 15, 24)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed by Erin E. Corley in 2003, as part of the Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Art in America. The 2022 addition was processed by Ryan Evans in 2023; born-digital materials were also processed in 2023 by Ryan Evans.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
scopecontent: label: Scope and Content Note
content: The papers of ceramist William Daley measure 25.1 linear feet and 7.95 gigabytes and date from circa 1905-2022 (bulk 1951-2010). The collection documents Daley's career as both artist and teacher through biographical information, correspondence, exhibition files, project files, material on workshops, seminars, and lectures, writings, teaching files, artist files, reference files, printed material, photographs, personal business records, and artwork.

Biographical files encompass items from Daley's early life including family, education, and military materials, as well as files on awards he has earned, and interviews he has given during his career, including one in digital format. Correspondence includes general correspondence with family, friends, artists, colleagues, and schools, as well as named files on correspondence with galleries, organizations, and individuals. The Exhibition Files, which spans a seventy year period, contain materials on group and solo exhibitions in which Daley participated, and also includes Auction Files and Exhibition Juror Files. Project Files contain materials related to public and private commissions.

Workshops, Seminars, and Lectures, documents the numerous events at which Daley taught or spoke on topics of art, ceramics, and/or education. Digital recordings and presentation materials exist for some. Many of these topics are also found in Writings, which include drafts of writings by Daley and others. Within this series Daley's personal address lists and calendars are also found. The Teaching Files provide insight into Daley's teaching methods, primarily at the Philadelphia College of Art, from materials such as curriculum plans, lesson notes, and assignments. Also within this series are general teaching notes which contain many hand drawn diagrams. The Artist Files that Daley created house materials concerning artists who were friends, former students, co-workers, and colleagues. Daley also compiled Reference Files containing materials on various topics for use in teaching and projects. Topics include the art of various countries, formulas and tables for ceramics, essays on art and education, and other general subjects. 

Printed Material provides information, primarily on ceramics, through press clippings, exhibit announcements, catalogs and journals, as well as other miscellaneous materials. Also found are reviews of Daley's work. While photographs are included throughout the collection, the Photographs series contains additional photographs and slides of artwork images (ceramics and drawings primarily), as well as those of Daley in the studio or in the classroom, and photographs of artwork by others. Personal business records include inventories and sales and commission information, as well as some ledgers and financial records. Artwork includes loose sketches and sketchbooks.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found at the Archives of American Art is an Oral history interview with William P. Daley, 2004 August 7-December 2.