Judith Weinshall Liberman papers
name: label: Creator
content: Liberman, Judith Weinshall
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Ceramicists -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Occupation
content: Illustrators -- Massachusetts -- Boston
label: Topic
content: Jewish artists
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women painters
label: Topic
content: Women ceramicists
label: Topic
content: Women illustrators
label: Topic
content: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated by Judith Weinshall Liberman in 2003.
creator: label: Creator
content: Liberman, Judith Weinshall
setName: label: See more items in
content: Judith Weinshall Liberman papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of artist Judith Weinshall Liberman measure 8.6 linear feet and date from circa 1940-2003. The papers consist of biographical material regarding Liberman's family and art history; images, ephemera, and correspondence related to Liberman's artwork, exhibitions, and creative process, especially related to her Holocaust Wall Hangings series; sound and video recordings of interviews, lectures, pannel discussions, and show openings; papers related to her career as a writer; and some papers related to her academic career.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Judith Weinshall Liberman (1929- ) is a painter, ceramicist, and illustrator in Boston, Massachusetts.

Born in Haifa, Israel (then Palenstine), Judith Weinshall Liberman came to the United States after completing high school in Haifa. She earned four American degrees, including a J.D. degree from the University Chicago Law School and an LL.M. from the University of Michigan Law School. After settling in the Boston area in 1956, she studied art at the Art Institute of Boston, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, DeCordova Museum School, and the Massachusetts College of Art. She also received an M.F.A. degree in Art Education from Boston University School for the Arts.

Liberman explored a variety of materials and techniques throughout her career including oil and acrylic paint, block printing, transfer printing, sewing, embroidery, and ceramics. Her major series of work, Holocaust Wall Hangings, Holocaust Paintings, and Self Portraits of Holocaust Artist--received critical acclaim as she exhibited her work in  solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Israel. She eventually donated a majority of her artwork to private, public, and religious institutions.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8.6 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1940-2003
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.libejudi
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Interviews
label: Type
content: Video recordings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1940-2003 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 9-10)

Series 2: Writings, circa 1947-2003 (14 folders; Box 2)

Series 3: Art Projects, 1987-2003 (4.5 linear feet; Boxes 2-6, 9)

Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1972-2003 (8 folders; Boxes 7, 9)

Series 5: Photographs, circa 1960-2003 (1.0 linear foot; Boxes 7-8)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid was written by Christopher DeMairo in 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of artist Judith Weinshall Liberman measure 8.6 linear feet and date from circa 1940-2003. The papers consist of biographical material regarding Liberman's family and art history; images, ephemera, and correspondence related to Liberman's artwork, exhibitions, and creative process, especially related to her Holocaust Wall Hangings series; sound and video recordings of interviews, lectures, panel discussions, and show openings; papers related to her career as a writer; and some papers related to her academic career. 

The bulk of the collection was in labeled binders upon donation; the contents of these binders were kept intact. The binders were created by Judith Liberman circa 2003, and each consists of introductions to the material as well as a rough table of contents. The binders cover a variety of topics including biographical and geneological histories; records of Liberman's donated material; papers related to Liberman's major series of works and exhibitions; and photographs and slides of Liberman's work. This collection also includes videocassette and audiocassette tapes containing lectures, interviews, pannel discusions, and show openings. 

In addition to Liberman's career as an artist, material related to Liberman's education as a lawyer as well as her life-long interest in writing fiction and non-fiction is found in this collection. Academic papers consist of ephemera, transcripts, correspondence, and resumes; and material related to Liberman's writing includes drafts, published copies, interviews, and reviews. Most notable are a published copy of her children's book The Bird's Last Song, with related interviews, and an edited manuscript of Miriam's Diary.