Writings
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Nesbitt, Esta
setName: label: See more items in
content: Esta Nesbitt papers
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.3 Linear Feet (Box 1-2, 12, OV 15)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1959-circa 1973
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.nesbesta, Series 3
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Additional writings can be found in the Correspondence, Xerography Research Files, and Projects and Exhibitions series.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Writings are in the form of bound and unbound journals, notebooks, and loose notes. Illustrations, clippings, articles, journal entries, and poetry are interspersed throughout the series, with personal and professional content mixed together.  Titles listed below were derived from Nesbitt's handwritten titles on the journal covers. 

Illustrated Journals contain artwork, sketches, diagrams, annotated clippings, and written entries. Subjects are mainly painting techniques, materials, and ideas. Other subjects touched on include Chinese characters, calligraphy, shadow paintings, the future of art, energy, morphs, memory, and meaning. The transformation of art using different techniques and materials is also a common theme. Projects discussed include the 1972-1973 projects Balls, Flower, and Big Foot.

Many of these subjects are also subjects of Nesbitt's journals, which also include entries of a personal nature dealing with dreams, Nesbitt's family, life, death, and reality. Other subjects include Chinese characters and scrolls, and Samuel Beckett's characters Molloy and Malone.  Also, notes related to phone calls, appointments, travel, project tasks, teaching, family life, and funding concerns are found in her journals.

Notebooks contain notes and clippings related to artists' materials, religion, Chinese philosophy and civilization, changes in consciousness, psychology, film techniques, transmission of sound, and documentation practices. The notebook labeled "Film and Slide Techniques and Ideas" also contains ideas, lists, diagrams, and test notes. Projects "Everyman as Anyman, or Putting On, On, On, On, On," burnt Xeroxes, and stair patterns are also mentioned.

Transcripts include notes and conversations transcribed from tapes. Topics include xerography, project "Xerox Xplore," exhibition "Xerography: Extensions in Art," and copyrights and permissions for publication. The original recordings from which the transcripts were made are not part of the collection.