Giovanna (Joanne) Cecchetti papers
name: label: Creator
content: Cecchetti, Giovanna
topic: label: Occupation
content: Artists -- New Jersey -- Paterson
label: Occupation
content: Curators -- New Jersey -- Paterson
label: Occupation
content: Photographers -- New Jersey -- Paterson
label: Topic
content: Women artists
label: Topic
content: Women photographers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Papers were donated in 1996 and 1999 by Giovanna (Joanne) Cecchetti.
creator: label: Creator
content: Cecchetti, Giovanna
setName: label: See more items in
content: Giovanna (Joanne) Cecchetti papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of artist, photographer, and independent curator Giovanna (Joanne) Cecchetti date from circa 1940-1999 and measure 2.2 linear feet. They illustrate Cecchetti's career and life through correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed and photographic material, and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Joanne Giovanna Marie Cecchetti (1953-) is an artist, photographer, and independent curator who worked primarily in New York and New Jersey. She was born in Suffron, New York to Gori Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Cecchetti. Prior to 1986 she used the first name Joanne before switching to Giovanna. In 1973 she attended New York State University where she obtained an Associate's Degree of Applied Science. Cecchetti obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Parsons School of Design in 1976 and completed postgraduate work at both the Rutgers Center of Innovative Print in 1997 and at William Patterson University. Cecchetti's career consisted of working as the visual merchandising director at both The Pottery Barn in New York City (1977-1983) and Macy's in New Jersey (1985-1987). She also completed work as an independent curator throughout this time and when between jobs. 

Cecchetti was a member of the Paterson (New Jersey) Historic Preservation Commission (1996-), the Silk City AmeriCorps (1995-1996), City Without Walls, and the Aljira Center of Contemporary Art. She was listed as a notable artist by Marquis Who's Who and was the recipient of several awards.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1940-1999
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.ceccgiov
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Diaries
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection consists of six series.

Series 1: Correspondence, circa 1977-1996 (.5 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 2: Writings, circa 1976-1995 (.3 Linear feet: Box 1)

Series 3: Personal Business Records, circa 1959-1995 (.3 Linear feet: Box 1, Box 4)

Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1987-1994 (.3 Linear feet: Box 2)

Series 5: Photographic Material, circa 1953-1994 (.4 Linear feet: Boxes 2-3, Box 5)

Series 6: Artwork, circa 1940-1990 (.4 Linear feet: Boxes 3-5)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2023.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Diaries
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Giovanna (Joanne) Cecchetti papers measure 2.2 linear feet and date from circa 1940-1999. Correspondence is to and from notable artists and family members. Also included is correspondence regarding various exhibitions and fellowship and grant applications. Writings consist of diaries written by Cecchetti, an autobiographical account of her career and two drafted artist's books A Thousand Eyes and The Memory of Love Lost: An Erotic Journal. Personal business records include materials related to Eclectic Selections: Art in Paterson at the End of the Twentieth Century (1999) an exhibition by Cecchetti and Juan Ramon Lopez, and materials related to Absolut Statehood, a published compilation of artwork from various artists depicting how they each view their home states. Also included are grant application materials and items related to the Poco Gallery including a contract. 

Printed material includes exhibition announcements and catalogs, a copy of Absolut Statehood 51: Painter's Visions of Their Home States (1993), commentary by Glenn O'Brien and photography by Antonio Alia Guccione and materials related to the exhibition Drawing from Within (1993). Photographic material consists of various personal photographs and an album. Also included are photographs of artwork. Artwork includes fabric designs, oil pastel paintings, sketchbooks and sketches, and tracings.