Charles Searles papers
name: label: Creator
content: Searles, Charles Robert, 1937-2004
label: Names
content: Edmonds, Walt
label: Names
content: Gordon, Russell Talbert, 1936-
label: Names
content: Spicer, Kathleen
topic: label: Occupation
content: Muralists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
label: Occupation
content: Painters -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: African American artists
label: Topic
content: African American painters
label: Topic
content: African American sculptors
label: Topic
content: African American art -- African influences
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated in 2012 by Kathleen Spicer Searles, Charles Searles' widow.
creator: label: Creator
content: Searles, Charles Robert, 1937-2004
setName: label: See more items in
content: Charles Searles papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of African American sculptor and painter Charles Searles measure 3.9 linear feet and date from 1953 to 2010. The collection documents his career through scattered biographical material, correspondence, personal business records, printed material, artwork, photographs, and a scrapbook.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Charles Robert Searles (1937-2004) was an African American sculptor, painter and muralist in Philadelphia, Pa. and New York, N.Y. Searles attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1972. He was influenced by African art after traveling to Nigeria on the Ware Memorial Traveling Scholarship during his studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. During his career he participated in over 100 exhibitions in Denmark, Nigeria, and throughout the United States. 

Searles taught art at several institutions including the Pratt Institute, the University of the Arts (Philadelphia College of Art), and the Philadephia Museum of Art. He also completed commission work for Newark Station, PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corporation), and MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority). 

Searles moved to New York, NY in 1978 where he spent most of his career. He was married to artist Kathleen Spicer until his death on November 27, 2004.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.9 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1953-2010
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.searchar
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Transcripts
label: Type
content: Sketches
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged as 7 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1963-2004 (0.5 linear ft.; Boxes 1, 6)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1956-2004 (5 folders; Box 1)

Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1969-2007 (1.2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2,6)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1953-2010 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-4, 6)

Series 5: Artwork, circa 1980s-2000 (9 folders; Box 5)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1964-2000 (3 folders; Box 5)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, circa 1970s-2005 (0.3 linear ft.; Box 6)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2014. The
collection has been minimally rearranged and retains the existing/original folder titles when possible. All
materials have been rehoused in archival folders and boxes for long-term stability, but often staples and
other fasteners have not been removed. Materials within folders have not been rearranged.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Transcripts
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of sculptor and painter Charles Searles measure 3.9 linear feet and date from 1953 to 2010. The collection documents his career through scattered biographical material, correspondence, personal business records, printed material, artwork, photographs, and a scrapbook.

Scattered biographical material includes legal papers, address books, transcripts, and awards. Correspondence includes correspondence with galleries, museums, and organizations. Personal business records consist of Searles' files on commissions, exhibitions, workshops and programs, and employment contracts. Printed material includes exhibition announcements, exhibition catalogs, as well as printed material of interest to Searles, but not directly documenting his career. Artwork consists of sketches, designs, flyers, a portrait of Kathleen Spicer by Russell Gordon, and a portrait of Searles by K. Spicer. Photographs depict Searles, Searles' artwork, and artist Walt Edmonds. Scrapbooks consist of news clippings and loose material that was originally inserted in between the pages in no particular order.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also at the Archives of American Art is an interview with Charles Searles conducted on June 13, 1991, by Cynthia Veloric, for the Archives of American Art Philadelphia Project.