Bob Bilyeu Camblin papers
name: label: Creator
content: Camblin, Bob Bilyeu, 1928-2010
label: Names
content: Staley, Earl, 1938-
label: Names
content: Tate, Joe
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Texas -- Houston
label: Occupation
content: Educators -- Texas -- Houston
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated by Sandra Curtis Levy in a series of accessions between 1979-1986.
creator: label: Creator
content: Camblin, Bob Bilyeu, 1928-2010
setName: label: See more items in
content: Bob Bilyeu Camblin papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Bob Bilyeu Camblin papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1951 to 1985. The papers provide a snapshot of Camblin's career as an artist and educator through personal papers, printed material, artwork, photographs, and motion picture film and video recordings.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Bob Bilyeu Camblin (1928-2010) was a modernist painter and educator active in Houston, Texas. Camblin experimented with a wide variety of media and is known for collaborative projects with many artists, including a collective known as The Holding Firm with Earl Staley and Joe Tate in Houston. 

Born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Camblin served in the United State Army (1948-1949) and Air Force (1950-1951) before receiving his bachelor of fine arts in 1954, and his master of fine arts degree in 1955. He worked as a map make from 1955-1958 before holding teaching posts at multiple institutions including the Kansas City Art Institute, the Ringling School of Art, Sarasota Florida, the University of Illinois, the University of Detroit, the University of Utah, and Rice University in Houston. 

While living in Houston Camblin collaborated with artists Earl Staley and Joe Tate, as the B. E. and J. Holding Firm, or The Holding Firm. The collective worked on multiple projects including paintings, drawings, art excursions, and exhibitions. 

Camblin's first one-man show was held in 1955 at the Kansas City Art Institute and his work has been exhibited in other solo exhibitions including at Oklahoma State University (1961), Plumtree Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah (1965-1966), Windsor College, Canada (1965), David Gallery, Houston (1969-1970), and the Graham Gallery in Houston (1989). Camblin participated in many group exhibitions including ART:USA 58 (1958), Fulbright Artists Exhibition, Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City (1958), Childe Hassam Purchase Fund Show, American Academy of Arts and Letters (1958), and Printmaking in Texas: The 1980s Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth (1990).
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3.1 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1951-1985
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.cambbob
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Moving images
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged as 4 series.

Series 1: Personal Papers, 1951-1985 (5 folders; Box 1)

Series 2: Artwork, 1951-1985 (8 folders; Box 1)

Series 3: Photographs, 1951-1980 (1 linear foot; Box 1, 2)

Series 4: Moving Images, circa 1970-1976 (1.8 linear feet; Box 2; FCs 3-19)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was partially microfilmed on reels 3461 and 3462 after donation. The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Christopher DeMairo in 2019.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 3461 and 3462 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Moving images
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Bob Bilyeu Camblin papers measure 3.1 linear feet and date from 1951 to 1985. The papers provide a snapshot of Camblin's career as an artist and educator through personal papers, printed material, artwork, photographs, and motion picture film and video recordings.

Personal papers include resumes and printed material such as exhibition catalogs and announcements and clippings. Camblin's artwork includes sketches, expressive writings, drawings, and prints. Photographic material includes images of artwork, friends, family, trips, and miscellany; and moving images include home videos of art, art techniques, leisure activities, and autobiographical films.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming by Mrs. Eldon Jensen on Reel 2248, including six sketchbooks, 1979-1980, containing sketches, writings, and a few letters. Loaned materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory. 

Some of the material from reels 3461 and 3462 including correspondence, clippings, files on the Document Show, the Barter Show, B. E. and J. Holding Firm and the Venice Venture are available for use only at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and through interlibrary loan, and are not described in the collection container inventory.