Learning Woodstock Art Colony

Dr. Bruce Weber

Dr. Bruce Weber received his Ph.D. in art history at the Graduate School of the City University of New York, where he studied with his longtime mentor Dr. William H. Gerdts. A leading scholar of American art of the past two centuries, Dr. Weber has served as a curator at several museums, and as the director of research and exhibitions at a leading New York gallery. He has curated numerous exhibitions and, among other topics, written on the art of William Merritt Chase, Robert Frederick Blum, Marsden Hartley, Yasuo Kuniyoshi and Stuart Davis, and has organized shows on such diverse topics as the apple and rose in American art and silverpoint drawing. Dr. Weber had been coming to Woodstock since the late 1960s and since 2018 he has focused much of his art historical attention on the development of the Woodstock art colony in the 20th century while also touching on the years beyond, as a researcher, author, curator and lecturer. He has curated exhibitions at the Historical Society of Woodstock, Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock School of Arts, and served as a co-curator at the Kleinert/James Center for the Arts. Dr. Weber began his website Learning Woodstock Art Colony in the summer of 2020, and is currently on the board of the Historical Society of Woodstock, an the Permanent Collection Committee of the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum.

I began Learning Woodstock Art Colony in the summer of 2019 as a means of expanding knowledge about the historical Woodstock art colony. It’s been a labor of love every since, as I’ve been seeking to dig deeply into the multifaceted stories of the artists and art life of the the period of 1900-2000, and beyond. It’s been a very meaningful experience, and I know what I have been doing has been greatly enjoyed by thousands of people who visit my site, including my many members. In recent month I reached out to the Historical Society of Woodstock in terms of connecting with people who come to visit our physical site and internet site. I generally write the content, but am always looking for people who would like to create a blog on an artist or subject germane to the art colony, and to also having a more active chat with readers through the website of the Historical Sociey of Woodstock. Among my most popular posts are the ones I’ve written on George Bellows, John F. Carlson (parts), Harvey Fite, Rosie Magee, Norma Morgan, and the exhibition Arriving at Byrdlcliffe.

I welcome potential contributions to Learning Woodstock Art Colony. Among the pieces contributed by guest contributors are those on Julia Leaycraft (by her grandson Matthew Leayraft), John F. Carlson (by granddaughter Barbara Carlson), and Pamela M. Conacher (a longtime friend of Norma Morgan). Other pieces are currently in production. Please email me at bruweber942@gmail.com and let me know your thoughts on producing a piece. I’ll assist with the technology in making it happen all the way through. Let’s continue to EXPAND knowledge.