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Tad Miyashita Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: --
Date: Jan 1967

Biographical History

Tad Miyashita (1922-1979) was an American artist particularly known for his collage and his mixed-media and found object work. Born in Hawaii, he studied at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. and at the Art Students League in New York City. During World War II he served with the Nisei Regimental Combat Team. He was a resident artist at the Millay Colony for the Arts (1975) and at Yaddo, and his work has been exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Grand Central Art Galleries, and the Corcoran Gallery among others in both solo and group shows.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Tad Miyashita Papers consist of artwork, biographical material, correspondence, and printed material.

Artwork contains one original piece (a collage) and numerous reproductions in the form of photographs, negatives, slides, and a few glass plate positives. Many of the slides were submissions to art galleries, competitions, or artists' colonies such as Yaddo.

Biographical material includes curriculum vitae and photographs of Miyashita, some by Dena.

Correspondence is the largest part of the collection, and consists entirely of incoming correspondence. Here may be found letters from friends and family (brother Toshio and various people who address him as "Uncle Tad"); colleagues in the creative arts, including poets, artists, and authors (Heather McHugh, Paul Friedman, Thomas McKeown, Nita Regnier, Frances Whyatt); art galleries (Grand Central Galleries, the Guggenheim, Whitney Museum of American Art); and residential artists' colonies where Miyashita stayed (Ossabaw Island Project, the Macdowell Colony, Yaddo). The most substantial correspondent is Paul Friedman, author and professor of English at the University of Illinois (four folders spanning 1973-1977).

Printed material contains exhibit catalogs for Miyashita and others, a number of books given to Miyashita by the authors (many of which are signed and inscribed to him), and a few miscellaneous items.

Arrangement of the Collection

Artwork is arranged alphabetically by type. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Printed material is arranged alphabetically by type and within that by title, if appropriate.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of many important American artists and illustrators. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

Subject Headings

Persons

Canaday, John, 1907-
English, Maurice.
Friedman, Paul, 1937-
Humble, Christopher.
Launois, Yukiko.
Miyashita, Tad, 1922-1979.
Whyatt, Frances.
Yeh, Carol.

Corporate Bodies

MacDowell Colony (Peterborough, N.H.)
Yaddo (Artists' colony)

Subjects

Art, American -- 20th century.
Artist colonies -- United States.
Collage, American -- 20th century.
Painters -- United States.
Painting, American -- 20th century.
Poets, American.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Collages (visual works)
Correspondence.
Drawings (visual works)
Exhibition catalogs.
Negatives (photographs)
Photographs.
Slides (photographs)

Occupations

Artists.
Painters.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Tad Miyashita Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Bulk of collection, gift of Tad Miyashita, 1967-1977.

Original collage, gift of Andrew Gurian, 2017.

Table of Contents

Artwork

Biographical material

Correspondence

Printed material

Inventory