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Finding aid created by: Steffi Chappell
Date: 2014
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Summary |
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Creator: | Vargo, John, 1929-2000. |
Title: | John Vargo Papers |
Dates: | 1955-1993 |
Size: | 8 boxes (15 linear feet) |
Abstract: | The John Vargo Papers contains materials relating to Vargo’s career as an illustrator and an illustration professor at Syracuse University. |
Language: | English |
Repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Research Center Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 |
John Vargo was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 9, 1929. He enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1948 and graduated in 1951 with a major in illustration and a minor in painting. Upon graduation, Vargo began working in Cleveland as an illustrator for an advertising art studio. He also gained recognition as a watercolor painter by exhibiting his work in local art shows.
Syracuse University hired Vargo in 1958 as head of the illustration program in the School of Art. When Vargo began teaching, he was the only illustration professor for a program with twelve students. The program quickly grew under his direction, reaching a peak enrollment of over 150 students in the early 1970s. With the growth in enrollment, Vargo was responsible for restructuring the curriculum to accommodate the needs of students. He split the courses up by class level in order to help the students better develop their skills. Vargo also introduced silk-screening into the illustration program curriculum. This was an important medium for students to learn because it allowed them to print their own promotional materials that they could then leave with prospective employers.
In 1973 the School of Art began the MFA Independent Study Degree Program (ISDP) in illustration, a program that grew in popularity over the next few decades. Vargo was instrumental in the development of the ISDP, which provided professionals with the opportunity to obtain a master’s degree in illustration without having to leave their jobs and reside on the Syracuse University campus for an extended period of time. Students in the program met on the SU campus for a two-week session three summers in a row and met in various cities across the country for one or two day sessions throughout the year. Professional illustrators served as faculty for the program. While the ISDP struggled in its first year, by 1990 it had a waiting list and enrollment had to be capped at twenty-two students. The program was closed in 2008, yet the number of letters sent to Vargo by former students sincerely thanking him for the opportunities he provided in the program are testaments to both Vargo's and the ISDP’s impact.
While teaching at Syracuse University, Vargo also worked as a professional illustrator and painter. He displayed his work in a number of exhibitions, often in Central New York, and he won many awards for his illustrations. Along with adorning University publications and promotional materials, Vargo’s illustrations were published in many nationally-recognized magazines, including Ladies Home Journal, Reader’s Digest, Beckett Baseball Card Monthly, and Audubon. In 1959 Vargo began working as an art director and illustrator for T. A. Best Advertising, based in Skaneateles, New York, a position he held until 1973. In this capacity Vargo learned about animation and designed, directed, and produced a large number of animated commercials.
Vargo resigned from his position as the director of the illustration program in 1991 and retired from Syracuse University in December of 1992 after thirty-four years of teaching. During his career he had a huge impact on the education of thousands of students, many who had impressive careers working after graduation. Vargo helped to bring national recognition to the University’s illustration program.
John Vargo died on May 8, 2000 in Syracuse, New York.
The John Vargo Papers are divided into six series: Correspondence, Exhibition Materials, Slides, Student Artwork, Subject Files, and Teaching Materials.
The Correspondence series contains letters that date from Vargo’s career at Syracuse University. Some correspondence, such as letters from Syracuse University Chancellors and deans, has been separated into individual folders, yet most of the series is made up of general correspondence. There is also one folder of many letters and cards written to Vargo by current and former students.
The Exhibition Materials series contains brochures, correspondence, and other information pertaining to exhibitions in which Vargo displayed his artwork over an almost forty-year period.
The Slides series contains a large number of slides, including examples of student work, images Vargo used while teaching, and photographs of students and faculty members. The artists of many of the examples of student work are identified.
The Student Artwork series contains a large selection of illustrations and paintings produced by Vargo’s students for his illustration classes. Included in this series are illustrations made by fashion designer Betsey Johnson '64 during her time as a student at Syracuse University.
The Subject Files series contains materials relating to Vargo’s career as an educator at Syracuse University and as a professional illustrator. Highlights of this series include many clippings collected by Vargo over the years, papers relating to commissions Vargo worked on for Reader's Digest, a number of folders pertaining to alumni of the Syracuse University illustration program, folders documenting Hallmark Cards' relationship with the program, and materials pertaining to evaluations Vargo was asked to make of illustration programs at other universities.
The Teaching Materials series contains materials directly relating to illustration classes taught by Vargo at Syracuse University. These include many assignments, notes, handouts, materials relating to the Independent Study Degree Program in illustration, and correspondence and notes pertaining to the Visiting Artist Program in illustration.
Access Restrictions:
Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.
Use Restrictions:
Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders
before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this
collection.
In addition to these papers, the Syracuse University Archives holds a clippings file and a portrait file on John Vargo, and the SU Art Galleries has a number of drawings and prints by Vargo. You may visit their website for more information.
Names
Vargo, John, 1929-2000.
Syracuse University -- Faculty.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.
Subjects
Illustration.
College teachers.
Higher education.
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
John Vargo Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
John Vargo donated his papers to the Syracuse University Archives in 1994.
Processing Information
The materials have been processed and rehoused in acid-free boxes. Some materials were removed from binders and placed in acid-free folders.
The items are arranged in alphabetical order.
Correspondence
Exhibition Materials
Slides
Student Artwork
Subject Files
Teaching Materials
Correspondence | |||||||||||
Box 1 | Corbally, John E, Chancellor 1970 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Eggers, Melvin, Chancellor 1981-1990 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Freundlich, August 1970-1973 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | General | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1959-1971 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1972-1979 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1980-1984 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1985-1987 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1988-1992 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Schmeckebier, Laurence 1956-1969 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Students 1969-1988, undated |
Exhibition Materials | |||||||||||
Box 1 | 1955-1966 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1967-1974 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1975-1982 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1983-1985 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1986-1989 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | 1990-1993 |
Slides | |||||||||||
Box 1 | Allen B. Johns, Leslie R. Cober, Bill Thompson, Joe Johnson, Doug Griswold, Ed Rooks 1983 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Artwork, Greg Hartman, Drama Department 1971-1980 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Children’s Book, Watercolor 1964-1978 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Coby Whitmore, Robert Vickery, Hodges Soileau, Daniel Schwartz, J.C. Leyendecker, Advanced Illustration 1975-1985 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Drama Department, Sad Farewell, Picnic, Model 1980-1984 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Faculty 1986-1988 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Jerome Snyder, George Grosz, Walter Mucha, Illustrators, Frank McCarthy, Unidentified 1964-1986 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Joanie Schwarz, Portraits, Heads, Karen Barnes, Tina Chomka, Pat Kay, Tracey Ravdin, Selene Mallozzi, Mike Cavallaro, Kristen Throop, J. Goetzman, Student Work 1965-1985 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | London, Senior Class, Bus Trip to NYC Society of Illustrators, Students, Illustrations 1986-1990 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Mark English, Walter Appleton Clark, Will Bradley, A. Rackham, Kay Nielsen, Sunbloom, John Berkey, Jim Bama, Ramon Ameijide, Unidentified 1964-1989 | ||||||||||
Box 1 | Materials, Palettes, Techniques, Color Design Lecture 1964, 1972, 1978 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | May 1962-September 1964 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Pat Kay, Mike Cavallaro, Kevin Wakefield, Gretchen Hutser, Susan B. Katz, Robert C. Robertson, Kim Richards, Bonnie Hahnel, A. Olson, O. Olson, Amy Scott, Kelly Lynch, Margot Levy, Portraits 1985 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Paul Mock, Tom Fitzgerald, Tim Robinson, Laura Hany, Tina Chomka, Kim Barnes, Lisa Krongold, Constance Lombard 1985 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Student, Summer High School Program, Students, Vestal Silkscreen Summer Workshop, Students and Art, Senior Picnic 1964-1980 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Student March, Illustrations, Rob Evans, John Rice 1979-1981 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Student Work 1983-1985 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Student Work 1985 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Tom Lovell: Illustrations 1971 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | V. Welch, Robin Mauasse, Beth Gerber, Jim Rosen, Misc. Fashion 1969-1978 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Robert Weaver: Illustrations 1978-1983 |
Student Artwork | |||||||||||
Box 4 | 1961-1963, 1969-1970, 1974, 1978-1979, 1980, 1982-1983, undated | ||||||||||
Box 5 | 1963-1965, undated | ||||||||||
Box 6 | 1963, 1967-1969, 1982, undated | ||||||||||
Box 7 | 1964, undated | ||||||||||
Box 8 | 1972, 1978, 1980, undated |
Subject Files | |||||||||||
Box 2 | Airbrushing undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Alumni | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Alumni Resumes and Artwork | ||||||||||
Box 2 | 1976-1992, | ||||||||||
Box 2 | undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Connolly, James circa 1978 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Fiore, Patrick 1988 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Friedman, Dian 1986-1987, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Johnson, Betsey 1966, 1980, 1988, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Martin, John F. 1986-1987, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Student Accomplishments 1975-1979, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Artwork undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Awards and Certificates 1974, 1986, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Biographical Information and Curriculum Vitae 1981-1991, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Centennial Medal 1970-1971 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Charles Dribble Memorial 1989 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Children’s Book Council 1983, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Clippings | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Illustration Clippings undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Magazine Clippings 1964-1984, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Newspaper Clippings 1961-1993, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Color Swatches undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Crown Center Art Festival 1978 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | David Matthews Memorial Fund 1980-1981, 1985 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Dorothea Ilgen Shaffer Art Building 1987-1990, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Filing Systems 1990, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Gum Print undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Hallmark Cards | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Correspondence 1967-1990, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Semester in Contemporary Design 1969-1971 | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Illustrators in America, by Walt Reed undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Job Search Information 1976, undated | ||||||||||
Box 2 | Loan Forms 1980-1992 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Photocopies of Children’s Books 1979, 1984 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Photographs undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Poems undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Program Evaluations | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Carnegie Melon University College of Fine Arts 1981 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Philadelphia College of Art Illustration Program 1982 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Promotion Materials 1964-1969 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Published Illustrations 1965-1970, 1976-1977, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Reader’s Digest Commissions 1978, 1981 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Schlaifer Nance & Co., Inc. | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Cabbage Patch Kids Standards Manual 1985 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Company Information undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Correspondence 1984-1992 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | School of Art First Annual Conference 1958 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Short Stories 1974, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Society of Illustrators | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Correspondence and Competition Information 1962-1991 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Exhibition Calls for Entry 1974-1987 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Who’s Who in American Art undated |
Teaching Materials | |||||||||||
Box 3 | Assignments 1977-1989, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Class Materials | ||||||||||
Box 3 | ILL 283/284: Media Arts 1988-1992, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | ILL 361/362: Intermediate Illustration 1988-1991, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | VIC 366 1990, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | VIC 466 undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | History of Illustration undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Illustration Assignments, Handouts, and Notes (removed from binders) | ||||||||||
Box 3 | 1959-1972,undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | 1967-1975,undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Independent Study Degree Program | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Photographs 1986 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Promotional Materials 1973-1989 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | London Program 1986, 1989, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Miscellaneous Teaching Materials 1972-1989, undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Notes undated | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Student Papers 1964 | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Teaching Portfolio 1992 (2 folders) | ||||||||||
Box 3 | Visiting Artist Program 1974-1984, undated |