Margaret Stites Archive

 Descriptive Summary:

Biographical Note: 

            Margaret Adell Stites was born on November 8, 1910. She began drawing as a child, and never thought of doing anything else. She trained under Charles Umlauf at the University of Texas in Austin. Stites pioneered the art program at Angelo State University in the late 1940’s. She became an art professor at San Angelo College (now Angelo State University), and taught life drawing and elementary design from 1948-1952. She left to attend graduate school at Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 1958 she received the Louise C. Tiffany grant, allowing her to study in Europe. Stites backpacked around Europe for a while before a family illness brought her back to America.

            She had a solo exhibition at SAMFA in 2003 when she was rediscovered through a curious turn of events. Just a few days after her solo exhibition opened, Stites passed away on October 2, 2003 at the age of 92.  Fortunately she did get to see her exhibit before passing, and was created by many former students and colleagues at the opening. Angelo State University now has a memorial scholarship named after her, and it’s only given to the most dedicated students who take over 30 hours of art credit.

Sources: 

Cook, A.C., The Hock Shop Collection: Stories from the Heart and Soul, University of North Texas, 2009.

San Angelo Area Fund, Margaret Stites Memorial Scholarship,

http://www.saafound.org/articles/view/list-of-scholarship-funds-5356967f-5bb8-4af4-b2cb-3ca30abbf838

Scope and Content: 

            This collection contains materials from and relating to Margaret Stites. Includes her personal correspondence, and many news articles from her exhibitions. The majority of the collection are news articles and photos. There is one envelope in the front of the box that is unknown what it pertains to.

Organization and Arrangement: Folders are not in original order. Re-ordered them so subjects are grouped together.

Restrictions:  The collection is open for research.

Literary Rights Statement:

Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator (s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

All requests for copying of materials must be submitted to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in writing or by email.  Please use the Request Form for Copying Materials sheet.

Index Terms:
Art, American -- Texas -- 20th century -- Exhibitions.

Artists -- Texas.

Women artists -- Texas, West.

Painting, American -- Texas -- 20th century.

West (U.S.) -- In art.

Women artists -- Texas -- Biography.

Related Materials: None.

Separated Materials:  None.

Custodial History:

Processing Information: Finding aid completed by Erin Grady, 2014 July 11.

Container List:

Series I. Margaret Tupper Collection

         Includes biographical information, exhibitions information, news articles, photographs and some correspondence. Also included are treatment proposals and appraisals of artwork.