Today In History: Victor D'Amico Is Born

If you ever have occasion to visit Amagansettt, don't miss a trip to the Art Barge, also known as the Victor D’Amico Institute of Art. With help from fishermen, Victor D'Amico and his wife, Mabel, brought a retired Navy barge from New Jersey and beached it on the Napeague Harbor shore in 1960. They remodeled it to accommodate studio and workshop space, added a library and lounge, and began hosting art classes, exhibits, and special events to nurture creativity through progressive teaching. It is an inspirational landmark in a special setting on the sandy shores.

Of Italian heritage, Victor D'Amico (born May 19, 1904, New York, New York ; died April 1, 1987, Southampton, New York) was a pioneer in modern art education; the founder and director of Education at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (1948-1969); and an alumnus of Teachers College, Columbia University, where he earned his bachelor's and masters in Fine Arts and Art and Art Education (1926-1930) -- and also taught art education in 1932, as well as from 1934–1942. He believed in individual expression, lived experience, and art as a human necessity, with strong faith in the creative potential of everyone. D'Amico is known for his innovative, hands-on art classes for children, adults, families, and teachers, with programs that included: The Young People's Gallery at MoMA; The Children’s Art Carnival; The War Veterans’ Art Center; The People’s Art Center; The National Committee on Art Education; the national televised series “Through the Enchanted Gate”; and The Victor D'Amico Institute of Art (The Art Barge). In addition to his work at MoMA, Victor D'Amico taught at Black Mountain College, North Carolina (1944); Southhampton College, Long Island, New York (1969); and New York University (1965-1972). He viewed the process of making art as more important that finished piece, and, in so doing, helped humanize the arts for vitalized living.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Linn, C.T. (1942, Oct 11). Art Education Committee, Is Organized to Foster Creative Work During Wartime. New York Times (1923-) 
• Buder, L. (1949, Jan 23). Changes in the Teaching of Art. New York Times (1923-) 
• Art Students Start Tours of City Galleries: 200 High School Artists Join First Guided Visit to 'Fabulous 57th Street'. (1950, Oct 15). New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) 
• Cook, J. (1955, Feb 16). Child Painting of Milan on Exhibit Here. New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) 
• Barclay, D. (1958, Mar 02). The Magic World of Words. New York Times (1923-) 
• Harrison, E.  (1961, Jul 05). Crew of Artists Signs on a Barge Museum Holding Classes on a Converted Craft on L.I. New York Times (1923-) 
• Vils, U. (1966, Apr 08). Creativity in Children Gentle Art. Los Angeles Times (1923-1995) 
• Carter, S. (1975, Jul 31). Teachers Find an Art Barge Full of Learning. Newsday (1940-) 
• Demma, J. (1987, Apr 03). Victor D'Amico, 82, Art Educator. Newsday (1940-) 
• McGill, D.C.(1987, Apr 03). Victor D'Amico, 82, a Pioneer in Art Education for Children. New York Times (1923-) 

Tips:

• D’Amico, Victor. Art for the Family. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1954. Stacks N85 .D28 1954
• D’Amico, Victor, Frank W. Cyr, and Frank W. (Frank William) Cyr. Creative Teaching in Art. First edition. Scranton, PA: International Textbook Co., 1942.  Closed Stacks Research ; N85 .D3 1942
• D’Amico, Victor. Creative Teaching in Art. Revised edition. Scranton, Pa: International Textbook Co., 1953. Oversize ; N85 .D3 1953
• Lerman, Doris. “50 Years of Humanizing the Arts: Victor D’Amico.” Roundtable Reports, vol. 5, no. 2, 1980, pp. 4–7.
• Check out the Victor D'Amico Papers and Architectural Drawings (coming soon to Teachers College Digital Collections)
• Victor D'Amico Papers, Museum of Modern Art, New York

Images:

• Art Barge Construction Photograph, from the Victor D'Amico Papers, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University
• [Art Barge], Architectural Drawing, from the Victor D'Amico Architectural Drawings, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University
• Victor D'Amico Being Presented A Gift, a Sikri elephant [from] the children of the Art Center of the Museum of Modern Art in India, from the Victor D'Amico Papers, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University
• Poster image:  Victor D'Amico by Sara Torres Vega, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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