Annette (Thorley) Françoise Collection

Collection

Identifier: H-Mss-1125

Staff Only

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Annette (Thorley) Françoise Collection includes materials that trace and span the artist and Claremont Graduate school alumna’s professional career. The collection’s first series includes public relations materials, press releases, interview transcripts, exhibition proposals, reviews, and correspondence related to Françoise and her artwork. Materials in this series also provide insight into the artist’s contributions to the fine arts community in Toronto, Canada. A second series compiles slides and photographs of the artist’s work, spanning the years 1963 to 2000, and capture images of artwork in progress, sketches, publicly displayed pieces, and the artist’s travels and personal life. Hand-drawn artwork, loose leaf drawings, and four sketchbooks by Françoise are included. An original Kaiser Diascop 3 slide viewer belonging to the artist is stored in a separate archival enclosure as a part of the collection.

Dates

Creation: 1963-2000 and undated

Creator

Françoise, Annette (Thorley) (Person)

Language of Material

Languages represented in the collection: English.

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Special Collections.

Biography / Administrative History

Annette (Thorley) Françoise was an alumna of the Claremont Colleges, earning her MFA from Claremont Graduate School (now University) in 1967. Prior to coming to Claremont Graduate School, she was an art student at Long Beach State College (now California State University, Long Beach) with a focus on sculpture. While attending graduate school, Françoise was introduced to Amish quilts, which shifted her focus and artistic inclinations towards textiles. She became intrigued by the dichotomously complex, yet simple nature of the quilts and textiles became her medium of choice. Original writings from the artist go deeper into this proclivity; in the standalone fabric pieces she saw ready-made swatches of color, comparable to paint, ready to be pieced together to convey her abstract style.

Over her artistic career, Françoise’s quilted exhibitions were displayed in galleries such as the Pasadena Museum of Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Isaacs Gallery, the Deson-Zaks Gallery of Chicago, and the Atrium Gallery. Similarly, her artwork was commissioned by the Ontario Science Centre, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Hamilton Public Library, and as a book cover for the publisher Coach House Press. She was recognized by the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council for her contributions to the fine art space of Toronto and her work received reviews from publications such as Arts Canada, the Chicago Sunday Times, the Toronto Star. Throughout her career, she also led numerous courses and workshops at institutions including the City University of New York, Brock University, and Emily Carr College.

Extent

2.4 Linear Feet (2 records boxes, 1 oversize document box)

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection includes materials that trace and span the career of artist Annette (Thorley) Françoise. The collection features public relations materials, press releases, interview transcripts, exhibition proposals, reviews, and correspondence related to Françoise and her artwork, as well as photographic materials and sketches by the artist.

Organization and Arrangement

This collection is organized into the following two series:

Series 1: Public relations materials, correspondence, and press, 1974-2000 and undated Series 2: Artwork and photographs, 1963-2000 and undated

Physical Location

Please consult repository.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of June Toohey, December 2020.

Accruals

No additions to the collection are anticipated.

Processing Information

35mm slides of artist's original artwork were removed from their original casings and transferred to archival slide sleeves. Photographs were transferred to mylar sleeves. Sketches were disbound from original sketchbooks and interwoven with tissue paper. Other materials were removed from original folders and placed in acid-free archival folders and boxes.