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You are here: Home / Archives for Brenda Putnam

Brenda Putnam

Brenda Putnam

New Jersey Post Office Mural Artists

August 28, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

Freehold New Jersey Former Post Office 07728
Freehold New Jersey Former Post Office 07728

A total of forty-five artist created murals in forty-seven New Jersey Post Office buildings during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Four of the artist received multiple commissions as noted below. The artist and their awarded sites as listed below.

We have found having a list such as this is convenient when performing research at the National Archives Records and Administration. Any researcher will reveal, that finding information is part of the fun, somethings what you are looking for is catalogued by the artist name. Other times the research materials you need may be cataloged by the city or town, and so on.

Having a list to refer to is helpful on your journey of discovering these wonderful treasures in our nations post offices.

New Jersey Post Office Mural Artists

  1. Atlantic City – Peppino Mangravite
  2. Boonton – Enid Bell*
  3. Bordentown – Avery Johnson*
  4. Caldwell – Brenda Putnam
  5. Former Cliffside Park – Bruno Neri
  6. Former Clifton – John Sitton
  7. Cranford – Gerald Foster*
  8. Fort Lee – Henry Schnakenberg
  9. Former Freehold – Gerald Foster*
  10. Garfield – Robert Laurent
  11. Glen Ridge – James Chapin
  12. Gloucester City – Vincent D’ Agostino
  13. Haddon Heights –  Isamu Noguchi
  14. Hammonton – Spero Anageros
  15. Harrison – Murray J. Roper
  16. Kearny – Albert Kotin
  17. Linden – Sahl Swarz
  18. Former Little Falls – James Brooks
  19. Matawan – Armin A. Scheler
  20. Metuchen – Harld Ambellan
  21. Millburn – Gerald Foster*
  22. Mount Holly – Enid Bell*
  23. New Brunswick – George Biddle
  24. New Brunswick – Ruth Nickerson
  25. Newark – Romuald Kraus*
  26. Newark – Vicken Von Post Totten
  27. North Bergen – Avery Johnson*
  28. Nutley – Paul C. Chapman
  29. Patterson – Ilse Erythropel
  30. Paulsboro – Nena de Brennecke
  31. Penns Grove – Benjamin Hawkins
  32. Pitman – Nathaniel Choate
  33. Plainfield – Anton Refregier
  34. Pompton Lakes – A. Stirling Calder
  35. Princeton – Karl Free
  36. Ridgefield Park – Thomas Donnelly
  37. Ridgewood – Romuald Kraus*
  38. Riverside – John Poehler
  39. Short Hills – Ernest Lawson
  40. South Orange – Bernard Perlin
  41. South River – Maurice Glickman
  42. Summit – Fiske Boyd
  43. Former Toms River – Milton Hebald
  44. Trenton – Charles W. Ward
  45. Washington – Frank D. Shapiro
  46. West New York – William Dean Fausett
  47. Westfield – Roy Hilton
  48. Westwood – Hunt Diederich
  49. Wildwood – Dennis Burlingame
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA

Sources

  • David W. Gates Jr. on site visits to each location.
  • New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
  • National Archives Records and Administration, College Park Maryland
  • Who was who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 years of artist in America, Peter H Falk; Audrey M Lewis, Georgia Kuchen, Veronika Roessler, Madison, CT, Mount View Press. 1999.
  • Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover]  Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz

Filed Under: Artist, New Jersey Tagged With: A Stirling Calder, Albert Kotin, Anton Refregier, Armin A Scheler, Artist, Avery Johnson, Benjamin Hawkins, Bernard Perlin, Brenda Putnam, Bruno Neri, Charles W Ward, Dennis Burlingame, Enid Bell, Ernest Lawson, Fiske Boyd, Frank D Shapiro, George Biddle, Gerald Foster, Harld Ambellan, Henry Schnakenberg, Hunt Diederich, Ilse Erythropel, Isamu Noguchi, James Brooks, James Chapin, John Poehler, John Sitton, Karl Free, Maurice Glickman, Milton Hebald, Murray J Roper, Nathaniel Choate, Nena del Brennecke, New Jersey, Paul C Chapman, Peppino Mangravite, Robert Laurent, Romuald Kraus, Roy Hilton, Ruth Nickerson, Sahl Swarz, Spero Anageros, Thomas Donnelly, Vicken Von Post Totten, Vincent D Agostino, William Dean Fausett

West Caldwell New Jersey Post Office

August 25, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006

ADDRESS: 155 Clinton Rd, Caldwell, New Jersey 07006
ARTIST: Brenda Putnam
TITLE: Sorting the Mail
MEDIUM: Plaster (lunette)
STATUS: The Caldwell post office on Park Ave. is still an active, operating facility. However, the lunette was moved from its original location to the West Caldwell facility here on Clinton Road. It formally resided in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1934

When I went looking for the mural in Caldwell, I visited the original building on Park Ave. When I arrived in May of this year, I was told the art had been removed from the building. The clerk I spoke to mentioned it was being installed in the newer post office on Clinton road.

At the time I had not planned on an extra visit, so I did not visit the West Caldwell post office until my second trip in August of 2021. When I arrived, the clerk mentioned the art has been restored and covered up. The postal service was going to hold a dedication ceremony in 2020, however, due to the COVID pandemic, the celebrations were canceled. However, the art is still covered up.

When I visited in August, I was hoping that by the time I arrived it would have been dedicated and on display. Sadly this was not the case. The art is still coved up and no matter how hard I tried to get the clerk to let me see it, I was denied.

That is ashamed. I was really hoping to see this one and to photograph is during this visit. Another time my friend, another time. I did meet a nice lady who mentioned, that once the art is revealed she would take a picture and send it to me. I promptly provided my business card. I hope she remembers when it gets uncovered.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006 Covered Art
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006
West-Caldwell-NJ-Artifact1
West Caldwell NJ Relief
West Caldwell NJ Relief
West Caldwell NJ Relief

Sources

  • Personal visit on 8/11/21 about 8:50 AM by David W. Gates Jr.
  • United States Postal Service

Filed Under: Artist, Artwork, New Deal, New Jersey, Post Office Tagged With: Artist, Artwork, Brenda Putnam, New Deal, New Jersey, Post Office

Caldwell New Jersey Post Office

May 28, 2021 By David W. Gates Jr.

Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006

ADDRESS: 10 Park Ave., Caldwell, New Jersey 07006
ARTIST: Brenda Putnam
TITLE: Sorting the Mail
MEDIUM: Plaster (lunette)
STATUS: The Caldwell post office is still an active, operating facility. However, the lunette has been reported to have been removed from this facility and placed in the West Caldwell facility on Clinton Road. It formally resided in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1934

 

I must have waited around for about 5 minutes to see if the car in front of the building was going to move. I had already been inside, so I knew the guy sitting in there was not waiting for anyone.

It was getting hot out and I didn’t feel like waiting any longer so I kindly asked the guy if he wouldn’t mind moving so I could get a good picture of the building. He was more than happy to move and help out. I’m just glad no other cars decided to park right after he moved. I got my unobstructed photo and was on my way.

After speaking with the postal clerks, I’m told there are plans to rededicate the art at the newer building, but this never happened due to COVID. As of the writing of this article, it is unsure when a rededication ceremony will take place.

This makes for another good story, can I time this ceremony with another visit to New Jersey to complete my tour? Only time will tell, and the story continues.

David W. Gates Jr.

Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006 Lobby
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006 Cornerstone
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office Relief
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office Relief
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office 07006
Caldwell New Jersey Post Office Relief
West Caldwell NJ Post Office 07006 Covered Art
West Caldwell NJ Relief
West Caldwell NJ Relief
West Caldwell NJ Relief

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources

  • Personal visit on 5/20/2021 about 11:20 AM by David W. Gates Jr.
  • (affiliate link) New Jersey Post Office Mural Guidebook by David W. Gates Jr.
  • United States Postal Service
  • National Archives Records and Administration
  • (affiliate link) Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal: [Hardcover]  Marlene Park, Gerald E. Markowitz
  • The Progress: Historic sculpture unveiled at West Caldwell Post Office | The Progress gallery | newjerseyhills.com
  • New Jersey Hills Media Group: West Caldwell Post Office ceremony | | newjerseyhills.com

Filed Under: Artist, Artwork, Cornerstone, New Deal, New Jersey Tagged With: Artist, Artwork, Brenda Putnam, Cornerstone, New Deal, New Jersey, Plaster Relief

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