Papers of Ann Sayre Wiseman, 1930-2013 (inclusive), 1953-1999 (bulk)

Collection includes childhood art, school papers, and over fifty years of journals and sketchbooks documenting the life, art, and travels of artist, writer, teacher, art and dream therapist Ann Sayre Wiseman. These diaries and sketchbooks illustrate, through her own words and art, her triumphs and struggles from the 1950s through the 1990s, covering a wide range of topics including her career as an artist and teacher; her dreams and their analysis; world travels; a life-long search for self-discovery; self-employment; solo parenting; romantic relationships; friendships; writing and publishing books; working with dream therapy clients and colleagues; etc. Audiovisual materials document Wiseman's workshops, lectures, dream client work, and radio and television interviews. Wiseman's original folder titles appear in quotation marks in the inventory, while all others were designated by the archivist. Electronic records were received in 41 3.5" disks. Disks were imaged using FTK imager. Selected data has been converted to PDF/A for preservation and delivery.

Series I, BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL, 1930-2013 (#1.1-3.4, 55.1, PD.1, E.1-E.10) includes account books; childhood art; art sale lists; exhibit announcements; clippings; work-related correspondence; school papers by Wiseman and yearbooks from Nightingale-Bamford School; a timeline of Wiseman's life; memorial booklets with stories from friends and family after Wiseman's death; and notes on workshops Wiseman conducted or in which she participated. For personal correspondence see also Series II and Series III. Folders are listed in alphabetical order by subject and chronologically within.

Series II, DIARIES, 1941-2007 (#3.5-23.11, PD.2-PD.3) contains bound diaries that document Wiseman's daily life, often used as a vehicle to sort out difficult feelings and issues, as well as draft letters to friends and family. Subjects discussed throughout include the challenges of raising two sons as a single parent; divorce; love affairs; relationships with her parents; working and struggling as an artist; writing and publishing books (on bread sculptures, crafts, clothing, and dream therapy); teaching; friendships; dream descriptions; dream therapy sessions with clients; etc. Wiseman traveled extensively, but some places she would return to with frequency: Block Island, Rhode Island; her family's compound of vacation cottages in Bridgehampton, New York; Zihuatanejo, Mexico; Peak's Island, Maine, and Provincetown, Massachusetts. "The Garden," which is referred to often in entries, is Wiseman's childhood neighborhood in Greenwich Village, MacDougal-Sullivan Garden, where she frequently visited throughout even her adulthood. Diaries frequently include photographs, correspondence, postcards, sketches, meeting notes, and clippings. Wiseman created an extensive index to the diaries while preparing her papers for donation to the Schlesinger Library (#23.11); particularly notable events or topics discussed in each volume appear in this inventory. See also Series III, as the content of Wiseman's sketchbooks often overlap with the diaries and in some cases fills in missing gaps. Material found loose within the diaries has been foldered and listed separately. The diaries are arranged in chronological order.

Series III, SKETCHBOOKS, 1944-2000 (#23.12-48.4, 51FB.1v - 54FB.4, 55.2-55.4, PD.4-PD.7) contains Wiseman's bound sketchbooks with pencil and pen sketches which were quickly done in the moment and then often later washed with watercolor or crayon to fill in color. Subjects include trips (Mexico, India, Provincetown, Italy, etc.), conference participants and presenters, art class models, portraits, animals and plants. On occasion, Wiseman would document images from her and her client's dreams. All sketchbooks contain graphic material. Most include descriptions and stories to document a trip and identify people and places. Postcards, brochures, business cards, letters, and clippings can also be found in the sketchbooks. The original sketchbook Wiseman presented to the publisher for Making Things can also be found in this series. See also corresponding dated diaries in Series I. Folders are arranged in chronological order. Original sketchbook titles appear in quotation marks.

Series IV, WRITING, ca.1975-2010 (#48.5-50.14, E.11-E.29) includes published articles and book drafts by Wiseman on dream therapy, children's nightmares, making crafts, and traveling. Wiseman wrote multiple memoir-themed novels with different titles, which focused on her love affair with a married Italian count when she was nineteen and ended with her visit to him many years later to confront him. "The Hungry Voice: Unfinished Business" and "Un Cantico D'Amor..." document this episode, with name changes. Her two fellowship applications propose writing and publishing her memoir, using her diary entries and sketchbooks. Folders may contain drafts, correspondence, marketing flyers, and notes. Wiseman also frequently published sketches from conferences in dream therapy-related publications and in booklet form to be given away or sold to participants. See also #52FB.1v for a sample of her craft book Making Things. Folders are arranged chronologically by publication date; dates of items within folders may vary by several months or years.

Series V, AUDIOVISUAL, 1967-2010 (#T-396.1 - T-396.30, Vt-192.1 - Vt-192.10, DVD-72.1) includes a pilot episode for WGBH television, based on Wiseman's Making Things craft book; sessions with dream clients using the collage technique; presentations and lectures; chakra and astrological chart readings for Wiseman; an audio reading of her memoir chapters; interview with children on Block Island about ghost sightings; and sessions between Wiseman and her therapists. This series is arranged by format.

Ann Sayre Wiseman's web site is being captured periodically as part of Schlesinger Library’s web archiving program.

Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be digitized and available online.