Anthony Quinn Foundation awarded grant from Rhode Island Council for the Humanities to catalogue art collection for research and education purposes

March 26, 2013 - Artist and actor Anthony Quinn (1915-2001) spent almost a decade living and working in Bristol, Rhode Island, where the preponderance of his work and collection still resides. The collection consists of thousands of Mr. Quinn's own sketches, paintings and sculptures as well as hundreds of works of art he acquired in his world travels. It also contains manuscripts, diaries, personal correspondence, films, rare photos, recorded interviews and his personal book collection consisting of more than 9,000 volumes.

Earlier this year, the Anthony Quinn Foundation was awarded a grant from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities to begin organizing and cataloging the archive in order to make it more manageable for research and scholarly study and available for organized school visits. Eventually the collection will be digitized and available for viewing online. The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities Major Grants program awards funding to projects that inspire and support intellectual curiosity and imagination. In the past two years, the Foundation has hosted numerous cultural organizations and high school groups to visit the studio/workshop and collection of Mr. Quinn. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and demonstrates the need and desire for such personal hands-on experiential learning.

Some comments from educators and students who visited the archive:<br />

"This unique experience provided me with a new lens through which to view the life and work of this extraordinary individual…he arrived in the U.S. as an immigrant, and labored to become a renowned actor and an inspiration for young people to follow their dreams" — Ann Marie Stock, Director of Literary and Cultural Studies at The College of William & Mary

"The visit to (the archive) inspires all to work diligently in the creative realm in order to contribute to the artistic legacy of our planet. Mr. Quinn's great variety of artistic accomplishments…is truly inspirational. I believe that your foundation is fulfilling a very important need in our society by supporting the teaching of the arts and motivating all artists, especially young artists…and open up their minds and hearts through the arts." — Margherita Tortora, Senior Lector II, CLAIS Yale MacMillan Center

"…this experience has been a transformative one. Mr. Quinn's work, passion to create and the energy that seems to exist on the grounds has inspired me to pursue the passions of my life; to search for the extraordinary out of life, rather than accepting the ordinary." – Dennis Driscoll, Student College Unbound

A critical component of the project is the international significance deriving from Mr. Quinn's Mexican heritage, his upbringing as a poor immigrant in Los Angeles during a time of extreme prejudice against Mexicans (1920s, 30's, and 40's) and his unquestionable international success. That success was predicated on hard work, dedication, and the influence of great artists and pioneers with whom he crossed paths: Frank Lloyd Wright, John Steinbeck, John Barrymore, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Cosby, Spike Lee, and many others. Although he was best known for his work in film, throughout his life he developed an equal significance as an artist across many different media and stayed involved and engaged in many humanitarian causes.

About RICH:
The mission of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities is to inspire and support intellectual curiosity and imagination in all Rhode Islanders. Founded in 1973, the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities is a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The founding purpose of RICH is to promote public understanding and appreciation of the tradition of thought and accomplishment that we call the humanities. The Council's work is based on the conviction that history, literature, philosophy, civics, the arts and other fields of the humanities are central not only to formal education, but to the daily lives of free and diverse people. For more information visit www.rihumanities.org

About AQF:
The Anthony Quinn Foundation creates and administers innovative programs to advance the idea that art, in all its forms, is essential to learning and the enrichment of the mind. The mission of AQF is to advocate the important role arts education plays in personal development and in the overall improvement of social, economic and cultural systems. For more information visit www.anthonyquinnfoundation.org