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<title>Agnes Pelton and Florence Miller Pierce - Essay II</title>
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  <p>&nbsp;</p>
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  <p><a name="fig4"></a><a href="fig4.html"><img src="Images/fig4sm-m.jpg" width="288" height="205" border="0"></a>
  <p><b>Untitled</b><br>
    Florence Miller Pierce, 1942, Oil on canvas, 10 x 14, 95.18.1, Gift of the 
    artist<br>
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  <p align="CENTER"><b>ii</b></p>
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  <blockquote>
    <p>At the time of the group's formation, the foundations of the world's societies 
      were still quivering from the destruction of World War I in 1918. Beginning 
      in 1929 an eleven-year downward economic slump declined into the Great Depression. 
      In Europe, the rise of Fascism and Naziism, the Spanish Civil War, and the 
      tremors coming from Communist Russia put increased pressure on the political 
      systems of the world. Turning inward, America retreated into a conservative 
      mode that was disinterested and sometimes hostile toward creative investigation. 
      Thus, the TPG painters were greeted with shock and consternation. It was 
      one thing to tolerate one abstractionist maverick (Raymond Jonson) in New 
      Mexico; it was yet another to be confronted with a group of these individualists 
      who organized with common goals and an agenda. </p>
    <p>As pioneers of art, the TPG painters sought to gain acceptance of their 
      art by the largely antagonistic New Mexican public, thereby connecting themselves 
      with similar issues held by a larger community of modern artists in the 
      United States and the world. The TPG members shared a background and an 
      interest both in the theories promoted by artists Kandinsky and Mondrian, 
      and in the tenets of Theosophy<a name="four"></a><a href="Pelton_Piercenotes.html#FNT3" target="">(4)</a>, Zen Buddhism<a name="five"></a><a href="Pelton_Piercenotes.html#FNT4" target="">(5)</a>, Dynamic Symmetry<a name="six"></a><a href="Pelton_Piercenotes.html#FNT5" target="">(6)</a>, and other philosophical and occult concepts. Although the stylistic approach 
      of each TPG artist varied, their idealism and integrity of purpose were 
      unified. </p>
    <p>The members of the TPG were concerned that their interests might be confused 
      with those of mid-19th century American Transcendentalism and Ralph Waldo 
      Emerson. They made a great effort to clarify that even if the TPG agreed 
      with philosophical positions of other systems, they did not paint images 
      to illustrate any philosophy. Instead, they drew upon many philosophies 
      and ideals, incorporating them into their painting as each painter fulfilled 
      his or her own strategy. </p>
    <p>Whatever one may think about the esoteric tendencies of Theosophy, through 
      artists such as Kandinsky and Mondrian, the movement played a crucial role 
      in the emergence of nonrepresentational art. Pelton, along with other TPG 
      members Jonson, Lawren Harris, and Emil Bisttram belonged to a generation 
      with one foot in the 19th century-a generation of artists strongly receptive 
      to the ideals promoted by the theosophic movement. Their maturity and experience, 
      along with Rudhyar's, provided the power in the formation of the TPG. Their 
      lives overlapped those of Mondrian and Kupka who were dedicated theosophists, 
      as well as that of Kandinsky who saw great value in the principles of Theosophy. 
    </p>
    <p>Stuart Walker and William Lumpkins instead developed their interest in 
      nonrepresentational form from less specific influences, although Lumpkins 
      held a significant interest in Zen-Buddhism during his teenage years. Along 
      with Florence Miller Pierce, Horace Towner Pierce and Robert Gribbroek 
      came to the group through Bisttram's Taos School of Art (1936-1939). Introducing 
      them to the theories of Theosophy and Kandinsky, Bisttram encouraged them 
      to read Kandinsky's <I>The Art of Spiritual Harmony</I>. Ed Garman, the last to 
      join the TPG, had found his interest in non-objective work largely through 
      the philosophical study of Plato and Kandinsky. </p>
    <p>Modernist pioneers were artists rather than philosophers, regardless of 
      the extent to which they embraced Theosophy and similar teachings. The TPG 
      determined to make art that was formless in an objective sense, yet powerful 
      in an undefined space. The ideals of these philosophies validated each artist's 
      internal values and were incorporated into their art by transforming and 
      converting abstract and non-objective images beyond the sources of subject 
      matter, symbolism, or personal style. In this manner, the work achieved 
      the transcendental, and a spiritual quality could be perceived. </p>
    <p>As World War II became imminent, the group's momentum was interrupted, 
      and members traveled in many directions to fulfill various war-time commitments. 
      Several enrolled in the industrial work force supporting the war effort, 
      and others became members of the fighting forces. The Pierces ended up on 
      the west coast where Horace was drafted into the U.S. armed forces and Florence 
      involved herself in creative activities and flourished, though few paintings 
      were accomplished. Only Jonson and Pelton were able to continue their life's 
      work. By 1941 the group was forever fractured. Although most chroniclers 
      of the TPG place its ending in 1941, for Jonson, who remained "the keeper 
      of the flame," that was not its finalization. </p>
    <p>Jonson wrote Pelton regarding the annual TPG dues on June 2, 1947, </p>
    <blockquote>
      <p>No one is paying up except you and Garman. I am desirous of keeping the 
        thing going but because of my own terrific schedule it has been impossible 
        to carry on correspondence and work for exhibitions. I guess the only 
        thing to do is let the money pile up and when there is enough then make 
        an effort toward an exhibition.</p>
    </blockquote>
    <p> Jonson held Pelton in the highest regard and he turned to her to express 
      his final disappointment. On June 25th, 1945, he wrote to her "I fear [that 
      the TPG] is finished. The members are scattered and I have a feeling the 
      great interest that existed at the beginning has been lost. I am out of 
      touch with all of them except Bisttram and you." And finally on July 10, 
      1945, Jonson wrote to Pelton, "I guess this winds up the TPG and believe 
      me I am sorry. Some of the material in connection with the activity we carried 
      out forms a rather interesting record. I shall keep it for future generations 
      to ponder over!" One cannot help but wonder what might have been possible 
      if only the war had not begun. </p>
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        <b><A HREF="Pelton_Pierce3.html">Next<br>iii</A></b>
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        <font color="#000000">All text &copy; Tiska Blankenship <br>
        All images &copy; Collection of the Jonson Gallery<br>
        of the University of New Mexico Art Museums, Albuquerque </font> 
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