Sylvia Randolph interview 1996

Oral History

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Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

Name/Title

Sylvia Randolph interview 1996

Entry/Object ID

2024.41.01

Scope and Content

1996 interview with Sylvia Randolph Bekken at home with Helen Van Mell. Sylvia talks about her life, house and art.

Context

Sylvia tells about: - the Singapore origins of her home on 996 Holland Street and moving the house from Singapore to Saugatuck on the frozen river - original stories of her youth, art school, marriage, life in Saugatuck, Oak Park, Ill. - her early life at Ox-Bow in the 1930s, then known as the Summer School of Painting - history of instructors at Ox-Bow - Casa Blanca, a hotel that faced the Saugatuck Village Square until it burned in 1969

Collection

Artists, Buildings: Homes, cottages and private residences, 1910 Ox-Bow

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

2024.41

Acquisition Method

Found in Collection

Credit Line

To view this recording, scroll down to the bottom of this entry and click the blue web link. This video was created by Saugatuck-Douglas History Center volunteers or was donated to the Center in a good faith effort to preserve local history. If you feel this content should not be available to the public — or have additional information that will add context to this interview — please contact the SDHC Archives at archives@mysdhistory.org.

Oral History Details

Interviewee

Bekken, Sylvia Anna Edna (Miller) Randolph 1905-2008

Interviewer

Van Mell, Helen S. -2002

Interview Date

Jan 6, 1996

Length of Interview

55

Dimensions

Dimension Description

DVD version

Width

5 in

Depth

5 in

Location

* Untyped Location

AWS/VidArch SSD/DVD originals drawer

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

996 Holland/Randolph/VanLeeuwen, Fursman, Frederick Frary 1874-1943, Hotel Casablanca/Grace Hotel/Roamers Inn 1904-1969, Ox-Bow/Summer School of Art, Ulbricht, Elsa 1885-1980, Krehbiel, Albert Henry 1873-1945, Moore, Cathie, Taylor, Cora Bliss 1889-1986, Art Club, Saugatuck Douglas, Ellington, Duke, Heath, May (Francis) 1873-1961, Van Dis, Jane Ellen (Bird) 1921-2017, Hoffman, Richard "Dick", Tillstrom, Burr 1917-1985, Mason, Alice (Colb) 1895-1977, Brandess, James, Perry, Marcia

Web Links and URLs

https://sdhc-collections.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/videos/149-RandolphSylvia-1996LifeHomeArt.mp4

General Notes

Note

Video synopsis notes by Judy Anthrop, May 2025: Sylvia Bekken Randolph 2024.41.01 Interview with Helen VanMell Origins of 996 Holland Street, on the river, in Saugatuck, Mi. Moving the house from Singapore to Saugatuck on the frozen river Original stories of her youth, art school, marriage, life in Saugatuck, Oak Park, Ill. Wintered in Hawaii for 27 years. Her early life at Ox-Bow in the 1930s, then the Summer School of Painting History of instructors at Ox-Bow. Casa Blanca James Brandess/Marcia Perry Elsa Ulbricht Frederick Fursman Albert Kriebel Charles Longenbau (Charles Longabaugh?) Kathie Moore Cora Bliss Taylor Duke Ellington Martin VanLeuwen May Heath Jane VanDis Dick Hoffman Burr Tillstrom Ray Mason and Alice Mason at Ox-Bow Fred Randolph Swimming the river to school at OxBow Mother and Sister staying at OxBow also Taught 14 years in Waukegan High School Seniors in the country called 53rd Boondocks Furmsan had models outdoors in the nude and boys from town would sneak around Fursman and Kriebel had differences and Albert moved into Saugatuck and opened AK Studio. He taught landscape with oil and watercolor

Create Date

November 9, 2024

Update Date

May 21, 2025