Interviewee: Joan Bitzer
Date of birth/age at interview: May 28, 1927/51
Interviewer: Wayne Aaronson
Interview date: Aug. 1, 1978
Interview location: unknown
Interview length: 8 minutes
Time span discussed: 1970 to 1978
Summary: Joan Bitzer was a watercolorist whose main subject matter came from the natural world. She was born in New York and moved to Bucks Country after her marriage. She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and taught at many local Bucks County public schools and at the Central Bucks YMCA where she was the director of the Fine Arts Program. Although following the set question list the interviewer manages to bring out Joan’s lively personality and clear opinions on a number of topics.
Time markers:
00:00 – work is impressionistic
00:50 – lives in Bucks because of marriage to resident, great place to live
01:20 – variety of landscapes in Bucks
01:50 – did not look for financial support for art in the county
02:29 – travel to other cities
02:50 – stimulating to be around artists but paints for sheer pleasure
03:52 – constant competition in shows affects general quality of work
04:25 – Alliance for Artist helps with artist’s isolation
05:00 – membership in artists’ organizations; friendships with other artists
05:50 – community needs meeting place and workshops for artists
06:40 – intends to stay in Bucks County
07:10 – this oral history project good way to catalogue a group of artists
