The Shaddle Baum Archive documents the rich tapestry of artistic and cultural activity woven through the careers of Alice Shaddle and Don Baum artists, who were also educators and arts leaders. Alice Shaddle was a founding member of the pioneering women’s collaborative Artemisia Gallery. Both were actively involved with the Hyde Park Art Center, where Shaddle taught for over 50 years and Don Baum served as Director of Exhibitions (1956–1972). An influential curator and promoter of the Chicago Imagists who served in leading roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Illinois Arts Council, Baum curated 73 exhibitions featuring over 250 artists.
The Shaddle Baum Archive houses the complete catalogues raisonnés for both artists—totaling approximately 4,900 artworks by Shaddle and 500 by Baum—alongside over 3,400 archival items related to 3,200 individuals and 470 exhibitions.
The project was initiated by Charles Baum shortly after his father's death in 2008. It gained momentum with a Terra Foundation for American Art “Art Design Chicago” grant in late 2020 and expanded with the expertise of a team including Dana Boutin, Cain Baum, and advisors Lisa Stone, Nicholas Lowe, and Susan Weininger.
The Shaddle Baum Archive offers unprecedented access to the lives and extensive work of two influential Chicago artists, Alice Shaddle (1928–2017) and Don Baum (1922–2008), and provides insights into the evolution of the city's visual arts scene from the 1960s onward.
