The artist Jess was born Burgess Collins in 1923 in Long Beach California. Jess initially was educated as a chemist and in his career worked on the production of plutonium for the Manhattan Project.... Read full biography
The artist Jess was born Burgess Collins in 1923 in Long Beach California. Jess initially was educated as a chemist and in his career worked on the production of plutonium for the Manhattan Project. In 1949 he abandoned his scientific career and moved to San Francisco where he enrolled in the... Read full biography
The artist Jess was born Burgess Collins in 1923 in Long Beach California. Jess initially was educated as a chemist and in his career worked on the production of plutonium for the Manhattan Project. In 1949 he abandoned his scientific career and moved to San Francisco where he enrolled in the California School of Fine Arts. Burgess Collins then changed his name to "Jess." n 1951 Jess met poet, Robert Duncan, and began a relationship that lasted until Duncan's death in 1988. Duncan and Jess... Read full biography
The artist Jess was born Burgess Collins in 1923 in Long Beach California. Jess initially was educated as a chemist and in his career worked on the production of plutonium for the Manhattan Project. In 1949 he abandoned his scientific career and moved to San Francisco where he enrolled in the California School of Fine Arts. Burgess Collins then changed his name to "Jess." n 1951 Jess met poet, Robert Duncan, and began a relationship that lasted until Duncan's death in 1988. Duncan and Jess worked together to expand and refine a study of world literature and art focused in myths, symbols and archetypes. The couple was active in the Bay Area poetry and art scene. They were good friends with Jay Spicer, Helen Adam, Wallace Berman, Patricia... Read full biography
The artist Jess was born Burgess Collins in 1923 in Long Beach California. Jess initially was educated as a chemist and in his career worked on the production of plutonium for the Manhattan Project. In 1949 he abandoned his scientific career and moved to San Francisco where he enrolled in the California School of Fine Arts. Burgess Collins then changed his name to "Jess." n 1951 Jess met poet, Robert Duncan, and began a relationship that lasted until Duncan's death in 1988. Duncan and Jess worked together to expand and refine a study of world literature and art focused in myths, symbols and archetypes. The couple was active in the Bay Area poetry and art scene. They were good friends with Jay Spicer, Helen Adam, Wallace Berman, Patricia Jordan, Jay DeFeo and Michael McClure. With painter Harry Jacobus the pair ran the King Ubu Gallery in 1... Read full biography
Jess - Artist Info
About Jess: Books
Books & Publications (27)
Publications based on askART research. List may not be comprehensive.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 360 Views on the Collection (Exhibition catalog)
2016
Block, Judy and Suzanne Stein, Editors
360 pages (color)
An Opening Of The Field: Jess, Robert Duncan, And Their Circle Crocker Art Museum
2013
Duncan, Michael and Christopher Wagstaff, also William Breazeale and James Maynard
288 pages (color)
The Artists Bluebook 34,000 North American Artists to March 2005
2005
AskART.com Inc. - Dunbier, Lonnie Pierson (Editor)
479 pages
Davenport's Art Reference: The Gold Edition
2005
Davenport, Ray
2,421 pages
California Art: 450 Years of Painting & Other Media
1998
Moure, Nancy Dustin Wall
560 pages (color)
Who's Who in American Art, 1997-1998
1997
Marquis Who's Who
1,515 pages
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 195 Works of Art
1996
Demetrion, James T (Introduction)
166 pages (color)
Pacific Dreams: Currents of Surrealism and Fantasy in California 1934-1957 (Exhibition catalog)
1995
Ehrlich, Susan (editor)
208 pages (color)
Art Since 1940 Strategies of Being
1995
Fineberg, Jonathan
496 pages (color)
Facing Eden: 100 Years of Landscape Art in Bay Area
1995
Nash, Steven A
216 pages (color)
Who's Who in American Art, 1993-1994, 20th Edition (American Federation of Arts)
1993
Bowker R R
1,473 pages
Hand-Painted Pop American Art in Transition 1955-62 (Exhibition catalog)
1993
Ferguson, Russell (editor)
256 pages (color)
Word As Image American Art 1960-1990 (Exhibition catalog)
1990
Bowman, Russell/Dean Sobel
172 pages (color)
Secret Exhibition Six California Artists of the Cold War Era (Exhibition catalog)
1990
Solnit, Rebecca
145 pages
Art in Place Fifteen Years of Acquisition (Exhibition catalog)
1989
Armstrong, Tom/Susan C Larsen
230 pages (color)
Reported Sightings Art Chronicles
1989
Ashbery, John
419 pages (color)
California Painters/New Work
1989
Hopkins, Henry
143 pages (color)
Rezoning: Collage and Assemblage Bill Bissett, George Herms, Jess, Al Neil (Exhibition catalog)
1989
Wallace, Keith
60 pages (color)
Who's Who in American Art-1986 1986
1986
Jaques Cattell Press
1,292 pages
Art in the San Francisco Bay Area 1945-1980/An Illustrated History
1985
Albright, Thomas
349 pages (color)
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Paintings and Sculpture Collection
1985
DuPont, Diana, K Holland
402 pages (color)
Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art Selections from Permanent Collection
1984
Chicago, Museum Contemporary
164 pages (color)
The Americans/The Collage (Exhibition catalog)
1982
Contemporary Arts Museum
143 pages (color)
Painting & Sculpture in California The Modern Era
1976
San Francisco Mus Modern Art
272 pages (color)
Poets of the Cities New York and San Francisco 1950-1965 (Exhibition catalog)
1974
Dallas Museum of Fine Art
174 pages
Sunshine Muse Contemporary Art on the West Coast
1974
Plagens, Peter
200 pages (color)
Contemporary American Painting and Sculpture, 1974 (Exhibition catalog)