Elaine Schmitt

As a child Elaine Schmitt (Urbain), who was born in 1925 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was frequently at Conrad Schmitt Stained Glass Studios, founded by her grandfather in 1885 in Milwaukee. Urbain, along with her siblings, helped in the Studios and was exposed to art at an early age.

She heard about Black Mountain College from her sister Elizabeth Schmiit Jennerjahn and other students from Milwaukee State Teachers’ College who attended in the summer of 1944. She enrolled for the 1945 Summer Art Institute and remained through the summer of 1946 when she moved to New York.

At Black Mountain she studied art with Josef Albers, Lyonel Feininger and Robert Motherwell, among others. She met her future husband, John Urbain, at the college. Besides her sister, who also taught dance at the college, her two brothers, Conrad and Rupert, also attended Black Mountain College. Schmitt was an internationally known artist who exhibited in the U.S., France, and Spain.

She was also a devoted advocate for social justice. In 1963, Elaine traveled to Rome with the Women for Peace Pilgrimage. While there she made a drawing of Pope John III. In 1971, she attended the Paris Peace Conference. She also drew several portraits of leading peace activists including: Norman Thomas, Linus Pauling, Daniel Berrigan and Dorothy Day. Her work is held in museums and galleries in the U.S.

Biography written by Mary Emma Harris for the Black Mountain College Project.

Alternative Name: Elaine Schmitt Urbain

Relationships

Sister: Elizabeth Schmitt Jennerjahn

Brother: Victor Schmitt

Brother: Rupert Schmitt

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Elaine in 1997 (transcript) and 2001 (transcript) which are available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Ox-Bow School in Saugatuck and Ray Johnson – early Ray Johnson drawings – Johnson at BMC – visit by Johnson’s parents –discussion of health treatments

Courses Taken

Summer Quarter 1945: Color, and Design with Albers, Sculpture with O. Zadkine.

Fall Quarter 1945-1946: Drawing with Albers, Painting with Albers, Biology with Baker, Contemporary Society with Levi.

Winter Quarter 1945-1946: Drawing with Albers, Painting with Albers, Design with Albers, Modern European History with Walcott, Chorus with Jalowetz, and German with Straus.

Spring 1945-1946: Drawing, Painting and Design with Albers, German with G. Straus, Work Program

Summer 1946: Color and Lab with Albers, and Painting with Varda