Ruth Pitkanen Johnson papers

Collection

Identifier: IWA0350

Staff Only
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Scope and Contents

The Ruth Pitkanen Johnson papers date from the 1940s to 1992, although many are undated; they measure 5 linear inches. The papers primarily consist of Johnson's artwork in the form of sketches and holiday greeting cards, along with some writings. The collection also contains a few newspaper clippings.

The sketchbook contains Native American-style artwork. Other sketches include landscapes, animals, and designs for the silver jewelry Ruth Johnson made.

The writings are mostly autobiographical. They focus primarily on Ruth Johnson's childhood experiences with her parents and on caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, among other topics. They also include a copy of "The Riches in Poverty" which was published in a collection of Finnish-American writings titled Sampo: The Magic Mill . The writings also include a poem written by Johnson's daughter Juliet Kaufmann.

Dates

Creation: 1940-1992

Creator

Johnson, Ruth Pitkanen, 1908-1992 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been retained by the donor.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

Ruth Pitkanen Johnson, artist and educator, was born in 1908 in Oulu, Finland to The Reverend Matti Pitkanen and Elin Durchman Pitkanen. When Ruth Pitkanen was just three years old, her family moved to the United States and settled in the upper peninsula of Michigan where her father had been hired by the English Methodist Conference of Michigan as a minister. Ruth Pitkanen attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on scholarship, graduating in 1932 with a BA in art education. She struggled to find work until 1934, when her former roommate helped her secure a position at J.B. Young Junior High School in Davenport, Iowa. Pitkanen taught at the school until 1938, when she married Norman Johnson and they moved to Gambier, Ohio.

The couple moved again in the 1940s, this time to Iowa City, Iowa, to earn their masters degrees. During World War II, Norman Johnson was commissioned into the Navy. Ruth Johnson remained in Iowa City with their three children. Following the war, the family moved several times, living in Washington, Colorado and Minnesota before settling in Champaign, Illinois. Ruth Johnson taught drawing theory for thirteen years at the University of Illinois in Champaign, retiring in 1971. She and her husband then moved to Minnesota. They lived there until 1983, when they returned to Iowa City to be closer to a facility which could treat Norman Johnson for his illness, which had symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease. Ruth Johnson became active at the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, serving as volunteer art exhibit coordinator. She continued to be involved in the Senior Center after her husband's death in 1986. Ruth Johnson died in 1992.