Dorothy E. Yepez papers

Dorothy E. Yepez (1916-1999) was an artist, gallery owner, former nurse and teacher of violin and piano. She owned Dorothy Yepez Galleries for fifteen years in Saranac Lake, New York; and also worked in the area of children’s theater in New York City during the mid-1960s.

Dorothy Elizabeth Yepez (née Robinson) was born in 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Amos N. Robinson and Alice Delgado. She attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work; Temple University School of Music; New York University Cooper Union City; Queens and Brooklyn Colleges in New York; and studied art with Richard Colin and Alfred Crimi. On September 10, 1948, Dorothy E. Robinson married Bolivar Yepez.

Most galleries and museums possess a home base from which to operate. For more than 28 years, Dorothy Yepez Art Galleries showcased a full range of artistic forms of expression within the confines of a small, two-story gallery space on Bloomingdale Road in Saranac Lake, New York. Eventually, with the assistance of several museum professionals and individuals, Yepez extended the original gallery experience far beyond its historic area. Those individuals established Dorothy Yepez Gallery Without Walls, Inc., which exhibited shows of art ranging from modern sculpture and traditional American paintings to exhibition of dolls, children’s art and photographic prints. The purpose of the gallery-museum was to “promote education and culture in art by means of exhibitions, lectures, classes, radio, television, cinema, discussions, and any other available media; to bring artist and public together; and to encourage experimentation in all media,” [sic] according to the Galleries’ brochure.

Many of Yepez’s contributions to African American women’s history centered around her civic, political, philanthropic and social activities. As a reverend, she was actively involved in the United Ministries in Higher Education, serving as a member of the Black Arena Committee (1973). Yepez also worked on the Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. political campaign and served as a member of the American Federation of Arts and Brooklyn American Society.

Yepez expressed her passion for education and art in New York. Her community activism in education included a union of faith-based activities and art. She helped with several projects on art foundation committees and taught art courses for the greeting card industry. She served as chair and member of the Religion and Arts Committee of Central Presbyterian Church (NYC); provided art consultant work for the Community League of West 159th Street; and advocated for art programs for children, young adults and local and international artists and composers.

Dorothy Yepez died in 1999 in New York.