i-xxii Front matter.qxd - Brandeis Institutional Repository

xvi / Acknowledgmentstors Virginia Mecklenburg and Harry Rand, as well as from Judy Throm, chiefarchivist for the Archives of American Art, and Carolyn K. Carr, deputy directorof the National Portrait Gallery. A number of colleagues in the ƒeld havekindly read and commented on speciƒc sections of this book, and I would liketo thank in particular Patricia Hills, Susan Platt, Virginia Hagelstein Marquardt,Mary Garrard, Andrew Hemingway, Juan Martinez, and Trevor Fairbrother.I am especially grateful to my friend and colleague in the Fine ArtsDepartment at Brandeis, Prof. Lynette Bosch, for patiently reading and commentingon all of the initial drafts.Among those people who consented to be interviewed for the book, MayStevens, Rudolf Baranik, Margaret Belcher, Philip Bonosky, and Peggy Brookshave been especially generous with their time and information. Central to theentire project, of course, has been the Neel Family—Neel’s sons, Richard andHartley, and her daughter-in-law Nancy. Nancy was invaluable as Neel’s assistantduring the artist’s lifetime, and my gratitude for her un„agging assistanceon this project could never be adequately acknowledged. Adam Sheffer andthe staff at the Robert Miller Gallery has also been unfailingly helpful in providinginformation and reproductions. John Cheim, at the Cheim and ReadGallery, was especially supportive in the early phases of this project.John Hose, executive assistant to the president of Brandeis and governor ofthe Brandeis University Press, has guided the manuscript through to publicationwith consummate professionalism. To Paul Schnee, formerly at the UniversityPress of New England, and Phyllis Deutsch, who took over the project,I give thanks for insightful editorial comment.Finally I thank my family, especially my grown children Mark and AnnMarie, for their love and support. This book is dedicated to the memory of mylate husband, Michael.P.A.