Beyond Scope and Content: Hidden Histories from the Film Archive Hannah Palin

Welcome to Beyond Scope and Content. This podcast series from the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, and funded by the Friends of the Library, will take you on a journey into the hidden stories of women filmmakers in the Film Archive.

While there are a number of fascinating tales in the moving image archives, those of women filmmakers and artists are most in need of attention. The goal of Beyond Scope and Content is to focus on the collections of three prolific and talented women from the Northwest. Doris Chase, Ruth Kirk, and Jean Walkinshaw all deserve to have their work brought to the attention of the public for further research and study. 

If you would like to explore the collections of these filmmakers, check out these resources. Films from the Ruth and Louis Kirk Moving Image Collection are available on the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections site, and works from the Doris Chase video and art collection are available on the Internet Archive. Programs from the Jean Walkinshaw films and videos will soon be available through the Internet Archive.

To learn more about these collections, check out the collections guides here:


Doris Chase video and art collection
Jean Walkinshaw films and videos
Ruth and Louis Kirk moving image collection

Jean Walkinshaw is a force of nature. She is in her 90s and lives alone, she’s sharp as a tack, and spends her days creating a video memoir to share with her family. Jean’s amazing. And she’s always been amazing.

Jean Walkinshaw (1926- ) is an award-winning television producer who spent her career profiling important cultural figures from the Pacific Northwest, such as Tom Robbins, George Tsutakawa, Guy Anderson and Roberta Byrd.

If you would like to explore Jean's collections, check out these resources. Programs from Jean Walkinshaw's collection are on the Archives of American Public Broadcasting. Additional materials will be available in the future on the Internet Archive. 

To learn more about these collections, check out the collections guide here:


Jean Walkinshaw films and videos

Ruth and her husband, Louis, made documentary films for decades. The Kirks are always outside hiking, camping, canoeing, going to archaeological digs or meeting with people from indigenous communities throughout the US and Canada.

Ruth Kirk (1925-2018), a writer and photographer, made films and television programs with her husband Louis, exploring the wonders of the natural world. Her work also documented an archeological dig at Neah Bay and the intricate relationship between the Makah and the scientists working on the decades-long excavation.

If you would like to explore Ruth's collection, check out these resources. Films from the Ruth and Louis Kirk Moving Image Collection are available on the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections site

To learn more about this collection, check out the collection guides here:


Ruth and Louis Kirk moving image collection

Doris Chase was steadfastly true to herself and to her vision. She was so cool.

Doris Chase (1923-2008) was an American painter and member of the Northwest School. She was also a teacher, and sculptor, but is best remembered for video art exploring the intersection of dance, movement and the inner life of women.

If you would like to explore Doris' collection, check out these resources. Works from the Doris Chase video and art collection are available on the Internet Archive.

To learn more about these collections, check out the collections guide here:


Doris Chase video and art collection

What is an archive and how do people use it? How do things end up in an archive? And what the heck are "moving images," anyway? 

Hannah Palin, Moving Image Curator at the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, will take you on a deep dive into a few collections featuring women filmmakers. These artists have been overlooked or have faded from our collective memory, but their work is sophisticated and passionate and definitely worth watching. After listening, you're going to need to go watch the work of Doris Chase, Ruth Kirk, and Jean Walkinshaw. Films from the Ruth and Louis Kirk Moving Image Collection are available on the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections site, and works from the Doris Chase video and art collection are available on the Internet Archive. Programs from the Jean Walkinshaw films and videos will soon be available through the Internet Archive.

To learn more about these collections, check out the collections guides here:


Doris Chase video and art collection
Jean Walkinshaw films and videos
Ruth and Louis Kirk moving image collection