Alvin Gully was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 29, 1902. He attended public school in Brooklyn until his parents moved to Westbrook, Connecticut in 1911. Before working for the WPA Federal Arts Project, he worked as a factory hand, mechanical draftsman, machine designer, model builder, pianist at a silent movie theater, musician in a dance orchestra, sign painter, author of technical articles, and illustrator for magazines. Gully was a self-taught artist, although he took a correspondence course in commercial illustrating through the Federal Schools of Minneapolis. He completed 35 projects for the WPA. Seventeen of his works were for the Index of American design, and he worked various “odd jobs” around the WPA offices including taking photographs, mounting works, and preparing exhibitions. Gully died on June 1, 1985, in Westbrook. He was 83. Of special note is that he ran for Governor on the Socialist Labor Party ticket in 1934.

 Sources: WPA Artist’s Work Card; WPA Biography; WPA Federal Arts Project Newsletter, September 1938; “Socialism Considered,” Hartford Courant, May 7, 1934; “Events Scheduled Today,” New York Times, March 7, 1937; Social Security Death Index.