In October 1962 the Guild
held seven simultaneous shows:
1) The Fall All Media show in the Gallery juried by Sister Mary
Corita, Immaculate Heart College and Dr. Lester D. Longman, UCLA
2) An Oil Landscape painting show in Studio 25 in Spanish Village
3) A Non-objective show at the Design Center on 5th Ave. juried
by Richard Allen Morris
4) A Print show in the Humanities and Art section of the San Diego
State College Library arranged by Paul Lingren
5) Another exhibition was also held at Cal Western.
6) Another show was at the Deems-Martin Associates architectural
firm.
7) Another show was held at the new Stereo Fair gallery.
Twenty Guild artists were invited to participate in the La Jolla
Festival of Arts.
Mr. William T. Stephens was
President of the Fine Arts Society and also a Guild member. Warren
Beach, a fine artist and Guild member, and Marty Petersen, another
fine artist and in charge of the Gallery public relations all were
extremely helpful to the artists. Their programs, events, and exhibitions
received a great deal of support, not only from the Gallery, but
from the media and the entire community as well. The year 1962 was
the highlight of the entire Guild history to date.
At that time the Guild only
numbered 230 with only about half being active members.
On December 1, 1962, starting
at 7:15pm the Guild held its 4th annual auction. The theme was a
Circus Auction, which had workers dressed as trapeze artists, fierce
lions and tigers, exotic jungle birds, and circus roustabouts. Pink
lemonade, peanuts, popcorn, and punch were served with recorded
and live circus music in the throats of seven caged talking birds
loaned by the zoo. The auction received good publicity and 5000
invitations were printed.
Decorations for the 1962 Circus
Auction included 5 large abstract mobiles of circus scenes, made
by Kay Whitcomb, Joanne Tanzer, and Phyllis Wallen, hung in the
foyer, original side show banners, a calliope set up outside the
gallery, 25 years of circus show programs, and a circus wagon to
be used outside. The birds loaned by the Zoo included 1 African
Grey Parrot, 2 Double Yellow-headed Amazon Parrots, 1 Blue-crowned
Amazon parrot, and 1 Yellow-frosted Amazon parrot. Also live chameleons
and other small animals.
Felipe Orlando, a distinguished
painter from Mexico City was the juror for the 1963 California South
All Media Exhibition in 1963. This was the first time an artist
from another country had served as a juror for their show. It was
open to artists from Santa Barbara South.
An illustrated article appeared
on March 3, 1963 in the San Diego Union about Felipe Orlando:
The Juror Selective & Creative
"The work of the art
juror at an exhibition is both selective and creative: He must select
from entries those works which will be representative of moods and
trends and he must create from these selections a cohesive whole
which, in sum, is greater than the part.
The photographs on this page,
taken by John Greensmith of the San Diego Union's staff, show the
selective process in action as Felipe Orlando, himself a distinguished
Latin American painter, juried the Third Annual California South
show of the San Diego Art Guild.
Orlando was asked for his
feeling on the creative process. This is his answer:
'I do not believe in a type of painting determined by schools, nor
in a school of painting determined by time… The work of a Rembrandt
is timeless, and so is the music of a Vivaldi or a Bach, and also
is the writing of a Cervantes or a Shakespeare…
Specifically, in painting,
there is no sense of general precociousness. Painting is an art
of maturity, of slow and incessant work, from which comes, purified
and ever ascending, a decided sensitivity. This does not mean to
say this sensitivity could not manifest itself, but rather that
it requires, in order to be clear and eloquent, a process of dedicated
and sustained work…
All art throughout history
conforms to a series of united links in a chain and there is no
plastic artist who can consider himself as such if he slips from
this linkage, for through it he must create his true and individual
personality. It is not necessary to cite numerous examples to demonstrate;
it is enough to remember what Cézanne owes to El Greco, and
Picasso to the Greeks and to the Africans.
Something which has surprised
me in this city has been to witness a phenomenon of artistic growth
in all the activities which concern the creative person. This offers
not only prestige to San Diego but also demonstrates that the things
of the spirit are inside an orbit of constant upward surge. My greatest
wish would be that this evolving process will not cease and that
San Diego will be considered one of the more important artistic
centers of our hemisphere in the immediate future…'"
George M. Kehew "Apologetically"
wrote this article for the Sentinel on March 17, 1963:
Artist Blasts Show As Nonsense, Tripe
" Since I am a contributing
painter in the San Diego Art Guild Show being held this month in
the San Diego Fine Arts Gallery I feel obligated to apologize to
the intelligence of the public who had or will have the misfortune
to wander through the collection of nonsense hanging on its walls.
Many of us who paint as a
profession agree that the majority of garbage hanging in the gallery
is not creative, and bears little resemblance to art. Unfortunately,
these shows are not designed for the enjoyment of the public, but
cater to the vanity of incompetent arty art circles led by flattering
and prosperous teachers.
The mountains of paint in
the California South Show are about as fresh as an Elliot Ness straw
hat. The themes, moods and techniques were first executed 50 years
ago by another band of looneys, the Fauves, 'the mad beasts,' led
by Matisse and followed by Derain, Braque, Marquet, Vlamic and others.
The work of these men was
experimental and never developed as a conclusive art form. Incidentally,
these men were the first to abandon the style as a farce somewhere
around 1912.
Today's would-be artists can
choose either to learn to draw and paint, requiring a lifetime of
work and sweat, or play artist by dripping, squeezing and copying
the Fauve's time worn exercises on linen canvas, banding together
in arty little groups to bolster each other's incompetence.
Unfortunately, the latter
dominates today's so-called modern art circles, resulting in the
decrepit exhibitions such as the California South Show.
If you missed this eye buster
you are lucky; if you are curious and must see it, have a good laugh.
Remember, the majority of this garish tripe is not art nor the painters
artists, and if the daubings fail to communicate, don't feel alone.
In all probability they failed to speak to their makers as well."
Naomi Baker interviewed Eleanor
Wilkevich for the Evening Tribune in 1963:
Eleanor Wilkevich
Tells Painter's Views
"ARTISTS AND EXHIBITIONS
- Barb-shooting about art styles may be a popular sport--it has
been around a long, long time--but it gets a little encouragement
from one of San Diego's prominent painters.
She is Eleanor Wilkevich,
member of the San Diego Art Guild, whose lively talks to many art
organizations--some of them amateur groups--in this area have helped
to further understanding of art styles and thus promote tolerance
of viewpoints…
She sees a link between the art expressions of all epochs.
'The main stream of art has
swung from primitive to classical, realistic to abstract,' she said
today. 'Each type seems indigenous to its time, yet there seems
to be a link. Each period has taught us something about line, form,
tonal values, design, color.
We cannot expect our present-day
artist to paint in the grand manner of Titian or Rubens, nor in
the style of the primitive cave men.
This is an age of turmoil.
No wonder the fine arts do not seem understandable to many. No wonder
they fail to help the esthetic side of man. No wonder that some
people turn away as artists strive to be original, to be noticed
in this noisy century, even ignoring or twisting the linkage with
the art of the past.
Some critics feel art had
been toppled from its esthetic role, while others believe it has
been emancipated. Possibly only the perspective of time can tell
us.
It does not matter to me whether
the symbols of art are realistic or abstract, although I think they
should be arranged in a structure understandable and esthetically
valuable to viewers.
I believe in sound academic
training that is plastic enough not to entrap the artist. To break
or change a precept in creating a structure of art, it is wiser
to know why and what you are doing, so it will have value.'
As for her personal likings,
she mentioned form and colors of El Greco, the colors of Veronese,
the paintings of Daumier, the emotion of Van Gogh, the mysticism
of Albert Pinkham Ryder and Emil Nolde, the honesty of Thomas Eakins
and the richness of George Rouault's art…"
Jean Balmer was in charge
of publicity during this very busy time and wrote dozens of letters
to just about everybody. In May 1963 the Jean wrote the policy procedures
for the Guild's Publicity Chairman. It included working with the
Public Relations Director for the Gallery, Martin Petersen. Martin
worked closely with the Guild and was kept informed of all Guild
activities. Other relationships were established with Miss Naomi
Baker, writer for the Evening Tribune, and Armin Kietzmann, art
reviewer for the San Diego Union. The Guild scrapbook was assembled
in 1963 and it was the Publicity Chairman's job to keep it current.
At the May 1963 annual meeting
the entire membership voted for the new board among the nominees,
and two choices were available for president. Absentee ballots were
provided. Additional nominations were made from the floor at the
annual meeting.
From June 28, 1963 thru July
31, 1963 the Guild held a large show at Home Federal Savings and
Loan Association's downtown building as well as 7 other smaller
shows at various branch offices throughout the community. Another
exhibit was held in September 1963 at the Mission Valley Shopping
Mall. The Allied Craftsmen exhibited there also.
Taken from a comprehensive
article written in The San Diego Union in 1963 on the entire local
art scene is this excerpt:
Growing Art Capital
"Donald Brewer, director
of the Art Center in La Jolla commented:
'The rise of the general cultural level certainly has been great
in the last ten years. There has been a wonderful shift from amateurism
to professionalism, also, which I hope we have had something to
do with.
The Art Center has a rental
gallery, which has enjoyed fairly good success, and one gallery
devoted exclusively to one-man shows. The Art Center's policy calls
for dealing with the 20th century and its sources so most of the
work shown there is abstract…
Things can still be accomplished. Of course, that takes more members--more
financial and verbal support'…
Brewer feels the Sears store
merchandising of a Vincent Price collection was good for art in
San Diego. So does Monty Lewis, Coronado School of Fine Arts director,
although Lewis does not share Brewer's enthusiasm for art's future
in San Diego.
Mrs. B.J. Jeanes, who with
her husband operates Jeanes Studio of Originals in La Jolla, said
San Diego has the potential of being one of America's foremost cultural
centers. However she said. 'In the foreseeable future, San Diego
needs the support of city government as well as leadership in art,
which is lacking… Only when city planners include the creativity
of the artist in the designing of buildings, parks and such facilities
will the city gain cultural significance and be preserved.'
Jeanes, who prefers to show
contemporary modern works, said San Diego has more registered artists
and galleries per capita than most large U.S. cities.
Dan Jacobs, owner of Orr's
Gallery, believes San Diego is in the embryonic stage as a city
for art and artists. 'It's not as good as it will be, but the potential
is tremendous.' Jacobs said.
'It takes two years to develop
an artist if he is good.' Jacobs said. 'A dealer helps keep art
going by demanding the best from artists in his stable, and getting
it…. Although I originally thought I could work with local
painters. I later realized there already was enough exposure for
them, and I wanted to do the community the service of bringing in
contemporary works that had not been shown here.'"
Both the San Diego Union and
Evening Tribune newspapers printed articles on the Art Collectors
and Studio Tour conducted by the Guild in October 1963. The following
are excerpts from those articles:
"October 12, 1963, the
Guild conducted the 'Art Collectors and Studio Tour' through four
distinguished homes where many arts were used with interest and
beauty. This tour was accepted as one of the most gracious and successful
events in the community that year."
"The Guild sponsored
an Art Collectors and Studio Tour from 11 a.m. - 4p.m. Homes and
studios included Lynn Fayman, noted photographer, art collector,
and past president of the Art Center in La Jolla. Earl Grant, distinguished
art collector and patron. Donal Hord, internationally known sculptor
and teacher, Guggenheim Fellow, and executor of sculpture commissions
in the United States and Europe, including the "Angel of Peace"
in the American Military Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. Everett
Gee Jackson, painter and exhibitor in major museums in the U.S.,
Professor Emeritus and former chairman of the Art Department, SDSU,
author and book illustrator. Both the Guild and the Woman's Committee
of the Fine Arts Society acted as hosts and hostesses."
The November 1963 Art Guild
Bulletin printed:
"October 12, 1963 - 11am
- 4pm: First Art Collector's & Studio Tour was successful with
$1350 clear. Over 100 members of the Fine Arts Society, additional
friends of art, and the Gallery staff participated; and home donors,
Mr. Fayman, Mr. Grant, Mr. Hord, and Mr. Jackson."
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