Earl Saunders wrote this note to Tom Frankovich on November 4, 1987
     "… It occurred to me that the Artists Guild might undertake a program or two at the museum on behalf of the Artists in San Diego….
     A panel discussion discussing local issues, attitudes, feelings, support or lack of it from ethnic perspectives might be one or two.
     Another discussing art criticism - similar to one done at SDSU and UCSD - but somehow not identical.
     Another might bring together commercial gallery directors: Locally owned… to discuss goals, policies, purposes, experiences.
     Regarding the ethnic groups - we have members of the African-American artists in our African Arts committee - the Chicano artists deserve more respect and recognition as artists than they now receive from the community in general….
     I think the guild could do something significant about the artists situation in San Diego whether or not they will be well attended (whatever that means)."

     On November 8, 1987 Ellen Phillips wrote this letter to Steve Brezzo:
     "A note of appreciation for the way the Artists Guild Exhibition and awards were handled this year. I was delighted that:
     1. The juror gave more than two awards. There are many good artists in San Diego. Lets make this an every year occurrence.
     2. The Museum publicity department did an excellent job collecting information on award winners and photos of their work. The Guild Show write up was given a prime spot in the SDMA Newsletter.
     3. The award winners and the juror were invited to the press conference. I think this is a first. It was enjoyable for me and I hope informative for the press. It was too bad some of them missed the opportunity to talk to both the juror and the artists. I particularly enjoyed having time with Russell Forester.
     4. You, Steve Brezzo, attended the opening and presented the awards. BRAVO!!!
     5. This year's catalog was light years ahead of the lists of past years.
     Lets keep these good things going.
     The major drawback to the show was the small exhibition space this year (and last year) and, I hear, next year too. Many local artists do their best work in large format. The Museum is the prime space to show these works. Please assign the Guild Exhibition to the large gallery it occupied before 1986.
     This support of the Guild is vital. (Allied Craftsmen, who at one time had yearly shows in the museum's large gallery that were well attended by San Diego art and craft enthusiasts, were pushed into these same small rooms prior to being permanently removed from the museum. I don't like the parallel).
     I also feel that invitations should be sent to all museum members, not just to the Artist Guild. We appreciate and want the support of all museum members. If mailing is too expensive, at least make a large splash in the bulletin the month before the Guild opening. This would allow for more communication between guild and museum members as well as interest and support - to everyone's advantage.
     Thank you and the Artists Guild for the steps forward this year. Lets work together to eliminate the drawbacks."

     The following statement by juror Russell Forester was printed in the 1987 exhibition catalog:
     'The task of an art juror is never an easy one, and the selections made are always highly subjective at best.
     I share the pride of the artists selected for the San Diego Artists Guild Annual Exhibition. However, as an artist myself, I apologize to the many artists whose work is not included, as I have personally experienced that deflating feeling of rejection.
     To include all 200 entries was not feasible; to select only the few pieces which spoke to me most eloquently would have made for a very arbitrary and personal exhibition of six to ten works.
     This exhibition represents a broad selection of artistic statements which, in my view, reflects the scope and diversity of work created by the Artists Guild."

     James Gibbs wrote a note to Tom Frankovich about his contribution to the SDMA's endowment campaign. He said, " I'm not sure anything would be gained by printing this letter in the Artists Guild newsletter. However, I'll leave that decision up to you." Here is his original letter addresses to Joseph Hibben dated December 10, 1987:
     "This letter is written in reference to the San Diego Museum of Art's appeal to make a significant contribution to the Endowment Campaign of the museum.
     As a member of the museum for some forty years and as a past president of the Artists Guild, I am aware of the need for the kind of campaign presently being pursued. I am also impressed by the fact the 75% of the funds needed to realize this financial challenge have been met.
     My concern lies with the climate that prevails, in the minds of many members of the Artists Guild, with the present director's attitude toward recognizing the work of regional artists.
     Since the present director has been in charge, a highly respected group of craftsmen, the Allied Craftsmen of San Diego, have been totally eliminated from the museum's exhibition program and the recognition of the Artists Guild has been reduced to a kind of tokenism that does not benefit an organization that was a founding partner in the existence of the San Diego Museum of Art.
     I am willing to accede to your request to pledge money to the museum's Endowment Fund because I think it is a worthwhile goal. I am not, however, interested in making this pledge if the present director continues to maintain what I consider a cavalier attitude toward many who support the museum through their membership.
     Last March I attended a meeting sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in which representatives from the Old Globe, the San Diego Opera and the Museum of Art spoke about their efforts to obtain funding for their institutions. The representative for the Museum of Art, Jane Rice, was quite candid concerning the needs of the museum and the difficulties encountered in seeking adequate community support. It is largely due to this person's assessment that I am willing to make a contribution. It is however, given with considerable reservation and in spite of the present 'leadership."

     Here are Notes by Tom Frankovich from the January 1988 Guild newsletter:
     "The Artists Guild Board met recently with Mr. Joe Hibbin, President of the Board of Trustees, SDMA…. The thoughts in that document contained suggestions and recommendations to the SDMA and the Board of Trustees that, if adopted, would drastically alter prevailing modes of Museum operation. Some of those issues were aired to Mr. Hibbin at that meeting…. The motivation of administration must not be based on always saving money at the expense of quality presentations.
     At the present time, however, the misuse of Artist Guild members' works to undermine the integrity of exhibitions as well as to the detriment of all involved. Based almost exclusively on economic considerations, the Guild has lost much over the past years. The Museum Board has cut back on opportunities for Guild members to actively participate in the best way they can, and that is through the exhibition of their artwork.
     The behavior of the Administrators has caused many Artists Guild members to feel increasingly disvalued. Such disvaluing may be intentional, or may be unintentional.      Regardless of whether it is a result of malice or just insensitivity, it accounts for much of the anger, frustration and discouragement that now runs rife through our membership. For examples of disvaluation and air of suspicion all we need do is to study our losses at the Museum over the last years:
     Programs cut include…
     • Guild Award Winners Exhibit
     • Art Sales and Rental Gallery
     • California-Hawaii Biennial
     • Annual Artists Guild Exhibit confined to extremely small gallery space
     Each year we give the Museum a quality exhibition. Numerous hours of donated time and energy go into these programs. Yes it's true, we have made some progress. Not-withstanding, the Guild continues its concern with the over-all attitudes and lack of responsiveness to its artists community. The proposals we advance for positive change are intended to strengthen the Museum itself. The Guild asserts that we constitute a vital unit of the Museum and are important to the fulfilled actualization of the Museum.
     The winds of change are upon us, I hear a tremendous amount of praise for our steps forward. I do believe that many artists and the community at large are pleased and supportive of what we do. The Guild feel that we have an interested Board of Trustees and that they will confirm our continued success by confirming our proposals that we have presented in our communications. The Guild continues to be a strong force to be reckoned with. Your Guild Board is standing up to be counted. We will remain active and vocal in our attempt to force our recalcitrant administrators to deal fairly with the artists' as professionals worthy of respect."

     This article came out in the Los Angeles Times (San Diego County edition) on January 2, 1988:
     "Several artists ruefully noted that it doesn't help matters that the two local museums don't present a major annual show of local artists… And the San Diego Museum of Art did its annual Artists Guild exhibit that perversely surveys the lower, rather than the upper end of the art talent in San Diego." (Steve Beck-von Peccoz held a long conversation with the author of that article, Hilliard Harper, and said in a note to Tom Frankovich, Guild President: "He was criticizing the Museum, not the Artists Guild, for not showing good, or best, local artists, not all of whom are in the Artist Guild. He certainly did not want to contribute to any problems between the Museum & Guild.")
     Tom Frankovich wrote a letter to Joseph Hibben, President of Board of Trustees and Director Steven Brezzo on January 13, 1988. In it he outlines three exhibition proposals for the SDMA:
It is indeed a great pleasure to submit to you a few proposals that I truly believe in and that I feel will make a major contribution to the San Diego Museum of Art.
     The purpose of the art exhibition proposals is to encourage the growth and development of the artists within the Museum; to foster the expression of artistic talent within the city; and to engage in an educational program which advances these objectives. Through systematic 'regional art awareness programs' designed to present an overview of talent, ideas, scope and functions of the local art community, Artists' are given a chance to broaden their audience, and the public has the opportunity to increase their awareness of local art and artist. The desire is to promote excellence in art and create a lasting relationship between the artists, Museum and a wider segment of the population. The 'art awareness' programs will help fulfill the need for San Diego Museum of Art to retain its local growing arts population by increasing community support and understanding.
     These programs are designed for the cultural advancement of art and artists and the community at large….
     These programs can create a foundation that supports art and artist, generating new incentives, attitudes and directions. Never before in the history of the San Diego Museum of Art had such a turnkey concept been realized. This extraordinary venture can create a success system that our Museum can grow with and benefit from. These programs can rejuvenate the Museum and give our community the opportunity to give their minds and spirits the finest opportunity for cultural advancement…"
     Along with the letter Tom presented detailed descriptions of three programs. The first was for a "Major Historical Retrospective of Art in San Diego," to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Guild and the 1915 World Exposition in San Diego to be held in the spring of 1990. The second was for a "San Diego/Yokohama Exchange Art Exhibit," for the spring or summer of 1989. The third proposal was to turn Gallery 1 into an on-going "Artists Guild Space." (Note: None of these proposals were accepted by the SDMA.)

     On January 14, 1988 Kay Whitcomb wrote a letter of support to Tom Frankovich. In it she stated:
     "The president of the Trustees does not run the Museum or make the decisions - Steve Brezzo does and getting to him is the only way you'll get some of the opportunities back. The Contemporary Arts Committee ran that Rental Gallery at the right front (Gallery 1)… It was not manned daily… I had offered to come & sit if they could not find sitters but I was never notified, and Richard Riley (Union art critic) came to review show when it was dark, Aug. 1980…
     Joyce Selber *She has an office #8 in the Bldg. in Balboa Park… never heard of the Art Guild!!!…The Wall St. Journal ran an article quoting Gerald Hirshburg - Nissan International - 'San Diego as an Art Cultural Wasteland!'
     The Eye on San Diego Channel 10 came on with the same view - All the Art Guild should have written otherwise, they really do believe we are not out there!! Maybe this is time to demand TV coverage of shows…"

     Kay also wrote a letter to Bill Griffith "Eye on San Diego" Channel 10:
     "To my knowledge I have never known the San Diego TV media to cover San Diego visual art scene before… so I looked especially for your December 26th program. You are terribly uninformed and obviously have swallowed Hirshberg's uninformed opinions hook line and sinker from the Wall Street Journal.
     San Diego TV media & city has not been supportive of visual arts!!! I have paid my dues to the San Diego Cultural scene, serving on the Board of the San Diego Art Guild for many years, their chairman 1968-89, a committee of the San Diego Museum of Art. This Guild is at least 72 years old, helped found the San Diego Museum of Art in 1925. Their library has an archives which has documented some of the local artists….
     The Art Guild used to have several shows per year at the Museum and the La Jolla Museum used to have a local juried exhibition. The Allied Craftsmen of San Diego used to have a wonderful yearly exhibition at the San Diego Museum of Art which had an attendance of 35,000 in the late 60's… A barrel of injustice I could site but what's the use; no wonder all my major commissions are out of this area! …
     P.S. Hal Clement has done some interviews in the folk arts.
     (Handwritten margin note) When UCSD came, they treated the local art scene as though it did not exist - Over and over the new comer has done this - Hugh Davies (director of the La Jolla Museum) has done this!"

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