In 1920, the House Committee of the Art Guild met with Miss Louise Darby to plan the promotion of a lay organization to be called Friends of Art. Present were Louise Darby, Maurice Braun, Mrs. M. M. Jones, Sarah Truax, Aimi Titus, and John Vanter.
     The first plans for the Friends of Art were drafted by several members of the San Diego Art Guild. Yearly dues of the society were placed at $5…In return the organizers pledged themselves to bring at least two exhibitions of art to San Diego each year - the expenses of the exhibits to be met from the fund derived from membership fees. They met with a prompt and appreciative response in their soliciting and fifty members were secured by November 1, 1920, the date set for the official beginning of the first year of the Friends of Art. The Guild met on November 18, 1920 to formally approve the new organization. By January 1921, over one hundred members were enrolled.
     Alice Klauber was widely recognized and honored as the founder of the Friends of Art. In a letter received by her from A. B. Titus, he discussed their prior discussion of the creation of the Friends of Art. She was presented a large basket of roses at the annual luncheon on January 14, 1921. Charles A. Fries was also instrumental in the creation of this new organization.
     In 1921, the Friends of Art wrote to the Guild, thanking them for their assistance and declaring they were ready to work and to govern themselves. Their objectives, similar to those of the old Art Association, were directed toward bringing traveling exhibits to San Diego, and in particular, to get a gallery for these exhibits and possible acquisitions.

     The following Art Guild members were members of the original Board of Directors of the Friends of Art:

Mr. Wheeler J. Bailey
Mr. & Mrs. Appleton Bridges (There is a question as to whether they were members of the Guild. There are some records with the Bridges listed as honorary presidents of the Guild in 1926-1927.)
Mrs. Melville Klauber
Miss Alice Lee
Mr. & Mrs. George Marston

Members of the original Executive Board:
First Vice-President: Alice Klauber & Miss Alice Lee

Chairmen of Committees:
Exhibition: Mr. Aime B. Titus
Publicity: Miss Louise Darby

     The Art Guild Committee consisted of five members. In the By-Laws 1924:

     "It shall be the duty of the Art Guild Committee to pass upon all applications for Art Guild Memberships and to act as the Executive Committee for the Art Guild Members."
     Several other original Art Guild members (1915) served on the Board of Directors for "The Friends of Art", including A. B. Titus and Mr. & Mrs. George Marston. In 1924 "The Friends of Art" included original (1915) Guild members Maurice Braun, Emma Allen, Mrs. Bierman, Charles Fries, Leda Klauber, Mrs. Melville Klauber, Mr. & Mrs. George Marston, Alexander Murray, Irene & Amy Putnam, A.B. Titus, Sarah Truax, and Mr. & Mrs. Valentine. Also listed were several other Guild members.

     The exhibitions scheduled during the first year were Works by the San Diego Art Guild, The California Art Club of Los Angeles, Charles A. Fries One Man Show, and Modern American Painters from New York City sources. It was their goal to sponsor four important exhibitions each year.
     The California Art Club of Los Angeles exhibit was its 11th Annual Autumn Exhibition. It had sixty-seven works from thirty-eight club members, including two by Charles Fries. Interest was so great among literally thousands of San Diegans who came to view the show, that it was held over another week. For the following three years, bringing the California Art Club's Fall Exhibition to San Diego was a regular event. Several Guild members participated, as they were also members of the California Art Club. This tradition of joint membership in two of the oldest art organizations in the country continues to the present day.
     Between 1920 and 1925 the Friends of Art brought 23 exhibitions in total to the old Fine Arts Gallery in the San Diego Museum. Included was the one-man show by Guild member Charles Fries, and another by Guild member Colin Campbell Cooper. Presidents of the Guild at this time were M. M. Jones, 1920, A.R. Valentien, 1921, Alfred Mitchell, 1922 & 1923, Mrs. Julia S. G. Porter, 1924, and A. B. Campbell Shields, 1925.

     In the Sun Dial January 28, 1922, is an article about a spectacular collection of Old Masters & Modern paintings brought to San Diego by Cuthbert Homan, curator of Cannell and Chaffin Galleries. It is headlined with:

SAN DIEGO SHOULD BE GREATEST ART CENTER

     "San Diego could be the greatest art center in the west. It has the galleries here in this beautiful park, the buildings for studios and all that is necessary are loan exhibits, and studios for individual artists."

     Praise for San Diego's efforts even appeared in the New York Times.

     Early in 1924 the Friends of Art and the Art Guild restored the New Mexico Building in Balboa Park and operated it as an art center/museum until 1926. The Guild held their first meeting there on March 15, 1924. Since both groups used the building it appeared logical to form an amalgamation of the organizations. In July 1924 the Friends of Art formally invited the Guild to join them in order to make a stronger society.

     On July 24, 1924, the Guild under President Alfred Mitchell, voted on the amalgamation in the new Art Center. They became the Art Guild members of the Friends of Art of San Diego. The former Friends of Art were entrusted with the business, social, and financial responsibilities, while the Art Guild members were responsible for the "professional knowledge, critical faculties, and living interest of actual producers of pictures, sculpture and applied arts." A local newspaper remarked: "Having brought together into one strong association the patrons of art and the workers in art, The Friends of Art of San Diego are now in a position to, in a large way, promote and foster the art interest in San Diego…."

     "San Diego Art Guild's Exhibit at Balboa Park Museum Marks Forward Step in Achievement" - headline from San Diego Union Sunday morning August 10, 1924.

     The Art Guild continued its practice of holding Life Drawing classes with a night class started in October 1925 by A. B. Campbell Shields. They also set up a store of "Colors" on October 25, 1923 with an initial investment of $50. By 1924 they built up an inventory of $150 worth of painting materials and proceeded to sell paint to pupils of Art Guild members.

back to top