Historiy

In 1972 The San Diego Chapter of Artists Equity was established with Windsor J. Innis as president.
Carl W. Ritter, Financial Editor, for the Union on May 12, 1972, wrote an article about this:
INEQUITIES CLAIMED

Artist Questions Value Standards

    "… His (Joe Innis) figures indicated that the average professional artist, excluding the handful of top-drawer names in the fine arts world, was netting something less than 30 cents and hour for his work in the United States at a time when ordinary house painters are getting from $5.50 to $7.50 an hour and pressing for more.
     Innis has nothing against house painters or anyone else earning whatever the market will bear, but he wonders if all the concern about decent job compensation at various levels of government and industry isn't missing something that might very well deserve recognition as an important national resource.
     'It's time we started looking at art as a business, relating its (potential) importance to the economic scheme of things.' Innis said.
     And the artist, as a legitimate businessman, is entitled to as much consideration from economic problem-solvers in key places as any other kind of worker, according to Innis.
     Innis is particularly distressed, on behalf of fellow artists, over the lack of exposure he believes the local producers of fine art receive in San Diego and most other major cities…
     There is snobbery and injustice involved in many cities, where reasonable marketing conditions are not offered to artists, Innis believes. He pointed to the propensity of both art patrons and officials to look outside their own metropolitan areas for 'more sophisticated' art. He said he deplores, too, the common practice of charging artists fees for temporary showings and rejecting most works from showing at all…
     'The ability of the painter or sculptor to make a living is directly related to the amount of good exposure he gets, unless he elects to become a teacher or artist in residence with a museum program.' Innis declared.
     Most artists under present conditions are unable to earn a living in the field in which they are most talented…
     Innis feels that, since fine arts are part of the nation's cultural heritage and not transitory, true artists as distinguished from the Sunday artists should be able to function entirely free of the trickle-down economic theory of financial compensation.
     'The artists' association favors reserving 1 percent of the cost of all federal building allocation for visual creative art and granting artists tax deduction privileges for 100 percent of the fair market value of donated works of art, comparable to similar privileges granted collectors who donate,' Innis said…"

     Henry Gardiner wrote this letter to Dixon Fish on April 12, 1972, about his concerns:
     "What do you know about the organization of a group in San Diego called Artists Equity Association…? The San Diego Union, on Tuesday, April 7, on page A7, has a local article stating that the Artists Equity Association will launch a campaign to remove the $5.00 entry fee. Have they contacted you, as President of the Art Guild? Are they in fact an active, malcontent active, or a pacifist organization? It might be good to make contact with them as long as they have not contacted me…"

     The Windsor Innis presidency of the local Artists Equity chapter was followed by Jean Braley (McNeill-Sargent, who held the post from 1972 - 1975.
     The Guild's Annual Meeting held on May 13, 1972, was a picnic in the Sculpture Court.
     Earle Grant was made the first lifetime trustee of the Museum. After his passing the Earle Grant and Inez Parker Foundation was set up in 1972. It donated Earle's art collection and estate to the museum, giving the Museum an Endowment Fund of $3,500,000. The San Diego Museum of Art was their ultimate beneficiary. This was partially the result of nurturing by former director Warren Beach and Museum President Stanford Steinbeck.

     Warren eulogized Mr. Grant in the San Diego Union on April 14, 1972:
     "For his pioneering efforts in introducing modern art into the area, thereby, setting a precedent and encouraging others to follow suit, and for his major contributions of 20th Century art to the Fine Arts Gallery, Mr. Grant was made a lifetime trustee of the Fine Arts Society of San Diego and a central exhibition hall was assured to display his collection in perpetuity.
     His generosity will benefit millions of visitors during future years. His memory lingers in the modern masterpieces at the gallery which serve as a constant reminder that 'Life is short - art is long.'"

     Mrs. Inez Parker created the foundation, which, also, contributed generously to the growth of the museum's collections. With the death of Earle Grant and Inez Grant-Parker (Earle's sister), few could claim to have been so effective as major art patrons of modern art in San Diego with the exceptions of the Walbridges who had arrived on the scene in 1960.
     COMBO, the Combined Arts and Education Council of San Diego County, held an art auction televised on November 29, 1972. At Norton Walbridge's, President of the Board of Trustees, urging, many Guild members donated art works for the auction.
Warren Beach had once said: "Barbara Walbridge was the best docent we've probably ever had."
     The Guild planned another home tour as a fundraiser. But their efforts were to no avail, as recorded by Lilli Hill, Recording Secretary, in the minutes of February 21, 1973:
     "Plans for the Art Walk-Home Tour fund-raiser did not materialize as home owners, approached to show their studios and homes, were unwilling."
     At the Guild meeting on March 23, 1973, the California-Hawaii Regional was changed from an annual to a bi-annual event. This would alternate with the Allied Craftsman Exhibition.
     Throughout the 1970's many Guild members were part of the Contemporary Arts Committee and the Women's Committee of the Museum. These committees took over the responsibilities for parties, fundraisers, and other social events, from what had primarily been functions of the Guild. However the creative input of the artists, as members of these committees, continued to be very helpful.
     On June 1, 1973, the Guild held a fund-raising event called "A Night You Won't Forget." It was a Middle-Eastern motif with guests Erni and Rose Cabat, who staged a presentation of their art experiences in Iran. There was a no-host bar, Middle-Eastern food, professional musicians, a belly dancer, shopper's bazaar, a Sheik photographic studio, and a mystery Arabian horse. 473 attended.
     In the summer of 1973 for a "City is For the People" project, Pat Wood, Dixon Fish, Earl Saunders, and Dorothy Stratton painted a wall at 3rd and "A" Streets, and Rossie Wade created a sculpture, "Black Man", for Ocean View Park.

     This letter written by S.M.W. was published on September 11, 1973:
'Art' Pieces in Park
Called Monstrosities
     "Editor, The Union: Do we pay for those monstrosities some call art which are strewn throughout Balboa Park?
     I cannot see how three pieces of rusty steel leaning against each other or three pieces of steel beam wired together can be called artistic. It's a shame to clutter our park and spoil the lawns or other attractive areas with what looks like a plow run over by a tractor or pieces from a junk pile.
     Doesn't anyone else object to these so-called art pieces? Who decided that things like this are art?"

     Another letter written by Harris E. Smithcors was published on September 24, 1973:
Balboa Art Works Are Defended
     "Editor, The Union: The recent criticisms of art works displayed in Balboa Park and at various other places around the city are generalizations which do not admit the possibility that ugliness may be in the eye of the beholder. After all, someone must like some of them; they cannot all be identical in their degree of appeal or lack of it.
     May I call your attention to a piece, which may be the most interesting of the lot, at the intersection of El Prado and the Plaza de Panama. Its bright color harmonizes with the green of the grass, the hues of the flowers and the blue of the sky. Its free flowing form and solid utilitarian sense of force communicate easily to the viewer. It is called fire plug."

In 1973, due to construction at the museum, the Guild show was unable to be shown at the Fine Arts Gallery. Henry Gardiner asked UCSD for space in their main library to hold the Art Guild exhibition. He was politely turned down.

     Robert Miles Parker wrote this letter to Myrna Nobile in 1973 for presentation to the Guild board.
     "After reading Henry Gardiner's letter I have decided there is no guild. Correct me if I am wrong. And if there are no plausible corrections available, please transfer my membership from the Guild to a regular Fine Arts Society membership. My decision is based on a lot of facts:
1- The guild used to have 3 shows a year. (unless I'm wrong)
2- The Guild eventually had 1 show a year. (unless I'm wrong)
3- No the Guild has no shows a year.
4- We do not exist.
5- The Art Guild sponsored California - Hawaii open has nothing to do with a real guild show. Most of the people that get in that show are not art guild members.
6- That was ridiculous, what Henry Gardiner said about the J.C.C. (Jewish Community Center) Show. That show never has many pieces in it - certainly not enough to consider it a guild vehicle.
7- And the Rental Show? Absurd! I just saw the current show - I counted 70 pieces on display & at least 40 of those pieces were form L.A., or somewhere else. Not San Diego, not Art Guild.
You see, we do not exist.
     It is obvious to me that the Fine Arts Society is not interested in the Local Artist. Even openings are now black tie or something more formal than I'm interested in being. I'll bet Gauguin didn't often dress up for openings & I won't either. Guess I'll continue to sell without the Fine Arts Societies help & so will other Local Artists - And our Guild doesn't help us either."

     On March 18, 1975 it was recorded in the Guild minute that Denise Draper replaced Betty Holloway in the Rental Gallery. She was invited to the Guild board meeting to help coordinate the Guild's slide program.
     Also in the March minutes it was recorded that for the 50-60 Anniversary Festival for May 2, 1975, Russell Forester and Jean Swiggett were to be two of the four speakers. A Cybernetic Light show was planned with 6 projectors showing Guild work, also a funky fashion function with body painting.
     On April 14, 1975 in the minutes it was recorded that the annual meeting would replace the festival on May 2.
     In 1975 Kay Whitcomb wrote several letters to local politicians urging them to use the 1% for art in building contracts from local artists. She also urged members to write to senators in support of an annual budget to buy art for public buildings.