As PVAA’s Historian, Linda Hauser looks forward to sharing some of PVAA’s 70+ year history. In future editions of our newsletters, she will try to showcase various interesting events and photos from our archives.We have many albums containing vintage photos and scrap books filled with newspaper articles which have become yellowed with time.We are fortunate to have notebooks full of PVAA’s original board minutes, including the minutes from the first board meeting in January, 1952. We think you will find the early board minutes very interesting, as I certainly did. This is an excerpt from the May 19th, 1952 board meeting minutes.“The matter of association annual dues was introduced and following discussion it was moved and carried that the dues be as follows:”For one member..................... ...$5.00 For two members of one family.......$8.00 Patron..................................... $15.00 Student....................................$1.50Our annual membership dues hasn’t increased substantially in seventy years, $35.00 seems quite reasonable. In an online comparison, the value of $5.00 in 1952 is worth over $55.00 today.Linda Hauser , PVAA HistorianPVAA NEWSLETTER - JULY 2023 Many of you may not realize, in the early years of PVAA, our artists enjoyed the opportunity of having monthly Revolving Art Shows that benefited a variety of businesses in the Pomona Valley. For many years, PVAA’s Revolving Show Chairman would coordinate with businesses and interested artists who would showcase their artwork. Those businesses included banks, dentist and doctor’s offices, restaurants, department stores, libraries, colleges, and many other locations. Not only did it benefit the beauty in these establishments, but it gave the artists a great opportunity to share and sell their artwork in addition to their gallery exhibitions and art shows. How many of you remember these well-known businesses that PVAA’s artists provided with beautiful artwork? Unfortunately, many of these business’ no longer exist, they included: Buffums’; J.P Evans; Pomona Board of Realtors; Pomona Public Library; La Verne College, Kellogg West, Cal Poly; United California Bank; Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan; Security Pacific Bank; Catron Motors and many more.Through the years, PVAA has given us a great opportunity to share our artwork and our passion for the love of art to our community. Linda HauserIn April 1990, PVAA moved its gallery to the Old School House on the corner of Foothill Blvd and Indian Blvd in Claremont. This was the home of Claremont High School until the mid-1960’s.
On November 1st, 1992 PVAA opened a new gallery location, Claremont’s Harvard Square, where we remained until 1998.
It was that year that PVAA moved to the Pomona Arts Colony at 300S. Thomas Street. Was there that the PVAA named our Gallery SOHO, hence the name, (South of Holt). The basement level of the Historic Bulletin Building was now home to Gallery SOHO where PVAA’s membership roster now exceeded over 300 members. Artists and art enthusiasts enjoyed the busy Second Saturday Art Walks and other frequent offsite. The was PVAA’s home from 1998 until 2015.
In early 2015, PVAA moved to Montclair Plaza (a short time later it became Montclair Place). It wasn’t long before PVAA’s Gallery SOHO had over 50 exhibiting artists members and 30 artists on the waiting list to become exhibiting artist members. In December of 2015, PVAA expanded its gallery space to include the suite next door. This slightly larger space became known as The PVAA Art Place , there was ample room for art classes and variety of art exhibitions.
In 2020 with the beginning of COVID-19 and the closing of Nordstrom (our mall neighbor), Gallery SOHO and The PVAA Art Place struggled to have the foot traffic it once had. It was in the Summer of 2022 we decided to close our doors and once again move to a new location.
This month marks one year at our present location, 317 W First Street. in Claremont CA. On September 16th, 2022, we opened our doors, since that that day we’ve been enjoying the overwhelming support our 55 exhibiting artists, customers, and visitors. Gallery SOHO has become well-known and popular destination for art enthusiast, especially on the First Saturday Art Walks. We are excited to participate in next month’s Village Venture Arts and Craft festival . We hope you’ll join us on October 28th ( 9am-5pm) to support Claremont’s 41st Annual Event. - Linda Hauser
By Linda Hauser Board Member and Historian
PVAA Celebrates 25 Years of Themed Monthly Art ShowsPVAA’s Monthly Art Shows began in 1998 shortly after we moved into our new Gallery SOHO in the Pomona Arts Colony. Through the years we have had hundreds of varying themes, most coinciding with the seasons and holidays. Some of the most popular and revisited monthly shows each year have been “The Red Show”,“Trees and Flowers”, “Animals”, “Landscapes”, “Favorite Places” among many others.The Monthly Show entries had always been displayed in our Gallery SOHO until the Covid pandemic, then it became necessary to showcase our Monthly Show in an online format. With the help of several of our highly skilled and knowledgeable gallery members, a 3D virtual online gallery, KunstMatrix, was implemented. It has served as a valuable format for the viewing and enjoyment of our Monthly Shows.Beginning in 2024, PVAA has been invited by the Claremont City Hall to hold a Tri-Annual PVAA Art Show instead of our Monthly Art Shows. Information and rules will be forthcoming once dates have beenfinalized. We are excited to have this opportunity at the Claremont City Hall and to have the ability to view our PVAA members artwork in person once again.As PVAA’s Historian, I look forward to sharing some of PVAA’s 70+ year history. In future editions of our newsletters, I will try to showcase various interesting events and photos from our archives.
We have many albums containing vintage photos and scrap books filled with newspaper articles which have become yellowed with time.
We are fortunate to have notebooks full of PVAA’s original board minutes, including the minutes from the first board meeting in January, 1952. I think you will find the early board minutes very interesting, as I certainly did. This is an excerpt from the May 19th, 1952 board meeting minutes.
“The matter of association annual dues was introduced and following discussion it was moved and carried that the dues be as follows:”
For one member……………………………$5.00
For two members of one family…….$8.00
Patron………………………………………… $15.00
Student………………………………………… $1.50
Our annual membership dues hasn’t increased substantially in seventy years, $35.00 seems quite reasonable. In an online comparison, the value of $5.00 in 1952 is worth over $55.00 today.
Linda Hauser
PVAA Historian
HISTORIAN ARTICLE HISTORIAN ARTICLE
AUGUST 2023
Pomona Valley Art Association’s history has spanned over 70 years. The early Board of Directors included many well-known local artists, including Milford Zornes, David Scott. Phil Dike, and Paul Darrow. We thought it would be of interest to list all our PVAA Past Presidents and acknowledge their dedication of service to our long-standing and highly respected art association.
Past Presidents of Pomona Valley Art Association_
HISTORIAN ARTICLE By Linda Hauser PVAA Historian
- AUGUST 2023
1. Scott, Dr. David W. 1952 - 1953
2. Petterson, Richard B. 1953 - 1954
3. Darrow, Paul A. 1954 - 1955
4. Hueter, James W. 1955 - 1956
5. Zornes, Milford 1956 - 1957
6. Dobosh, Drew A. 1957 - 1958
7. Frasher, B.J. 1958 - 1959
8. George, Robert 1959 - 1961
9. Divelbess, Diane 1961 - 1962
10. Dewey, Claire Strona 1962 - 1963
11. Taylor, J. Ross 1963 - 1964
12. Decker, Dorothy 1964 - 1965
13. Pahl, Bing 1965 - 1966
14. Downing, Dorothy 1966 - 1967
15. Henry, Joe P. 1967 - 1969
16. Romero, Helen L. 1969 - 1971
17. Von Stetten, Orion 1971 - 1972
18 Rettick, Joyce Dobrotin 1972 - 1973
19. Hathaway, Withy 1973 - 1974
20. Anderson, Alvin 1974 - 1977
21. Scherer, Dawn 1977 - 1979
22. Beauregard, Joan 1979 - 1981
23. Grindle, Charles 1981 - 1984
24. Ogier, Mayrene 1984 - 1987
25. Scherer, Dawn 1987 - 1993
26. Fergusson, Barbara 1993 - 1996
27. Scherer, Dawn 1996 - 1998
28. Mallory, Laura 1998 - 2000
29. Stewart, Marci 2000 - 2001
30. Hauser, Linda 2001 - 2002
31. Fortner, Gwen 2002 - 2003
32. Yee, Darlyn Susan 2003 - 2004
33. Peters, JoAnn (Maia) 2004 - 2007
34. van Oosten, Lucien 2007 - 2008
35. Walters, Debra 2008 - 2009
36. van Oosten, Lucien 2009 - 2013
37. Williams, Jerius 2013 - 2019
38. McCall, Kathleen 2019 - 2023
Pomona Valley Art Association’s history has spanned over 70 years. The early Board of Directors included many well-known local artists, including Milford Zornes, David Scott. Phil Dike, and Paul Darrow. We thought it would be of interest to list all our PVAA Past Presidents and acknowledge their dedication of service to our long-standing and highly respected art association.
Past Presidents of Pomona Valley Art Association_
History of PVAA’s Open Juried Show
With PVAA’s 2024 Open Juried Show (OJS) right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to look back at PVAA’s First Annual OJS.
In November/December 1980, PVAA held its first OJS at their Pomona gallery at 180 E Second St. There were over one hundred entries and a well-attended reception on November 4th of that year. The “Best of Show” was awarded to Mayrene Ogier for “Camouflage”. Judges for the OJS were William Palluth, Morten Solberg and Martha Villegas. In the PVAA newsletter the art show was described as “a smashing success”.
Through the years PVAA has had the honor of having many accomplished and well-known artists judge our annual art shows including Tom Fong, Don O’Neill, Chris Van Winkle, Tony Sheets, and Marciano Martinez to name a few.
We pride ourselves in continuing the tradition of serving the community through our annual art shows, art-related events, and our Gallery SOHO. We hope you will join us for this year’s OJS, which will be exhibited at the Chaffey Community Museum of Art. Please visit PVAA’s website at pvaa.net for more information.
Linda Hauser
PVAA Historian