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                                               August l8 l983
 
 
Dear Pam,
      I thought I'd jot down some of my ideas to you re. Palo Alto Art 
Club's future.  I have some fairly strong ideas on some issues.  I
realize all the Club's officers won't share them, but I'm sure you 
want Trustees and Directors to speak out their opinions loud and clear 
so decisions can be reached.  I've read the excellent Market Research
Study and I've been thinking about it for several weeks--so I'll jump
in with some of the issues the report raises.
 
     The Newsletter:  this monthly publication should surely be modern-
ized and upgraded in its graphic design.  Since ARTWEEK has ceased to be 
a strictly local publication (now stretching its coverage from Houston
tp Vancouver)and has ceased to present a wide spectrum of styles
(promoting a heavy slant toward multi-media, performance, and the avant-
garde)--and since the daily Peninsula Times Tribune is not likely to 
change its policy--that of carrying small press releases (which we write)
but very few reviews (which they have to pay someone to write)--it's up to
PAACto fill a real need on the Peninsula, that of providing artists,
students,  and art lovers with monthly news and reviews of art exhibits
on the Peninsula, its own shows included.  An expanded publication, 
carrying Peninsula arts advertising (everything from private lessons,
presses for sale, art and photography supplies, to gallery and frame
shop ads) could not only tell members about the internal matters of
PAAC including the class promotion, but it could be distributed to art
supply stores (solld that is to non-members, buy received free through 
the mails to memers, as at present).  If it became good enough in its 
coverage of local shows, people might even want to join PAAC just to 
receive it free.  Of course the part-time editor would have to be paid,
but I think PAAC could stand this cost.  Reviews could be either (1)
contributed by a small committee of members under the editor, (2)
written by Stanford or Foothill Journalism students, or (3) written by
literale members of the community who would be paid by the review, as 
Palo Alto Weekly pays its part-time contributors.  I feel there is a 
crying need for a truly local art newas publication of this kind.  Since
PAAC's programs, workshops, etc., would be prominently featured in the 
monthly newsletter, PAAC would automatically be assumed by readers to
be at the center of art activity in the central Peninsula.  As budgets
for P.A. Cultural Center and for the Community Colleges shrink
(and as a Foothill teacher acquainted with budget projections, I'm
sure they will continue to shrink and to discontinue their fee advantage
over PAAC),it behooves PAAC to now step into a position of art 
leadership in the community.
 
     The name:  After thinking over the role PAAC has developed, and 
seems destined to develop in the community, I've reluctantly come to the 
conclusion that the appelation YClubY doesn't fit its multifaceted functions.
Names for art institutions have changed in U.S.A. over the years.  It was 
probably Whistler and his colleague Seymour Hayden who introduced the
term art "club" to U.S.A. on an influential trip here about l895.
Wealthy art patrons and amateurs took up the term club to desbribe their
activities.  The Philadelphia Print Club, still extant, is a good example.
In the early decades of this century the ord "Association" was popular
(S.F. Art Association, Carmel Art Association).  After W.W.II the term
"Institute" became widely used -- infact many organizations became
successively societies, then associations, then institutes.  The Phila-
delphia Print Club still puts on very prestigeous professional exhibits
each year, but it does it under an image handicap, I feel.  Without
changing P.A.A.C. initials (which is how many people identify it anyway)
the organization could become Paki Alto Art Center (which much more
accurately defines its many activities: clases; workshops; outreach
exhibitions programs; galleries; lectures; Newsletter Publication; etc.)
The term Center is a wonderfully descriptive term -- and it avoids the
rather academic inference of "institute."  ("Institute" is a kind of
"faddy" word that I think will eventually become as dated as "Club.")
Even if Club is changed to Center I think the large downstairs gallery
should have a separate and distinctive name.  I heartily endorse the idea
of trying to get a donor to give money for the gallery's maintenance and
thennaming the gallery permanently for him/her.  Failing this, the
gallery could be named for one of the founders of the organization.
(Traditionalists lamenting loss of the name Club might be appeased by
the installation of a founder's name.)
 
     Large Gallery Policy:  I'm strongly opposed  to creating categories
of exhibitors (beginners, professionals, etc.) for most exhibition
purpoaea.  PAAC enjoys its unique character because of its openness
and democracy and lack of bearocracy.  Perhaps lamentably, there are 
no real standards in the art world--there is power and influence and 
there is the marketplace.  what is admired by the academic establishment
is rejected by the Society of Western Artists.  The artwork that sells
is often that work which a particular juror has bypassed.  Then there 
are the genuine naives, who the PAAC should encourage.  Membership is
is large and is able to financially support so many programs precisely
because there are no categories of members, no hierarchies..  The jury 
system for the monthly exhibitions is democratic at present--and every
effort should be made in the future to hire jurors from widely differing
backgounds and favoring a wide variety of styles.  It's necessary to be
sure that the juror selected for a particular month should have some
expertise in the medium or theme chosen for that month.  Jurors should
represent all phases of professional art, not just the academic establish-
ment.  In answer to the problem that beginning artists may have difficulty 
getting juried into high quality shows (which everyone agrees we should 
have in order to gain newspaper coverage and the respect of the community),
I suggest a one month show per year distinctly for beginners, especially
for new members.  The conditions of the show could be that only people who
have never exhibitied in the gallery could enter.  It could be advertised
as an exhibit for debut -- or P.A.A.C.'s annual debutante show.  Perhaps
YspecialY honors or prizes could be given.  This policy might also deal
with the statistic of peaple going to  a class and therefore joining 
the club--and then dropping out after a year.  Major recruitment then
could still come through the cleasses--then hopefully proceed to the 
debutante show--and then into regular juried monthly shows--to 
committees--and finally to jurying for one-person shows.  Hopefully,
the Debutante Show sould also appeal to young artists recently 
graduated from art school  and university--and would help bring in 
young members.

     Classes:  The marketing report makes some recommendations re. classes
that I heartily endorse.  The bias toward the retired should be ammended by 
the introduction of more evening and weekend classes.  Artists under 40 are
strongly interested in photogaphy.  The nearest photo classes with
darkroom facilities are at Foothill College.  I believe PAAC should build
a darkroom in some nook or cranny of the building--that classes of 
instruction should be offered at night--and  that the darkroom should
be rented out to students during the day for a fee (perhaps at a 2 hour
stretch) much the same way the presses are.  The original investment 
could be realized in that way.  The enlarger(s) should be of good quality.
Keeble and Schuchat, or another local store, might be persuaded to give us 
equipment wholesale.  I think work on the  photo area should get started 
immediately.  Great care should be taken in hiring really first-rate
photography teachers.
 
     Biennial Northern California Print Competition:  Printmaking is a
major area of instruction and of interest to PAAC members, perticularly
to active young members.  The tradition initiated by rob Mason and his
co-workers in the l981 print competition has been noticed by the profess-
ional print world.  Signe Mayfield is currently using her great 
gifts as an organizer to prepare for PAAC's second Northern Califoria 
Print Competition.  She is making an outreach to outstanding institutions 
such as the California (this sort of alliance is recommended in marketing 
report.) I feel that this show, happening, say, every two years, could be 
a source of grat pride and great publicity for PAAC.  PAAC, with its 
hundreds of members, is one of the few organizations which can organize
such a show.  World print council, formerly hosting such a biennial, has
now decided to have an YinvitationalYexhibit from this year onward.  The
De Anza print competition is defunct (Prop. 13).  So there is a big void
in Northern California print circles that PAAC can step forward and fill.
Since this is the only time our gallery is open to non-members, it is an
occasion of great outreach for us.  All Northern California galleries,
museums, and universities will be aware of PAAC because of the competit-
ion.  Front rank printmakers will come to the Opening.  Certainly
membership will increase as will the professional image of PAAC.
I hope that young printmakers can be persuaded to take on the volunteer
job of organizing that Rob and Signe have so ably commenced.
 
     Conclusion:  In all these areas, the present size of PAAC, its 
central location, plus the aforementioned circumstances in the art
community almost force PAAC into a more sophisticated stance and 
a position of leadership.
 
     OI want you to know that when I was asked to join the Trustees
I was (and am) booked up very fully til next April with 3 exhibitions
of my work--but I didn't want to let the opportunity slip--so I 
accepted knowing I couldn't make too much of a time commitment to
the Trustees til after that date.  I will try to attend all meetings
however (unless a conflict with my teaching occurs).
  
  
                          Best wishes,