San Diego Art Institute facts for kids
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| Founded | May 1941 by Walter W. Austin in San Diego |
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| Type | Non-profit NGO |
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| Services | exhibition, youth art education, professional development, artist residency |
| Fields | Contemporary art |
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Key people
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See list (Lissa Corona, Interim Executive Director; Ginger Shulick Porcella, previous Executive Director; Bruce Tall, Chair, Board of Directors) |
| Website | http://www.sandiego-art.org |
The San Diego Art Institute was a museum that showed modern art. It focused on artists from Southern California and the Baja Norte region of Mexico. It started in 1941 as the San Diego Business Men's Art Club.
In 1950, its name changed to the San Diego Art Institute. Women were allowed to join in 1953. The institute officially became a non-profit organization in 1963. In September 2021, the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park joined with the Lux Art Institute. Together, they became the Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego. Both locations continued to operate.
Contents
History of the Art Institute
In 1941, a group of San Diego businessmen met to form an art club. Their main goal was to paint local scenes and historical places in San Diego. They wanted to save memories of old landmarks that were quickly disappearing. In May, they officially named their group the "San Diego Business Men’s Art Club."
The first president was Walter W. Austin, who had been the mayor of San Diego. Maurice Braun, a famous painter, was their first teacher. Other artists like Otto Schneider and Alfred R. Mitchell also taught the group. They often painted outdoors. The club held exhibitions to show their artwork in different places.
World War II and Reorganization
In 1942, the club tried to get a studio in the Spanish Village in Balboa Park. But World War II started, and Balboa Park was used for the war effort. Because of the war, the club was not very active for a few years.
After the war ended, interest in the club grew again. They reorganized in April 1947. Members started painting outdoors more often. They also held several art exhibitions, including one at the San Diego Club.
Growing Popularity
In 1948, the club became even more popular. Members went on painting trips every other Saturday to different places in San Diego County. They also helped organize a big art event called the "all-county Art Mart." This event helped more people learn about the club.
By 1949, the club was holding exhibitions in many businesses, hotels, and schools. In 1950, they even showed art in towns outside San Diego, like Borrego Springs and Carlsbad.
Headquarters and New Name
As the San Diego Business Men's Art Club grew, it needed a main office and a gallery. After World War II, the Fine Arts Society of San Diego offered the club a building at 2030 Sunset Boulevard to use as its headquarters. This building became a busy place for exhibitions, classes, lectures, and meetings. The club changed its art shows every month and also hosted shows of photography and other crafts.
In 1951, the members voted to become a formal organization called "The San Diego Men’s Art Institute." They also decided to allow women to join as associate members. This change made the group much larger, with many new members. With more people involved and a dedicated gallery space, the quality of the artwork shown in exhibitions improved greatly.
What the San Diego Art Institute Did
The San Diego Art Institute was a center for modern art. It focused on artists from Southern California and Baja Norte. Its main activities included:
- Showing new art in special exhibitions.
- Having programs where artists and curators (people who organize art shows) could live and work there.
The institute had a large exhibition space in Balboa Park. It also had another space in a mall where people could do art workshops, see performances, and visit artist studios.
The institute mainly showed art by artists living and working in the area from Los Angeles to Tijuana. While it used to have monthly art shows judged by a jury, it later focused on themed exhibitions. Artists could often find opportunities to show their work on the institute's website.
Artist and Curator Programs
In 2014, the San Diego Art Institute started a program for artists to live and work at the institute for a period of time. This is called an "artist-in-residence" program. Many artists participated in this program.
The institute also had a "curator-in-residence" program for people who organize art exhibitions.
The House of Charm Building
The building where the San Diego Art Institute was located is called the House of Charm. It was first built for the Panama–California Exposition in 1916 and was called the Indian Arts Building. It changed names a few times and got its current name, the House of Charm, in 1935.
Like many buildings in Balboa Park, the House of Charm was used by the military during World War II. By 1996, the building was old and falling apart, so it was torn down and rebuilt to look exactly like the original. The House of Charm is an important historical building. Today, it is home to the San Diego Art Institute's Museum of the Living Artist (which is now part of the Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego), the Mingei International Museum, and rehearsal spaces for the Old Globe Theatre.
Art Education for Kids
The San Diego Art Institute also offered art education programs for young people. These included:
- Art programs in schools.
- Summer camps.
- Special art education projects for individual young artists.
They hired artists who were good at their craft and also cared about helping young people through art. In 2015, the institute started a special summer program for teens, which is now held at the Coronado School of the Arts. The San Diego Art Institute also gave young artists chances to show their artwork in Balboa Park.
See also
In Spanish: Instituto de Arte de San Diego para niños
