President’s Message

President’s Message

On behalf of all members of the Pasadena Society of Artists, I welcome you to our 97th Annual Juried Exhibition at Betsy Lueke Creative Arts Center in Burbank. Since 1925 we have had our annual juried exhibition in local reputable galleries. It is exciting to have this almost hundred year tradition and this year is again filled with wonderful, inspiration filled work. PSA, as ever, maintains a high standard among its membership and continues its purpose to provide a place for Pasadena artists to exhibit. Throughout the year the Exhibitions Committee of the Society offers members multiple opportunities to share their work; however, the annual show remains the centerpiece of quality and diverse work.

I believe the arts provide a counter balance to darker elements surrounding us in our world and serves as a reminder of all of the amazing, thoughtful, and unique qualities we as humans possess. And the visual arts allow an expression of emotion differing from anything else. We are invited in to encounter the creator’s vision as well as to experience our own exploration as the viewer. I believe there is little else to compare to this intra-action. I encourage you to stay connected with our exhibitions, website and members to keep the magic close.

Shaney Watters President Pasadena Society of Artists

A Short History of the Pasadena Society of Artists and the Annual Juried Exhibition

The Pasadena Society of Artists came into being in early 1925. Benjamin C. Brown, the “dean of Pasadena painters,” sent out a notice to local painters to discuss the formation of a society for local artists. The consensus was that the Pasadena Society of Artists should be formed. Attending this meeting were Benjamin C. Brown, Edward B. Butler, Maud Daggett, Antoinette De Forest Merwin, Louis Hovey Sharp, F. Carl Smith, Orrin A. White, Wallace LeRoy De

Wolff, and Frederick A. Zimmerman. Seven more artists then joined PSA to form the founding charter members. They were Herbert V. B. Acker, F. Tolles Chamberlin, Alson S. Clark, John

“Jack” Frost, Jean Mannheim, Katherine B. Stetson and Marion Wachtel. It has been suggested that PSA was formed out of the desire of the founders to exhibit their contemporary work, which was not acceptable in exhibitions of the California Art Club. The first Annual Juried Exhibition was presented in April 1925 at the Pasadena Art Institute located in Carmelita Park, now the site of the Norton Simon Art Museum. The PSA founders stated that “the standard will be high and only work of real merit will be accepted.” Every year since 1925 PSA has presented an Annual Juried Exhibition, this year being the 97th Annual. For more than 50 years PSA exhibited at the Pasadena Art Institute/Pasadena Art Museum in addition to presenting Annuals at various institutions throughout southern California. PSA continues to adhere to the guiding statement of the founders by accepting new members by juried submission. 1