Carmel art association

Founded in 1927 in Carmel, California, the Carmel Art Association is the only gallery in Carmel that shows exclusively work by local artists. The Association is composed of local artists, selected by their peers. It is the second oldest operating non-profit artist cooperative in the United States, and exists to provide its members with a permanent art gallery, to advance knowledge of, and interest in the arts, and to create a spirit of cooperation and fellowship among artists and the community. Prominent early members included Percy Gray, Armin Hansen, Henrietta Shore, Ferdinand Burgdorff and Elizabeth Strong. The first gathering to form the organization was in the home of Josephine Culbertson and Ida Johnson. Guest speaker was Ada Belle Champlin from the Laguna Beach Art Association, and she talked about the advantages of forming a local art association. The first space was in the Seven Arts Building at Lincoln Street and Ocean Avenue. Rent was thirty dollars a month and Miss Kathryn Corrigan was the Curator. Since then the space has been expanded and annual exhibits are held as are lectures and demonstrations. The first exhibit was miniature paintings called "Thumb-box Sketches", and a show with miniatures became an annual event. Sources: William Stone, President, "Celebrating 75 Years of Local Art", Carmel Art Association 1927-2002, www.carmelart.org