Chronology of the Painters’ Club – 1909
January 5, 1909: Pres. Conner proposed F. R. Miner for Associate Member; unanimously accepted. Also present werer Associate Members Matern, Rev. Hartley, Haskell and Blair. H. W. Cannon brought a visitor, Mr. Brightman. Mr. Proctor submitted two oil sketches and Rev. Hartley submitted three oil sketches for Active Member consideration; both were rejected. (Minutes)
February 2, 1909: W. Matern donated an electric bulb and shade to the Club; it was motioned, seconded and unanimously carried to send him a thank you letter. The Secretary suggested that the Club present Mr. Matern with an illuminated testimonial – Martin Jackson to donate the work, and other members to contribute to the frame and materials. F. C. Coburn was proposed by Rogers for Active Membership; two oil sketches were enough to secure his acceptance. Associates Hartley and Proctor also present. The following members brought sketches for criticism: Theiss, Rogers, Kilpatrick, Black, Boundey, F. Conner, Austin, Dunn, Puthuff, Hedges and Jackson. Cannon, Costello and A. C. Conner failed to present a sketch. F. R. Miner also present at the meeting. (Minutes)
“At the last meeting of the Painters’ Club, F. C. Coburn was elected an active member. C. A Rogers and Martin J. Jackson were appointed a committee to find a suitable gallery for the spring exhibition of the club, to be held in May. The Ruskin Art Club sent complimentary membership cards to the members of the Painters. The next meeting, to be held on the evening of March 2, will be at the Majestic Hotel.” (L.A. Times, February 14, 1909, III2)
March 2, 1909: W. Matern is presented with a framed illuminated testimonial by C. A. Rogers. Associate Rev. Hartley presented two oils accompanied by the customary $3.00 fee for consideration as an Active Member; he was elected. (Minutes)
“At last Tuesday’s meeting of the Painters’ Club, which was held at Hotel Majestic, it was decided that a special exhibition of the club’s recent work will be held on March 22, for a week or longer, in the exhibition basement of the Hamburger department building, in conjunction with a spring showing held by Hamburger Bros. At least one hundred pictures in oils and water colors will be exhibited by the club.” (L.A. Times, March 7, 1909, III2)
March 14, 1909: “Beginning March 22, the Painters’ Club will hold their spring exhibition in the lower exhibition rooms of the Hamburger department store. About 100 pictures will be shown, with every member of the club represented.” (L.A. Times, March 14, 1909, III2)
March 21, 1909: “The second exhibition of the work of the Painters’ Club, which opens tomorrow at Hamburger’s, will without a doubt create a great deal of interest. A well lighted corner of the lower floor of the Hamburger building has been assigned to the club, each of whose members will be allowed space for at least five pictures.” (L.A. Times, March 21, 1909, III2)
March 28, 1909: “The exhibition of paintings by the Painters’ Club did not open last Monday at Hamburger’s, as announced. The exact date has not yet been decided upon, nor the place where the show will be held. On April 6 the club will hold a meeting for the purpose of voting on both those questions.” (L.A. Times, March 28, 1909)
April 6, 1909: W. Wendt proposed Mr. J. Wells for Associate Membership, he was accepted. Rogers and Puthuff were appointed a committee to try and procure a gallery for postponed exhibition, which was moved to November. (Minutes)
“The Painters’ Club will meet on Tuesday evening at Hotel Majestic for the purpose of discussing the exhibition which the club intends to holds this spring.” (L.A. Times, April 4, 1909, III2)
May 4, 1909: Rogers reports he was able to get the Blanchard Gallery for the last two weeks of November for the Autumn Exhibition. Mr. Blanchard also invites the Club to meet in his Gallery, and they accept. Hartley donated an easel to Club for displaying sketches. A motion was made that “each member be permitted to bring as many sketches as he sees fit at our next meeting and that an impromptu exhibition be held.” (Minutes)
May 30, 1909: “The Painters’ Club has decided to postpone its second annual exhibition till fall; many of its members not feeling quite ready for a proper representation this spring.” (L.A. Times, May 30, 1909, III2)
May 1909: A spring exhibition was to be held at The Blanchard Art Gallery, then the location was changed to the Hamburger Store. The exhibition was later cancelled. (PC Minutes)
June 15, 1909: “The members of the Painters’ Club will meet at the studio of Hanson Puthuff, No. 401 West Avenue 53, next Tuesday evening for “a general good time.” A “Dutch lunch” will be served.” (L.A. Times, June 13, 1909, III15)
July 6, 1909: Jackson proposed Mr. A. B. Dodge for Active Membership and submitted one oil and one watercolor. He was elected unanimously. Bailey proposed Mr. W. A. Sharp for Active Membership, who was also elected based on two watercolors. Mr. Alson G. Stone (?) was proposed by F. Miner for Associate Member, and he was accepted. A Reception Committee is created to “endeavor to meet visiting artists in our city, inviting them to spend an evening socially with our Club.” (Minutes)
August 3, 1909: C. A. Rogers read the following amendment to Article VIII of the By-Laws: “Associate Members will be permitted to bring one sketch for criticism, but shall not be entitled to vote or criticise the work submitted by the members or have a voice in the meetings of the Club.” The idea of purchasing a lot and building a permanent home for the Club was discussed, but went nowhere. (Minutes)
September 7, 1909: Franz Bischoff is proposed for Active Membership by W. Wendt and accepted. Discussion of topics relating to the upcoming Second Annual Exhibition – pencil sketches for catalogue cover designs; posters 14 x 20 to advertise – each member had to submit a poster or risk a fine of $1. (Minutes)
September 14, 1909: “The annual exhibition of the Painters’ Club will be held at the Blanchard gallery during the first two weeks of November. At last Tuesday’s meeting the club discussed the advisability of securing a permanent clubhouse. Designs for the cover of the catalogue of the coming exhibition will be submitted at the October meeting, and the design adjudged the best will be chosen. A certificate of merit will be made out to the painter of the best picture shown in the next exhibition.” (L.A. Times, September 19, 1909, III15)
October 5, 1909: Arion Putnam was proposed for Active Membership by C. P. Austin with two sketches; he was elected. Mr. Proctor submitted three sketches for Active Membership but was again rejected. Norman St. Clair is unanimously voted an Honorary Member. (Minutes)
“The Painters’ Club will hold a special meeting at the studio of Charles Rogers on the evening of Tuesday, October 19.” (L.A. Times, April 17, 1909, III10)
October 19, 1909: Sharp, Evans and Jackson submitted designs for the catalogue cover – Sharp’s design was selected, and he suggested paper colors. Jackson submitted a sample of the invitation cards and envelopes – 600 were printed, 400 of which would be mailed using 2 cent stamps. Mr. Everett C. Maxwell, who is “furnished gratuitously by Mr. Blanchard,” was to serve as Curator. (Minutes)
“At the last meeting of the Painters’ Club, held at the studio of Charles Rogers, Walker building, last Tuesday evening, thirty posters for the coming fall exhibit of the club were shown. These beautiful posters will be distributed over the city. After the exhibition, which will be held during the first two weeks in November, the posters will be sold at auction at the Blanchard gallery.” (L.A. Times, October 24, 1909, III10)
October 28, 1909: A special meeting to which all members must deliver their painting titles for the exhibition. Moved and seconded to have the elevator run on opening night. Norman St. Clair resigns Active Membership, but the Club wanted him to continue as Associate. Members are permitted to sell photographs of their paintings at the exhibition if they want. (Minutes)
October 31, 1909: “The second annual exhibition of paintings by the Los Angeles Painters’ Club opens in the Blanchard gallery tomorrow evening with a private view from 8 to 10. The gallery will open to the general public on Tuesday, November 2, till the thirteenth of the month. The posters for the exhibition, which are now being shown in various parts of the city will not be sold at auction as previously reported, but will remain the property of their respective designers.” (L.A. Times, October 31, 1909, III4)
November 1-13, 1909: The Second Annual Exhibition was held at the Blanchard Art Gallery, opening with a private viewing on November 1 from 8:00-10:00 p.m., and then to the public on Tuesday, November 2. It included “…almost 100 pictures in oil and watercolor, the work of 20 painters.” The work included was not juried, as members could select whatever they wanted to exhibit. (Full coverage of the exhibit: L.A. Times, Nov. 7, 1909, III2 and Nov. 14, 1909, III15) [An alphabetized catalogue (whereabouts unknown) was also printed; William Alexander Sharp’s design was chosen for the cover.]
2nd Annual Exhibition of the Painters’ Club
November 1 – 13, 1909
- Charles Percy Austin
The Stray Lock – study of a boy’s head, small canvas - Charles Percy Austin
Avalon – small canvas - Charles Percy Austin
Pebbly Beach, Catalina – small canvas - Franz A. Bischoff
Tide Coming In – marine - Franz A. Bischoff
Evening Glow – marine - Franz A. Bischoff
On the Bank of the Arroyo – landscape - Franz A. Bischoff
(A large painting of roses, unnamed) - Franz A. Bischoff
(Another unnamed landscape) - Carl Oscar Borg
La Puerta de Santa Clara – Received the diploma/perchment [sic] certificate and blue ribbon for Best Picture in the exhibition* - Carl Oscar Borg
On the Chapel Steps - Carl Oscar Borg
La Plaza de Antigua - Carl Oscar Borg
(Plus one more unnamed; all 4 sketches from Guatemala) - Harry Lewis Bailey
Noon Hour - Harry Lewis Bailey
Stableward - Harry Lewis Bailey
A Little Beggar – study of a white dog - Harry Lewis Bailey
(3 above plus 3 more; “…6 studies of horses and dogs, in oils and water colors…”) - Frank Coburn
Lights of Hope – YMCA building, lit up at night - Frank Coburn
Fishermen’s Hats - Frank Coburn
San Pedro - Frank Coburn
Summer Clouds - Frank Coburn
(Plus one other unnamed work) - Albert Clinton Conner
The Mesa Meadow – oil - Albert Clinton Conner
Along the Beach – oil - Val Costello
“3 well studied [canvases] from nature” - Arthur B. Dodge
Cabin in Arroyo Seco – oil - Arthur B. Dodge
Campers Returning from San Clemente – large watercolor
(Campers is reprinted in the L.A. Times article, Nov. 7, 1909) - Arthur B. Dodge
(Plus more watercolors, unknown titles or how many more) - David Dunn
In Santa Anita Cañon - David Dunn
[plus three other canvases] - Frank Elwin Evans
A Glimpse Through the Trees - Frank Elwin Evans
including two others, unnamed - Benjamin Hartley
A Quiet Morning at Cavalia - Benjamin Hartley
Sunset During the Harmattan Winds - Benjamin Hartley
Moonlight on the Cavallia River - Martin J. Jackson
A Calm Afternoon, Point Fermin - Martin J. Jackson
Glow of the Westering Sun - Martin J. Jackson
Brown Maples - Martin J. Jackson
Once Upon a Time – …a little girl seated on a lounge reading a book… - Aaron E. Kilpatrick
April Day - Aaron E. Kilpatrick
The Old Oak - Aaron E. Kilpatrick
[plus 3 more landscapes] - Frank R. Liddell
Gray Day, Wilmington - Frank R. Liddell
Mayberry Cañon - Hanson Puthuff
Oaks and Poppies – Received the red ribbon for Best Landscape in the exhibition* - Hanson Puthuff
Declining Day in the Arroyo - Hanson Puthuff
Hill Pasture - Arion Putnam
Pima Indian Basket Weaver – Received the white ribbon for Best Figure painting in the exhibition* - Charles A. Rogers
“…an interesting series of Chinatown studies…” - Charles A. Rogers
The Pool – sunset - Charles A. Rogers
Sunset – watercolor - W. A. Sharp
Lily Pond, Florida – watercolor - W. A. Sharp
Twilight, Florida Beach – watercolor - W. A. Sharp
On the East Coast, Florida – watercolor - W. A. Sharp
Sketch at Daytona, Florida – watercolor - J. W. Theiss
“…water color studies of various aspects of Yosemite Valley…” - William Wendt
Field Aglow - William Wendt
Sycamores - William Wendt
The Oaks
* “The Painters’ Club gave a perchment [sic] certificate and a blue ribbon to the painter of the “best” picture exhibited at its second annual exhibition; a red ribbon to the painter of the “best” landscape; a white ribbon to the painter of the “best” figure painting. These presentations are contrary to the spirit and genius of the club, and should not have been made – more especially as the diploma of honor was given by Martin J. Jackson, who is himself as member of the club. Has the Painters’ Club become a mutual admiration society?…William Wendt was out of the running, because, forsooth! he had already won honors elsewhere.”
~ Antony Anderson, (L.A. Times, Nov. 7, 1909 3, 12, 1-2)
[Another exhibition followed just after the Second Annual Exhibition of the Painters’ Club, also at the Blanchard Hall. Referred to only as “…the second annual exhibition of works by representational oil painters of Southern California…,” it ran from Nov. 16 to Dec. 4, 1909 and “…only 15 painters in oils have contributed to this exhibition…thirty-six canvases are hung on the walls…”
Six of the participants in this other exhibit were also members of the Painters’ Club, though only 4 of them contributed work to both exhibits (Bischoff, Borg, Puthuff and Wendt). (L.A. Times, Nov. 21, 1909, III15)
Also, at least one woman, Helma Heynsen Jahn, was a part of this other exhibit. See A. Anderson’s comment on women artists in his Art and Artists cloumn, Dec. 12, 1909, III17, and the Open Letter responses to it printed Jan. and Feb. 1910 by J. B. Wendt and L. Pinkham. Since the Painters’ Club did not allow women to participate, this could have been part of the reason why that club’s sun was setting. -Ed.]
December 12, 1909: The Painters’ Club is disbanded. In the next paragraph of the same article, Antony Anderson reveals that there will be a successor: “to be called the California Art Club.” (L.A. Times Dec. 12, 1909, III17)