Year Established: 1909

Club Founding:
Created by members of the Painters’ Club of Los Angeles, which had been established in 1906 as an informal group of male artists. A significant impetus to form the California Art Club was to allow both sculptors and women artists to participate.


Club Activities

Gold Medal Exhibitions: The Club’s Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibitions, considered to be one of the country’s premier exhibitions of contemporary-traditional fine art, enjoy a long history of being presented at prominent museums throughout the Golden State

Ongoing Exhibitions include:

Special Events and Exhibitions: The Club collaborates with museums and cultural organizations to present exhibitions and programs that showcase aspects of California’s rich history. Included among these institutions are:

Collectors’ Circle Events: Special activities for this category of membership include the Annual Collectors’ Circle Preview of the Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, and “behind-the-scenes” tours of artist studios, private collections, and other art-related venues.

Master Artist Workshops: Renowned artists teach and demonstrate traditional fine art skills of painting, sculpture and drawing

Publication of the quarterly California Art Club Newsletter

“Art Insiders: Learn & Mingle” Programs: Topics for these programs range from discussion and demonstrations on traditional fine arts, to lectures on California art history, conservation, framing, and more, while they also allow attendees to converse with fellow members.

Paint/Sculpt-Outs: These events enable art patrons to watch Club artists at work at different scenic locations throughout the Golden State.

Family and Youth Programs: These programs strive to provide children and teens – notably those in underserved communities – with much needed arts education at a time when school budgets for art are continually being cut, or even worse, non-existent.


Membership Categories

Artist Member – Professional fine art painter residing in California; selected by the membership jury. Number of Artist Members is limited.

Sculptor Member – Professional fine art sculptor residing in California; selected by the membership jury. Number of Sculptor Members is limited.

Signature Artist Member – Artist or Sculptor Member recognized for outstanding achievement as a fine artist and approved by a majority of the board. Signature Membership is limited.

Mentorship Program Member – Art student or professional artist under age of 30 years residing in California; selected by the membership jury.

Out-of-State Artist Member – Nationally renowned fine artists invited to join the Club based on upstanding recognition and reputation for high traditional art standards.

Associate Artist Member – Supporter of the Club recognized as an artist but not an Artist or Sculptor Member.

Honorary Life Member – Designated by the board in recognition for services rendered to the club.

Collectors’ Circle Member – Patrons of the Club interested in providing greater financial support, while receiving exclusive opportunities to learn more about traditional fine and building relationships with artists and others who share their passion for art.

Patron Member – Supporter of the Club.

International Patron Member – Supporter of the Club outside the United States.


California Art Club Chapters