 THE HISTORY OF THE
CHAFFEY COMMUNITY ART ASSOCIATION
The Chaffey Community Art Association was founded in
the spring of 1941 by Francis and Helen Line as a memorial to their daughter
Barbara, a victim of leukemia. The nucleus for a Permanent Collection was the
Barbara Line Memorial Collection of nine paintings. The paintings were executed
by outstanding artists.
The "Chaffey Community" encompasses the
western portion of San Bernardino County and that eastern portion of Los Angeles
County that was developed by George Chaffey, an early pioneer, from Ontario,
Canada.
Mr. and Mrs. Line organized the Association to
stimulate and foster art interest, education and enjoyment in the Chaffey
Community.
With this object in mind, the Association established
in its constitution an Annual Purchase Prize or Cash Award Exhibit of
Contemporary American Painting. Mr. and Mrs. Line envisioned a worthy art
collection, for the Chaffey district, when they organized the Chaffey Community
Art Association.
The plan to promote a Purchase Prize Art Exhibit in
Ontario each year was established by Mr. Francis Line. The pictures were to be
entered by Eastern and California artists.
The First Annual Invitational Purchase Prize Exhibit of
Contemporary Painting was held October 24, 1941 through March 2, 1942. Mr. and
Mrs. Line directed the selection of paintings for a number of years. When they
moved from Ontario, members of the Art Association carried on the traditional
high quality of the Exhibit.
The Exhibits of Contemporary American Painting were
held in the Girls' Gymnasium at Chaffey High School, through the fall of 1963.
The Twenty-third Annual Purchase Prize Exhibit in 1963 was the last one to be
held in the gymnasium. At the close of this Exhibit, the Chaffey High School
stated that they could no longer provide the gymnasium for exhibits. The Annual
Purchase Prize Exhibits were discontinued for want of a place to show
paintings.
| The Annual Invitational Purchase Prize Exhibit of
Contemporary painting had the reputation of being the best regular show of
national scope held in Southern California. The artists invited to exhibit in
this show were very enthusiastic and enjoyed participating in it.
From Purchase Prizes, awards and gifts, the Association
had acquired a valuable collection of paintings. There are approximately eighty
paintings, oils, watercolors, serigraphs and sculpture in the collection. |
 MOON IN THE THORN TREE Jean Goodwin Ames Oil
26" x 36" Circa 1948 |
In 1964 the Chaffey Community Art Association became
incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. The plan was made and carried out
by Mr. Clark Heiple, President of the Association, and by the board
members.
The Chaffey Community Art Association continued to have
monthly members meetings, periodically featuring demonstrations, critiques,
lectures, small exhibits, dinners and parties, where some form of art was shown.
In addition, a Community Artists Exhibit, which was held each year, took the
form of a Festival of Arts, where all forms of the visual arts were
exhibited. Prizes, ribbons, and honorable mentions were awarded.
 WINTER BREAKFAST Henry Varnum Poor Oil
24" x 35" Circa 1943 |
For a number of years the Association did not have an
established meeting place. During this period exhibits were held in public
buildings and homes. The Association was in search of a permanent headquarters
and gallery.
The search ended when the beautiful Mediterranean style
former Ontario city Hall was dedicated, by the Ontario City Council, as a
"Museum of History and Art" for the enjoyment and education of the
community. |
The Ontario City Council, recognizing the Chaffey
Community Art Association's history and value as a cultural asset to the local
community, authorized the Chaffey Community Art Association to supply the
"Art" cultural mission. By contractual agreement Chaffey Community Art
Association became a part of the Museum of History and Art responsible
for bringing quality art to the community through promotion of the visual arts
and artists. The program was to be carried out in the north wing of the
building. By Selma Mast
CCAA ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The first exhibit at the Ontario Museum of History and
Art was an outstanding show called "Watercolor 1" held in the gallery
March 15, 1981. The event celebrated the 40th anniversary of the
Chaffey Community Art Association.
Every year since that first exhibit held in the north
wing, the Chaffey Community Art Association has held many outstanding exhibits
by famous artists: Millard Sheets, Rex Brandt, Milford Zornes, Phil Paradise,
Robert E. Wood, Phil Dike, John Swanson, Paul Darrow, Emil Kosa, Jr., Carlos
Licon, Anders Aldrin, Jose Clemente Orozco, and many other fine
artists.
Major exhibits of sculpture by internationally known
sculptors have been held. Among the outstanding sculptors that have exhibited
are: John Svenson and Betty Davenport Ford.
Other artists who have been featured in exhibits are:
Robert Fleck, James and Elizabeth Fuller, Dorothy Downing, Joella Jean Mahoney,
Fred Leach and Robert George. The Association has held exhibits of quilts, a
Harriet White Retrospective, student shows, juried artists shows, featured
portfolio shows, photographic shows and has had many exhibits of local and
emerging artists.
Each year since the opening of the North wing of the
Museum, the Chaffey Community Art Association ha exhibited its nationally
acclaimed Permanent Collection of paintings. This collection contains the works
of some of the most prominent artists in the United States.
The Chaffey Community Art Association is unique in that
it is the first organization of its kind to be established in the Southland. The
Chaffey Community Art Association is universally recognized.
From the year 1941 when the Chaffey Community Art
Association was organized, officers and members have kept in mind the original
objectives, and have continued to present fine art in all media. By Selma Mast CCAA PROMISE
CCAA's plans for the future are to continue the high
quality exhibitions it has been known for in the past. We wish to encourage and
promote young artists as well as established artists.
We always seek to expand and maintain our Permanent
Collection and hope to add outstanding works of art to it each year.
We will do everything in our power to promote and
support the arts and artists in our community. This is our promise.
The Chaffey Community Art Association appreciates the
opportunity to have a facility in the Ontario Museum of History and Art and to
feature art exhibits and to display the Permanent Collection.
CCAA MEMBERSHIP
CCAA relies upon your funds to keep us going. In order
to bring you the events and exhibits you want to see and participate in, we need
your help. So, please join us in our efforts. We depend on you.
Chaffey Community Art Association is funded in part by
a grant from the San Bernardino County Arts Foundation and the San Bernardino
County Board of Supervisors.
 BUFFALO RANGE Emil Kosa Jr. Oil
24" x 36" |
 CONCHITA Loren
Barton Oil 29" x 34" Circa 1941 |
WHO WE ARE
The CHAFFEY COMMUNITY ART ASSOCIATION is a
nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to the laws of the State of
California.
The primary purpose of the Chaffey Community Art
Association shall be to stimulate and foster art interest, education and
enjoyment for the general public. To that end, the organization conducts,
maintains, and establishes art exhibitions, programs, and classes for the
purposes of stimulating art interest in the community.
The Chaffey Community Art Association is governed by
four Boards:
*
The Board of Directors (administering the overall policies and schedule
of organization, budgeting, and making recommendations to the general
membership)
- The Trustees of the Permanent Collection (responsible
for the supervision, maintenance, expansion and exhibitions of CCAA's Permanent
Collection of fine art)
- The Planning Board (adopts exhibit and program
schedules and sets long range goals and implementation procedures)
- The Advisory Board (serves as a fund raining
committee for the organization and gives policy advice to the Board of Directors
and Trustees)
The Board of Directors meets on the second Wednesday of
each month (unless another date is agreed upon) at 7:00 PM at the Museum. This
meeting is open to the public and the exact date is announced in the monthly
CCAA NEWSGRAM. Participation by our members in the running and planning of the
organization is welcome and encouraged. Our members are our
organization.
PERMANENT COLLECTION "A MOMENT IN HISTORY"
The Permanent Collection of the Chaffey Community Art
Association represents some of the most prominent artists of the Western United
States in the period from 1920 to date. It is also representational of the
development of a distinctive school of California art inspired by the unique
quality of light and geographic features to be found in the coastal, mountain
and desert areas of the Far West. Salient examples of this school are to be
found in the watercolor paintings of Millard Sheets, Rex Brandt and Milford
Zornes.
Some of the finest works of the regional artists of the
period 1920-1950 are also represented kin the Permanent Collection, most
importantly the works of Emil Kosa, Jr., Thomas Craig, and Conrad
Buff.
Collection of superb examples of fine art past and
present continues, the latest acquisitions being works of Veloy Vigil, Carlos
Licon, Leon Amyx, Leonard Kester and Vera Wise. THE
BARBARA LINE COLLECTION
| Nucleus of the Chaffey Community Art Association
Permanent Collection of fine paintings was the Barbara Line Collection. This was
a succession of fine paintings donated by Francis and Helen Line, beginning in
1941, as a memorial to their lovely young daughter, a victim of leukemia. At the
same time the Lines founded the CCAA, one of the oldest and most prestigious
community art associations in the Southland. |
 BARBARA Marion
Olds Oil 14" x 18" Circa 1940 |
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