A dynamic member-based nonprofit educational organization dedicated to expanding the knowledge of traditional fine arts. Through exhibitions, programs and publications, CAC supports a network of contemporary artists and provides opportunities for art enthusiasts to partake with the arts community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose from this list:
How do I become a member of the California Art Club? There are three main categories: Artist, Patron and Collectors'
Circle.Join online now.
Artist: The Artist category includes Artist, Sculptor, Out-of-State
Artist, Out-of-State Sculptor, Signature, and Mentor Program members.
Members in this category are invited to apply to participate in a larger
number of juried exhibitions. Mentor Program membership is open only to
those applicants under the age of 30 and are juried members as well.
Patron: The Patron category includes Patrons and Associate Artist Members (previously known as Painting/Sculpting
Patrons). The Associate Artist membership is a designation we
give to our Patron members who are also artists, whether by hobby or profession,
in order to offer them opportunities that would not be of interest to
other Patron members (i.e., paint-outs, exhibitions, etc.). Anyone may
join as a Patron member (or Associate Artist ) at any time.
Collectors' Circle: This special category is for collectors
of all levels, whether just beginning to collect art or having a large
collection of fine art already. Special events such as exclusive artist
lectures, studio tours and dinners are organized for members.
I would like to be an Artist member of the California
Art Club, how do I become one? The number of Artist Members that the CAC may have is limited by
its bylaws to 350. Currently, we are at that limit and cannot accept any
more Artist members. If space becomes available, and the Board of Directors
decides to hold a jurying for potential new Artist members, all (current
and up-to-date) CAC Associate Artist members will receive
a letter prior to the jurying date (usually set in October or November)
with instructions for submitting.
Important note: Until a letter requesting submissions is received,
please do not mail any portfolios/slides/photos to the CAC. We cannot
retain these and they will be returned to you.
I've just joined the CAC as a Associate Artist member;
how soon will I see my name and/or website link on the CAC's website membership
listings? We will process your membership as soon as we receive it with full
payment of dues, and your listing online will follow shortly after. It
may take a few days sometimes, please be patient. Along with your online listing, you are also able to submit a sample image of your work and your personal website address. For more
information on a direct links and images, click here.
I'm an Associate Artist member, what opportunities are
available to me? There are many events that the California Art Club organizes that
are available to Associate Artist members: CAC Monthly Meetings, Annual
Paint-Outs and exhibitions, and the Women's
City Club of Pasadena venue is exclusively for Associate Artist Members (new
exhibitions are juried and opened every 6 months).
What do I get as a CAC member? All members receive 4 (quarterly) issues of the California Art
Club Newsletter, a 32-page publication packed with information regarding
the world of traditional fine art. Written by prominent museum directors
and art historians with the professional artist and art collector in mind,
the Newsletter includes such items as: Scholarly articles about
artists and art genres; exhibition and lecture listings; art competition
notices; paint-out locations and dates; artist profiles; membership news;
helpful hints for artists; and updates on California Art Club meetings
and other events. [See past issues
of the CAC Newsletter.]
The CAC also organizes annual paint-outs,
monthly meetings (except during
summer months), and opportunities to apply to exhibit in many venues throughout
California exist for its membership. We also list our current members online, and you may submit your personal website and a sample image to accompany your listing. More link info here.
I would like to attend a reception for
a CAC exhibition or visit a CAC venue but I can't find it. Can you help? Click here to get maps and directions
to the four venues that the CAC uses most often (The CAC Gallery at the
Old Mill, Marston's Restaurant, the Pasadena Museum of California Art,
and The Women's City Club of Pasadena, plus CAC Headquarters). For other
venues that are occasionally used, please try mapquest.com
or consult your Thomas Guide.
How can I get my information listed in
your newsletter?
There are four areas in which you may list information in the California
Art Club Newsletter: Museum/Gallery Exhibitions, Membership News, Paint-Outs
and Call For Entries. To submit information for these areas through the
website, please click here.
To send information through the post office, send to: California Art Club
Attention: Newsletter Submission for __________ (please
specify which area)
P.O. Box 92555
Pasadena, CA 91109
Deadline for submissions is the 5th of the month prior to publication
(for example, to be published in a June issue, we will need to receive
the material by May 5th). The CAC reserves the right to edit or not publish
information received.
Where can I tell other people about my
workshops? Right here on our website! To view instructions for sending us your
workshop information,
click here. Click to view a
current listing of: CAAM workshops
or Members Workshops (non-CAAM).You must be a current CAC member to list your own workshop.
What kind of information can I submit
to the Newsletter? Any current information about your art career, including but not limited
to, upcoming exhibitions, publications and awards. If you are sending
exhibition information, please include a complete current address (including
zip code) and phone number for the venue, as well as the title of the
exhibition, opening and closing dates, reception dates and times and
a brief description of the exhibition. If all of the above does not apply
(for example: there is no reception), please state so. Your information
may be edited for space and timeliness considerations, and may be posted
online. Note: Please stick to the facts. Our editors will remove any hype
or phrasing such as “most prestigious,” “internationally
renowned,” and “extraordinarily beautiful works.” For online membership news, click here.
I live too far away from Los Angeles to participate
in any of your events; do you have any other chapters?* We currently have Chapters in Malibu/Ventura County, Orange County, San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Francisco,
with plans for others. All of our Chapters are volunteer-based. Please
see our Chapters page and contact the respective
Chapter Chairman for more information about their upcoming schedules.
*If none of these Chapters are close enough to you, and
you would like to volunteer your time in organizing a Chapter in your
area, this is what you can do to get started:
• Get fellow local artists together to find out if there is enough
interest in having a CAC Chapter in your area
• Find a local meeting place (someone’s home or art gallery)
• Contact the CAC with your interest to create a local Chapter or
CAC paint-out activity
• Contact the CAC about collaborating and organizing activities
• The CAC will provide you with a local membership roster and help
you get the word out to fellow members
The CAC Office can be contacted at
or 626/583-9009.
When is the next general membership meeting? Meetings are announced on the Meetings
page, as well as in the CAC Newsletter. No meetings are held
during the summer.
I live too far away, do you
ever have meetings in areas other than Pasadena or Los Angeles? Yes, we have had meetings in San Diego and in Orange County when there
is an exhibition of particular interest to our membership. Our Chapters
also have meetings of their own in different parts of California; contact
the chapters for more information on their schedules.
How much does it cost to place an ad
in the CAC Newsletter? A quarter page ad runs $500 per issue, and is particularly geared for
art services, such as framers, art suppliers, etc. We have a distribution
of over 3,500 newsletters. The CAC retains the right to refuse any ad
for publication.
Can I be an Artist/Sculptor member if I live outside
of California? Yes - the category is referred to as "Out-of-State Artist/Sculptor
Member." If you were accepted as an Artist/Sculptor member in the
state of California initially and have since moved out of California,
you will automatically become an Out-of-State Artist or Sculptor member;
otherwise, Out-of-State members are asked to join by invitation only.
What is a Signature Member? A Signature Member is an Artist/Sculptor Member who has been elected
into the Signature Membership category by a panel of current Signature
Members and the Board of Directors.
Can you help me find information about deceased CAC
or other artists?Can you help me identify an artwork that I have? Yes - we have a resource library, as well as much archival material
on the early years of the CAC. Please see our CAC
History section ~ containing early CAC members, the history of the
Gold Medal exhibitions, a listing of CAC Presidents, and much more - this
is constantly being added to and updated as new material presents itself.
You may also try a Search in the search box at the top right of each page
- this is helpful in pinpointing specific artist names that were involved
with the CAC. If you would like us to assist you in a query, please send
us an email with as much info as you can give to help identify a painting,
plus any images. Please be aware beforehand that the CAC is NOT qualified
to give appraisals of artwork.
If you have any information regarding deceased CAC members, we are always
glad to receive originals or copies of material (obituaries, exhibition
brochures and listings, etc.) to build our file resources, especially
as pertaining to the California Art Club.
Do you have a list of other art organizations that
I might join more easily? We have listings of local art clubs in California, which we will be
happy to send to you. Please call the CAC Office at 626/583-9009.
If I make a donation to the CAC, is the amount tax-deductible? Yes, the CAC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, and as such, all
donations, minus membership dues, are tax-deductible. If you send the
CAC a donation, you will receive a thank you letter specifying the amount
that is tax-deductible. Your membership dues may be tax-deductible as
a business expense; please consult your tax advisor.
What is the difference between the CAC and CAAM? The California Art Club (CAC) has been in continuous operation since
1909. In it's early years the organization's primary focus was on exhibitions.
Now, it focuses on the dissemination of information regarding traditional
fine art through newsletter and catalogue publications as well as exhibitions.
The California Art Academy and Museum (CAAM) is a recently founded nonprofit
(c)(3)organization (since 1997) whose primary goals are to teach traditional
painting and sculpting, and hopefully soon in the future, to house a museum
and resource art library.
