In the fall of 1948 Bill Cunningham (1917-2003) newly hired Los Gatos Art Teacher, and Dr. Arturo Fallico, San Jose State Professor of Philosophy, were planting the seeds for the Los Gatos Art Association.
Both were teaching Art, adult education, at Los Gatos High School. Their discussion of a need for a visual arts group led to three organizational meetings chaired by Bill Cunningham.
Dr. Fallico would become our first President with Bill Cunningham our first Vice President.
In the spring of 1949 Florence Blakeslee, first Palette Editor, organized the Allied Arts Exhibit and out of this exhibit came many of the first 25 charter members of the Los Gatos Art Association.
Fifteen women and ten men put in place many of the nuts and bolts that still exist in our club today.
They include our By-Laws, The Palette, our slate of officers, incorporation and our History Book. In addition they instituted a spring and fall art show.
They reached out to the young people with art workshops and opportunities to show their work.
By 1954 we had 200 members in the Los Gatos Art Association and were a moving force in Los Gatos, a community of 25,000.
More about Bill Cunningham...The Los Gatos Daily Times reported the opening of The Los Gatos Art Association's first art gallery on Sunday April 18th - attended by approximaitely 100 visitors. Forty artist displayed their oils and watercolors and the works of five sculptors were displayed.
The gallery was the former Austin Corners Schoohouse and later a grocery store, located on Austrian Way and Lancaster Road in back of the County Firehouse on Los Gatos/Saratoga Road.
The gallery was the site of art classes and lectures and was open to the public each Sunday from 1-4p.m.
Artist were welcome Monday Through Friday when classes and lectures were not being conducted.
The Mayor Of Los Gatos, Mardi Gualtieri, put out a request for some rotating paintings to hang in her office as a way of supporting local artist and showcasing the Town of Los Gatos.
Maree Lubran LGAA Member of Saratoga, answered the call and was featured in the Saratoga News, along with the Mayor displaying a fine painting of the Forbes Mill.
All the information on this page has been complied by our past LGAA History Chair,Steve Soult.