As PVAA’s Historian, Linda Hauser looks forward to sharing some of PVAA’s 70+ year history. In future editions of our newsletters, she will try to showcase various interesting events and photos from our archives.
We have many albums containing vintage photos and scrap books filled with newspaper articles which have become yellowed with time.
We are fortunate to have notebooks full of PVAA’s original board minutes, including the minutes from the first board meeting in January, 1952. We think you will find the early board minutes very interesting, as I certainly did. This is an excerpt from the May 19th, 1952 board meeting minutes.
“The matter of association annual dues was introduced and following discussion it was moved and carried that the dues be as follows:”
For one member..................... ...$5.00 For two members of one family.......$8.00 Patron..................................... $15.00 Student....................................$1.50
Our annual membership dues hasn’t increased substantially in seventy years, $35.00 seems quite reasonable. In an online comparison, the value of $5.00 in 1952 is worth over $55.00 today.
Linda Hauser , PVAA Historian
PVAA NEWSLETTER - JULY 2023 
Many of you may not realize, in the early years of PVAA, our artists enjoyed the opportunity of having monthly Revolving Art Shows that benefited a variety of businesses in the Pomona Valley.  
For many years, PVAA’s Revolving Show Chairman would coordinate with businesses and interested artists who would showcase their artwork.  Those businesses included banks, dentist and doctor’s offices, restaurants, department stores, libraries, colleges, and many other locations.  Not only did it benefit the beauty in these establishments, but it gave the artists a great opportunity to share and sell their artwork in addition to their gallery exhibitions and art shows.  
How many of you remember these well-known businesses that PVAA’s artists provided with beautiful artwork?  Unfortunately, many of these business’ no longer exist, they included:   
Buffums’; J.P Evans; Pomona Board of Realtors; Pomona Public Library; La Verne College, Kellogg West, Cal Poly; United California Bank; Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan; Security Pacific Bank; Catron Motors and many more.
Through the years, PVAA has given us a great opportunity to share our artwork and our passion for the love of art to our community. 
Linda Hauser
PVAA Historian
 

In April 1990, PVAA moved its gallery to the Old School House on the corner of Foothill Blvd and Indian Blvd in Claremont. This was the home of Claremont High School until the mid-1960’s.

On November 1st, 1992 PVAA opened a new gallery location, Claremont’s Harvard Square, where we remained until 1998.

It was that year that PVAA moved to the Pomona Arts Colony at 300S. Thomas Street. Was there that the PVAA named our Gallery SOHO, hence the name, (South of Holt). The basement level of the Historic Bulletin Building was now home to Gallery SOHO where PVAA’s membership roster now exceeded over 300 members. Artists and art enthusiasts enjoyed the busy Second Saturday Art Walks and other frequent offsite. The was PVAA’s home from 1998 until 2015.

In early 2015, PVAA moved to Montclair Plaza (a short time later it became Montclair Place). It wasn’t long before PVAA’s Gallery SOHO had over 50 exhibiting artists members and 30 artists on the waiting list to become exhibiting artist members. In December of 2015, PVAA expanded its gallery space to include the suite next door. This slightly larger space became known as The PVAA Art Place , there was ample room for art classes and variety of art exhibitions.

In 2020 with the beginning of COVID-19 and the closing of Nordstrom (our mall neighbor), Gallery SOHO and The PVAA Art Place struggled to have the foot traffic it once had. It was in the Summer of 2022 we decided to close our doors and once again move to a new location.

This month marks one year at our present location, 317 W First Street. in Claremont CA. On September 16th, 2022, we opened our doors, since that that day we’ve been enjoying the overwhelming support our 55 exhibiting artists, customers, and visitors. Gallery SOHO has become well-known and popular destination for art enthusiast, especially on the First Saturday Art Walks. We are excited to participate in next month’s Village Venture Arts and Craft festival . We hope you’ll join us on October 28th ( 9am-5pm) to support Claremont’s 41st Annual Event. - Linda Hauser