President's Statement - December 2025
Well, here we are closing in on the end of 2025. For the Guild, it has been an exciting year headed by our members exhibition at the Museum of Photographic Arts Gallery (MOPA@SDMA), curated by Dr Hugh Davies from the Contemporary Art Museum (emeritus). We also just finished our members only exhibition at Gallery 21 in Balboa Park, curated by local gallery owner Johnny Tran - Thumbprint Gallery. With super prize-winning art and eclectic surprises in style, concept and medium. the International Online Exhibition, which closed on November 15, drew over 700 entries from around the world, but our members dominated the selections by Dr. Amy Galpin of the University of Miami as curator.
The long-planned book “100 Artists-100 Years,” edited by board member Mark-Elliot Lugo, and ably assisted by Guild Historian Jody Abssy, is undergoing excruciating detailed fine design by Mark and should be published in time to add to The San Diego Museum of Art 2026 Centennial celebrations. Exhibitions of some of the works in the book are also under discussion with the Central Library and other academic venues in the region. There is high demand in the academic community for hundreds of copies for its unique historical and cultural value.
Kevin Inman continues to host monthly figure drawing classes with Museum staff with a mix of Guild members and others attending. Kevin has also hosted several on-site plein air painting sessions with open enrollment. Kevin also manages our online presence, helps build exhibitions (i.e. International Online/Gallery 21 exhibitions) and serves as the Guild vice president.
The Guild has also initiated a groundbreaking experience in the formation of an “Atelier.” The Atelier is intended as a hands-on exercise /dialogue between Guild artists interested in experimenting with “conceptual” art projects. The important one going on now is “One day in the life of Imperial Avenue” in partnership with the Barrios Artists Partnership (non-profit). Twenty Guild artists will create their impression of life on Imperial Avenue and receive a $500 stipend. An exhibition of the collective artwork will be (tentatively) from February 14-22nd at a gallery on Imperial Avenue. The Guild involvement is part of an effort to develop the Imperial Avenue Arts District by the Partnership. This project is an exciting experiment in art and community engagement for the Museum.
Board member Leslie Pierce is knee-deep in organizing an exhibit on the theme “The Art of Now” at the Union Hall Gallery in Golden Hill, near downtown San Diego. She has short listed a distinguished list of potential curators, leased the space, and designed a prospectus which will invite artists throughout California. The tentative opening date is June 2026.
Additional exhibitions for Guild members are in the planning stages, including a return to Gallery 21 (pending parking rules) in Balboa Park.
Finally, Guild President Jim Bliesner (with board approval) has drafted and submitted a request to Deidre Guevera, Director of Community Engagement for the Museum, for a Biennale Exhibition (every two years) over the next ten years. The proposal suggests that such a declaration would provide a signature event for the Museum's Centennial celebrations, The primary argument is that the Guild and member artists are a constantly evolving phenomenon and that a benchmark exhibition highlighting this evolution would be distinctive. From artist dues and fees, the Guild has donated over $70,000 to the Museum's regular programming during the past ten years and would help defray the costs of an exhibition every two years.
Finally. TAKE NOTICE! Museum membership fees will increase in 2026. You might want to renew your Guild and Museum membership before the end of the year to avoid this increase.
That’s all for 2025. It has been a good year for the Guild, and hopefully for the artist members, and we look forward to new and exciting things for 2026.
With best wishes for a Happy and Creative Holiday Season,
Jim Bliesner, President
The San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild
www.sdmaag.org - jdbarte@gmail.com
