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                  Remembering When
                  Art Center grew from community effort
                  by David Mason

                  "The Ojai Art Center, as it is known today, is a
                  place of fellowship, where the community can study
                  and enjoy varied artistic ventures just as Charles
                  Butler visualized it over four decades ago."
                  - The Ojai Valley, An Illustrated History, 1983

                  NOTE: David Mason, shown at the right of the photo,
                  was among cast members of the 1949 Ojai Community Art
                  Center production of "Mr. Berry's Etchings."

                  The arts would come early to the Ojai Valley. Many
                  different groups had formed over the years to
                  practice their trade, among the main ones were the
                  Community Chorus, the English Folk Dance Society, the
                  Community Players and the Arts and Crafts.
                  In 1921, since none of the groups had their   [Image]
                  own facilities, a movement started to find a
                  building where all of the various organizations could
                  meet on a regular basis. The Community Players were
                  holding their plays in the Boyd Club, the Folk Dance
                  Society was meeting at the El Roblar Hotel (now The
                  Oaks at Ojai), the Community Chorus was meeting at
                  the Ojai Woman's Club and the other groups were
                  meeting in private school facilities, church halls
                  and private homes.
                  By the 1930s, the local paper, The Ojai, was
                  promoting the idea of an art center, so that all of
                  the arts would be in the same location, not scattered
                  all over the valley. Dr. Charles T. Butler, a strong
                  art center supporter, said: "This plan called for
                  joining together several independent cultural groups
                  in a community Art Center, for the purpose of gaining
                  better management, proper facilities, wider scope and
                  greater advantages for the entire valley in all
                  branches of art."
                  The five groups backed Dr. Butler's proposal fully.
                  At once a name was selected, The Community Art Center
                  of the Ojai Valley. Subcommittees were appointed for
                  fund-raising, incorporation and bylaws, site and
                  architectural advice.
                  Teas and art lectures were given throughout the Ojai
                  Valley to promote the Art Center. It appeared the
                  whole population was eager for a building that would
                  provide the valley with a cultural center, because
                  most of the valley's activities had been centered
                  around agriculture.
                  The site committee spent many days and weeks looking
                  at different locations around the town. Finally, a
                  suitable site was chosen behind the Ojai Theater on
                  South Signal Street. It was a large lot with a
                  building already in place. The lot, however, was part
                  of an estate, and after many months of negotiations,
                  the committee's offer was refused.
                  In February of 1936, it was announced that through
                  the generosity of the library board, the land on
                  South Montgomery Street where the original old
                  library building stood, was being made available to
                  the Art Center committee. The Community Players felt
                  that since the library board was being quite generous
                  and reasonable with their offer that to make any
                  other location choice would be unwise. The lot was
                  purchased for $345. The site committee was then
                  dissolved.
                  Next, a fund-raising committee was created to secure
                  the funds for building the Art Center. The members
                  eagerly campaigned to reach their goal of $15,000,
                  which was the estimated cost of construction. It
                  would take more than two years of hard work before
                  the amount was finally raised.
                  The architectural committee was formed to come up
                  with a suitable building design, one that would have
                  room for all of the different art branches to meet.
                  Sketches for the proposed building were made by
                  Chalfant Head, a noted architect from the Los Angeles
                  area. The plans were exhibited in downtown Ojai, so
                  that everyone could see them.
                  The proposed building would have a hooded entrance
                  fronting a circular turn-around. The construction
                  material was a simple board and batten with a Celotex
                  interior. A charming paved terrace fronting the
                  wooded section of the adjoining Libbey Park was one
                  of the most attractive features of the plan. The
                  patio was intended to be used to present outdoor
                  plays in the summer with the audience seated either
                  on the lawn with the players acting on the terrace,
                  or with the audience seated on the terrace so that
                  the barranca, the lovely old trees and greenness of
                  the park could be used to create a background.
                  A bridge across the barranca was also proposed so
                  that the Art Center would have access from the park
                  and from Montgomery Street.
                  The location of the property was also regarded as
                  very desirable because of its proximity to the heart
                  of Ojai. The center was expected to attract visitors
                  to the village because of the usefulness of the
                  building and the needs of the community for a meeting
                  place, and for all the other activities. Since the
                  lack of a large auditorium with proper stage
                  facilities had been a problem for the community, the
                  new building was looked forward to with great
                  anticipation.
                  Upon completion, and with a lot of fanfare, the Ojai
                  Community Art Center was dedicated on Nov. 5, 1939.
                  The various groups moved in and began to pursue the
                  enjoyment of avocational art under the theater,
                  dancing, choral, instrumental music and fine and
                  applied arts branches. A literary branch was added
                  and the center commenced to hold exhibitions of art,
                  arranged lectures and musicals and brought
                  entertainment by outside talent to the Ojai Valley.
                  The facilities provided the theater branch with ample
                  seating, dressing rooms, wardrobe storage and the
                  large stage. The aim of the theater branch was to
                  create a theater which would serve the community. The
                  Hollywood crowd soon adopted the little theater and
                  joined in with the local actors to put on great
                  performances. Among the talent that graced the stage
                  were Loretta Young, Beau Bridges, Barry Sullivan, his
                  wife Marie and their daughter Jenny.
                  This was a great opportunity for those who wanted to
                  act on the stage and for those who harbored a secret
                  desire to build sets or paint flats. There was also a
                  need for people to make wigs and costumes. It was
                  even suggested that doing the dishes or making
                  sandwiches in the small kitchen would even take on
                  new glamour with the smell of grease paint no far
                  away.
                  Dr. Butler's dream had become a reality. He was born
                  in Yonkers, N.Y. and received his bachelor's degree
                  from Princeton and a doctorate from Columbia
                  University. He served his country in World War I as a
                  first lieutenant. He was also a member of the Society
                  of Mayflower Descendants. Butler returned to New York
                  after the war and practiced surgery at the Women's
                  Hospital and the Presbyterian Hospital, as well as in
                  private practice until his retirement in 1923.
                  Arriving in Ojai, Dr. Butler would become prominent
                  as a civic leader. In 1935, Dr. Butler had organized
                  the Ojai Community Orchestra, which was the
                  inspiration for the community art center. He was
                  chairman of the first water conservation and flood
                  control district for the Ojai Valley. During the
                  years 1946 through 1954, he took a leading role in
                  the Ventura County War and Community Chest.
                  For 60 years, the Ojai Community Art Center has
                  provided the valley with the best in theater
                  productions. The artists whose works have hung in the
                  gallery are of the most famous types and all of the
                  various branches have continued to be productive and
                  have worked together to further the cultural life of
                  the community.

                  © 1999 The Ojai Valley News

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