Sacramento artist Mayra Martines poses in front of her branner project at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center. Photo courtesy of Sac Fine Arts

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) – The idea for an art center started as a small spark four decades ago and grew into an established and integral community cultural center.  It was a “cold day in December” when a group of volunteers entered some old high school classrooms to clean up and launch their ideas according to an early newsletter. First President/Executive Director Marj Long also noted the rooms were piled high with junk, covered with paint, dirt and with clay balls sticking to the ceiling.  

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center (Sac Arts) was founded in April 1986 when five independent regional art clubs joined together to establish a place where they could meet and display their art. Jan Misuklin (of WASH) and one of the center founders remembered Marj Long saying, “I think I found us a home.” The new home was in the La Sierra Community Center located in Carmichael. Two of the original clubs, Northern California Arts (NCA), and Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons (WASH) continue to be the core active groups at the center. Numerous other artists, groups and organizations meet, teach and practice their skills on a regular basis at the center which is open thirty-two hours a week.    

The Sac Arts home, a 1959 building, is owned by Carmichael Recreation and Park District and is part of the La Sierra Community Center that was established after the La Sierra High School closed in 1983. It includes gallery space, along with working studio facilities.

Sac Arts First Chair Margaret Pollan said “In short order, the volunteer artists, spouses and friends reshaped the demolished high school art rooms into inviting spaces for exhibits, classes and club meetings. When the Park District saw what was being accomplished, they added more space from the garage. That gave us Gallery 3.”

Ron Cuppy and Ken DeYoung of the Park District provided cleaning supplies and gallons of paint to prepare the two original rooms. Volunteers worked through the cold months of January, February and March to prepare for the April opening. Operations began with mostly donated funds. The Florin League of Fine Arts (later disbanded) even held an art sale in South Sacramento to help.  

There have been a number of additions and improvements over the years. Old garage doors were taken down and glass windows and double doors were installed to create “the studio.”  The “meeting room” was created after maintenance installed a firewall. The kitchen, hallway, office and rental gallery were remodeled in 1999-2000 with help from the Sheriff’s Department for a “community work project.” And again, it was the generous donations from members and the community that helped pay for the work.   

Sac Arts and its volunteer army continue to look to the future. The Sac Arts Center got a major clean-up/spruce up in the past few months with some serious elbow grease.  There are also new art projects along with the return of popular events. This 40th anniversary year includes an Anniversary Show along with special events and classes. ‘Art of the Automobile’ is making a premier in September. Other events throughout the year include the popular Art Trivia Night, Black and White Show, Magnum Opus, Ars Gratia Artis, Animal House, Go with the Flow, and Bold Expressions, along with regularly scheduled events, classes and collaborations.

One of the latest additions making this a “banner” year are twenty-one 10 by 3.5 feet colorful PVC mesh banners now covering the front windows of the building. There were 130 submissions for the banner designs that were funded by a grant from the county Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), also commonly known as “hotel bed tax.” The funds are awarded to organizations that carry out community-based programs, including arts, culture and community development. Other TOT funded projects from previous years include decks of the very popular playing cards displaying familiar Sacramento Valley locales, and “Savoring Sacramento: An Artists' Cookbook.” Both are available in the Sac Arts gift shop along with other original and creative gifts.  

Sac Arts is entirely self-supported and run by a small staff and local volunteers. It thrives through fees from memberships, contributions, sales, shows, art classes, grants, and fundraisers. Membership in Sac Arts allows artists and art lovers to join art clubs, enter numerous local and national juried art shows, attend classes, workshops and social events.  Sac Arts brings heart to community art. 

“We are a hidden jewel in Sacramento area,” said original Board member Joan McMurray. “People who live close by are still surprised that there is an art center that is in the Sacramento area, not downtown.”

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center is located at 5330 Gibbons Drive, Suite B, Carmichael. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.