50 Years of Art & Architecture at the Riverside Art Museum

Press Release

7 years ago

Riverside, CA – The Riverside Art Museum (RAM) invites you on June 2, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m., for a ‘60s-themed gala with a HOSTED cocktail bar and hors d’oeuvres that will blast you back to the days of our beloved Museum’s move to this Julia Morgan treasure in 1967. You’ll also enjoy:

Live music by the Civil Defense band, featuring City Manager John Russo, and The Adam Henry Band, as well as a totally boss DJ, DJ Dru Ali
Wine, Spirits, and Beer tastings by La Bodega, and coffee from Lift Coffee Roasters
Valet parking
Best Dressed a la Mad Men Contest
Gregory Adamson performance painting
A nifty silent auction
Artmaking and hip crafts

We have a few other far-out surprises in store for you, so get decked out in your best Mad Men-inspired cocktail threads and buy your tickets now to join us at the swankiest, most primo event of the year!

From an abandoned dog pound to an architecturally-significant historic building…

Did you know that the Riverside Art Museum was formerly located in an abandoned dog pound that was leased from the city for $1/year? That all changed in 1967 when our current Julia Morgan-designed building was purchased from the YWCA and transformed into a center for arts education and exhibitions. This purchase was a leap of faith. After all, how many communities are blessed with an independent, non-government-owned museum? As Kirk Steinman – an architect who 50 years ago helped transform the YWCA’s swimming pool and gymnasium into galleries and studios – recently told us, “the Riverside Art Museum is a great thing Riversiders did for Riverside”.

“The vision of our community leaders 50 years ago is truly inspirational,” says RAM President Tim Maloney. “This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate the past accomplishments of RAM, but more importantly to become visionary and see where we can be in the next 50 years.”

As we look to the future, RAM’s success continues to rely on the support of those willing to share their time, talent, and treasure. Your support is critical to RAM’s continued stewardship of the museum’s historic building, its role as a repository for locally created and collected artwork, and its distinction as a place for people of all ages to gather and learn. As an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit and the region’s most prominent visual arts museum, we rely on you to help us inspire creativity and economic development, engage lifelong learners, and strengthen community by connecting people to place within our diverse region.

What better way to celebrate 50 years of mission-driven work AND help champion RAM’s continued success for another 50 years than to party ‘60s-style with old and new friends at our Gala Fundraiser?

“The Riverside Art Museum’s long history of being the cultural hub of the art community has been possible because of the creativity, dedication, and generous support of our volunteers and donors,” says trustee Sarah Smith, whose mother, Dottie Smith, was a driving force behind fundraising for the purchase of the YWCA. “I hope you will join us in celebrating our 50-year history in our historic Julia Morgan building.”

Thank you to our 50 Years of Art & Architecture Committee: Barbara Wallace, Suzy Clem, Emmanuelle Reynolds, Francie Johnson, Sue Simonin, James Antoyan, Barbara Robinson, Tim Maloney, Kathy Bocian, Cathy Kienle, and Patsy Herrera-Loya.

ADDITIONAL RELATED PROGRAMMING

May 30, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., free, “Look Who’s Talking” | Julie Donoho + Ribbon Cutting Celebration
- RAM is proud to debut our new Julia Morgan Tribute Wall designed and funded by HMC Architects and their Designing Futures Foundation. This permanent exhibition features new information and imagery to educate visitors about the building’s architecture and history, and Morgan’s story as the first professional female architect in California and winner of the American Institute of Architect’s Gold Medal, the AIA’s highest honor. Please join us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony!
- In additional, Julie Donoho, a well-regarded Morgan expert, will give a presentation on Morgan’s early work and life. She will also discuss the process of posthumously awarding Morgan the AIA Gold Medal and its significance globally.
June 2 – September 24, 2017 50 Gifts for 50 Years
- RAM stewards a permanent collection referred to by independent curator, Margaret Matthew Berenson, as “one that provides its audience a sweeping glimpse of the history of art.” Many regional collectors have donated work and they provide insight into what our region valued and collected in the past.
- Over the years, Riverside’s Latino community has grown. In an ongoing effort to collect objects relevant to our community, Cheech Marin’s donation on March 29, 2017, of the Chicano Collection, a portfolio of 26 archival-quality prints that depict urban life and the Chicano experience, is significant. Primarily drawn from Marin’s collection, they include reproductions of paintings by Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, Patssi Valdez, Leo Limon, and Margaret Garcia.
- RAM also previously purchased a Self Help Graphics (SHG) portfolio with funds provided by the Latino Network, strengthening our current collection of SHG works. Additional gifts strengthen our European print collection and bring depth to our early California watercolor collection. We also acquired work by regional emerging artists, like Pavel Acevedo, who is a Riverside-based, Oaxaca-born artists. 50 Gifts for 50 Years celebrates these and other recent art deeded or pledged to the museum in the past few months in celebration of RAM’s 50 Years of Art & Architecture.
July 16, 2017, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., free with paid admission or membership, Julia Morgan: Trailblazing Architect
- Join Dr. Anthea Hartig (California Historical Society), Jana Itzen (Itzen Architects Inc.), and Lindsey Rossi (independent design curator) for a conversation about Julia Morgan’s remarkable trailblazing career and the state of the field for women today.
September 16 – 17, 2017, more info TBA, On the Road with Julia!
- Join us on a fun bus trip with old friends and NEW as we journey up to visit Hearst Castle, famously designed by our very own Julia Morgan! Get a private tour of this majestic estate. Enjoy a dinner and wine tasting at a Paso Robles winery. And more! Stay tuned for more details.

The Riverside Art Museum integrates art into the lives of people in a way that engages, inspires, and builds community by providing high quality exhibits and art education programs that instill a lifelong love of the arts. RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 60-plus-year-old, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle and AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum), Twitter (RAMRiverside), Instagram (@riversideartmuseum), Snapchat (ram_riverside), and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ramarts).