Pasadena has long been a bastion of the arts. From the Norton Simon Museum to The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, artistic expression is a fundamental component of the city’s cultural identity. For more than 100 years, the Fine Arts Club of Pasadena has been a critical player in upholding the city’s artistic legacy. On Monday, April 1, the club will honor its 2024 scholarship winners during its annual Visual and Performing Arts Awards banquet.
The club’s history dates back to 1913 when Eleanor Miller convened 60 musicians and artists at her Pasadena home. She laid the foundation for what would become the Fine Arts Club of Pasadena, which initially focused on painting, sculpture and literature to support local arts and artists, grounded in the belief that the arts are vital to the sanctity of culture.
Central to the club’s mission is providing a platform for artists to showcase their talents. From musicians to visual artists, the Fine Arts Club has nurtured creativity since its inception. The club highlights the significance of providing both financial support and prestigious venues for emerging artists, ensuring their continued growth and recognition within the artistic community.
“Our purpose is to help young artists. (As a member), you feel like you are redoing some good and helping young people in their respective artistic criteria,” said Lorelli Embry, a long-standing club member. “It is also just a wonderful evening, and the members of the club are just wonderful citizens of Pasadena. I have made many friends through the club.”
The awards banquet, held at the stately Athenaeum, a private social club on the California Institute of Technology campus, promises a night of wining, dining and artistic expression, courtesy of this year’s scholarship recipients. The evening will include exhibits of works by the 2024 Visual Arts winners Claire Richards and Ava Weisberg and violin performance from the 2024 Performing Arts winner Keilani Bolhuis. Recipients receive scholarship funds of up to $6,000 to sustain and advance their artistic endeavors.
Bolhuis, a Pasadena Conservatory of Music student, is this year’s recipient of the Roman Andrew Borek Endowed Scholarship and the winner of the Performing Arts Competition in Violin. With a repertoire spanning classical violin, jazz piano and jazz violin, Bolhuis’ accolades include achievements at the Southern California Junior Bach Festival and the National Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music, culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall.
A recipient of the Visual Arts Award, Weisberg, inspired by her Italian artist grandfather, began sculpting at 14 under the direction of Alejandro Buchner. She now studies drawing, painting and digital arts at the California Institute of the Arts.
Similarly, Claire Richards, a multimedia artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts, navigates the complexities of the world through photography, painting and poetry, shaping the LA art scene as co-founder of Avenue A Gallery and Word Art Magazine.
Committees comprising dedicated members meticulously review applications to choose the recipients. These awards, presented during the annual banquet, motivate aspiring artists to pursue their passions.
The club hosts five dinners annually, including the awards night, providing a venue for artists to exhibit and perform. The evening begins with a reception highlighting local visual artists, followed by dinner and a musical performance from local musicians. Every gathering is more than just an event; it is a celebration of creativity, community, and the enduring power of art to inspire and uplift.
Beyond the allure of elegant dinners and captivating performances, the Fine Arts Club is a hub for like-minded individuals to bond over their shared love for the arts.
“Friends, neighbors, family members and people generally join after they come to one of our dinners,” Embry said. “They enjoy it so much. They not only have a lovely dinner but also visuals before dinner and entertainment after dinner. It’s a very pleasant evening.”
