The Society has enjoyed many successes, regardless of the fact that is has been termed a "dead duck" on more than one occasion. During the fifties and again in the seventies particularly, greater affluence and rapid social change played their part in plaguing the Alberta art scene. A rising apathy amongst the members resulted.
A proliferation of fine public and commercial galleries in both major cities, as well as Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie and Banff, dwarfed the need for artists to find suitable exhibiting space. The Leighton Centre founded by Barbara Leighton became a viable Arts and Crafts teaching facility for both adults and children alike. The Nickle Arts Museum, part of the U. of C. campus, opened its doors in January 1979.
Four years later, Archie Key took on the directorship of the ASA with offices located in the Art College! He began Alberta's first Artist's Information Service, laterally endorsed and taken over by the Alberta Art Foundation. The Art College expanded. The ASA provided the stimulus and organizational needs to get the Muttart Gallery, in the old Memorial Park Library on track and moved their office to these premises. The gallery opened in 1976 with $18,000 raised by auction from artworks donated from 250 artists within a 60 mile radius of Calgary.
Arts West Magazine, a glossy first-class monthly art vehicle out of Calgary, produced its' first edition and the Alberta Art Foundation became a reality, serving the needs throughout our province in a very tangible way. They spearheaded an exhibition, including many ASA members to travel abroad to London, Paris and Brussels.
Shell Resources requested ASA assistance in assembling their corporate art collection. But all these pluses resulted in an ever-widening abyss in the fabric of the ASA...
From the early excitement of Marion Nicoll's "automatics"... the pictorial climate in Alberta has been in continual flux. The Society on more than one occasion nearly met its demise over the "new modernist movement" as mentioned earlier. Stan Perrott called them "mail order industries of the New York thing." It became fashionable to copy that which was fashionable! Artists everywhere were jumping on the bandwagon... the economic bubble moved fatly over Alberta and it was a heyday for artists and their work. Unfortunately when the economy is good--Societies die.
Artists found they could make their own discoveries. They could paint whatever they felt compelled to paint, emotionally and physically, rather than producing artworks to fit the rigid parameters dictated by format society "Theme Exhibitions." It wasn't necessary to abide by the rules anymore.
By the end of the 70's the Alberta Society of Artists were floundering under the new affluence. The majority of members "Scarlet"... "just didn't give a damn."
Realizing the organization needed a very strong shot in the arm, Jean Mihalcheon delivered a strong provincial ultimatum... "get at it--or forget it!" Once again... the well went dry!
Calgary Branch members June Montgomery and Pat Strakowski, in an effort to resolve this decaying atrophy, organized a three-day session for all provincial members at the newly constructed William Watson Lodge in Kananaskis.
The annual meeting, the opportunity to paint, discuss and share common goals, provided the impetus the Society needed. The Calgary and Provincial offices were melded. The Edmonton branch remained intact with a motion to maintain a Provincial Executive in the two major cities every second year (alternately, where possible). A five-year plan was initiated, providing for a series of provincial, national and international exhibitions in the hope members would become "devoted to up-grading our public image as a professional organization--to encourage top flight new members and solicit greater personal commitment from present membership." The new president felt it was imperative we offer exhibition opportunities in markets beyond our regional horizons.