Onward and Definitely Upward! – CCA 50 Years Ago

In 1967, construction began on two major buildings on the CCAC campus to address the campus’s insufficient studio, library, classroom, and auditorium space. The buildings were located at the southern perimeter of campus and replaced several small studio and classroom buildings. Both buildings were designed by DeMars and Reay. In 1971, Guild Hall burned down and became the site for the Raleigh and Claire Shaklee Building, completed at the end of the decade, to house the Glass, Jewelry/Metal, and Sculpture studios.

Audience at the 1970 Commencement Exercises. In 1970, this graduating class had seen so much growth, both in the student body and of the campus itself, they elected to hold their commencement ceremony at the courtyard between the two new buildings.

Stage at the 1970 Commencement Exercises in front of Martinez Hall. President Ford, Martin Streich, and Jason Schoener with unidentified student.

Martinez Hall, named in honor of famed artist and long-time, much-loved teacher Xavier Martinez, was built to serve as painting and printmaking studios. It was designed in the Third Bay Tradition style, clad in flush rustic wood cladding with four massive sawtooth roof elements that captured the northern light. The design included a mural wall, which faces the campus and has hosted a rotating display of student mural art since it was constructed.

Founder’s Hall, named in honor of Frederick and Laetitia Meyer, Isabelle Percy West, and Perham Nahl, was built to house the campus library, classroom and studio space, and a large lecture hall. It was designed in the Brutalist style, constructed of exposed concrete with large geometric forms and minimal ornament. The building included three structural sections in response to the sloped topography of the site and presented a severe façade to the south, which when constructed included a student sundeck at its western portion (this sundeck

was enclosed during alterations made to the building in the 1980s). The courtyard that was formed by the facing arrangement of Martinez Hall and Founder’s Hall was richly mosaicked by faculty member Hugh Wiley and his students at the time the buildings were completed.

Winter 1968 issue of the college’s newsletter giving an update on construction progress for Martinez Hall and Founder’s Hall which would include the Meyer Library. Both projects would be completed by the Fall semester of that year.

California College of the Arts and Crafts Newsletter publication featuring the opening of Founders Hall and Martinez Hall. Alumni were invited back to campus for a special event in the library before the furniture arrived.

Patron checking out books in the Meyer Library, near the large window through which the lower level of Macky Hall can be seen, circa 1970s.

Opening of the new offsite gallery space near the main campus featuring an exhibition of graduate student work.

CCAC Gallery located at 5283 Broadway.

Published by the Student Council, for several years during this time period the college would produce an annual yearbook visually exploring the people and activity that marked the experience of being at CCAC that year. This publication includes an image of Bob Dylan, who faculty member Michael McClure brought to campus for a visit and images of the infamous beach parties.

Student with guitar on the roof of Macky Hall.

Students on benches in front of the dorms from CCAC Bulletin, 1965, the college’s weekly periodical during this time.

Faculty Ron Dahl working on a drawing with student John Lander circa 1966

Continuing the long tradition of classes painting “en plein air."

Faculty John Britten with students Mike Bravo and Jeff Fine.

CCAC faculty Philip Makanna and Jason Schoener in 1968.

President Ford writes to Martin Streich regarding some specifics in setting up a campus in Erongarícuaro, not too far from Mexico City. Named the El Molino campus, several students joined faculty Martin Streich to live and take classes in the small village.

Student Mary White in front of the kiln the students and faculty built at the El Molino campus in Erongarícuaro, Mexico.

Weekly college newsletter of announcements. This collection includes Bulletins from January 1968 to November 1968. The first shares news of CCAC’s El Molino campus and program, and the final Bulletin announces the suspension of the program after Martin and another faculty member were detained in Mexico City during the student uprisings at the Olympics.

“Art-in-Action” ceramic sale fundraiser sponsored by Lakeshore Merchants Assoc. CCAC participants (left to right): Art Nelson, Bill Pickerill, Larry Kennedy, Mrs. Evelyn Johnson, Sylvia Helder, David Helder, Ruth Tamura, Mary White

Part of Art-in-Action (left to right) Art Nelson, CCAC; Vince Ruggiero (chairman of Lakeshore committee); Marion Normart (committee member); Larry Kennedy, CCAC; Bill Pickerill, CCAC; Dave Muller (pres. of Lakeshore Merchants Assoc.); Mrs. Evelyn Johnson (CCAC Alumni Secretary); Ruth Tamura, CCAC; Mary White, CCAC; Sylvia Helder, CCAC; David Helder, CCAC; 1969

On the steps leading up to the Isabelle Percy West gallery in the new Founder’s Hall.

CCAC News is a roundup of several campus updates ranging across every area of the college. This issue includes an announcement regarding the newly founded Ethnic Studies Program which to this day remains unique as it is the only program of its kind at an arts and design college.

Richard Cory's building course grew out of others taught by Hugh Wiley and Arthur Boericke in the Environmental Studies Program. In 1970, what is now named Interior Design Program was founded at CCAC. Courses were also offered in San Francisco where the college leased space on Samson Street near the Ice House design center. This was CCA’s first campus in SF and gave Interiors students valuable proximity to design resources. Richard Cory was on faculty from 1976-1980. Pictured: David Van Arsdale, Erica Clark, Karen Murphy, Karen Black, and Richard Saving.

Dr. Michael Oshoosi Wright founded the Ethnic Studies Program at CCAC in 1970.

The CCAC REVIEW was published quarterly by the Alumni and Public Information Office. The front cover of M.C. Escher's lithograph ‘Drawing Hands,’ from the C.V.S. Roosevelt Collection, was among the works comprising the CCAC Gallery's first exhibit of the 1970-71 season, ‘A Show of Hands.’ Marilyn Hagberg (Editor); Evelyn Stewart Johnson (Assistant Editor); Robert Arnold, Eric Cheney, Bill Harris, And Philip Yoke (Photographers); Pacific Rotaprinting Company, Berkeley (Typography And Printing).

Carol Purdie was made Professor Emerita and honored at the 1970 Commencement. She was an alum, long time faculty, then Dean of Women, and much beloved by students.

Carol Purdie, President Ford, and others approaching the stage at the 1970 Commencement Exercises during which Purdie received Professor Emeritus status and gave the commencement address.

Designed and edited by Michael Nourot; photographed by Ike, Ted Hart, Van-De R. Campbell, Jacques Bordebeay, Ernie Cefalu, Eric W. Cheney, Morey Cooper, Wes Thollander, Dick Scott, and Dave Gumshaw. Depicts the people, spaces, and activities at the college in 1970. The beach parties continued.

Bella Tabak Feldman was CCAC Faculty from 1965-2001.

Jason Schoener (center) noted painter and director of the CCAC Evening College, consults with two of the students in his evening painting class: Frank Lilef, left, a teacher in the S.F. Unified School District; and Herbert Simon, Director of Art for the San Francisco Public Schools. Since the school’s founding, the college had dedicated programming for educators either in the evening, on the weekend, or over the summer when teachers would have time to attend classes.

Viola Frey at the potter’s wheel in the ceramic studio, 1970. Viola Frey earned her undergraduate degree at CCAC in 1956 and was welcomed to the faculty in 1965 after receiving her master’s at Tulane. Frey’s large scale ceramic figures are credited with expanding the field of fine art ceramics. She became one of the most influential American contemporary ceramicists and remained associated with the school until her retirement in 1999.

The Noni Eccles Treadwell Ceramic Arts Center, showing the building close to completion, in 1973. The 1970’s the college finished taking shape to how we recognize it today with the addition of the Noni Eccles Treadwell Ceramics Arts Center and the Raleigh and Claire Shaklee Building. And in 1977 Macky Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Noni Eccles Treadwell examines the Kiln Gods pot with CCAC President Harry X. Ford at the dedication of the Noni Eccles Treadwell Ceramics Center on the California College of the Arts' Oakland Campus on February 21,1973.

CCAC faculty Viola Frey and Art Nelson, and CCAC President Harry X. Ford, with the one ton pot made by Frey, Nelson, and students. The clay was donated by Joyce and Paul Quyle and adorned with clay "kiln gods" made prior to the groundbreaking by various Bay Area potters and distinguished guests at the 1973 groundbreaking for the Noni Eccles Treadwell Ceramics Art Center.

Artist postcards for the NCECA Glass Invitational show at the CCAC Gallery, March 28-April 14, 1970.

Susan Jackson wearing body sculpture by William Clark during an exhibit at the Isabelle Percy West Gallery in Founder’s Hall that ran from January 9-28, 1974.

Dancers Marta Morgan and Janet Sue Jacobsen perform wearing body sculptures by William Clark during an exhibit at Isabelle Percy West Gallery in Founder’s Hall that ran from January 9-28, 1974.

Laetitia (Babs) Meyer with honoree Wolfgang Lederer at Founders Day at Kaiser Center in Oakland, November 1, 1969.

Barth Blier with students on Macky lawn at Dog Day seminar, 1975.

Dennis Leon was on faculty from 1972-1989 and pictured here when he was chair of the Sculpture Program in 1974.

Program booklet from the 1970 Commencement Exercises. Alumni listed in this booklet are celebrating their 50th anniversary graduating from CCAC. We are proud to honor their time at the college with this exhibition.