The San Francisco Art Association (SFAA) was established in 1871 by American painter Virgil Macey Williams. Consisting of a small group of artists and writers, its mission was to establish a school and museum to foster regional artists. In just three years it had 800 dues-paying members. There were enough funds to launch the art school California School of Design where Williams was the first Director and painting instructor. By the time he died suddenly in 1886, the school had attained a national reputation and had amassed a large collection of California fine art. In 1893 SFAA was allowed to move both its school and museum into into the Hopkins Mansion[1] at the top of Nob Hill (where the Mark Hopkins Hotel stands today). The name of the school changed to the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art. The 1906 Earthquake and Fires[2] destroyed everything and, while insurance policies did not come close to paying out the full value of the lost art, it was enough to allow for a modest structure to be built at the same location on Nob Hill. The name of the school changed to the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) and became a private contemporary art college. In 1916 the name changed again to the California College of Fine Arts.
In 1926 the campus moved to 800 Chestnut Street. Diego Rivera[3] was hired to paint a mural in the students’ art gallery. In 1990 it was discovered that an anonymous artist had altered Rivera’s mural by inserting a Communist hammer and sickle to a medallion on the central figure. Restoration experts were brought in to remove the addition, only to find out that it had been painted on with toothpaste.
In 1946 Ansel Adams[4] was hired to establish a photography department. He hired famous photographers Dorothea Lange[5] and Imogen Cunningham as instructors. The following year the college expanded further when it hired Sydney Peterson to teach its first film course. The name of the college reverted back to the San Francisco Art Institute in 1961.
In the 1940s, night watchmen, hired to live in the campus tower, reported hearing the sound of mysterious heavy footsteps. Lights would turn on and off. Doors opened and closed on their own. In 1963 the tower was remodeled and the rumors of ghosts at the site ended.
Amongst the more notable artists who studied at SFAI: Gutzon Borglum, who designed Mount Rushmore; Annie Leibovitz, who became the official photographer for the magazine Rolling Stone; Rigo 23[6], who took his graffiti-inspired art to San Francisco streets; Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead; Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director for her film Hurt Locker; and Kehinde Wiley, who was selected by President Barack Obama to paint his official presidential portrait.
At its peak in the 1960s, SFAI enrollment was at about 1,000, but due to high tuition, a meager endowment and inconsistent leadership, current enrollment has dropped to 200 undergraduates and 100 graduate students when in 2020 SFAI stopped accepting new students. In February 2022 it was announced that SFAI will merge with the University of San Francisco[7] and will begin accepting new students for the Fall 2022.[8]
[1] Mark Hopkins Mansion: story coming August 6th
[2] 1906 Earthquake and Fires: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=2849
[3] Diego Rivera: story coming December 8th
[4] Ansel Adams: story coming January 2nd
[5] Dorothea Lange: story coming October 11th
[6] Rigo 23: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=3955
[7] University of San Francisco: story coming October 15th
[8] Visit them at www.sfai.edu
