Richmond Artists Association (RAA)

Richmond Artists Association (RAA) (1955-2005) was a twentieth-century incorporated organization of artists active in Virginia well into the 21st century. Organizational plans began in 1955, and RAA was founded and started building up its membership during 1955-1965, securing its first certificate of incorporation in 1956. Artist/lawyer Westwood Winfree was the first president. RAA was allied with the Richmond Federated Arts Council, Arts Council of Richmond, Artists Equity Association, and the Southern Arts Association. The group brought to Richmond the show Three Modern Painters: Hartley, Feininger, Beckmann, featuring the art of Marsden Hartley, Lyonel Feininger, and Max Beckmann in January 6–27, 1957 and Max Ernst Works on Paper in 1968. The RAA remained active until 2005 when some of the membership merged with another art organization to form the Richmond Metropolitan Artists Association.

Theresa Pollak, a teacher and founder of the art departments at both the University of Richmond and Richmond Professional Institute (also known as RPI, an extension of the College of William and Mary which became the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts) was Vice President of the Richmond Artists' Association from 1958-1959. In 1978, she became a lifetime Honorary Member and frequent exhibitor in the group's juried shows. Other presidents of RAA after Westwood Winfree were Barbara Kennedy (1963-1964), Thomas Gay, Jr. (1964-1965), Nadara Goodwin (1965-1966), Ruth Ensign (1965-1967), Kenneth Rowe (1967-1968), Baylor Nichols (1968-1969), Gwyn Beitzell (1971-1972), Kitty Schwartzchild (1972-1973), Etta Edwards (1974-1975), Ed Steinberg (1976-1978), Anne Savedge (1979), Margot Blank (1982-1984), Mitzi Humphrey (1985-1986), Mary Montague Sikes (1986-1987), Anne Perkins (1988-1992), Irene Jesse Perry (1992-1994), and Mary Melton.

RAA members also included Gertrude K. Russi (a vice president (1967-1968), Ruth Rose, Bea Klein (a founding member), Jane Ware, Gloria Blades (a vice-president), Henrietta Near,Willie Anne Wright, Ann Oppenheimer, Helen Hull, Roomy Pak,James Bumgardner, Bell Worsham, Gail McKennis, (owner of Scott-McKennis Gallery and co-founder with RAA member Nancy David of the Richmond Printmaking Workshop).

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