about us

In 1957, East Valley Artists was founded by a handful of artists living in the eastern foothills of San Jose, CA. They met in watercolorist Mary Mintz’s living room, a small but talented and energetic group. Their intention was to support and encourage each other’s artistic endeavors. From the beginning they welcomed other artists, and anyone interested in art, to join the club.

Today, EVA’s membership hovers around 45 to 50 —we are still a small group compared to many other Bay Area art associations. We encourage excellence in craft and mastery of the skills involved in all the media chosen by our members. We also applaud the expression of creative inspiration that breaks rules and finds new paths in old substance.

EVA encourages excellence and innovation among its artists by providing a supportive environment that is friendly and welcoming. We believe fostering a community of artists who pitch in to accomplish club projects, like our annual juried members show, leads to productive collaboration and exchange. Our community assists artists in honing their skills and colludes in the expression of their creative risks. We do this by keeping our standards high and our hearts open!