The BMAI is a non-profit corporation founded in 1930 and incorporated in 1943. Under the guidance of A. N. Slavick, a well known jeweler, the members purchased a beautiful turn of the century mansion in the mid forties. It was located near downtown Los Angeles. Money was raised in many ways including the sale of paintings, direct contributions and the purchase of 4% installment notes by the members.

This facility was to be the Institute's home for the next four decades. Over the years, it was a place where hundreds of men and women from all walks of life were able to meet and learn the fine art of painting regardless of ability. The organization's major focus has always been the amateur painter.

Professional instructors were and are retained to help and encourage the members in learning the basics of painting. Many of our members have gone on to become professionals in their own right. The Institute held regular art shows, painting demonstrations, and gallery tours. Field trips were held in the desert and at Laguna Beach on a regualr basis. Landscape painting outings were often held in the back lot of the old MGM Studio. All of these activities were open to any adult of good character who wated to join with the organization.

That facility was sold in the late eighties when the area went into decline. After a long search, we purchased our current new home in the wonderful community of Montrose.

Our organization provides a large, clean, bright and comfortably heated and air conditioned studio gallery located at 2228 Florencita in Montrose, CA. This place is a home away from home for people who are artists or whant to be artists. This is a place where they can practice their craft and develop their skills through instructed and uninstructed live model and still life painting. This is a place where one can make good friends and work with people who are interested in the same thing you are. The BMAI also provides hundreds of still life props together with the necessary set-up stations, draperies and easels. Our studio lighting is a blend of warm and cool fluorescent tubes and is excellent.

We are always looking to expand our professional insturctional opportunities. These opportunities are open to anyone in the community along with our members. We advertise with all the local art associations in order to reach the public interested in painting. We provide, throughout the year, week-long, week-end and one day workshops. These events have been instructed by such top artists as Ron Lukas, Sunny Apinchapong Yang, Ron Pekar and Karen Martin. We also have regular classes scheduled. We have begun a semi-annual gold medal show program which has been very successful. We are expanding these events to include public shows and sales opportunities for the community and our members.

In addition to painting instruction, we also offer many opportunities for uninstructed painting. Many people use our unique facility for the purpose of painting still life, landscape and marine subjects along with the live model.

For information about joining the BMAI, leave a message on their answering machine at (818)249-4652.