The St. Augustine Art Association emerged as part of local art history in 1924, when Nina Hawkins, the first female editor of The St. Augustine Record, gathered together wintering artists and writers to form The Pen & Brush Club, which soon became “The Galleon Club.”
In 1948, the club officially changed its name to the St. Augustine Art Association (STAAA). Membership was at an all-time high–over 500 members–and after moving around from one location to another over the years, it was time for the Art Association to build its own space. The land on Marine Street had been purchased by the organization in 1945 from Hildegarde Mueller-Uri’s parents and the building–what is now the main gallery–opened in February 1954.
Today, St. Augustine is home to many art galleries and artists, ranging from amateurs and students to internationally acclaimed professionals. With its extensive Permanent Collection of important St. Augustine art, large active membership and ever-expanding exhibitions, programs and partnerships, the STAAA thrives and is recognized as the cultural epicenter of the local art community.
The St. Augustine Art Association Permanent Collection consists primarily of local subjects and is represented by well-known artists dating from the 1930s to the present. The works are displayed periodically in the Marguerita Phillips Wing
Credit: Overview from museum website