history
The California Society of Printmakers (CSP), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is the oldest printmaking organization in the nation. Originally founded in 1912 as the California Society of Etchers, it reflected a surge of printmaking activity on the West Coast during the early part of the 20th century. In 1968 the California Society of Etchers merged with the Bay Area Printmakers to form the present California Society of Printmakers.
Currently, the CSP has a membership of approximately 250 artists, and welcomes new members twice each year. Though the majority of our members live and work in Northern California, membership is open to printmakers throughout the world.
The California Society of Printmakers archive is located at the Bancroft Library on the campus of at the University of California, Berkeley. The archive includes journals, newsletters, bulletins, minutes, exhibition information, correspondence and other miscellany.
Search the UC Berkeley online catalog, Pathfinder, using California Society Printmakers in the “author-organization keywords” field. The electronic finding aid assists locating CSP historical records from 1925 to the present. All of these materials are accessible to the public, but must be requested from storage five days in advance.
Additional historical resources include: CSP on Wikipedia and The Centennial Book.
