Philip Paval 24th CAC President, 1953-1956

Philip Kran Paval
(1899 – 1971)

Born in Nykobing, Denmark. Paval immigrated to America in 1919, where he worked as a merchant seaman in New York. During the 1920’s he moved to Los Angeles where he established a silversmith shop. Paval became well known in L.A. for his silver and gold sculptures as well as his portraits of Hollywood celebrities; he created an early Gold Medal of Honor for the CAC. Works are held by LACMA, Wichita Art Association, Newark Museum, Pasadena Art Institute, Buckingham Palace and many others.

As Program Chairman under Benton Scott, he arranged for various friends to give lectures: John Decker, the Hollywood actor and artist; Charles Coburn; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Knudsen, founders of Knudsen’s Creamery. Paval also designed a crest for Dwight D. Eisenhower. As President of the CAC, Paval proposed to the Board that they make both Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill Honorary Members of the CAC. (Churchill accepted, but Eisenhower declined.)

Artists who joined the CAC during the following newspaper publicity and membership push conducted by Paval and Paul Lauritz (as chairman of the admission jury): Millard Sheets, Max Band, Francis de Erdely, Poul Clemens, Conrad Buff, Lorser Feitelson, Ejnar Hansen, Oscar Van Young and Richard Haines. A Loyalty Oath was also instituted around this time, as “there had been a lot of talk about some of the artists and this would satisfy everyone and stop idle gossip regarding the Club.”

Innocenzo Daraio was “in charge of raffling pictures,” and [Frank Leslie] Sandford was First Vice President and Exhibition Chairman. Jose Drudis-Biada was nominated as “a director” under Paval’s presidency.

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Source:
Paval, Autobiography of a Hollywood Artist, published by Gunther Press, 1968

Member:
American Institute of Fine Arts
California Art Club (President, June 1953 – c.May 1956; Program Chairman c.1945)
Museum Association
Scandinavian Art Society