Challis Galleries records
name: label: Creator
content: Challis Galleries (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
label: Names
content: Adele Bednarz Galleries
label: Names
content: Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
label: Names
content: Laguna Beach. City Council (Calif.)
label: Names
content: Bongart, Sergei, 1918-1985
label: Names
content: Bradbury, Bennett
label: Names
content: Brandt, Rex, 1914-2000
label: Names
content: Challis, Richard
label: Names
content: Dan, Virginia
label: Names
content: DiBert, Paul
label: Names
content: Dike, Phil, 1906-1990
label: Names
content: Farron, Paul
label: Names
content: Franks, Leon
label: Names
content: Kuntz, Roger, 1926-1975
label: Names
content: Marlette, Lacy
label: Names
content: O'Hara, Frank, 1926-1966
label: Names
content: Pillin, Polia
label: Names
content: Proctor, Burt
topic: label: Topic
content: Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Exhibitions
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Challis Galleries records were donated to the Archives of American Art by gallery owner Richard Challis in 1994.
creator: label: Creator
content: Challis Galleries (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Challis Galleries records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Challis Galleries (1950-1984) was an art gallery in Laguna Beach, California, that featured the work of local and regional artists.

Richard Challis was born in London, England in 1920 and moved to Laguna Beach, California in 1946. Roughly three years after arriving in California, he purchased a building at 1390 South Coast Highway which became Laguna Studio Gallery, later renamed as Challis Galleries in 1966. The gallery officially opened its doors in 1950. 

Challis Galleries showcased the work of California watercolorists and regional artists.  Among the artists represented are Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin, Burt Proctor, and many others. The gallery held regular exhibitions with Richard Challis as its director until his retirement in 1984. Shortly thereafter the gallery was sold to Esther Wells and became known as the Esther Wells Collection.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, Commercial -- California
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2.2 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1950-1994
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.chalgall
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as four series.

Series 1: Administrative Files, 1965-1989 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Series 2: Business Correspondence, 1951-1983 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 3: Artists' Files, 1950-1994 (Boxes 1-2; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Sales Ledgers, 1958-1984 (Boxes 2-3; 0.6 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Rihoko Ueno in 2018.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.

Administrative files include Challis Galleries brochures, materials related to exhibitions and events; one folder on Adele Bednarz Galleries, which Richard Challis ran for two years; and one folder of miscellaneous printed material.

Business correspondence is from art world colleague Paul Farron, accountant Lacy Marlette, Laguna Beach City Council, and Laguna Beach Museum of Art on matters relating to operating Challis Galleries.

Artists' files include a range of materials on artists represented by Challis Galleries such as biographical outlines, photographs, printed material and price lists. Notable artists include Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin and Burt Proctor, among others.

There are 16 ledgers that record the sales of artwork at Challis Galleries.