A bit of information on the history of SDP and DAC
(National Museum of Decorative Painting)
In 1972, Priscilla Hauser founded the Society of Decorative Painters (SDP). There were 22 people at the first meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Originally, this organization was called the National Society of Tole and Decorative Painters (NSTDP) and was primarily for painting teachers. In fact, instead of the certification title we know today as MDA (Master Decorative Artist), the original designation was MDT (Master Decorative Teacher). The mission of the Society was to "raise and maintain a national level of high quality in teaching tole and decorative painting; stimulate interest in the appreciation for the art of tole and decorative painting; act as a central dissemination point for information concerning activities in the field of tole and decorative painting". SDP still strives to fulfill the original goals, although now on an international level. Under IRS guidelines, SDP is recognized as a "not for profit" corporation, designated as 501(c) (6).
Ten years later, in 1982, SDP had grown to 17,000 members--What an accomplishment!! Based on a membership survey and the recommendations of a Task Force and the SDP Board of Directors, the bylaws underwent major changes. To quote President Mary Lou Garrison, "The response to the recommendations from this Board proves that the Society is truly a group willing to look to the future, meet the challenges and, best of all, work together to further the goals of the Society".
It was in 1982 that a new corporation was formed, the Decorative Arts Collection Incorporated (DAC). It was the goal of the DAC to collect and preserve outstanding examples of historic and contemporary decorative art, to maintain a museum collection, and to educate. The DAC was renamed The National Museum of Decorative Painting and eventually moved to Atlanta, GA. After several years of trying to maintain the museum it finally closed in 2018 and the former National Museum of Decorative Painting has now been moved to the SDP offices in Wichita, Kansas, and is on display there.
You can belong (as either a business or individual member) to the Society of Decorative Painters by paying your membership dues each year. You can join any or all of the more than 280 chapters; you can vote for the Society's officers and Board of Directors; you can serve on a committee or task force; you can volunteer at the annual SDP conference; you can register and take classes at the annual conference; you can participate in the Certification Program; you can enroll in the Teacher Development Program: you can use the "members only " section of the Society's website. Look for SDP and local chapters on Facebook.
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