Long Beach Museum Of Art Launches Careers
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Noted Los Angeles painter Jack Chipman knows how tough young artists have it when it comes to forging a viable career in the fine arts.
"Probably only 1 percent of artists can actually support themselves with their art ... There's very few Andy Warhols," Chipman said, referencing the 1960s pop artist famous for his avant-garde celebrity portraits and bold paintings of iconic American commercial products, such as Campbell's Soup.
But for several decades the Long Beach Museum of Art, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, had helped fledgling artists in Southern California get their careers off the ground.
Chipman's included.
"It's wonderful for our kids," said Sandra Lucas, who heads the department
As a student at the California Institute of the Arts in 1965, Chipman came across an advertisement about a juried show hosted by the museum. In such shows, judges choose which works, submitted by artists, get included in the exhibit. Judges also select works from the exhibit for the gallery or museum to purchase for its permanent collection.
To Chipman's surprise, the panel selected his collage, "The Star of the East," for the exhibit and awarded him a cash prize. Chipman said the experience helped solidify his place in the L.A. art world.
"It was definitely encouraging," he said, sitting in his Venice Beach studio, his most recent painting -- streaks of lavenders, blues, and peaches on canvas -- behind him. "It was a good way for [me] to get [my] work shown and get on the public eye."
Eventually, Chipman's success in that show and two others at the museum prompted curators to invite him to display his work in a solo exhibit.
"Of all the local museums, [the Long Beach Museum] recognized my work and has been the most supportive ... and probably knows the most about me," Chipman said.
The museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary with two special exhibitions that showcase works produced exclusively by California artists. It prides itself on its role in helping shape the careers of talented neophyte artistes.
It even houses a basement gallery titled "Black and White and Green All Over," a nod to the Long Beach Unified School District's colors, that displays work by the high school students in the district.
"It's wonderful for our kids," said Sandra Lucas, who heads the department
responsible for developing the district's art curriculum. "It really gives them a
chance to get their work shown."
The Long Beach Museum of Art was founded in 1950 as a municipal art center, and seven years later acquired the first piece in its permanent collection. In 1972, it received full accreditation from the American Association of Museums. The museum's relatively small size -- the building was once a single-family residence that has since undergone a $7 million expansion -- allows it to play this important role.
"We don't have to wait until an artist is dead or famous to display his work," said Director of Collections Sue Ann Robinson.
But showing new talent has been beneficial for the museum as well.
The museum has earned a reputation for giving visitors a front-row view of the latest trends in art.
"(The museum) has always had an important role in showing contemporary art as it was happening," Robinson said.
In the 1970s, the Long Beach Museum of Art was one of the few museums in the nation that showcased video art, and the only one in California. Also, the museum has made a point of showcasing female artists from the start, even before it became common to do so.
The Long Beach Museum has distinguished itself as a trailblazer in its unconventional mission to find undiscovered artists, as Chipman once was, and expose the public to their work. With its rich history and notable contributions, the museum has a lot to celebrate on its diamond anniversary.
