LBMA on Ocean
2300 E Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802
Preserving Progress: WPA Masterpieces and Colonel Charles Heartwell Gifts
The Long Beach Museum of Art is thrilled to showcase an exploration of artistic resilience and community enrichment through a selection of works from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project. Established in 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, this landmark initiative provided vital support to artists during the Great Depression, fostering the creation of hundreds of thousands of artworks nationwide. These pieces not only sustained artists but also captured the spirit of the era, preserving a visual record of American life. This exhibition is further enriched by generous gifts from Col. Charles L. Heartwell, the first president of the Long Beach Water Department’s board of water commissioners, whose contributions helped shape the museum’s permanent collection.
Featured Artwork: Maurice Braun, Mountain Ranch, Oil on Canvas, 24 ¼ x 29 ¼ inches, Gift from Colonel L. Heartwell 60-1.138
Crafted Beauty: The Lipton Family Gift to LBMA
The Long Beach Museum of Art has a long-standing tradition of showcasing artists working with wood as their primary medium. In celebration of the Museum’s 75-year exhibition history, the complete collection of 45 woodworks donated in 2009 by Dr. Irving and Mari Lipton—renowned collectors of contemporary wood art—will be on display.
Dr. Lipton’s passion for wood art began in 1972 when he purchased his first piece, a jewelry box by Michael Graham, at the Westwood Art Fair for 35 dollars. This acquisition ignited a lifelong pursuit, leading him to assemble one of the most significant collections of postwar woodwork. The exhibition highlights masterful works by influential artists such as Bob Stocksdale, Frank E. Cummings, Ron Kent, Hayley and Todd Hoyer, Brenda Behrens, and others.
Featured Artwork: Victor Wood, Ascent Series, Lidded Container, 1995, Fiddleback blackwood, pink ivory, Gift of Peter Lipton and Candace Lipton Kopel 2009.62.a.b
Collective Vision: Collector's Circle Museum Acquisitions
In 1994, the Long Beach Museum of Art established this membership category with two key missions: involving the community in the selection of artworks for the permanent collection and raising funds to acquire significant works of art. The exhibition Collective Vision: Celebrating the Collector’s Circle and Museum Acquisitions highlights the generosity of its members, whose support has facilitated the acquisition of more than 100 significant artworks across various media, enriching the Museum’s holdings and exhibitions. Through their contributions, Collector’s Circle patrons played a vital role in preserving and promoting artistic achievement for future generations.
Featured Artwork: Sean Cheetham, 656 ½ Tula Rosa, 2007, Oil on panel, 36 x 51 x 2 inches
Purchased with funds contributed by the 2008 Long Beach Museum of Art Collectors Circle with additional funds contributed by Dr. Matthew and Roberta Jenkins, Bud and Mary Ellen Kilsby, Pam and Dan Munzer, Ginger and Luther Nussbaum, Dennis and Suzanne Poulsen, David Schnur and Ronald Nelson, Ania and Mike Sullivan, Marsha Jeffer and a gift in memory of Jean and Charles Lane 2008.20
About the Exhibition
The annual Long Beach Museum of Art High School Exhibition invites Long Beach Unified School District students to submit work responding to a theme. This year, students explored their own relationship to technology and its multifaceted impact on society.
Selected works reflect on how social media, phones, artificial intelligence, surveillance systems, and various other forms of technology affect how we connect, communicate, and perceive our world. We have become hyperlinked to these technologies, which bring connection and enhancement to our lives, yet at the same time foster fear, isolation, and uncertainty. These artists investigate this tension with honesty and creativity.
Generous support provided by the John and Helen Apostle Foundation
Participating LBUSD High Schools
The Long Beach Museum of Art extends a warm thank you to the students and art teachers at the following schools for their thoughtful participation in this exhibition.
- Ernest S. McBride High School
- Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School
- Lakewood High School
- Renaissance School of the Arts
- Robert A. Millikan High School
- Woodrow Wilson High School
LBMA Downtown
356 E 3rd Street, Long Beach, CA 90802
About the Exhibition
From 2022 to 2024, the Long Beach Museum of Art has been honored to receive over 250 donated artworks, enriching its permanent collection. This exhibition offers a glimpse into the collection’s growth in recent years, furthering the museum’s 75-year legacy of collecting. The museum is proud to showcase a selection of these donated works, many of which are being displayed for the first time.
At the heart of this collection are the collectors who have supported these artists by acquiring their works and believing in their unique visions. Their personal investments allow artists to push the boundaries of their ideas and voices, enabling them to fully realize their creative aspirations. As the world evolves, so too does the voice of the artist. With education at the core of our mission, it is essential that our collection reflects the diverse narratives that speak to both our present moment and our history.
Notable contributions include the collection of Orange County collector Ken Cave, which offers a unique insight into the early UCI Masters Graduate program and the foundations of the artist-run platform Newspace, featuring artists such as Jay McCafferty and Dan McCleary. Another generous donor, Judith Hendler, contributed over 30 works to the museum in 2022, including ceramics by renowned artists Vivika and Otto Heino, as well as works by woodturners Bruce Bernson and Dan Kvitka.
Dr. and Mrs. Selden Beebe, longtime supporters from Long Beach, have also made significant contributions, donating 18 diverse works over the years. Among these is a series of works on paper by the social realist artist Ben Shahn. In 2023, Los Angeles-based collectors Dan and Jeanne Fauci donated five works by Huntington Beach artist Ed Templeton, whose first U.S. solo museum exhibition, Wires Crossed, was hosted by LBMA in 2024.
Additionally, artists such as Evan Nesbit, Roger Herman, Patrick Angus, Tom Paiva, Gerardo Monterrubio, and Tony Marsh, who have been featured in solo or group exhibitions at LBMA, are now part of our permanent collection.
The strong bond between the museum and its supporters has allowed the institution to remain a dynamic, forward-thinking community hub that Southern California has known for the past 75 years. We are deeply committed to maintaining this legacy and continuing to evolve in the years to come.
Featured Artwork: Patrick Angus, Ross MacLean, Playwright, 1990, Acrylic on canvas, 32 x 26 inches, Gift of Hilary Harris and Liz Means 2024.15
