Thirteen women and a dream

Virginia E. Lopez

“Good afternoon everyone. It is with great pleasure that we welcome

you today to the opening of the Fine Arts Patrons Pavilion Gallery.”

Thus, on Oct. 14, 1961, began a creative trust that continues

today as the Orange County Museum of Art.

That year, 13 women gathered together to form an art museum at the

Balboa Pavilion.

Calling themselves the Fine Arts Patrons of Newport Harbor, they

set about to pull together a cultural experience that would promote a

better understanding of the arts.

They did it, literally, from the ground up. Together these women

not only obtained the Pavilion from the Ducommun family to start

their dream. They then grabbed hammers, nails and paint and

refurbished the inside to fit their needs.

Ursula Cyga, current office manager, who has worked at the OCMA

since 1977, said, “There was a lot going on when the ladies were in

charge. They were not a professional staff and didn’t [always] know

what to do.”

But they were so proud of their efforts that it didn’t matter that

plugging in a coffee pot meant blowing out the lights.

The patrons soaked up all they could through museum trips, private

collections, art lectures and docent trainings. They used these ideas

and their own skills to make the museum a reality.

As the years went by their reputation grew, as did their exhibits,

including shows ranging from the local art community all the way to

the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

In 1968, they changed their name to the Newport Harbor Art Museum,

continuing on at the Pavilion until 1971.

They moved to their current home at Fashion Island, built by

architect Ernest Wilson, in June 1977.

In 1996, during merger plans with the Laguna Art Museum, they

changed their name to the Orange County Museum of Art.

Despite the fact both wanted to remain on their own, finances made

the need to merge necessary, said Brian Langston, director of

marketing and public relations.

“It was a demanding process, but a fair process,” he said.

When a group stepped up to keep the Laguna Art Museum in their own

home OCMA agreed and LAM returned to Laguna Beach.

“It allowed both museums to share collections, and the results

have been quite good,” Langston said.

OCMA shows mainly contemporary art and with their expansion into

the old library in 1996, the museum continues the efforts of the

original 13 with an arts education department, museum council and

support groups.

They hope more people will continue to discover the art they have

in store for them.

“This area has built up around us over the past three years,” Cyga

said. “We have to really go out and say “We’re here!”