Art Museum Is ‘Still Identifying’ Job Candidates

In her first discussion of the museum director’s post since Charles Desmarais was fired from the job in March, the president of the Laguna Art Museum board said “a candidate from a nationally recognized institution” was interviewed a week ago today but that no job offer has been made.

“We’re not at that point yet . . . we’re still identifying potential candidates,” president Teri Kennady said late last week, adding that a search committee of museum trustees and staff members has no “short list” of replacements for Desmarais. The number of “people we’re focusing on changes from day to day,” Kennady said, and the committee expects to interview more candidates “within the next couple of weeks.”

Meanwhile, curator of exhibitions Susan M. Anderson, who has been acting director since March, said she is not applying for the position.

Kennady has said the board expects to hire a new director by the first of the year but, she added last week, “that’s not to say we won’t have someone sooner.”

She would not provide additional information about the candidate interviewed Monday.

She stressed the museum’s decision to use its own search committee instead of an outside search firm was “not in any way economic.” Museum officials, she said, think the committee knows what it wants: a director with experience in running a financially sound institution, as well as artistic experience.

Desmarais was fired by the board without cause, an action permitted under his contract. Board members have declined comment on the termination except to say they would like to see “more energy put into administration.”