Museum curator to judge art exhibition

Those who enter works in this weekend’s Newport Beach Art Exhibition will have a formidable set of eyes to impress.

To judge the city’s 50th annual exhibit, the Newport Beach City Arts Commission has enlisted a man who oversees the greatest judge of all: a museum, where works of art prove whether they can stand the test of time or resonate with audiences half a world away.

Dan Cameron, chief curator and interim director of the Orange County Museum of Art, will determine first-, second- and third-place winners in painting/mixed media, photography and sculpture. He’ll also name a Judge’s Choice Award winner for his single favorite piece in the show.

Given his knowledge of art history, will it be hard to judge a one-day local exhibit?

“It’s all done live, which makes it a little bit nerve-wracking,” Cameron said by phone Wednesday. Nerve-wracking for him or the artists? “Both, actually. I’m not sure how it’s going to be set up, but I have been at occasions where the artists have been there when you reject their work, and you’d rather they weren’t.”

Cameron’s involvement won’t be the only new component at this year’s show. For the first time, the exhibit will take place at the Newport Beach Civic Center, having moved from its most recent home at the Oasis Senior Center. Exhibition chair Arlene Greer said in a release that due in part to the new venue, which includes both indoor and outdoor space, the organizers received twice the number of entries as last year.

In addition to the judge’s prizes, the exhibit will present a People’s Choice Award, selected by attendees to honor their top favorite piece. Artwork will be for sale, with some proceeds going to local cultural arts programs. A group from the Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles will also perform.

In all, more than 250 art works will be on display. Christiana Lewis, the art director and event coordinator of the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art in Laguna Beach, entered the show for the first time this year. In recent months, she had been overwhelmed with running her recently opened gallery, and one of her two paintings in the show marked the end of a long hiatus.

“I started painting again two weeks ago, and everything is coming alive again,” Lewis said.

Judit Laufer, who participated last year and has two sculptures in the running this time, said the show helped her increase her visibility as an artist.

“It’s gotten me some exposure,” she said. “It’s been pretty wonderful. And you know, anything to cultivate public art or art in the community is wonderful.”

If You Go

What: 50th annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition

Where: Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Drive

When: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday

Cost: Free

Information: (949) 717-3870 or https://www.newportbeachca.gov/ CulturalArts