The Hilbert Museum of California Art will soon be a household name in Orange County. This is due to the Hilbert Museum’s impressive achievements, aggressive plans and the universal appeal of its collection (and the universal appeal of its FREE admission!)
Since its opening in 2016, The Hilbert Museum has:
- Earned its founders, Mark and Janet Hilbert, the prestigious Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award in Arts Philanthropy.
- Achieved the highest regional museum rankings on Trip Advisor and Yelp.
- Tripled its attendance rate.
- Made plans to double its exhibition space.
- Received gifted works from other collectors.
- Hosted chamber music ensembles from The Pacific Symphony.
- Created programs and events for youth and local schools.
It is also the only museum totally dedicated to California Scene and California representational art. This genre is growing its fan base rapidly due to its universal accessibility. According to Mark Hilbert:
“California Scene paintings are distinguished from the earlier style of California Impressionism because these works show people and the works of humans: towns, cities, harbors, houses, ranches, cars, trains – people going about their everyday lives. These paintings show the changes taking place across our state as it grew, starting around 1920 – changes that are still happening and reflected in today’s representational art.”
I think of California Scene Art as a gateway drug to art in general. People who are new or resistant to art are drawn to these scenes of industry, progress, labor and recreation. Furthermore, most of the California Scene artists were employed by the movie studios and The Walt Disney Co. They knew how to captivate wide audiences by employing narrative, character and atmosphere in a single graphic.
Background and Chapman University
The Hilberts’ original plan was to decorate their new house, not build a collection or a museum. Luckily for us, they fell in love with a genre.
It started in 1993 when they found a California Scene painting at an antique store. That purchase led to another which led to an immersion into the art world. The Hilberts amassed over 1000 works, built a base of scholarly knowledge about the genre and developed contacts far and wide. Museums were borrowing some of the Hilberts’ art, but despite the museum demand, the Hilberts found that California Scene Art was little known and underrated. The solution: Create a museum to celebrate and immortalize the style. The Hilberts had an enormous collection, they had the funds to donate to whoever housed the works and they knew the demand for the art was present.
Chapman University rose to the occasion to house and display the collection. The timing was perfect. Despite Chapman’s recent superlatives (incredible growth, record-breaking endowments, increasing rankings, the state-of-the-art Musco Center, renown programs in history, music and film), Chapman possessed no permanent museum. The Hilbert provides additional prestige to Chapman, a body of work for art and history scholars to research and subject matter for professors to assign their students. Chapman’s border on the Orange Circle also adds a nice context for the museum. Indeed, the Old Towne Orange Historic District could be a setting for a California Scene painting.
Chapman’s commitment to The Hilbert and its impending expansion is even more striking considering the finite space on the campus and around the Orange Circle. Anybody who has visited the area has stressed over the parking situation but fear not: the City of Orange is completing a 600+ parking space garage two blocks away from the museum.
Animation and Illustration
Many of the California Scene Artists earned their paychecks from work in animation and graphic design. It was a natural step for the Hilberts to seek out the commercial works by their favorite artists and add those to the collection. The result: current and future exhibitions dedicated to animation and illustration.
Again, I think of animation and illustration as gateway drugs to art. Kids and newbies will enjoy the cartoon characters and will be surprised at the evolution the characters took from their original concept. Art patrons will be dazzled at the pencil studies for the animated characters and the amount of thought and creativity that went into them.
The Grinch is Coming to Town!
The Hilbert Museum’s upcoming Grinch exhibit and program is an impressive example of what the museum can produce in its infancy and as well as its synergies with Chapman University. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: Chuck Jones and the Making of an Animated Classic opens on Saturday, Nov. 10. The exhibit is from private collectors and will feature more than 40 original animation cels and drawings by the legendary Chuck Jones (famed for creating Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Loony Tunes characters) for the 1966 animated TV special based on the beloved Dr. Seuss book, as well as historical and background ephemera. The kid-friendly opening reception (6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 10) includes a Whoville-style Christmas tree, hot chocolate, cookies and (rumor has it) a visit from someone green.
Next, the Grinch will be a big part of Chapman University’s annual WinterFest and holiday tree-lighting celebration on Wednesday, November 14, beginning at 5pm on the university’s Attallah Piazza. The festivities will include live performances of holiday music by Chapman and OC School of the Arts ensembles, storytelling for kids, an appearance by Santa Claus (and photo opps with the big guy) and a real snowfall! The event is free and open to the public. Chapman University is located at One University Drive in Orange, CA.
Finally, on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7:30pm, the Hilbert Museum, in association with Musco Center for the Arts, will present a FREE screening of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the 1966 Chuck Jones half-hour animated version) and behind-the-scenes footage. Following the screening is a panel discussion featuring:
- Chuck Jones’s daughter, film producer Linda Jones Clough.
- Grinch lead animator Phil Roman.
- Oscar-nominated animator and director Chris Bailey (Disney’s The Lion King and Runaway Brain; TV series Kim Possible).
- Professor Bill Kroyer, director of the Digital Media Arts program at Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
The Musco event is another example of Chapman’s commitment to The Hilbert Museum. The Musco is booked solid for the season and is the newest, most sophisticated arts venue in the region, yet it will provide a free Saturday night to The Hilbert and the Grinch fans. Note: The event is free, but you must obtain a ticket at www.musco.org or at the Musco box office.
Education and Youth
Sadly, art classes and art field trips are not readily available in today’s public schools. The Hilbert is taking two steps to address that.
- The Hilbert has engaged an experienced educational programs coordinator.
- Mark Hilbert and additional donors created a transportation fund to allow schools to bus students to the museum. Transportation costs are the most significant barrier to school field trips.
The museum has had notable uptake with local 4th grade students. All California 4th graders are required to do a California history project. Given the subject matter of California Scene Art and its accessibility, it makes for an enjoyable project.
Schools interested in taking advantage of the Hilbert’s busing fund are encouraged to call the museum at 714-516-5880 for more information.
For the educational needs of us adults, The Hilbert is in the process of training docents.
Conclusion
My mission is to show how The OC is an art and culture wonderland, replete with hidden gems. I especially like to call out those venues that are intimate, accessible and affordable (you can’t get any more affordable than free). The Hilbert Museum proves my point. Along the way, I’ve found that the real story about these venues are the people behind them. Many thanks to Mary Platt (Hilbert Museum Director) and Mark Hilbert for sharing their insights with me.