Mailbag: Protecting our art, heritage and oceans

Shock waves are still resounding regarding the Orange County Museum of Art sale of 18 of Laguna Art Museum’s former early paintings. Thank you, Barbara Diamond, for your relevant and painful accounting of Laguna Art Museum’s takeover and “merger” (Our Laguna, “Art museum merger attempt still stings,” June 19.)

For those of you unaware, please understand that these are not just paintings; these are a part of Laguna and California art’s history. William Wendt, Edgar Payne and all of the early Impressionists included in this sale were actual residents and trailblazers. Without them, we may not even have had roads to town.

History: This, Mr. Myers, is one key reason why the Art Museum should never be a “Mobil” station, nor should it be moved to the flood zone in the canyon.

Understanding that the new Laguna owner wishes to remain anonymous, I do ask he/she to consider contacting Bolton Colburn for gifting, purchase or loan of the collection to the Laguna Art Museum. These early gems were lovingly given to the museum by the artists or their families in the belief that they would remain in its permanent collection.

As a longtime Laguna Art Museum member and volunteer, I also thank Diamond for the one William Wendt picture included and request that, for public interest, photographs of all 18 paintings be published. At least let us remember our past.

To the Laguna Art Museum, I ask Bolton to audit and have a full accounting of our collection and its current status, recognizing that merger details can still not be completely revealed. Are any other current/former pieces at risk? What about our re-charter? If so, let’s try to be proactive. With its new location on Bear Street, OCMA will probably be making even more changes.

I would contend that perhaps OCMA may even have violated or in some way compromised our merger deal with the obvious circumvention of Laguna Art Museum from the sale of its former pieces. This is egregious ethically, if not legally. We should at least have first right of refusal.

Our history is our legacy. Let’s start protecting our heritage, from our art to our ocean and coastline.

JOANNE SUTCH

Laguna Beach

Protecting marine life will benefit fishing

The Laguna Beach 2030 Vision Report followed a long, expensive process to chart a sustainable future. Among key recommendations, the report urges preservation and protection of Laguna’s underwater “bluebelt.” Mirroring this local commitment, President Obama declared June National Oceans Month and directed his administration to develop a plan to protect and restore America’s oceans from overfishing and pollution.

The Laguna Beach City Council’s decision to nominate the Laguna Bluebelt as a citywide reserve reflects regional, state and national priorities to take action by creating marine protected are as now common around the world.

Marine protected areas are key to a sustainable regional fishing program and protests to the contrary are not supported by the facts. A citywide Marine Reserve will still allow commercial and recreational fishing from El Morro State Park and Crystal Cove State Park all the way to Huntington Beach and beyond. Just south of Laguna Beach, both recreational and commercial fishing will remain open at Salt Creek Park, Niguel Shores and Dana Point Harbor. The San Clemente Pier has a new, award-winning 174-acre kelp forest installed by the Edison Co. to produce 50 tons of fish annually for recreational and commercial fishing. Additionally, the San Onofre State Park and areas off Camp Pendleton extend regional fishing grounds all of the way to Oceanside.

The citywide Laguna Beach Marine Reserve will foster increased fish populations and not limit swimming, snorkeling, diving and boating activities. As local fish migrate, fishing grounds surrounding Laguna Beach will remain open and benefit from nurseries protected within the city for present and future generations.

As a restored ocean ecology, Laguna Beach’s underwater paradise will once again be the pride of Southern California.

MIKE BEANAN

Laguna Beach