BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — For 70 years, the Bakersfield Museum of Art (BMOA) has brought together local and international works, offering Kern County visitors a place to experience artistic expression through sculptures, paintings, drawings and photographs.
Lauren Marty, the museum’s marketing and communication manager, said the museum aims to bring major exhibitions to the region. “We are a different experience. We look for world-class exhibitions and bring them here to Kern County,” Marty said.
The museum began as a tribute to artist Mary-Anne Osborne, a Bakersfield High student who became a celebrated printmaker and painter. After her sudden passing, her parents created the museum in her honor and for the community to experience.
Marty said the museum’s mission is to make art accessible to everyone. “What makes our institution unique is that we believe art is for everybody, whether you are art curious or a huge supporter, or you have never been in a museum in your life,” she said.
The museum is the only one of its kind within about 100 miles and rotates its works three times a year, according to the report.
Along with exhibitions, the Bakersfield Museum of Art offers youth art programs designed to teach appreciation for artistic expression and emphasize the importance of young voices being heard. Marty said art can help people communicate when they struggle to put thoughts into words.
“We help them understand when you can’t speak it, when it’s a thought that’s in your head that you can’t get out, you can always pick up a pencil, you can cut a piece of paper, you can grab a crayon and still say what you need to say and grow from that experience,” Marty said.
Marty also described art as a way for people to express what they believe and what they want others to understand, pointing to works that incorporate patriotic themes, including a woven red, white and blue flag.
“These colors represent what we believe in and what we want this country to be. And isn’t that what every artist does? They tell you this is what I see. This is important to me. This is what I want you to know about it,” Marty said.