Deck the walls with works of art

On busy days, many who maneuver the narrow corridors of Newport Beach

City Hall proceed with tunnel vision.

Painter Marilou Hogeboom would like city officials to stop and

notice their surroundings.

The longtime Newport Beach resident has more than 30 paintings

from her personal collection on display at City Hall through Sept. 1.

Her pieces line the otherwise bare white walls of the main building,

infusing a noticeable vibrancy into adjoining rooms.

Hogeboom’s paintings are unquestionably abstract, her landscape

works exaggerated and her portraits disproportional. Human arms

appear thicker than necks and often longer than legs.

“I like to do expressive work,” said Hogeboom, 78. “It’s more

satisfying to me. I use distortion for design. I don’t like to follow

the rules.”

Little about Hogeboom’s art career has been by the book. She spent

nearly 15 years as a special education teacher in the Newport-Mesa

Unified School District before making art her primary focus.

Through extension courses at Orange Coast College and Coastline

Community College, she learned painting and sculpting techniques and

became more devoted to her craft.

After retiring from the district, she began to dedicate three

hours a day to working in her home studio.

At the same time, she entered her work into any juried show she

could find, many of which were run through the City of Newport Beach.

The colorful pieces caught the attention of members of the Newport

Beach Arts Commission, a group of seven council-appointed city

residents that selects artists to feature.

“Her work is visually stunning,” said Kirwan Rockefeller, chairman

of the Newport Beach Arts Commission. “So many people say, ‘Gosh,

I’ve always wanted to paint, but never had the time.’ She had the

creative experience, and that impressed us.”

Hogeboom has some of her work showing at a private gallery in

Santa Ana. Many of her signature pieces are those she never intended

to display.

She has a history of painting over previous designs to create a

different pattern, such as a collage that turned into a

representation of the Twin Towers in New York City.

“I see things differently,” Hogeboom said. “I think sometimes I’m

the only one who ‘gets’ a painting.”

She is hoping others learn to appreciate them as well. Hogeboom’s

work at City Hall, most of which was produced over the past 10 years,

is priced from $300 to $800.

Jana Barbier, cultural arts coordinator for the City of Newport

Beach, said Hogeboom’s work has made an impression on her.

“I have a profound appreciation for her art,” she said. “It has

resonance. The colors are earthy.”

City Hall is one of two locations the commission has dedicated for

local artists’ displays. The other is the Newport Beach Central

Library, which currently features the work of Orange County artist

Donald Ladwig.

In addition to public art displays, the commission has the

following events planned for the coming weeks:

* The Russian National Orchestra Wind Quartet will play at 6:30

p.m. Tuesday at Grant Howald Park.* The Kahuna Cowboys Jug Band will

play at 5 p.m. Aug. 28 at Irvine Terrace Park.

* Performances of “Shakespeare by the Sea” will be Aug. 6 and 7 at

Grant Howald Park.

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

He may be reached at (714) 966-4623.