(Orange, CA) – The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana recently donated 358 personal paintings and drawings by noted Los Angeles Muralist Anthony B. Heinsbergen to Santiago Canyon College. The bulk of the collection consists of works in oil on canvas depicting city and country scenes of Western Europe. Most of the paintings were created in the 1950’s to the early 1970’s.
Anthony B. Heinsbergen (1894 - 1981) was a well-known, LA-based muralist and theatre designer who, from the early part of the 20th century, decorated more than 700 interiors and facades of important buildings throughout the US. Many of Heinsbergen’s works are preserved on and within California’s iconic landmarks including the Wiltern Theatre, the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles City Hall and several Pantages Theatres. Heinsbergen was the originator of the Egyptian Temple style and Spanish Renaissance Revival style, and utilized Art Deco and Cubist-Gothic styles that characterized the great movie palaces of the 1920’s and 1930's.
“We are thrilled to receive this donation from the Bowers Museum,” said Dr. John Hernandez, President of Santiago Canyon College. “We recognize that Heinsbergen’s reputation largely centers on his talent as a muralist, but the sheer size and variety of this collection, combined with his fame as a muralist and influence on LA’s architectural history, open up a lot of possibilities for us to use the works as an educational, outreach, fundraising and community partnership tool. Our students and the college will definitely benefit from this donation.”
Added Victoria Gerard, Director of Collections and Special Exhibitions at the Bowers, “The Bowers Museum is delighted to have transferred this collection to Santiago Canyon College. We look forward to seeing the many ways in which it will influence and benefit the students for years to come and hope that it might lead to closer collaboration between our two institutions.”
The Gallery at SCC will feature Heinsbergen’s work in its fall opening exhibition of the 2019-2020 academic year. The opening reception for the exhibition, “Travels with Heinsbergen: Selected Works by LA Muralist Anthony B. Heinsbergen,” will take place on Tuesday, September 3, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm in the gallery. The college also plans to establish a permanent space to exhibit works from the collection in an alcove on the second floor of the Lorenzo Ramirez Library. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Anthony B. Heinsbergen Alcove will take place in October, once renovation of the library is complete.
About Santiago Canyon College
Santiago Canyon College (SCC) serves more than 17,000 credit and noncredit students each semester. In 2017, SCC was ranked #13 among the 50 Best Community Colleges in the U.S. by College Choice and is currently ranked #3 in California by bestcolleges.com a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions and careers, and provides courses for personal and professional development, as well as customized training for business and industry. The college is recognized for its adult education program which keeps the working adult - and senior - in mind by offering flexible schedules, and community locations. Serving the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Tustin, and Villa Park, SCC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
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