The new man is Ron Nelson (no relation), who’s been serving as the Museum’s interim executive director since Hal Nelson’s abrupt departure in November 2006.

He (Ron Nelson) is the man who pulled together the Museum’s delightfully variegated art auction last year–a fundraiser for the institution utilizing donated art, much of it from local artists.

He’s also the man who incurred the wrath in October of a whole slew of Bluff Park residents whose Ocean Boulevard homes face the water–and the museum–when he brought in Child, a 16-foot tall ceramic sculpture of a big, yellow, nekkid baby.

To its credit, the Museum took the gutsy step of anchoring the baby on its doorstep and pointing him (definitely a him) north at nearby homes.

The work of Cal State Long Beach student Matt Wedel, who’s earning his graduate degree in ceramics, Child–or Big Baby, whatever you want to call it–had neighbors choking on their Pinot Grigio, signing a petition agin it, and threatening to tear up in advance any future donation checks to the museum.

The Museum’s Foundation Board of Trustees–which runs the Museum–apparently didn’t see eye-to-eye with local residents over that one, and gave Ron Nelson its seal of approval.

“Under Ron’s leadership over the last 15 months, the Museum has achieved greater financial stability; embarked on new initiatives with local institutions of higher learning and local arts groups; and developed and mounted successful and innovative exhibitions,” is how Trustees President Roberta Jenkins put it, in the LBMA press release which arrived today.

Ah, but what can top Big Baby–in our hearts and on the Museum’s front lawn? We’ll be waiting–and watching.

Tags: "Child", Bluff Park Historic District, cal state long beach, California, Hal Nelson, Long Beach, long beach museum of art, Matt Wedel, Roberta Jenkins, Ron Nelson, Southern California, The District Weekly, Theo Douglas