About the Bakersfield Museum of Art
Bakersfield Museum of Art (BMoA) strives to enhance the quality of life through art appreciation and educational opportunities in the visual arts for Bakersfield and Kern County residents and visitors. For over 60 years, BMoA has provided outstanding exhibits and offered unique educational opportunities in the visual arts to Bakersfield and its surrounding communities.
Bakersfield Museum of Art’s mission is to inspire and engage diverse audiences by providing a broad spectrum of creative visual arts experiences through the exhibition and preservation of fine art, educational programs, community outreach and special events.
The History of the Museum
The Bakersfield Museum of Art began as the Cunningham Memorial Art Gallery in 1956 with a donation from the Walter Osborn family who desired to establish an art gallery in memory of their daughter Marion Osborn Cunningham (1908-1948). Their considerable donation was amplified by the generosity of caring individuals who provided the building blocks for the gallery to be constructed on city land.
Cunningham was born in 1908 in Indiana, as the first of three children of Walter and Priscilla Osborn. The family settled in Bakersfield in 1911, their first home was on Sunset Avenue. Marion attended Bakersfield High School (then known as Kern County Union High School) and studied art under the beloved Mrs. Ruth Emerson. After continuing her studies at Santa Barbara City College and then Stanford University, Marion made her home in San Francisco. There she quickly gained national recognition for her work.
In the 1930s she was well known as a pastel artist, and in the 1940s for her printmaking. Her small compositions were praised for their curious, dream-like charm and color harmony. She maintained a studio on Montgomery Street, the center of San Francisco’s art colony.
Her untimely death at the age of 39 cut her prolific career short, but Cunningham and her work continue to reign as a significant facet of BMoA's history and legacy.
Upon its completion, the Gallery was given to the City to be operated by volunteers of the Bakersfield Art Association and a City appointed Art Commission. The voluntary association administered the gallery highlighting works of local artists with occasional visiting exhibits. The name change to the Bakersfield Museum of Art occurred in 1990 with establishment of the Bakersfield Art Foundation as the independent governing agency. Just one year later the Museum gained important national status with accreditation from the American Association of Museums.
Following major endowments from the Patricia Crail Brown Foundation and the late Dr. George and Millie Ablin, a capital campaign to expand the Museum began in earnest in 1997. In June of that same year, the Foundation purchased the building and land from the City of Bakersfield and launched the project that expanded the museum to 17,400 square feet. In February 2001, the beautiful new Bakersfield Museum of Art proudly opened its new doors to the community.
The Bakersfield Museum of Art is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt institution and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The Bakersfield Museum of Art earned a 2021 Platinum Seal of Transparency. View our strategy, metrics, and achievements here.
Colleen A. McGauley
Interim Executive Director
Victor Gonzales
Curator of Exhibitions and Collections
Victor Gonzales began his journey with BMoA in 2017 as part of the Visitor Services team. He has held roles across several departments since then, including as curatorial assistant. In March 2023, he accepted the role of Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. In that role, Victor leads the development of exhibitions, oversees the care and interpretation of the museum’s permanent collection, and assists in ensuring that the exhibitions and mission of the museum remain at the focal point of all programming. He believes BMoA is essential to the community for its commitment to accessibility, representation, and using the arts as a catalyst for connection and conversation.
Curtis Cargill
Visitor Services & Venue Coordinator
Curtis has been with BMoA since 2015, supervising the front desk and guest services for much of that time! Working closely with the leadership team, he works hard to ensure that every guest's visit is memorable and enjoyable. Curtis also doubles as the Museum's venue coordinator, helping those looking for a beautiful location for their special event. "I feel an immense amount of pride in the work that I do for this organization. The museum elevates so many lives with the culture, education, and experiences it strives to serve the community with!"
Alli Duncan joined BMoA as a museum assistant in 2009 and is now development and membership coordinator. She is responsible for assisting the executive director in all areas of fundraising, including major gifts, special events, memberships, and grant writing, among others. Alli enjoys supporting the work BMoA does in our community and providing visual arts experiences to people of all ages.
Alli Duncan
Development Coordinator
Claudia Fuentes
Marketing Assistant & Graphic Designer
Claudia Fuentes joined BMoA as an art educator in 2016 and is now the museum’s marketing assistant and graphic designer. Claudia is responsible for creating and maintaining the Museum’s visual identity, including maintaining the website, producing all of the printed materials, implementing the museum’s email marketing campaigns, and more. Claudia believes in BMoA’s goal of making art accessible to all; art is for everyone!
Chelsea Geronimo
Events & Volunteer Coordinator
Chelsea first joined BMoA as a volunteer in 2018. Today, she is our event & volunteer coordinator and art educator. Chelsea coordinates BMoA events that engage the community and highlight the importance of visual arts.
Abby Kinsey
Assistant Curator
Abby Kinsey joined BMoA as a curatorial volunteer in 2020 while completing her M.A. in Art History. Abby became the assistant curator in 2023. Abby ensures the proper care, recording, and exhibition of all artwork on display and housed within the Museum, among other responsibilities. She enjoys being part of the preservation of California’s vibrant art history and bringing thoughtful and diverse exhibitions directly to Bakersfield and the surrounding communities.
Toni McCoy
Business Manager
Toni McCoy joined BMoA as the business manager in 2024. Toni McCoy is responsible for cccounts receivable, accounts payable, onboarding employees, and other operational matters. She enjoys being part of an institution focused on enriching people’s live through the visual arts.
Lauren Marty
Marketing & Communications Manager
Lauren Marty joined BMoA in 2020. She is responsible for promoting the museum’s exhibitions , education classes, community events, membership marketing, and facility rentals. She also manages the museum’s social media activity and public relations work. After years of managing marketing departments in other industries, she says “it’s a pleasure to promote a place that encourages creativity, learning, and art appreciation.”
Maria Ornelas
Education & Family Programs Coordinator
Maria Ornelas joined Bakersfield Museum of Art as an art educator in 2018 and is now the education & family programs coordinator. She is responsible for all educational programs both at the museum and off-site, and partnerships with school districts and other education-focused organizations in our community. Maria also leads our education team of eleven art educators and counting. Additionally, she plans and develops educational curricula, schedules, and more. She continues to bring her love of art to this community through educational programs and continues to support the museum as a space where everyone can be creative in their own way.
Education Staff
Shima Alnagar
Art Educator
Nancy Becerra
Membership Assistant & Art Educator
Kaylee Carlson
Art Educator & Museum Assistant
Robyn Franco
Art Educator
Mayra Garcia
Art Educator
Andrea Gomez
Art Educator
Lucia Guzman
Art Educator
Juanita Medina
Art Educator
Lorraina Paz
Art Educator & Museum Assistant
Ariana Perez
Art Educator
Iman Shidawa
Art Educator
Miriam Luna-Viquez
Art Educator