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historical notes
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John Martin "Jack" Shea, a prominent art collector and philanthropist based in Southern California, made significant contributions to the Newport Harbor Art Museum, later part of the Orange County Museum of Art. During his two decades as a trustee at the museum, Shea, who served as board president from 1978 to 1981 and again from 1986 to 1987, played a pivotal role in transforming the institution's regional perspective into an internationally recognized program. A major patron for art and animal causes, he generously underwrote various exhibits, including those at the Laguna facility, and facilitated admission-free Tuesdays.
As a collector, Shea acquired works by esteemed artists such as Bryce Marden, Frank Stella, and Cy Twombly, positioning himself as a tastemaker whose independent streak led to the recognition of these artists as American masters. His extensive post-World War II American art collection, housed in his Palm Springs home, featured prized works by Richard Diebenkorn, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Isamu Noguchi, Helen Frankenthaler, Alexander Calder, and George Segal. |
