Kennedy Contemporary gallery opened its doors in January 2021, when the pandemic was still a concern and many people remained reluctant to go out in public.
According to owner Victoria Kennedy, she had no idea when to expect but she did have a 50-page business plan and an intuition that contemporary art was needed in Newport Beach.
“I wasn’t sure whether there would be enough support to sustain a small business,” said Kennedy, especially a new art gallery tucked within a strip mall on Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach.
“As most entrepreneurs know, opening a business is an emotional roller coaster,” said Kennedy. “The best highs are often met with painful lows, but the past years have proven that we opened our doors in the right place and at the right time. We’ve sold nearly 800 artworks, worked with hundreds of wonderful collectors and visionary interior designers, and held thirty exhibitions. On a personal note, we’ve had two beautiful children, celebrated six years of marriage, and moved homes.”
Now, Kennedy Contemporary is ready to paint the gallery’s next chapter—or picture.
This month, Kennedy Contemporary opens a new gallery space on Balboa Island at 323 Marine Ave. As Kennedy noted, “Balboa Island has long been a gathering place for both locals and visitors, and we are thrilled to become part of its vibrant community.”
“Recently, Marine Avenue has welcomed a growing collection of thoughtfully curated shops, restaurants, and businesses, creating an exciting environment that aligns with our vision for the gallery,” added Kennedy. “We look forward to bringing exceptional contemporary art into this dynamic setting and creating new opportunities for connection, collecting, and discovery.”
While the new gallery will open in July, Kennedy Contemporary’s Westcliff location will remain open by appointment through the end of the year.
The initial exhibition in the new Kennedy Contemporary space on Balboa Island is “Boundless Palette: Three Voices, which brings together a harmonious trio of Sausalito-based artists: Leslie Allen, Terri Froelich, and Sharon Paster.
The Kennedy Contemporary website offers an enticing description of the exhibition: “Like the three notes of a musical triad, each artist contributes a distinct voice while collectively creating a rich visual harmony through color, light, and atmosphere inspired by the California landscape. Together, Allen, Froelich, and Paster present three distinct yet complementary perspectives on abstraction and landscape. Their work celebrates the boundless possibilities of color and mark-making while revealing the emotional, sensory, and spiritual dimensions of place. Boundless Palette: Three Voices invites viewers into a visual conversation where movement, memory, and atmosphere converge, creating a resonant dialogue between artist, landscape, and observer.”
The exhibition will be on view in the new gallery space from July 6 through August 15, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. An opening night celebration takes place July 17 from 5 to 8 p.m.
For more information, visit https://kennedycontemporary.com.
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