Descanso gifted with new art gallery

Descanso Gardens announced late last week that, pending final approvals from Los Angeles County, it will break ground this June for an environmentally-friendly art gallery designed to allow local, national and internationally recognized artists to exhibit their work in Descanso’s unique natural setting.

Located adjacent to the historic Boddy House, the Sturt Haaga Gallery of Art at Descanso Gardens consists of a major rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of the current garage structure and the creation of additional exhibit space. The goal is to have the 2,800-square-foot art gallery completed by March 2010, to coincide with the botanical gardens’ annual Spring Show festival.

Funded entirely by Heather Sturt Haaga and Paul Haaga, Jr. of La Cañada Flintridge, the Sturt Haaga Gallery’s estimated cost is $2.1 million. The Haaga donation is the largest single gift the Gardens has received in its 50-year history as a public/private partnership between the Descanso Gardens Guild and Los Angeles County.

“Paul and I think of Descanso Gardens as a jewel in L.A.’s crown,” says Heather Sturt Haaga. “We like to support places poised for greatness — and we know that is where Descanso is right now. We also like to fund projects that will inspire enthusiasm and financial support on the part of others. This new gallery promises to be such a project.”

Heather Sturt Haaga joined the Descanso Gardens Guild board of trustees in 2006 and currently serves as board chair.

The gallery is being designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, Architects, of Los Angeles, a firm that has completed numerous academic and cultural commissions including the new Erburu Gallery at The Huntington, The Williamson Gallery at the Art Center College of Design and the Annenberg Information Science and Technology Center at Caltech.