"Jim" Andrew Nussbaum

We lost one of Laguna Beach’s creative lights last March Seventh with the passing of James "Jim" Andrew Nussbaum. Jim was a long time Festival of Arts Exhibitor. First with his Op Art acrylic paintings. But later it was his fabulous Hand Painted silks blowing in the evening breeze that are an integral memory of the exhibit for many. Both allowed him to indulge his passion for color at it’s most powerful. He was 67 years young when he passed away peacefully at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach from respiratory failure. The last week in the hospital, he was surrounded by his loving family and friends. His courage and attitude were remarkable throughout his brief illness. In his life he was remarkable not just for his talent but his kind, sweet and gentle nature.

Jim was born in Remington, Indiana August 3, 1941 and graduated from Remington High School followed by the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana. Before moving to Laguna Beach in 1967 Jim had worked in Yellowstone National Park, the Smoke Tree Ranch, Disneyland, Balboa Bay Club and studied Art at the Art center in Los Angeles.

The summer of 1968 was Jim’s first year in the Festival of Arts. He also had his work in the Sawdust Festival. He was proud of his Woods Cove Gallery. There he curated many group and solo Art shows in the early Seventies, including the photography of Ken Duncan. Many of today’s leading Laguna Beach Artists attended his life drawing workshops held in his gallery. He also designed the original iconic Boom Boom Room logo which later was screened on to Thousands of tee-shirts that tourists from around the world took back home.

His little ocean view studio behind the Gallery became his residence for forty years. He first studied silk painting with Detliv Rothe whose store "Tops" replaced the gallery. The studio was located on the property of Lila Zalli the founder of Ballet Pacifica and sat above the dance studio. The class music drifting up was a perfect match for Jim’s love of classical music and dance. His studio became known to friends as the Vortex for it’s non-stop ebb and flow of bohemian creative people drawn to Jim’s hospitality and congenial surroundings. Jim’s influence in others Artwork and creativity was profound.