LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.- The 2025 Pageant of the Masters, Gold Coast: Treasures of California, will bring together a stunning collection of artwork from museums across the state. But among these celebrated treasures, one stands apart: a newly unveiled masterpiece created exclusively for this year’s show. Depicting the beloved local Laguna Beach landmark, “Marine Room” by artist Bradford J. Salamon was commissioned by Pageant Director Diane Challis Davy to be brought to life as a tableau vivant- transformed onstage through the Pageant’s signature blend of art, illusion, and theatrical magic. The original painting will also be on display outside the Pageant’s amphitheater as part of the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection- offering art lovers a chance to experience the work both on canvas and as a living picture. Performances are nightly July 5 to August 29, 2025 with tickets on sale now at www.foapom.com.

Salamon, a former Festival of Arts exhibitor, describes the commission from Challis Davy as a deeply personal honor – one that connects generations of his family to a tradition they’ve cherished for decades. “It’s a dream come true,” said Salamon. “My dad loved the Pageant and took us as kids to see it. My brother was accepted into the Festival [Fine Art Show] over 25 years ago, and then I was accepted about 20 years ago. The Festival and Pageant have been part of my family’s life for as long as I can remember. I honestly never thought my work would be featured in the Pageant, and certainly not while I was alive.”

When discussing the commission, Challis Davy gave Salamon the freedom to choose from several local landmarks, and he ultimately selected the Marine Room for its deep roots in the community and his personal connection to the space. Salamon’s painting offers a sweeping panoramic view of the historic tavern which has been located on Ocean Avenue since 1934. Throughout the painting, he layered in many art history references, from Édouard Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” to John Sloan’s “McSorley’s Cats” and even a nod to Jeff Koons blue balloon dog.

“Bradford was jazzed about this piece,” said Challis Davy. “He cast his friends and spent a lot of time composing the figures in the bar. It’s a very large canvas and that enabled him to paint in a bunch of 'Easter eggs.’ There are even a few insider references! I like that he had fun with it. This doesn’t happen often, and when it does, it’s because the artwork is not only compelling, but theatrically perfect for the stage.”

Alongside “Marine Room,” two of Salamon’s previously completed works: “Monday at the Crab Cooker” and “Seal Beach Nighthawks,” both currently on view at the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University, will also be brought to life onstage this summer.

“Monday at the Crab Cooker” depicts a moment between himself, Hilbert Museum founder Mark Hilbert, and art collector Gordon McClelland, sharing a meal at the classic Newport Beach seafood restaurant. The painting captures the very conversations that helped shape the idea of what would become the Hilbert Museum. “Some nights another artist, or someone else from the art world, would join us,” Salamon said. “We’d discuss exhibitions we had seen, and Mark’s vision for a museum. The Crab Cooker was the perfect backdrop - our families had all gone there growing up.” In a special tribute to the painting’s origins, Mark Hilbert will portray himself onstage in the re-creation of “Monday at the Crab Cooker” on July 9, re-creating the real-life moment the artwork was based on.

Rounding out the series of Salamon’s paintings to be re-created in this summer’s Pageant is “Seal Beach Nighthawks.” Painted in 2023, this piece draws its origins from Salamon’s nightly visits with his daughter to Seal Beach after her Sea Scout meetings. One night, a small group of people gathered under glowing streetlights in front of a corn dog stand, and to Salamon, it felt like a stage. “It looked like a theater set with the light from above,” he said. “I had been trying to paint night scenes for a while, but this one really came together.”

Having three of his paintings brought to life onstage in the same season is not just a personal milestone, it also highlights the evolving creative collaboration between Southern California institutions like the Pageant of the Masters, the Festival of Arts, and other arts organizations. “I believe the relationship that the Hilbert Museum now has with the Pageant is symbiotic,” said Salamon. “It dovetails beautifully. I’m very grateful.”

The 2025 Pageant of the Masters production Gold Coast: Treasures of California will run nightly from July 5 through August 29, 2025. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival on social media at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com.

Bradford Salamon has exhibited widely for 30 years. He has had 5 solo museum exhibitions, 38 group museum exhibitions, over 30 solo gallery shows, and is in over a dozen permanent museum collections. Salamon graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Los Angeles. After being the official artist for the Grammy Awards in the 1990s, Salamon began painting more personal work of his family, friends, and fellow artists. Portraiture has remained a significant interest throughout his career. His subjects vary widely from narrative scene paintings to allegorical compositions, historical objects and still-lifes of everyday pleasures. Recent work includes large portraits of artists and societal trailblazers using drafting pencils on multiple sheets of vellum paper or charcoal on unstretched, unprimed canvas, abstractions, and Modernist scene paintings with abstracted passages. Salamon has produced dozens of short films, creates figurative sculptures in various mediums and is also a museum curator and blues musician. www.bradfordjsalamon.com