Jon Serl: As One, As Many

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art, Avenue of the Arts 3333, 92626, Costa Mesa

February 21, 2026 – September 13, 2026

Jon Serl: As One, As Many showcases the life and work of painter Jon Serl, who transitioned from a vaudeville performer and Hollywood voice actor to an artist after World War II. Living in California, particularly in San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore, Serl created expressive paintings on scavenged materials, characterized by free-form figures, vibrant colors, and theatricality. The exhibition highlights his deeply personal artistic vision and his quest for truth beyond conventional boundaries. It revisits his first museum exhibition in 1981 and acknowledges his later national recognition, despite his reclusive nature and outsider status in the art world. The exhibition traces Serl's evolution from depicting the external landscapes of rural Southern California to exploring an interior world shaped by perception and memory, reflecting the cultural shifts of the 20th century. For Serl, painting was a journey of discovery, encapsulated in his belief that “the painting is inside. I just find it.”