From freelance exhibition designer to spearheading the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art’s future, Claremont resident Seth Pringle was announced as the new director of the nonprofit museum last month. His appointment was approved by the nonprofit’s board of directors.

The ascension has come rapidly for Pringle, who previously served as the museum’s interim director from June 25 to September 25, 2025. Prior to that he was the museum’s director of exhibitions and collections from January to May 2025, and the associate director of exhibitions from 2022 to 2024. He was a freelance exhibition designer between 2018 and 2022.

Pringle has been working for this moment.

“It’s been a goal of mine,” he said. “I’m grateful for my predecessor, Martin Betz, for helping get a lot of initiatives launched with the museum and setting me up for success.”

Pringle took over for Betz in June when Betz announced he would begin a new role as executive director of World Wildlife and Western Heritage Museum in Concord. As it restructures staff, the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art is looking to hire a part-time museum manager. Interested applicants can visit clmoa.org/home/careers.

Museumgoers should expect an engaging director.

“People should hopefully be able to expect someone who is committed to working collaboratively to build partnerships and be a truly community-based organization,” Pringle said. “In terms of the exhibitions that the museum presents, I’m still going to be very involved with the curatorial vision, so that will be an extension of what people have been seen over the last year or two.”

“Pringle’s curatorial focus involves creating unexpected connections between works of art, which prompt viewers to see them in new and deeper ways,” according to a news release. “One of his important goals is to facilitate artists to realize their vision through collaboration.”

The new director said he’d tap other organizations to facilitate artistic opportunities. Pringle has connections with the Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts, Pitzer College, Craft in America, the Ontario Museum of History and Art, the dA Center for the Arts and First Street Gallery Art Center.

A practicing studio artist, Pringle holds a bachelor’s in ceramics from Ohio University and an Master of Fine Arts from Claremont Graduate University.

Photo courtesy/CLMA