In The Arts

Irvine hosts college exhibit

The Laguna College of Art & Design MFA Faculty and Student Exhibition will open at 10 a.m. today at The Irvine Fine Arts Center, 14321 Yale Ave., Irvine. The exhibit will be on display through March 9. The painting and drawing exhibition depicts the MFA program’s focus on technical, conceptual and pictorial issues related to representational art. A key feature of the program is the faculty mentors who help students’ studio research. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission and parking are free.

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Film Society screens two films

The Laguna Beach Film Society will show “May I Be Frank,” an award-winning documentary about a man who decides to turn his life around after years of excess and overindulgence, at 7 p.m. today at the Forum Theatre, 625 Laguna Canyon Road. Tickets are $15 at the door.

The society will screen an award-winning comedy, “Soul Kitchen,” a German film about the business adventures of a restaurant owner, at 7 p.m. Thursday at the South Coast Cinemas in Laguna Beach. Tickets are $15 at the door; $10 for students with ID; free for society members. For $20, enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres before the screening at the Wells Fargo Bank Community Room. For more information, e-mail JoAnne Story at jstory@lagunaartmuseum.org.

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Marimba player headlines charity event

Marimba artist Bongani Sotshononda will perform at a charity event and live auction at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mozambique, 1740 S. Coast Hwy. The event benefits the education and training of game rangers and preservation of endangered species in Africa. Guests will also have a chance to win a trip for two to South Africa, where they will enjoy a three-night stay at the Pezula Game Lodge. There is no cover charge. For more information, call (818) 491-6085.

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Game art exhibit at LCAD

Laguna College of Art & Design will feature “Phenomenon: A Juried Exhibition of Environments for Game Art,” from Feb. 17 through March 10 at the college gallery, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road. Featuring the works of students and professionals of all levels, the show will display 2-D and 3-D works using traditional or digital mediums. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The public is invited to a free student reception and awards event from 5 to 7 p.m. March 10. Parking is free.

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State Senate seeks art show entries

Submissions are being accepted for the California Senate’s Annual Contemporary Art Collection. The winning artwork will be displayed in various locations at the state Capitol from March through September. Artists are asked to submit a picture along with a description (no longer than a page) of why their artwork best represents their district, as well as a short biography. All submissions must be original and no larger than 3 by 5 feet. The deadline is Feb. 28. Submissions should be mailed to: Emanuel Patrascu, 35th District Office, 950 S. Coast Drive, Suite 240, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. For more information, call (714) 957-4555.

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Duck stamp contest to open

The California Department of Fish and Game will accept submissions from March 1 through April 30 for the 2011 California Duck Stamp contest. The winning artwork will be reproduced on the California Duck Stamp, which all waterfowl hunters much purchase, and will be available as collectible limited edition prints. The best submissions will also be displayed at the Pacific Flyway Decoy Assn. summer art show. Applicants who are 18 or older are asked to submit original artwork of a male-female pair of the Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica). Entry fee is $50. For rules and an application, visit https://www.dfg.ca.gov/duckstamp.

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Yibu showing at Mandarin Fine Art

Contemporary Chinese ink and wash artist Yibu will show his paintings in the United States for the first time at Mandarin Fine Art Gallery, 1294 S. Coast Hwy., Suite C, where his work will be on display through April. Yibu has exhibited nationally in group and solo exhibitions in China and Australia.

According to Mandarin Fine Art spokesman Jared Linge, ink wash painting was first introduced in China during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), and the philosophy is to capture the soul of a subject when painting it. The way Yibu applies this traditional technique to contemporary subject matter can be seen in his portraits including “Red Guard,” which depicts a soldier in Mao’s Red Army. The focus is not so much on the structure of the figure, but on his emotions. For more information, call (949) 376-9608.