Art, architecture and AIDS

Young Chang

For a $10 donation or more, Irini Vallera Rickerson will take visitors

on a vicarious trip to the Tarot Gardens in Tuscany, the island of

Santorini in Greece, houses hand-painted by women in South Africa and

other structures of artful architecture around the globe.

For the 10th year, the Orange Coast College professor and art gallery

director has put together “Unique Art and Architecture Around the World,”

a benefit lecture for AIDS charities in Orange County that will feature

slides from Rickerson’s own foreign adventures.

“It’s a very entertaining lecture,” said Rickerson. “Everybody loves

to travel and see unique things.”

The slides will also show unusual rock art from the Sahara Desert,

doghouse architecture and watch towers in Los Angeles.

Rickerson and students helping her will use most of the donations from

the event to buy presents for women and children of the AIDS Service

Foundation in Irvine and for people at the Palm House homeless shelter in

Los Angeles. For people at the homeless shelter, Rickerson and her team

will deliver the presents in person.

“‘Cause they like having a party with us,” the professor said. “Last

year, they prepared apple pies and pumpkin pies and it was the most

moving time we had. This year, we’re going to have a party with the

homeless people.”

Last December’s event raised almost $8,000. Rickerson hopes to garner

at least that amount this year, with $1,000 to $1,500 of the sum going

toward an arts scholarship established in the memory of her two late

friends.

Artist David Torosian held widely attended exhibits of his mixed-media

work at OCC. He died of AIDS six years ago.

Artist P.J. Freeman, an art student at OCC and volunteer at the

college’s art gallery, always supported Rickerson’s annual benefit.

Freeman died in an accident in Laguna Beach two years ago.

Students at OCC majoring in art and involved actively in community

service will be eligible for the P.J. Freeman/David Torosian Memorial

Arts Scholarship.

Julia Sutton, a student at Cal State Fullerton and a former recipient

of the award, said the scholarship gave her an emotional boost to stay in

school. She was on welfare three years ago and social workers were

breathing down her neck to get a job, but the scholarship helped her get

to Fullerton, where Sutton will earn a master of fine arts in graphic

design.

Though the art lecture will focus on architecture, tables outside the

hall will offer literature on AIDS. This is in memory of Aaron Jones, a

student of Rickerson’s who died of AIDS 10 years ago. Rickerson got a

call one day from Hoag Hospital, where Jones was dying. When she visited,

he shared a request.

“At the time I asked if I could do anything to help. He said he wanted

me to get involved to increase the awareness of AIDS,” Rickerson said.

“And tell them it can happen to anybody.”

After final exams are over at OCC in mid-December, Rickerson will hold

a gift-wrapping party for students to come to her home and wrap

everything bought with proceeds from today’s event “beautifully.”

“It would be neat to know that when we’re celebrating [the holidays]

with our family and friends, that other people are opening packages too,”

Rickerson said.

FYI

WHAT: “Unique Art and Architecture Around the World”

WHEN: 8 p.m. today

WHERE: Orange Coast College’s Robert B. Moore Theatre, 2701 Fairview

Road, Costa Mesa

COST: $10. Donations encouraged.

CALL: (714) 432-5039, Ext. 2