Eye on Arts and Entertainment -- Suzie Harrison

The Art Institute of Southern California will be holding its 13th

annual Collector’s Choice fund-raiser from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, an event

that benefits the institute’s students and programs.

“We’ve raised about $20,000 in the past,” said Institute President

Alan Barkley. “The money goes to scholarships and generally supporting

the programs.”

The fund-raiser with a preview of artwork in Ettinger Gallery will be

followed by a wine and dinner buffet, entertainment and a silent auction.

“Laguna Beach really is a community with many arts organizations that

help each other in the many causes which helps the institutions thrive

and grow,” Barkley said.

More than 70 well-known artists from here to as far as Zimbabwe

donated works of art to raise money for the college.

“The thing we particularly like about it is that it’s the broad, art

community who donates art, who supports us and make it worthwhile with

the outstanding quality of work,” Barkley said.

There will be different types of artwork media, including watercolor,

oil, sculpture, mixed media and photography.

“We are honored to be the recipients of this extraordinary collection,

donated by well-known artists, who generously support our students and

programs. Each year guests attending Collector’s Choice, take home

incredible works of art,” said Barkley.

The Art Institute of Southern California is located at 2222 Laguna

Canyon Road. Don’t miss this great opportunity to win original artwork by

over 70 international and local professional artists with the proceeds

helping future artists at the esteemed institute.

At the fund-raiser, Barkley will be making a special announcement

regarding the institute’s new name. For ticket and event information call

the institute at 376-6000.

Local artist takes it on the road

Laguna Beach artist Tracey Moscaritolo is showing her recent original

paintings and limited edition giclees at the La Jolla Festival of Arts

this Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

She’ll be at booth No. 7. The La Jolla festival is at La Jolla Country

Day School, 9490 Genesee Ave. For more information you can reach

Moscaritolo at her studio on 422 North Coast Highway, Suite A at

494-7300.

Concert band to play tunes for Relay The community concert

band is going to play at the Relay for Life event on Saturday.

The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Laguna Beach High School football

field, 625 Park Ave.

The goal of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life is to

mobilize communities across the country to celebrate survivorship,

remember those who lost their lives to cancer and raise money for the

fight against cancer.

Exhibit to celebrate the Golden State

The Laguna Art Museum will offer an evening to Celebrate California

with art and music 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 12 at the museum, 307 Cliff

Drive. There will be docent-guided tours of a special exhibit at the

museum “California Holiday: E. Gene Crain Collection.”

A contribution of $25 gets you into this great event, which features

music wine and hors d’oeuvres. The museum is putting on this event in

conjunction with The Laguna South Orange County Guild of the Opera

Pacific. Information, Joy Bunzel, 497-0251.

Laguna poets slam their words

After a grueling three-round competition, Ben Porter Lewis, Besskepp,

Mark Gonzales, Rachel Kann and R-A-C have emerged as this year’s Long

Beach/Orange County Poetry Slam Team who will take on the San Diego slam

at 8 p.m. tonight in downtown Laguna at Wells Fargo bank, 260 Ocean Ave.

It should be noted that the team’s pre-Nationals trials-by-fire have

been pretty successful.

They won the first Battle for Los Angeles against the Hollywood and

Los Angeles slam teams, and the following week they won again, competing

against the spanking-new San Diego team.

Can they repeat? Find out tonight. The artist reception is 7 to 9 p.m.

Saturday.

Peaceful paintings coming to Nelson gallery

There will be a solo exhibition of new paintings by Glenn Ness and

also an exhibit of recent gouache paintings by Kathleen Marshall at Diane

Nelson Fine Art gallery. Ness paints quiet interiors and local scenes

of familiar diners and contemplative pool scapes titled “Standing Still.”

His everyday scenes of California are uninhibited and unassuming. His

confident brush stroke and attention to the surface of each object proves

his strength for precision.

Whether glass, chrome or water, Ness has mastered the art of painting

reflections. Ness is well-known for his representational art of

suggestive stillness, according to a gallery statement.

Marshall is a Los Angeles artist who now resides in Paris the gallery

says. She paints intricate interiors with the difficult medium of

gouache; the interiors of Marshall’s work are quite calming.

These scenes of Italian or Parisian homes and gardens are likened of

spring. Lush landscapes can be seen through the doors and windows of her

calm, quiet and serene interiors with exquisitely detailed images. The

artist reception is free and open to the public. Diane Nelson Fine Art is

at 435 Ocean Ave. Information: 494-2440 or www.dianenelson.com.

SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. She

may be reached at 494-4321.