Students get a feel for exhibits

Suzie Harrison

Senior students of Laguna College of Art and Design will have an

opportunity to experience exhibiting in a gallery firsthand because

of a collaboration with First Thursday’s Art Walk.

This is the first year for the mentoring program between students

and galleries. The project culminates Dec. 5 at First Thursday’s Art

Walk with the students exhibiting their work at their partnered

gallery.

The new program is a part of a Professional Studies class at the

college taught by Jeannie Denholm.

“We try and give them some prep that they’ll encounter after

graduation,” Denholm said. “It fits in perfectly, takes what I’m

wanting them doing to the next level.”

Robin Fuld, the president of First Thursday’s Art Walk, instigated

the plan as part of the art walk committee’s community outreach

program. Twelve students were paired with 12 galleries whose artists

volunteered to be mentors.

“The purpose is to introduce the students to the professional

aspect directly related to what they’re studying,” college president

Alan Barkley said.

Julie Bondi, director of development, explained that it gives

perspective from the gallery on how to present themselves, the

process and how it works.

The participating galleries are the Diane DeBilzan Gallery, J.

Kamin Fine Art, the Marion Meyer Gallery, Gallery McCollum, the Peter

Blake Gallery, the Whitney Gallery, the Richard MacDonald Gallery,

the Sherwood Gallery, Diane Nelson Fine Art, DeRu’s Fine Arts, the

Shona Gallery of Stone, the Esther Wells Collection, the Wendt

Gallery and the World Treasures Gallery.

“I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity and very generous of the

galleries to show our work,” said Hillary Griffin, 21. “I think it’s a good experience to show our work and for us to have it on our

resume, to see what it’s like.”