City art artists chosen

EYE ON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Last night’s Art Walk, followed by Hospitality Night tonight --

I’m loving the opportunity to enjoy the community and the great

events we have exclusive to Laguna Beach.

SAWDUST ARTISTS

WIN CITY COMMISSION

Two Laguna Beach and Sawdust Winter Fantasy exhibitors have been

chosen by the Arts Commission for city art projects. Michelle Taylor

Heath was chosen for an installation at Bluebird Park. She will be

creating a 9-foot glass mosaic tortoise.

Heath’s is modeled after the tortoise, an animal native to

Southern California and in part inspired by Aesop’s fable “The

Tortoise and the Hare.”

Her idea parallels the fable and its inspiration that by

maintaining a steady pace, a person will eventually triumph.

“It is my hope that the tortoise will, on one hand, inspire

viewers to maintain focus, humility and perseverance regardless of

the perceived impossibility of a situation,” Heath said.

She looks forward to the community’s reaction.

“This tortoise is imbued with a whimsical array of colors that not

only make this typically unassuming creature stand out, but invite

the public to interact with the piece by sitting, climbing and

playing on it.

Gerard Stripling, who was an artist last year for the studio tour,

has been chosen to do an outdoor seating area at the new Montage

Hotel in Treasure Island.

The Sawdust Winter Fantasy only has two weekends left, Saturdays

and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 15. There’s plenty to

do, see and enjoy. It’s also a great place to find unique gifts for

the holidays.

The Festival is at 935 Laguna Canyon Road. For more information,

call 494-3030 or visit www.sawdustartfestival.org.

LAGUNA COLLEGE OF

ART AND DESIGN EXHIBIT

Fourteen seniors from Laguna College of Art and Design are paired

with local galleries in a mentoring program, which is a collaboration

between First Thursday’s Art Walk and the college. The student

artists will be exhibiting their work in the galleries through

Sunday. So if you didn’t see them during last night’s Art Walk check

out the impressive works of today’s newest artists.

The student work is for sale with proceeds benefiting the Student

Scholarship Fund of Laguna College of Art and Design and Art and

Creativity for Healing.

The mentoring program consists of students selected from the

Professional Studies course taught by Jeannie Denholm. It provides

the students a look at professionally exhibiting and the business

aspect of the process, as well as running a gallery. It gives them

first-hand experience from local experts. For more information, call

Julie Bondi, director of development, at 376-6000, ext. 229.

WOODY’S HOLIDAY DINNER BENEFITS LOCAL CHORUS

Wednesday, Dec. 11, Woody’s at the Beach is having a holiday

dinner performance benefiting Men Alive -- an Orange County gay men’s

chorus.

Miss Coco Peru will be making her only Orange County appearance

and Boy’s Singing, a new ensemble from Men Alive, will be also be

performing. There are two holiday dinner performances, at 6 and 8

p.m. Tickets are $20.

For information and reservations, call 376-8809.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321 or suzie.harrison@latimes.com.