With love from Orange County

Suzie Harrison

Eight artists are finding ways to express the past and present of the

county by using a life-size grizzly bear statue for a canvas.

Lead by Laguna Beach artist Mike Tauber, the artists were chosen

to represent Orange County in the competition, which is designed to

celebrate the spirit and history of California.

Ten counties in California have artists conceptualizing the

essence of their county and capturing it on a statue, about 4 1/2

feet high by 7 1/2 feet long. After being on display at their own

county fairs, the bear will travel to Sacramento to take part in a

historic “bear convention” at the 2003 California State Fair.

Tauber’s team has painted the Orange County bear as a vintage

postcard. Each letter in the word Orange has been decorated by a

different artist, and each letter represents an element of the county

from nature, to lifestyle, commerce and industry and famous local

people.

“We chose the theme of a postcard because it was being sent from

Orange County to Sacramento,” Tauber said. “The message side reads,

‘Wish you were here, love Orange County’ -- and it’s addressed to Cal

Expo Sacramento, Calif., since that’s where it’s going.”

Artists that were chosen represent a broad cross-section of Orange

County from North County to the Santa Ana area, as well as student

artists.

Sunday at a breakfast at LagunaCanyonArtists.com, where Tauber’s

studio is, the community had a chance to chat with the artists and

see the finishing touches being completed.

Joan Hamill, manager of exhibitions and entertainment for the

Orange County Fair attended the breakfast and was pleased with what

the artists had created.

“This came about through Cal Expo who invited us to participate

along with other fairs,” Hamill said. “It was up to us what we wanted

to do, and we wanted it to be more global of the county.”

They had sent out more than 200 letters to artists in the county

and chose Tauber to be the artist to head the team.

“He has been involved with community projects and understands the

collaboration,” Hamill said.

Chloe Cunningham, 11, of Laguna Beach won first and third place in

a student art competition in the spring and was chosen by her merits.

“I’ve been an artist for seven years. I’ve always liked it,”

Cunningham said. “I like painting, and someone told me that I have

the right skills.”

She had the letter “G,” and her category was nature.

“I painted a big sunflower, which is the focal point and a coyote

howling into the moon,” Cunningham said.

Matt Anderson, 18, of Laguna also won at a student art competition

at City Hall. His letter to paint was “E,” and he represented

commerce and industry.

“I just started drawing and picked things that made me think of

Orange County,” Anderson said. “It was an honor to be chosen -- my

mom said it was an honor to be chosen for something as big as this

for all of Orange County.”

Laguna Beach artist Joan Corman also had the theme of nature to

capture in the letter “O.”

Anne Yambor of Anaheim, Margie Tabor-Zuliani of Garden Grove and

Margaret Fowler of Fullerton rounded out the other counties.

Laguna artist Keith Swecker created the letter “N” capturing

landscapes and places of historic interest.

“I painted the Mission San Juan Capistrano, California poppies and

oranges in a basket representing agriculture,” Swecker said. “I also

painted purple mountains, Padre Junipero Serra and swallows. I tried

to do a collage effect representing Orange County.”

Hamill said the bear will be part of the opening ceremonies of the

Orange County Fair on July 11 -- and will remain through Aug. 3.