A bunch of show offs

Mike Swanson

First the canyon, then the tide pools, now the Festival.

The volunteer docents are everywhere.

On the heels of successful docent programs unveiled this year at

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and at Laguna’s coves, Festival of Arts

staff trained 20 art lovers and teachers as official guides of the

grounds in May and June. Little more than a month after its official

inception, a group of wide-eyed children and wider-eyed adults

visiting from a Christian family school in Poway on July 22 tipped

the program’s immediate success.

“It’s a very serendipitous thing,” Festival Director of

Administration Fran Hudzinski said about the selection of docents.

“They have such a passion for what they’re preaching, and we

encourage them to put their own flair into it. They range from people

who just have a passion for art to part-time teachers, and we’re

delighted to have all of them.”

Amrita Sheokand, who came to Laguna Beach -- and the United States

-- just three months ago from Bombay, India, said she had similar

volunteer jobs in her hometown, but in no forum like the Festival,

especially the Pageant of the Masters.

“It is the most awesome thing I have ever seen,” Sheokand said of

the Pageant. “I just can’t get enough of it. I feel lucky to help

contribute to people’s viewing of the Pageant and helping them

appreciate Festival art as much as I do. This is a unique thing

here.”

Sheokand said she met a group of artists who told her about the

new docent program shortly after arriving in Laguna Beach, and she

jumped at it.

Sheokand’s “personal flair” includes a handout to all members of

her groups that lists definitions of some of the art terms they’re

likely to hear on the tour and a short guide to asking artists

questions. While she considers herself an avid art fan and capable of

answering most questions, nobody’s more qualified to provide detailed

explanations than the artists themselves, Sheokand said.

“Part of being a good guide is guiding people to the most proper

resources,” Sheokand said.

After an extended visit to Myron Van Ness’ booth showcasing his

model ships, Sheokand’s child-dominated group spent even more time at

a relief-printing booth. Children chose a set of colors, imprinted a

design of their choice onto a white board, then ran it through “the

machine,” the results of which generally delighted the young

creators.

Nine-year-old Judah Mitchell, as he tried to explain what he was

making, made the public loudly aware of how abstract his project was

becoming.

“This is getting so complicated,” Judah yelled.

Judah’s father, Tom Mitchell, described his son in a manner many

established artists would dream of being described.

“He has a series of moments of non-focus followed by intense

moments of focus,” Mitchell said.

The relief-printing booth is a common favorite among children

because the results are so immediate, Hudzinski said, and often worth

devoting more time to when children seem especially occupied.

“The tours only last 45 minutes, so it’s impossible to see

everything here,” Hudzinski said. “We leave it up to the docents to

get a feel of what the group they’re guiding seems most interested

in.”

A group guided by 14-year Laguna resident Cynthia McKinzie, which

consisted mainly of adults, spent a large chunk of time at Dianne

Reardon’s booth displaying her black and white photography. More than

one gasp resulted when Reardon said she often spends up to 30 hours

treating a photograph before considering the piece finished.

When posed the question, “Why does it take so long?” Reardon said

that’s what being a perfectionist is like.

“Everything has to look pure,” Reardon said. “I can’t even stand

one tiny speck of dirt that most people wouldn’t even notice.”

Reardon talked to McKinzie’s group not only about her process and

pieces, but also about art in general -- most specifically, what

makes good art.

“With any superior artwork, you can hold it at any angle and not

exactly know what it is,” Reardon said.

According to that tenet, Judah and 5-year-old acquaintance Adam

Bauer’s relief prints may find their way into a gallery some day.

Adam printed “a guy that can never die and has a kind of curse”

perched on a sailboat. The boat was clearly a boat, but one could

hold the print at any angle and not detect the curse. Van Ness’ ship

exhibit apparently rubbed off on Adam.

Artists sometimes accompany docents on tours, said Cindy Perdue,

assistant to the director of media and public relations at the

Festival. Hudzinski said that wasn’t part of the initial plan, but

it’s been a welcome addition to the program.

The success of the docent program’s first season has Hudzinski,

volunteer scheduler Candice Burroughs and volunteer trainer Dave

Kelleher excited about continuing the program each year. They’re

already accepting docent volunteer applications for 2004.

McKinzie, who became a docent both to share and enrich her

knowledge of art, said she’ll volunteer again next year.

Tours are free to the public and scheduled daily throughout the

season at 2 and 4 p.m. Special times can be arranged for groups.

Tours on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. are geared to children

and supplement the Festival’s Youth Arts Education Program.

For more information about the docent program, or for an

application to become a docent in 2004, call Fran Hudzinski at

464-4201.