Ready, set, go

EYE ON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

This weekend is another endurance weekend for art and entertainment

happenings in Laguna -- if it were a sport, I think it could be

compared to the Ironman triathlon except it doesn’t require any

training or grueling bike sprints. Those can be done on the side at

your leisure.

However, the facts are simple that you’ll feel a bit regretful if

you don’t go to the Festival of Arts on Saturday and enjoy Asian Arts

Day then spend Saturday night at the Diane DeBilzan gallery, she will

be hosting an artist reception for William DeBilzan, Louis Longi and

John Geldersman, celebrating their new work.

On Sunday, there’s a virtual whirlwind of things to do such as buy

art at the Sawdust Art Festival’s 17th annual Art Auction, which

commences at noon. All proceeds assist the Benevolence Fund helping

artists during hardship. Also on Sunday, Books Live!, a new, fun

event featuring great literature and celebrities, will be kicked off

at the Festival of Arts, followed by the ever popular “Red Elvises”

returning to the stage at Bluebird Park with their Siberian rock

Sunday evening from 5 to 7 p.m.

I think that means Friday night would be a great time to check out

the latest and greatest exhibits at Laguna Art Museum and then enjoy

a bit o’ art and music at the Sawdust.

Whew, that’s a plethora of happenings to get one’s cardio going.

And if you buy enough art, it will facilitate with strength training.

ASIAN ARTS DAY AT FOA

Marketing and public relations director for the Festival of Arts

Sharbie Higuchi said Asian Arts Day is back by popular demand. The

special event starts at noon and runs to 3 p.m. and brings a little

taste of Asian culture and art to Laguna.

“We offer our festival guests a little bit of everything --

Japanese, Bali, Chinese, Indian, a real variety,” Higuchi said. “It’s

very much a cultural experience and is truly unique and brings the

heart of Asia to Laguna Beach through traditional dance, music, arts

and crafts and costumes.”

Some of the highlights include a Chinese dragon dance, Balinese

dance performance and other workshops and demonstrations. A hands-on

Japanese raku pottery workshop will be part of the fun, as will

hands-on Chinese brush work and a demonstration. Raku is way groovy,

a piece will never turn out the same as another. It gives freedom

form results and the idea of enjoying the process. Monica Dunham

explained the whole concept behind raku and I really dig its

philosophy.

Japanese taiko drummers will be performing -- I can’t wait for

that.

Admission to the Festival of Arts is always free to Laguna Beach

residents. The festival is at 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

I’m a very lucky girl because I live a skip away from the Sawdust

and a couple jumps to the festival, so I visit them as frequently as

possible. Each has a different vibe and are different kinds of shows.

LIVE ART AUCTION

It’s a definite must, the most important plan of the weekend is to

go to the Sawdust Art Festival’s 17th annual Art Auction with all

proceeds going toward the Sawdust Artist Benevolence Fund. Here’s the

skinny -- Sawdust artists donate artwork that is bid on, you buy what

you’ve been wanting all along, and in the process you help out an

artist that is really in need of your support.

The Benevolence Fund has been helping artists who need help

because of health problems or natures wrath, such as the floods or

because of fire and such. The money in the fund is raised by two art

auctions a year at the Sawdust, one of which starts at noon on

Sunday. The fund helps out artists in Laguna Beach in dire need, even

if they are not Sawdust Festival exhibitors -- so go-go-go and

buy-buy-buy. The Sawdust is at 935 Laguna Canyon Road. For

information, call 494-3030.

LAGUNA BEACH FILM SOCIETY

The Laguna Beach Film Society, an organization sponsored by Laguna

Art Museum, is launching its inaugural season Sept. 11. The Laguna

Beach Film Society is offering Charter Memberships with substantial

savings if you join before Sept. 11. Membership includes admission to

each monthly screening and reception, as well as member-only events.

Charter memberships are $125 and $100 for museum members. Without a

membership tickets are $15 per Film Society event/screening.

For further membership information, call the museum at 494-8971,

ext. 200. Laguna Art Museum is at 307 Cliff Drive.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

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