Plenty of people to thank

SUZIE HARRISON

The First Thursdays Art Walk Sponsor Appreciation Evening with the

new Paula Schoen exhibit had the usual suspects gathered for an

evening of art, music and wine. People who have given their time to

the monthly event were honored surrounded by friends and plenty of

fun.

The weekend too has many events to hop into. Take the time to

visit the sale at Laguna Canyon Artists and the AIDS Benefit at Diane

DeBilzan Gallery, which will be hosted by the highly-regarded jewelry

designer David Yurman.

YURMAN TO HOST AIDS BENEFIT

David Yurman is hosting a cocktail reception at Diane DeBilzan Art

Gallery where his new work “A Notion of Time” will be unveiled. I

bought a ring he designed about 12 years ago when I was living in

Boulder. Since then he has become known world wide and I’m looking

forward to meeting him.

The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. DeBilzan and her gallery

artists contemporary painter and brother William DeBilzan and

figurative sculptor Louis Longi will donate a percentage of their

sales during the exhibit to AIDS Community Research Initiative of

America. DeBilzan gallery is located at 224 Forest Ave. For

information, call (949) 494-5757.

LAGUNA CANYON ARTISTS SALE

LagunaCanyonArtists.com at 3251 Laguna Canyon Road -- many of the

artists are having a one-day only huge sale. Frames, blemished art,

furniture, collectibles and much more will be available during their

Outdoor Flea Market Sale from 8 to 11 a.m. For information about the

artists go to their Web site at www.lagunacanyonartists.com.

FIRST THURSDAYS THANKS

Friday Marion Cuddyer hosted the Sponsor Appreciation Evening for

First Thursdays Art Walk at Marion Meyer Contemporary Art. The

generous sponsors were given funky, cool plaques designed and made by

Arts Manager Sian Poeschl.

Robin Fuld presented the awards.

“It’s been a joy working with all of you,” Fuld said. “We look

forward to your support and participation.”

Wayne Baglin received two awards -- one for the Laguna Board of

Realtors and the other for the Laguna Beach City Council.

“Unlike so many things in Laguna Beach this is truly a feeling, an

activity that everyone is 100%,” Baglin said. “To me, it’s such a

relief to have something meaningful to the town that’s not so

controversial.”

Arts commissioners Jan Sattler and Pat Kollenda were awarded for

their support.

“I would just like to say the Art Walk is an incredible event for

Laguna Beach,” Sattler said. “It’s fabulous to see all these

galleries work together. Sian was instrumental in starting it. She

single-handedly got the galleries to cooperate, which is a wonderful

thing.”

Sattler said she thinks it is wonderful that even people who don’t

live here look forward to coming to Laguna Beach and having a great

time appreciating Laguna’s Art Walk and galleries.

“First Thursdays is an incredible gift to out community,” Kollenda

said.

Gallery owner Diane DeBilzan said how great she finds it to be

able to participate.

“It’s nice to be able to thank the people who have helped us year

round and get the opportunity to get together and do it,” DeBilzan

said.

Poeschl, of course, was awarded.

“The Art Walk is an example of businesses in the arts working

together to promote artists, the community and Laguna Beach,” Poeschl

said. “It is an honor to work with enthusiastic and hard working

individuals committed to the arts in the city.”

Cuddyer said that the event is a celebration of the arts in Laguna

Beach and that in having the event it can recognize those who were

integral in making it happen, including the support of the city, the

residents and the gallery owners.

“I like that it’s multi-cultural -- the music, fine art, the wine,

flowers and the good energy and the people are having a good time,”

Cuddyer said. “It’s a great way to start the weekend.”

PAULA SCHOEN OPENING

In conjunction with the First Thursdays Art Walk appreciation

night at Marion Meyer Contemporary Art was the opening of Paula

Schoen’s latest work “Season of Change.”

Her new paintings explore inner states of being as related to time

and place. Cuddyer said she visually articulates moments of natural,

physical transition as abstract metaphors for transformations

occurring at emotional levels.

Schoen personally took me through the gallery piece by piece and

it was a cool experience.

She talked to me about her “Four Element Series.”

“I have put in the four elements -- fire, air, earth and water --

this is what we are,” Schoen said. “This is a huge theme artists have

been dealing with forever -- it’s the same thing with the four

seasons, connecting us to our mortality.”

She also went over the different details of her “Four Seasons

Series.”

She said that with spring, winter, summer and fall -- you feel

differently with each season and that there is a lot of significance

with each period of time. Schoen found out through colors how they

transition. She used darker colors for fall and winter to wind down

for the harvest, whereas spring and summer are about building and

fruition.

“I tried to synthesize these feelings,” Schoen said.

She sad she likes to give a feeling of time and place to sense

what that particular moment is without really defining it.

“I didn’t want to define it so much as to interpret,” Schoen said.

Per usual her work is phenomenal and took me on a retrospective

journey that made me think not only of my past but the seasons to

come.

“Season of Change” is on exhibit through Nov. 30 at Marion Meyer

Contemporary Art. The gallery is at 354 N. Coast Highway. For

information, call (949) 497-5442.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at (949) 494-4321 or

suzie.harrison@latimes.com.