Best in show

Suzie Harrison

What’s in a name? In this case a pretty accurate description.

“The Best of the Best of the Best” brings together freshman to

seniors to compete in the annual juried student art exhibit put on by

the Laguna College of Art and Design.

The exhibit, which opened April 4 and shows through May 3, has 98

original artworks, reflecting the four major fields at the college,

including drawing and painting, illustration, graphic design,

animation and sculpture.

For seniors Sean Christopher and Kim Anderson-Merrill the best is

constantly getting better.

Christopher is graduating Magna Cum Laude and has been accepted to

graduate school at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He

explained that it’s the Ivy League of art schools.

“There’s so much more going on in my career [than this exhibit],”

Christopher said. “I’m an illustration major; I’m a cross-over, which

means as an illustrator, I’m crossing over to fine art. So the

majority of my work deals with gallery shows.”

He’s currently showing on both coasts and is being represented by

some of the biggest galleries.

“I feel very blessed and humbled by the whole thing, this last

year has been really a huge thing for me,” Christopher said. “I’ve

had 12 shows in the last year and they’ve been in major galleries.”

He said it’s kind of strange being a student and also producing on

this whole other level.

“I’ve also done something for the Whitney [Museum of American Art]

in New York, which was huge,” Christopher said.

Right now there is a waiting list for his paintings, works he

hasn’t painted yet.

“I really put myself out there and aggressively pursue galleries

and academics,” Christopher said. “The ball started rolling and

things are happening now almost out of control -- people are coming

to me now.”

He said that as it relates to the school, he thinks it’s important

for the students to help each other and nurture each other --

students helping other students, perpetuating success.

“One of the biggest lessons is helping each other instead of being

just involved with yourself,” Christopher said. “Being humble [for

me] is a big part of it too, letting your work speak for itself,

being grateful for what you have and the things that you’ve achieved.

Anderson-Merrill found out a few weeks ago that she’s been

accepted to Cal State Fullerton, where will get her Master’s of Fine

Arts.

“I think this exhibit is one of the best examples of the

traditional foundation training that this school is about, how far

college takes you in your learning process,” Anderson-Merrill said.

“The structure of the program is very methodical in bringing you

along through the steps.”

She said that hopefully in their senior year, the student as an

artist has reached a place where individual technique and focus have

come together to create a cohesive body of work.

She talked about her work in the exhibit, explaining her technique

and style, pointing out the different elements.

“I build my own wood panels, they’re all oil paintings and still

lifes,” Anderson-Merrill said. “I’m looking at 17th Century Dutch and

Spanish painting in reference to history, but using very contemporary

items and ideas.”

Laguna College of Art and Design is at 2222 Laguna Canyon Road.

The exhibit is free and open to the public and can be seen Monday

through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For

information, call (949) 376-6000.