And the whirlwind begins

SUZIE HARRISON

It’s tornado season and I’m not talking about the plains, but rather

the whirlwind of art happenings.

The season is gaining momentum and we’re nearing the eye of the

storm.

The Sawdust Art Festival will open July 2, the Festival of Arts on

July 5 and the Pageant of the Masters on July 7 ... whew.

Each day when I ride either my bike or skateboard to work, I pass

in front of the Sawdust Art Festival and [seven-degrees]. Artists are

darting in and out of the Sawdust grounds carrying lumber and such in

a dash to finish their booths. But they are never too busy to stop

and chat -- one of the highlights of my ride.

Recently I ran into marketing and community relations manager

Rebecca Meekma. I had to tell her that the art they chose to

represent the Sawdust this year was stellar, particularly work by

artist Ryan Gourley. Kudos to him for his piece “Sawdust at Night.”

It has a very van Gogh-ish quality to it.

UPDATE ON CITY HALL FOUNTAIN

The arts commission has passed a motion and agreed that it will

replace the fountain that once stood in front of City Hall with a

piece of public art. Cultural arts manager Sian Poeschl said they are

seeking public input. Let her know what you’re thinking by calling

(949) 497-0722 or e-mailing spoeschl@lagunabeach.net.

A FEW ARTIST RECEPTIONS

Gallery McCollum is gearing up for artist Patrick Tobin’s exhibit

of new paintings, “Vamos a la Playa” with an opening artist reception

from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 26. Besides enjoying his new work and

being able to converse with the artist, they’ve added auditory

delight with Christopher Arpad playing steel drums. Gallery McCollum

is at 206 Coast Highway. For information, call (949) 497-4027 or go

to https://www.gallery

mccollum.com.

The greatest doctor is in. Well actually the greatest visual and

word doctor’s work will be on display at Fingerhut Gallery with the

opening of “The Art of Dr. Seuss -- A Retrospective Exhibition” with

a celebration reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. From 7 p.m. to

8 p.m. special guest Dr. Seuss curator and director William W. Dreyer

will offer a walk through the exhibition and a Seuss-art discussion.

The exhibit chronicles a rarely seen side of Theodor Geisel with

imagery from every facet of his varied career, including early works

and poetry, advertising campaigns, WWII editorial cartoons, magazine

covers from the 1920s and 30s, some never-before-seen work from his

personal archives and more.

The exhibit is in honor of Dr. Seuss’ century of opening the doors

of imagination for people of all ages. This should be a treat for

Seuss fans. I often like to go to Fingerhut Gallery to see their

incredible collection of his work.

Gallery director Nancy Morris was thrilled that the national tour

of this exhibition is being kicked off at the Laguna Beach Gallery.

There will be a lot to enjoy including limited edition lithographs

and serigraphs. The exhibit will run through July 5. Fingerhut

Gallery is at 210A Forest Ave. For information, call (949) 376-6410.

Don’t forget about the opportunity to be a part of Laguna art for

the “Festival of Mosaics” project. The Arts Commission is planning

five mosaic murals in the outdoor courtyard at the Lang Park

Community Center. Residents are invited to participate by submitting

decorative materials that might become a part of the future finished

works.

So bring your tiles, glass, ceramics, marbles, minerals or stones

to drop off points from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 19 and 26 at Lang

Park, 21540 Wesley Drive. For information, call cultural arts manager

Sian Poeschl at (949) 497-0722.