Artists vie for city project

Torrey AndersonSchoepe

The empty corner on Forest Avenue in front of the police station may

soon be brought back to life with a sculpture from one of the six

finalists in the City Hall sculpture competition.

Earlier this spring, 11 artists entered the competition, each

hoping that his or her sculpture would make it into the finals.

The competition is now down to the wire, with six finalists

selected, and just one final sculpture to be chosen. The finalists

are: Linda Brunker, Micha von Doring/ Andrew Myers, Gerard Stripling,

Nairi Bagdagulyan, John Barber and Ralph Tarzian.

As finalists, the artists had to make a scale model of the design

for presentations that they will give to the seven members of the

Laguna Beach Arts Commission. The models will be on display through

today at City Hall. The finalists will present their concepts and

proposals in a short presentation at a special Arts Commission

meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 9 in the City Council chambers.

The Arts Commission would like public input and comments regarding

the proposals. Judging will be based on design creativity,

appropriateness for the location, and the ability for community

participation.

There are a wide range of ideas for the placement and design of

the sculpture, from garden-like settings to statue-like figures to

sculptures one can sit on.

Linda Brunker’s artwork, “The People’s Council” shows three people

sitting in a circle around a star, and in the star is a smaller

circle with different words around the edges with an obelisk in the

very center that acts like a sun dial. Depending on the time of day,

and the position of the sun, the obelisk will cast a shadow on a

different word emphasizing different things people want in life.

“Three figures carved in red granite sit in contemplation. The

public are invited to sit with them. Twelve words are inscribed in a

central circle of paving stone. They are the most common things that

people wish for in their lives,” explained Brunker. “They can sit and

contemplate these wishes, or for a more potent experience, they can

move to the central circle and stand on the word that has most

meaning for them.”

“Roots,” created by Micha von Doring and Andrew Myers, is a

tribute to the past and the future of Laguna Beach. The various parts

of the piece are an acorn, a pepper tree, and a square pillar with

reliefs depicting four themes: the arts, the founders, pioneers, and

the ocean. The arts side includes the art festivals, the playhouse,

and the museum. The founders side depicts the police station, the

fire station, and the city founders. The ocean side has an early

picture of the lifeguard tower at Main Beach, and when turned to the

other side, it reveals two longboarders.

The acorn represents potentiality, and the pillar represents

progress and growth.

Von Doring and Myers wrote, “It is our goal to apply our

creativity and craftsmanship to tell a story, preserve history, and

capture people that dedicated and contributed their efforts, visions,

and spirit to the city of Laguna Beach.”

Gerard Stripling’s “Friendship Square” has a garden feel to it. It

is landscaped with different flowers and plants within the existing

short cement wall, with a path so people can walk through it. It is a

tall triangular piece with another triangular piece attached on top.

The bottom triangle has a rectangular window cut out of it so one can

see all the way down Forest Avenue.

“My concept behind this project is to create a space for people to

gather, a place for people to meet, read a book, or just take a

break,” wrote Stripling.

“Mother Laguna, Protector of the City,” was created by Nairi

Bagdagulyan. He wrote, “The idea and identity for my project came

from the purpose and identity of the building.”

Mother Laguna peacefully stands on top of a dragon’s head, holding

a sword that has the California state symbol as well as the symbol

that is on the patch the Laguna Beach Police wear.

“This is not a fight. She has overcome the dragon. She already

won. I didn’t want to do a warrior, [I wanted to do] a mother that

takes care of the city, just like the building does here,” explained

Bagdagulyan.

The dragon’s back and tail are the last two parts of the

sculpture. They both are designed to look like they are coming out of

the ground.

“It kind of makes it interactive,” said Bagdagulyan. John Barber

created “The Star Thrower.” “I propose an eight-sided circular-cast

glass beacon illustrating our coastal view, our beaches and a

coastline cast of sea stars. A child, who dances along the shoreline,

appears to an elder in the foreground looking toward the young boy,”

wrote Barber.

“The Star Thrower story will be etched on polished black granite

on one of the eight sides not used for seating.”

Ralph Tarzian’s “The Dance of Life” depicts girls dancing freely

in a circle on poles.

“My message is pretty simple, it’s just a happy, happy time. I

wanted to make something a little humorous, something to make you

smile when you walk by. I wanted people to be able to become part of

the sculpture. When they look at it, they can almost get in the

middle of it and start dancing themselves.”

The sculptures can also be viewed on the city’s website,

www.lagunabeachcity.net.