IN THE ARTS

‘Modern’ landscape exhibit is Saturday

The Southern California Artists Assn. (SoCalArtists) will hold an artists reception for its annual landscape-themed art exhibition “Points of View, Modern Landscape Painting,” from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, with 50 original paintings, each showing a unique modern interpretation of land, sea and cityscapes.

Open to artists working in any painted medium, the exhibition was juried for both entry and awards by a trio of respected landscape painting experts: artist John Cosby; Laguna Beach gallery owner and collector Ray Redfern; and Jean Stern, director of the Irvine Museum.

Each artist is allowed to choose whether to enter in the professional or nonprofessional category, enabling both professional artists and recreational painters to compete for awards with their peers and providing for two side-by-side exhibitions in one.

The jurors will judge successful entries for awards after the show is installed, with the highest scored work in both categories receiving ribbons and the professionals additional cash awards.

The exhibition and artists reception will be held in the SoCal Artists’ studio and exhibition space located within the Laguna Canyon Artists Complex, 3251 Laguna Canyon Road, #F3. Refreshments will be served and all exhibited work will be available for sale.

This exhibition will also be available for viewing: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Oct. 31; and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1.

Southern California Artists Assn. is a nonprofit, supporting individual artists and the public with a broad spectrum of arts-related programs. The association has more than 170 active members and manages a variety of programs such as the Atelier figurative workshops, Art Talk peer critiques, book and exhibition reviews and discussions, field trips and Movie Night.

For more information e-mail info@socalartists.org or visit the website www.socalartists.org.

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College mounts juried exhibit at mausoleum

Laguna College of Art & Design and Fairhaven Memorial Park will present the third annual alumni and graduate student exhibition, titled “Soto Voce,” from Nov. 13 to 16 at the Fairhaven Mausoleum, Fairhaven Memorial Park, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free.

The juried group installation of 66 pieces of representational fine art and illustration is themed “Soto Voce,” which in Italian means to speak in a soft or hushed voice. The works are by MFA students and alumni of Laguna College of Art & Design. This year’s panel of jurors includes Los Angeles Art Critic Peter Frank; owner and director of Dawson Cole Fine Arts Richard MacDonald Jr.; art critic and editor of Coagula Art Journal Mat Gleason; and editor of American Art Collector Joshua Rose.

The four-day exhibition kicks off with an artist’s opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 13, when the artwork will be viewed by candlelight, as it was centuries ago. This evening will also feature wine and cheese tasting and a contemplative slide presentation.

The century-old memorial park will present the exhibition in their Greek Revival Mausoleum, built in 1916. The venue is a stone and marble edifice, about 20,000 square feet, within the park’s grove of 100-year-old twisted Monterey Cypress.

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Richman sculptures sell at reception

Schaar Galleries of Laguna Beach recently hosted a gala celebration in honor of Southern California artist Leon Richman and his collection of 23 select figurative bronzes.

More than 200 art collectors, patrons and friends attended, and 39% of the sculptures on display were sold. Richman has made the physical interpretation of the human spirit his hallmark. His sculptures are available in limited editions of numbered cast bronzes.

The exhibit continues through January. For more information, visit www.LeonRichman.com.

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Young artist’s works at Artist Eye

Artist Eye Laguna Gallery is showing the work Erin O’Brien through October. O’Brien, at the age of 15, is already an honored artist, her work exhibited at the Laguna College of Art and Design “Color it Orange” Exhibit; South Coast Plaza Crystal Court/Imagination Celebration; and the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Junior Exhibit. She has also been honored by the Festival of Arts in having her work selected for fundraising purposes to promote Orange County art programs.

O’Brien also received an award of excellence in visual arts from the State of California in the PTA Reflections contest, representing the state at the national level, and won an award of merit from the National PTA, competing in a field of more than 700,000 entries. Her entry will be touring the United States this year with the U.S. Dept. of Education. This past summer, her pencil work, “A Mother’s Treasure” won first place and best in show at the Orange County Fair this past summer.

In 2006, she was selected as a finalist in the Seventh Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest at Chapman University, and her work is currently on exhibit in the University library.

O’Brien is a sophomore honors student at Fountain Valley High School.

Artist Eye Laguna Gallery features a variety of media and is located at 1294-A S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach. For more information, contact Jacqueline Zimbalist at jzimbalist@socccd.edu or call (949) 348-6015.

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LOCA benefit walk is Saturday

Laguna Outreach for Community Arts’ (LOCA) second annual hike/walk kicks off at Alta Laguna Park, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Alta Laguna Park, at the north end of Alta Laguna Boulevard in Laguna Beach. Participants may hike the challenging dirt trail or take the less strenuous residential street route.

The $20 tax-deductible donation for this event helps LOCA put art into the community by providing art programs for people of all ages. Water and light refreshments will be provided.

In case of rain, the hike/walk will be rescheduled for Nov. 1.

To join the hike, contact locaarts@yahoo.com, or call (949) 481-4065 or (949) 510-4469.

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Playhouse Women to tour biennial show

The Laguna Playhouse’s support group Playhouse Women will host an exclusive preview and tour of the 2008 California Biennial exhibition at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The event begins with a tour led by curator Lauri Firstenberg. After the tour, guests may enjoy coffee and dessert as they participate in a Q-&-A session with Firstenberg.

The cost is $25 per person. For more information, or to RSVP, call (949) 497-2787, ext. 225.

The 2008 California Biennial continues the Orange County Museum of Art’s four-decade long history of presenting new developments in California art. Curator Firstenberg is founder and director/curator of LAXART in Los Angeles. The exhibition includes works by more than 50 artists and, for the first time, incorporates off-site projects with collaborating venues from Tijuana to Northern California. The exhibition is presented at both the Newport Beach and South Coast Plaza locations.

Playhouse Women offers members the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of women, expand horizons with speakers and events, and a forum to build wider community support for Laguna Playhouse. Playhouse Women charter membership fee is $500 with a portion of the donation tax-deductible. For more information on Playhouse Women, contact the Laguna Playhouse Development Department at (949) 497-2787, ext. 225.