In The Arts

Museum receives Irvine grant

The James Irvine Foundation will award the Laguna Art Museum $375,000 to aid in expanding audiences and increasing financial sustainability, museum officials announced. The museum reported a $500,000 drop in assets during the last fiscal year.

“This multiyear Arts Regional Initiative grant will allow Laguna Art Museum to strengthen its internal systems and tighten its long-range planning,” said Director Bolton Colburn.

Through its Arts Regional Initiative, the James Irvine foundation is awarding $4 million in grants to 11 arts institutions in Southern California.

“In this tough economy, we want to underscore our commitment to these regional arts organizations as they explore new ways of achieving financial sustainability and attracting culturally diverse audiences,” said James E. Canales, the Irvine Foundation’s president and chief executive.

The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on three areas: arts, California democracy and youth. Since 1937 the foundation has provided more than $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California.

‘Top Scores’ now at Wells Fargo

The work of 24 Festival of Arts artists who achieved the highest scores from this summer’s art show is on display at the Wells Fargo Bank in Laguna Beach through Nov. 19.

Artists in the Festival of Arts are evaluated three separate times by seven jurors during the course of the summer. The final scores come out the first week of September and about 25% of the 145 artists are juried out of the show.

Artists in this exhibit include: Scott Albert (watercolors), Jacobus Baas (oils), Randy Bader (furniture), Marlo Bartels (sculpture), Yachiyo Beck (watercolors), Roberto Brun (jewelry), Gavin Heath (glass), Frank Irving (furniture), Kathy Jones (oils), Murray Kruger (digital art), Tom Lamb (photography), Casey Parlette (sculpture), Scott Moore (oils), Scott Schoenherr (sculpture), Troels Larsen (jewelry), April Raber (oils), Jon Seeman (sculpture), Pat Sparkuhl (mixed media), John Taylor (sculpture), Elaine Twiss (mixed media), John Tolle (jewelry), Vinita Voogd (printmaking) and John Warren (sculpture).

This exhibit is curated by Pat Sparkuhl. The exhibit is part of a series of shows that the Festival of Arts is having on the third floor at Wells Fargo bank this year.

A free, public reception will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 24 at Wells Fargo, 260 Ocean Ave.

The free exhibit is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information on applying to the Festival of Arts, call (949) 464-4234 or visit LagunaFestivalofArts.org.

‘ART’ moving to Palm Desert

This past summer, the Festival of Arts featured a new event called “Art Live! Work in Progress,” during which patrons could watch the evolution of a piece of art from concept to completion. One of the projects was a collaboration among Monica Dunham, Carol Tripp Martens, Gary Monji, Walter Reiss, Greg Riley, Scott Schoenherr, Fred Stodder, Derek Voien, Scott Young, Patricia Turnier, Linda Saville, Less Hall, Gavin Heath and Michael Ezzel.

In 58 days, these ceramic artists transformed a lump of clay into a statue, affectionately named ART, that weighs more than 700 pounds and measures more than 8 feet tall.

ART was constructed primarily with paper clay, found objects, a concrete base, and it was made structurally sound with rebar and metal fittings.

“ART represents the community and collaboration, which makes the Festival of Arts summer exhibit so terrific,” said Tom Lamb, Festival of Arts board member and exhibits coordinator.

ART had many fans during the festival’s summer season, and one particular admirer, Laguna Beach resident Michael O’Neill, decided to purchase ART during a silent auction.

“I visited the festival nearly every week watching the progression and transformation of ART,” said O’Neill, president of the BridgeWorks Group. “ART will be featured in a prominent location among other works of art, acting symbolically, as the protector/warrior of my Palm Desert home.”

ART will be installed at O’Neill’s home this weekend, with a private unveiling reception Sunday. The funds are earmarked for future arts education projects at the Festival of Arts. For more information, visit www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.

LOCA holds annual gathering

Laguna Outreach for Community Arts will hold its annual meeting from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Villa at Pacific Edge Hotel, 627 Sleepy Hollow Lane (next to the Beach House Restaurant).

The meeting will include a presentation titled “From the Studio...To the Street: A Look at Public Art,” plus an art exhibit, opportunity drawings and refreshments. Admission is free for members (both new and renewing), and $15 to $20 at the door for guests.

For reservations, call (949) 363-4700 or e-mail LOCAarts@yahoo.com.

Free art workshop for adults is Saturday

All adults are invited to join artist Claudia Olsen and Studio Arts gallery owner Rebecca Barber for a 90-minute art workshop at 11 a.m. Saturday at the studio, 1200 S. Coast Hwy.

Using a variety of different materials, workshop participants will create a mailable piece of art to take home as a memento of their trip to Laguna and the Old Pottery Place.

No experience is necessary. The workshop is first-come, first-served.

Tide pool art class is Sunday on the beach

September McGee will lead a Tide Pool Journaling Art class at Treasure Island Beach at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. McGee will show how to create sketches of tiny fish, snails and crabs.

Appropriate for adults and families, the class includes a canvas tote bag, watercolor kit, gel pen, pencils and journal. Advance registration is required.

Cost is $20 for adults, $15 for children 5 to 18, accompanied by an adult.

For more information call (949) 363-4700 or e-mail LOCAarts@yahoo.com.

Demystifying digital cameras at event

Julie Diebolt Price will give two classes in how to master your camera, whether the point and shoot variety or SLR cameras. The two one-night workshops will teach the purpose of all the buttons and dials.

Attendees should bring everything that came in the box with the camera, including manual.

The classes are sponsored by the Laguna Beach Community Services Department. To register, go to www.lagunabeachcity.net or call (949) 497-0716 ext. 6. The cost is $59 per person. These one-evening classes will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 27 at the Community & Susi Q Center, 380 Third St.

For more information, e-mail julie@jdpphotography.com.