‘Unity through art’

Laguna Beach artists and the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau worked together to raise more than $10,000 for local charities through the “Unity Through Art” holiday project.

Artists in Laguna were invited to create a one-of-a-kind ornament for a nine-foot decorated tree, on exhibit at Laguna Art Museum through the holiday season.

The bureau offered local nonprofits opportunity tickets for a $10 donation for a chance to own the tree full of original works of art.

“Due to the creativity of these artists and their willingness to participate, 100% of the proceeds from ticket donations went directly to the nonprofit organizations,” said Karyn Philippsen, president of the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau Board of Directors.

The winner, Rick Balzer of Laguna Beach, was announced at a reception held Monday at Laguna Art Museum sponsored by the Bureau in cooperation with the Museum, Las Brisas, Studio Arts Gallery and English Garden.

In addition, five contributing artists’ names were drawn and each received an honorarium of $200. The winning ticket resulted in $250 of additional income for the Laguna Beach Film Society, which issued the winning ticket.

The charitable organizations that were part of this year’s project included: 1st Thursday’s Art Walk, Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove Alliance, Ebell Club of Laguna Beach, Friends of the Laguna Beach Library, Gallimaufry Performing Arts, Laguna Beach Film Society, Laguna Beach Live!, Laguna Beach Sister City Assn., Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Community Concert Band, Laguna Outreach for Community Arts, Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn., No Square Theater, Orange County High School of the Arts and the Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s Queen of Hearts Laguna Beach Guild.

The artists who contributed ornaments included: John Barber, Grace Barrak, Olivia Batchelder, Hedy Buzan, Joan Corman, Debbie Davis, Ruth Doolittle, Christina Dunzinger, Grace Everett, Anne-Louise Ewen, Michelle Geromel, Valerie Gorrell, Lisa Hershman, Regina Hurley, Christopher Jeffries, Mary Keating, Patricia O’Neil, Ene Rahu, Jan Sattler, Robert Schaar, Maggie Spencer, Marni Spencer-Devlin, Muffin Spencer-Devlin, Cindy Stalnaker, Melody Topping, Linda Velasco, Cliff Wassmann and Lynn Welker.

The “Unity through Art” program will be held again next year and will be open to charitable organizations. Any nonprofit organization or Laguna Beach artist interested in participating should e-mail the bureau at lbvb@lagunabeachinfo.com.