Hansen: Laguna ‘drunk walk’ blurs art

The Laguna Beach Art Walk has turned into “drunk walk,” according to several gallery owners.

Over the last two years, the venerable monthly art party has become more about the party and less about the art.

“I would like to be closed,” said Christiana Lewis, the art director at Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art. “It’s a waste of time, it’s a waste of money. I’m over it.”

Lewis said the gallery stays open because it feels obligated to support the community. The First Thursdays Art Walk is actually supported through extra hotel taxes, along with member galleries and the city of Laguna. Art Walk President Dora Wexell was unavailable for comment.

While the group’s mission is to “promote art education and appreciation” in the city, gallery owners are not convinced that it’s working.

“The majority of the people I’ve never seen before. I don’t know where they come from or who they are,” said gallery owner JoAnne Artman.

She said her serious clients usually come before Art Walk starts because it gets too crazy later. She’s learned to only stay open until 8 p.m. — and ration the alcohol.

“We have a limit on the alcohol we serve, so when that alcohol is gone, that’s it,” she said. “We also have water and lemonade.”

Lewis, whose gallery is near the downtown bars, said the drinking has gotten out of hand.

“It went from being a beautiful, cultural event filled with live music, friends gathering and actually having discussions about art, to this drunk walk. It’s like a pub crawl,” she said. “They get off the shuttle in droves every 20 minutes, and they come with their glass and there’s a line out the door. They barely walk around the gallery. There’s no respect. This is normal now.”

There are also no art purchases. I spoke to several gallery owners who all said Art Walk is a bust.

“We never sell anything during an Art Walk,” Artman said. “Never.”

Artman said it ends up costing her money with the extra staff and effort required. Lewis agreed.

“In the last 2½ years during Art Walk, I’ve sold one sculpture and maybe three tiny prints, which is nothing. It’s not bringing in any money,” said Lewis, who has suffered losses from drunk visitors.

“I’ve had damage from drunk people. One guy fell over and punched a hole in a painting. Others have set their wine on $20,000 sculptures. We don’t need to have a free party every month. This isn’t a charity.”

And it’s not just the drinking. People will take handfuls of free cheese, cookies or other finger foods without regard to others.

Most of the gallery owners agreed that it’s time for a change. Some suggested cutting out alcohol entirely, or perhaps shifting the responsibility back to the restaurants, where they could offer half-price wine until 6 p.m.

Other owners want to move the time earlier to avoid the nightlife atmosphere.

Artman said it might be a good idea to reduce the frequency to bi-monthly or even quarterly to make it more special.

“It’s great that we have an Art Walk, but I think that it would be better if it were quarterly and we could plan our shows around that,” she said.

Artman, who recently opened a gallery in New York, is focusing more on special events and feels it’s important to take care of her artists who visit. She wants to support the community aspect of the Art Walk but feels it needs an overhaul.

Lewis minced no words in describing the negative impacts of the current environment.

“It’s like we’ve created a monster,” she said. “I think the thing that really set me over the edge was people bringing in their own glass. It’s like a social gathering for Laguna. I’m not against the drinking per se; I would just like it to get back to a nicer, more sophisticated event.”

If you read the First Thursdays Art Walk website, you would think the “educational” event is a jewel of culture, wisdom and art appreciation. It “celebrates the diverse cultural art scene of Laguna Beach” and offers a “unique cultural experience for all.”

Perhaps the supporters have been drinking the spiked Kool-Aid for too long because it’s clear among gallery owners that the Art Walk party has become a boor.

And the entire Laguna community is lesser for it.

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at hansen.dave@gmail.com.