Tiffany Honors Gems by Student Artists

Seven young artists were the toast of Tiffany & Co. last week when the world-famous jewelry company honored select award winners in the “Color It Orange” art show.

About 150 guests, many of them parents, teachers and siblings of the honorees, attended the reception at Tiffany in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. Tiffany chose the artists from winners in the three-dimensional category of the juried art show sponsored by the Designing Women of the Art Institute of Southern California in Laguna Beach. The show features more than 650 works by Orange County students from kindergarten through grade 12.

Portrait of the Artists

The artworks of the lucky seven were on display in the store’s windows.

Many of the honorees had never been to Tiffany. Alfonso Avila, an eighth-grader at Sycamore Junior High School in Anaheim, had never seen South Coast Plaza, although he lives nearby. The artist, who won for a papier-mache mask titled “The Lost Native American,” showed up smiling shyly and wearing a silver tuxedo.

Robert Friedman, a fifth-grader at St. Margaret’s in San Juan Capistrano, won for his paper sculpture of a carousel animal.

“I like tigers,” he said. “So I made a tiger shape and painted it.”

His father, Bob Friedman, stared in admiration at his son’s work. “It’s so . . . Robert,” he said.

Francisco Mendez, a 12th-grader from Valley High School in Santa Ana, sculpted a figure inspired by Mexican cultures.

“He’s like me: a rebel,” Mendez said.

Others honored were Joanna Arneson, a 12th-grader from El Modena High School, Lizzie Atwood, an eighth-grader from St. Margaret’s, Matt McGraw, a fourth-grader from St. Margaret’s, and Liana Spangler, a 12th-grader from El Modena High.

Their works will be on display at Tiffany through March 28, sharing quarters with precious jewelry.

Eye for Art

More than 3,000 works were entered in this year’s show. Designing Women, a support group of the art institute, has held the show 19 years.

“It’s a way of stimulating youth art in Orange County,” said Nancy Lawrence, co-chairwoman of Color It Orange with JoAnn Killingsworth.

Fred Chuang, display coordinator for Tiffany and judge in the art show, explained how he picked the winners.

“I don’t have a set list of criteria. As I walk into the roomful of art, it’s a bit overwhelming,” he said. “There are factors such as harmony and a work’s integrity. But sometimes a piece draws me back over and over and I don’t know why.”

Those chosen for display at Tiffany weren’t necessarily the best in the show: “These are the pieces that work well in our windows,” Chuang said. The other works are on view at the art institute through March 21.

This is the second year Tiffany has chosen to honor a few of the exhibit winners.

“Tiffany has always supported art. Much of our product is designed by artists,” said Jo Ellen Qualls, vice president of Tiffany & Co. at South Coast Plaza. “We hope this will help (the winners) see what they can accomplish in the world of art.”

Among the art lovers were John Lottes, president of the art institute; Norm, Electa and Beth Anderson; Donna Banning; Richard and Elaine Frazee; James and Carol Hamilton; Ninetta Herbert; Julie Holmquist; Jolene Parham; Paul and Barbara Penrose; Kent and Nancy Snyder; Jean Tandowski; Richard and Rosemary Watson, and Sandy Wessel.