In the Arts: 4 art installations to be dedicated

The city of Laguna Beach is poised to dedicate four public art installations at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Of the four works on Broadway, three are permanent and belong to the Broadway Streetscape Improvement Project, while the last has been borrowed from the Festival of Arts. Lodging establishments and the city contributed funds for this initiative.

“We are very excited about this project,” Arts Commission Chair Pat Kollenda said in a news release. “This is a beginning of a definitive and stunning entrance to our city.”

Cheryl Ekstrom and Marsh Scott, local artists with national experience in public installations, were tapped to construct a piece each.

Ekstrom, whose 10-foot “Warriors United” comprises three bronze figures embodying strength, said, “I’m honored to be selected for such a prestigious location where the Warriors can guard the entryway to our community.”

Scott created a 72-foot stainless steel and fused glass handrail dubbed “Colors of the Canyon,” which she said “depict[s] the colors of the canyon leading to the ocean.”

Fellow Laguna Beach resident and artist Jorg Dubin added to “Canyon View” — benches that were erected in 2005.

On loan from the Festival of Arts is Russell Jacques’ “Tri-po,” a polished stainless steel sculpture placed near the bus depot.

“This is a great opportunity for our exhibitors to display their work in a public setting,” Arts Commission President Fred Sattler said in the release. “It is a beneficial partnership between the festival and the city.”

For more information and to RSVP for the event, e-mail spoeschl@lagunabeachcity.net by May 14.

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The Laguna Beach Library’s 15th Annual Poetry Contest received in excess of 300 submissions across seven categories.

The Poetry Awards Event will begin at 1 p.m. June 1. It is being hosted by the Laguna Beach Library, 363 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach. The event will wind up once all the winning entries have been recited.

Recipients of each category’s first-, second- and third-place awards will be present to collect their certificates and prizes.

— Rhea Mahbubani

Twitter: @RMahbubani