3 elected to Sawdust board

Two veterans and one relatively new exhibitor were elected Sunday to the Sawdust Festival board.

Potter Sally Wilde, an exhibitor since 1972, fused glass artist Cindy Stalnaker, and illustrator Dennis Junka, in the show for 16 years, were elected to serve three-year terms.

“The founding mothers and fathers of the Sawdust felt there should be someone on the board with longevity, someone who has been in the show from the beginning and knows what the purpose is,” Wilde said. “No one stepped up, so I did.”

“This show was created by artists for artists, and the spirit of why and how the show started should never die,” she added.

“It began as a show that allowed complete artistic expression and it continues to be a beacon of artistic possibilities, a utopia of the will and determination of Laguna artists to honor the legacy of our historical art community, to educate the community in the arts and to sustain working artists.”

Wilde previously served on the board from 1986 to 1989. She was the top vote-getter in the 2008 election.

“I have spent the last three years updating the bylaws, and I thought it would be a good idea to be on the board to see the bylaws and show rules come to fruition,” Wilde said.

Stalnaker came in second in the balloting with 81 votes. She has been an exhibitor for three years in the summer Sawdust and for six years in the upcoming Winter Fantasy show.

“I come from a background in advertising for 22 years until I retired to find something more fulfilling,” Stalnaker said.

She ran for the board because she thought her previous experience would be a useful to the show.

“I felt I could contribute, based on my background in media planning and buying,” Stalnaker said. “It is a good thing if I can help make it a better show for the exhibitors and the visitors. We need to evaluate what we were doing in the past and what we want to do in the future “” I like to say fine tuning.”

Like almost all Sawdust Festival exhibitors “” with only rare exceptions “” Stalnaker is a Laguna Beach resident. She and her husband own Fused Glass & More Gallery at Laguna Village on South Coast Highway. Her studio is in the three-building complex known as Laguna Canyon Artists, which is open to the public for tours in May and December.

Wilde and Stalnaker were elected on the first ballot, but a first-ever runoff was required to break a tie between Junka and Mary Wade for the third spot on the board.

“Mary Wade is definitely an asset to the Sawdust,” Junka said. “I would encourage her to run again.”

He sees eye-to-eye with Stalnaker on advertising.

“I think I can help improve it,” Junka said.

Junka, who also serves on the Winter Fantasy Committee, will be serving his third term on the board, a position he held from 1997 to 1999 and from 2005 to 2007.

Board members are limited to two consecutive terms. One-third of the nine-member board is elected each year.

Returning board members are Mike Kelly, Bruce Linder, Kelly Akins, Jim Stanaland, Sue Winner and Bruce Hampton.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or coastlinepilot@latimes.com.