IN THE ARTS

Dance performances during Art Walk

Art and dance will join this First Thursdays Art Walk, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at participating Laguna Beach galleries.

Performers from the Laguna Dance Festival will appear at three galleries:

?DeTroyce Dance Company/Aubri Siebert will perform at 7 and 7:45 p.m. at Marion Meyer Contemporary Art, 354 N. Coast Hwy.;

?Marci Tuttle will perform at the Esther Wells Collection, 1390 S. Coast Hwy. at 7 and 8 p.m.; and

?Melanie A. King will perform at DeBilzan Gallery, 224 Forest Ave., at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

For more information about Art Walk, visit www.first thursdaysartwalk.com.

2009 Craft Guild calendar approved

Fourteen Laguna Beach Craft Guild Shows will be held in 2009 on the Cobblestones at Main Beach Park.

The city’s municipal code allows nonprofit organizations to hold a maximum of 14 arts and crafts shows at Main Beach, with no more than two per month. The City Council must approve the dates, which it did Sept. 16.

Approved Craft Guild dates for 2009: Jan. 18, Feb. 15, March 15, April 5 and 19, May 10 and 24, June 7, Sept. 6 and 20, Oct. 4 and 18, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13.

Renoe joins Playhouse as marketing director

Laguna Playhouse has appointed Greg Renoe as director of marketing. Renoe has more than 12 years’ experience as a marketing and business development professional serving a wide spectrum of industries including cultural arts, technology, consulting, training, beauty, wellness, publishing and finance.

He most recently served as marketing director for the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, marketing more than 25 productions while supporting the completion of the theater’s $17.5 million capital campaign and historic renovation, which positioned the theater for long-term growth and success.

An Orange County native, he currently resides in Irvine.

“We’re thrilled to have Greg join the leadership team of The Laguna Playhouse,” said Managing Director Karen Wood. “His excellent track record and superb marketing strategies will help the Laguna Playhouse continue to grow and expand its audience base while increasing the local, regional and national reputation of the Playhouse.”

The Playhouse’s annual budget is now more than $6 million.

Marco Toro visits Signature Gallery

Marco Toro, known as “the prince of pop art,” will be painting in the Signature Gallery during Thursday’s Art Walk and throughout the weekend at 220 Forest Ave.

Likenesses of icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Elvis, Al Pacino and Frank Sinatra will be on display. For more information, call (949) 376-4244.

Family art workshops offered at Laguna park

LOCA and the Ocean Laguna Foundation docents will offer a visit to the tide pools, followed by a hands-on watercolor art workshop taught by local artists from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5 at Treasure Island Park. Participants will learn about tide pool ecology and create a watercolor journal.

The price of $65 per adult, $35 per child, includes a watercolor journal, art supplies, postcards, tote bag and refreshments.

For more information, call (949) 363-4700.

This series is made possible by a grant from the city of Laguna Beach and The Montage Resort & Spa. For more information on LOCA or to become a member, visit www.locaarts.org or e-mail locaarts@yahoo.com.

Brommer solo exhibition set

Gerald Brommer, an internationally known artist, author, teacher and juror, will introduce new ways of looking at the world with his newest selection of paintings and drawings, opening Saturday, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. at Esther Wells Gallery.

The exhibition is called “The Essence of Place,” and focuses on works Brommer created on location while visiting Prague, Meissen, Dresden, Wittenberg and many other villages along the Elbe River.

The main focus is a group of 16 “immediate reactions” during his recent trip through parts of the Czech Republic and Eastern Germany. Included in this grouping are some of Brommer’s stained paper collages.

The gallery is at 1390 S. Coast Hwy. For more information, call (949) 494-2497 or visit www.esther wellscollection.com

Game art on display at Laguna College

An array of works from the artists of Blizzard Entertainment will be shown from Wednesday to Oct. 27 at Laguna College of Art & Design’s college gallery. The public is invited to the Oct. 23 closing reception.

The exhibition showcases two-dimensional works, sculpture and video along with concept art and personal studies from the artists who help create the universes of popular games such as World of Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo.

LCAD’s game art major focuses on digital media for games and collaboration with neighboring industry. The program’s Advisory Council includes leaders from prestigious organizations that include Blizzard Entertainment and other game companies. As a result, graduates of the program are qualified to enter this market and to provide cutting-edge skills in one of the fastest growing segments in the computer industry

The gallery is at 2222 Laguna Canyon Road.

Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Ample complimentary parking is available.

Couple opens gallery in North Laguna

Artist couple Peggi Kroll-Roberts and Ray Roberts will celebrate the grand opening of their new Kroll Roberts Gallery on Thursday, during First Thursdays Art Walk.

The gallery is at 305 N. Coast Hwy., two doors north of the Laguna Art Museum. The opening coincides with the 10th annual Plein Air Invitational, which both artists have participated in since the inaugural exhibition and are recipients of top awards.

Returning to Laguna represents a full circle for Roberts, who spent his childhood in Orange County before moving to Arizona in 1969. Both artists attended Art Center in Los Angeles and met in 1984, then married and had a family.

While living in Arizona in the mid ‘80s, the couple moved from commercial art to fine art. With an illustration background as a foundation, they gained professional recognition through museum and gallery showings as well as membership to national professional artists organizations.

Kroll-Roberts worked as a fashion and advertising illustrator before making the transition into fine art. Using intense color and value to accentuate her subject, she moved into fine art with a bold palette, a love for small paintings and a loose style with few brush strokes.

Roberts, inspired by early California impressionists, such as Hanson Puthuff, William Wendt, and William Ritschel, seeks to capture the luminous, golden light and the magnificent, vanishing landscapes of his native state.

With the opening of their gallery, the couple will be realizing the consummation of many dreams: painting the Southern California landscape; joining the historic art community of Laguna Beach, and controlling the direction of their artistic careers.

For more information, call (949) 715-4345 or visit www.krollroberts.com.

First Sundays hosts guitar trio Oct. 5

Laguna Beach Live! will begin another season of First Sundays, a collaboration with Laguna College of Art and Design to present a free afternoon of music and art on the first Sunday of the month, from October through May (except January).

The Triada Guitar Trio will open the season from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Brothers Nikola, Vasil and Petar Chekardzhikovi from Bulgaria have studied guitar since early childhood. They will perform classical and contemporary guitar works.

This concert is supported by the Laguna Beach Board of Realtors Charitable Assistance Fund, the lodging establishments and the city of Laguna Beach and donations from the audience. The concerts are in Studio 6 at the Laguna College of Art & Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. The college art gallery opens at 2 p.m.

For more information, visit www.lagunabeachlive. org or call (949) 715-9713.