IN THE ARTS

Students mentored during Art Walk

The annual collaboration between Laguna College of Art & Design and First Thursdays Art Walk member galleries culminates Thursday during Art Walk when 16 Laguna Beach galleries will feature original works by seniors. The students will be present at each gallery exhibiting their work, which is available for sale. A percentage of sale proceeds will benefit the student artists, Laguna College’s Scholarship Fund, and the First Thursdays Art Walk.

The Student/Gallery Mentoring Program, now in its seventh year, was launched by one of the original First Thursdays members and current LCAD professor Robin Fuld.

The program pairs senior students in the Fine Arts Professional Studies class with First Thursdays art galleries and is designed to demonstrate the intricacies involved in the business of operating a gallery and professionally exhibiting artwork.

Most of the students have never exhibited their work professionally, except in juried student exhibitions at the college.

Fuld notes that not all artists who graduate have set their sights on gallery representation.

“The field of art has many diverse components. Career opportunities encompass teachers, frame makers, conservationists, mural artists, commission portrait painters, art advisors, scene painters for animation studios, police sketch artist, and the list goes on and on,” Fuld said.

“Most students graduating with a BFA have yet to acquire the amount of consistent work necessary for gallery representation. They will need to work at least part-time to support their education if they’re not receiving some other form of financial assistance. It’s a balancing act, and these students are fueled by their passion and need to create.”

Laguna Art Museum holds book sale

Laguna Art Museum’s library is selling art books and exhibition catalogs to the public Thursday during Art Walk.

The books offered are not part of the library’s collection but are either duplicate copies, gift books not in the Museum’s focus, or new books acquired from a book and catalog exchange program with other museums.

The sale features hard-to-acquire, out of print exhibition catalogs and represents an opportunity to acquire the books at half the price of the original cost “” or less.

For more information, call Carole Reynolds at (949) 497-5882.

All proceeds go to support the Museum’s library.

Artists may win Artexpo booth

The Academy of Fine Art Foundation, in conjunction with Artexpo, Art Business News and Masterpiece Publishing, is sponsoring the 2009 AFAF Artist’s Awards. Artists living, working, or exhibiting in Laguna Beach are invited to apply.

?The grand prize is a solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009 (valued at $3,395) courtesy Summit Business Media; plus a $1,000 grant for expenses from the Academy of Fine Art Foundation, a half page ad in Art Business News (valued at $1,800) courtesy Art Business News, and a $500 gift certificate for custom framing at Masterpiece Fine Art Framing courtesy of Masterpiece Publishing. The total value is $6,695.

?First prize is a solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009 ($3,395 value) from Summit Business Media plus a $500 grant for expenses from the Academy of Fine Art Foundation and a $500 gift certificate for custom framing at Masterpiece Fine Art Framing courtesy Masterpiece Publishing. The total value is $4,395.

?Second prize is a solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009, courtesy of Summit Business Media.

?Honorable mention is a $500 gift certificate for custom framing at Masterpiece Fine Art Framing courtesy Masterpiece Publishing.

A completed application, including a check or money order for a $20 administrative fee, and submission of art works are due by Jan. 30.

Applications are available at the Academy of Fine Art Foundation website www.academyoffineart.org or at the Academy of Fine Art Foundation office, 1945 Laguna Canyon Road.

For more information, call Diane Lee Johnson at (949) 376-0428.

Photography, jurying seminar offered

The Festival of Arts will conduct a free seminar for artists on how to best photograph artwork effectively for submission to art shows from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Forum Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

The session will also focus on the Festival of Arts jurying process, how to select digital images for art shows and how Festival of Arts jurors review the images submitted.

The Festival of Arts is currently accepting artists’ applications for showing in next summer’s fine art festival, with an application deadline of 4 p.m. on Jan. 16.

The seminar is open to all and recommended to anyone applying to the Festival.

Festival of Arts exhibitor and educator Pat Sparkuhl will lead the seminar along with Festival of Arts exhibitor and board member Tom Lamb, an accomplished photographer and instructor at Saddleback College.

For more information or to download an application to the Festival of Arts, call (949) 464-4234 or visit www.LagunaFestivalof Arts.org.

Fisher reception during Art Walk

Whitney Gallery in Laguna Beach will present emerging artist Orion Fisher with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday.

At 21, Fisher’s talent has already been recognized through several awards in juried exhibitions and by private collectors, and his art has appeared in American Artist magazine.

“A painting should be designed so that a viewer can marvel at not only the image on the surface but also the process that created it,” Fisher said.

“I try to create works of art that are seen through the eyes of the materials that make them what they are.”

Whitney Gallery, 350 N. Coast Hwy., is open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment.

For more information, call (949) 497-4322, e-mail whitneygallery@msn.com or visit www.marcwhitney.com.

Give back at Winter Fantasy

The 2008 Winter Fantasy, Season of Dreams is holding special holiday events this holiday season encouraging visitors to give back to the community.

?Toys for Tots: Today, Saturday and Sunday, and Dec. 6 and 7, the Toys for Tots foundation will provide Sawdust visitors the opportunity to donate Christmas gifts to needy children in the community. A free day pass is offered to visitors bringing in a new unwrapped toy for children, newborn to age 17, to the Sawdust Box Office.

?One Warm Coat: On Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14, the Winter Fantasy will collaborate with local Girl Scout Troop 575 in a coat drive for the One Warm Coat organization. The Sawdust is offering a free day pass to guests bringing in one freshly laundered and gently worn coat for men, women and children in all sizes to the Sawdust Box Office.

?ArtisTree Ornament Fundraiser: Winter Fantasy exhibitors have donated unique handcrafted ornaments to the Sawdust ArtisTree as part of the ArtisTree Ornament Fundraiser.

Visitors can make their contributions to the Sawdust’s Art Education Fund by purchasing these handmade ornaments, displayed in the center of “Towne Square,” at the Information Booth during any of the show dates.

All funds raised from ArtisTree ornament sales will contribute directly to the Art Education Fund.

The festival is at the Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Road.

For more information, visit www.sawdustartfestival.org or call 949-494-3030.

First Sundays hosts Presidio Brass Dec. 7

Laguna Beach Live! will present Presidio Brass in a free chamber music concert from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7, at LCAD.

The Quintet will play classical and holiday selections.

Presidio has appeared nationally, presenting formal recitals as well as educational outreach programs.

Members of the ensemble have been seen with major symphony orchestras, including the London Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic, and can be heard on soundtracks ranging from video games to major motion pictures.

First Sundays is a collaboration of LCAD and Laguna Beach Live!, providing an afternoon of music and art at the college, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road.

The College Art Gallery opens at 2 p.m. with the exhibit “Magic & Merchandise: The Art of Collectibles.”

The concert is made possible by a grant from the lodging establishments and city of Laguna Beach and donations from the audience.