IN THE ARTS

Beverage to receive Leadership award

Laguna Beach Arts Commission Chairwoman Nancy Beverage will be honored by Leadership Tomorrow with a “Celebrating Leadership” award at a presentation Feb. 5 in Costa Mesa.

Beverage will be one of two volunteers honored for making a difference in their communities. Beverage will be given the Excellence in Leadership Award.

Keynote speaker for the event will be John Speraw, head coach of the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team and assistant coach of the U.S. Olympic men’s volleyball team. Emcee of the event will be Steve Churm, publisher of OC Metro and chairman of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce.

Beverage is a founding board member of Working Wardrobes, which provides survivors of life crisis with clothing, tools and services to re-enter the workforce. She received the Outstanding Board Member award for service to the Irvine Valley College Foundation and is a recipient of the United Way Helping Hands Award for her work on that organization’s annual campaign. An artist herself, Beverage is also on the executive committee of the Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts. She received an Art Stars award from the Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts in 2008.

The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Park Prive, 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. Tickets are $40 per person. The event is open to the public. For more information or tickets call (949) 729-4400.

Pan memorial exhibit at college

Laguna College of Art & Design will present an artistic tribute celebrating the life of the late student Gung-Li Jeffrey Pan. The show will encompass multiple majors, media and genres of artwork as well as video and interactive pieces by the students whose lives were touched and creatively inspired by having known him.

The free exhibition will take place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 7 with an artist reception in conjunction with First Thursdays ArtWalk from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 5 at the college gallery, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road. Exhibition hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday , and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Free parking is available.

Pan was a Game Art student from fall 2005 to spring 2008. His sudden passing in April 2008 devastated the college community.

All artwork in the exhibition is available for sale, and a portion of all proceeds will go toward creating a Gung-Li Jeffrey Pan Memorial Scholarship. Docent tours are available.

Art and religion lecture at church

Wayne Roosa will present an illustrated lecture on art, “Eternity Then and Now,” at 10 a.m. Sunday, and to a second different talk on the same topic at 7 p.m. at Laguna Presbyterian Church, 415 Forest Ave.

Roosa will examine contemporary artworks next to traditional masterpieces to notice the ever-shifting expression and interpretation of eternal ideas. Roosa will interpret how artists from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras “saw” faith in contrast to how artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries “see” it. Roosa is an art historian, author, department chairman and professor at Bethel University, St. Paul, Minn., and chairman of the New York Center for Art & Media Studies, New York City. He is returning to Laguna Presbyterian for his sixth visit by popular request.

The public is invited to the free lectures in the Parlor of the Church at the corner of Forest Avenue and Second Street, entering via the Rose Garden. A free will donation toward the “Open Door” sanctuary restoration is welcomed. For more information, visit www.lagunapreschurch.org.

Submissions invited to juried competition

All artists living, working or exhibiting in Laguna Beach are invited to submit work to the Academy of Fine Art Foundation’s 2009 AFAF Artist’s Awards, in conjunction with Artexpo, Art Business News and Masterpiece Publishing.

A completed application, including a check or money order for the $20 administrative fee, and submission of artworks are due by Jan. 30 to be eligible to win one of the following awards:

Grand prize: A solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009 (valued at $3,395) courtesy of Artexpo 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 of Art Business News, and a $500 gift certificate for custom framing at Masterpiece Fine Art Framing courtesy of Masterpiece Publishing.

First prize: A solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009 (valued at $3,395) courtesy of Artexpo 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 of Masterpiece Publishing.

Second prize: A solo booth at Artexpo New York 2009 (valued at $3,395) courtesy of Artexpo.

Honorable mention: A $500 gift certificate for custom framing at Masterpiece Fine Art Framing courtesy of Masterpiece Publishing.

Applications are available at the Academy of Fine Art Foundation office, 1945 Laguna Canyon Road.

Mystery author coming to library

Mystery author Marja McGraw will make an appearance at the Laguna Beach library at 2 p.m. Thursday. Webster is a Southern California native whose mysteries include “A Well-Kept Family Secret” and “Bubba’s Ghost,” both set in Los Angeles.

The library is at 363 Glenneyre St. For more information, call Jenny Gasset at (949) 497-1733 or e-mail jdgasset@ocpl.org.

Art-A-Fair seeking artists for 2009

The Art-a-Fair Festival is seeking new artists for its 43rd annual season, which will run from June 26 to Aug. 30.

The Art-a-Fair is the only one of three summer art festivals in Laguna Beach that exhibits not only national, but international artists among its approximately 125 participants.

Jury day is Feb. 8. Artists who wish to be considered are invited to bring artwork for jurying in person on that day between 8 and 11 a.m. at the Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club, 1085 Laguna Canyon Road.

Mail submissions are due Tuesday. All media are available for jurying, and artists may jury with more than one. Three original works of art are required in each medium entered; two-dimensional pieces must be framed, wired and ready to hang.

Every art form is represented at the show. Artists who hand-deliver their work on Jury Day receive their scores and notification of acceptance or declination at pickup between 4 and 5 p.m. that day.

The Art-A-Fair also features entertainment, fine dining, demonstrations and workshops. More than 60,000 visitors are expected.

Forms and information about the specifics of submitting applications and work, including an artist prospectus and application checklist can be found at www.art-a-fair.com. Call (949) 494-4514.

Festival of Arts accepting applications

Artists who would like to apply for the 2009 Festival of Arts “” California’s Premier Fine Art Show should submit a CD with three digital images per media and a completed application form by 4 p.m. today.

The Festival of Arts accepts applications from artists residing in: Aliso Viejo, Balboa, Balboa Island, Capistrano Beach, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest (El Toro), Mission Viejo, Monarch Beach, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Artists must be able to show that they have resided in one of these cities for at least one year. Jurying fees are $40 per medium submitted. Applications are at www.LagunaFestival ofArts.org, or call (949) 464-4234.