In The Arts

Mural classes at Endangered Planet

The Endangered Planet Foundation and the Art Miles Mural Project are offering of a series of three Youth Mural painting classes from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday.

Registration may be made by calling (949) 497-5690. Country Coordinator for the Art Miles Mural Project, Stefanie Gicquel, will be on hand for the initial mural class to help launch the series.

Gicquel, president of the French arts and culture association MultiCulti, l’atelier interculturel, will deliver the mural with the class members’ artwork to Menton, France “” Laguna Beach’s Sister City.

The series will focus on the “International Water Decade.” Master muralist Joanne Tawfilis will be team-teaching the class with other instructors. Youths age 10 and older are invited to register. The series of three classes are being offered for $100.

The classes will be held at Endangered Planet Foundation, 384 Forest Ave., Gallery 13.

For more information, visit www.endangeredplanet.org.

Florence exchange students graduate

Laguna College of Art & Design held a Graduation and Awards ceremony for students who completed their first year of study at the Florence Academy of Art.

The ceremony took place in the gardens of the Budini Gattai Palace in central Florence, where students received certificates of completion and prizes were awarded to the best drawing, painting, sculpture and composition of the year.

LCAD alumnus Nicholas Enevoldsen, a full-time student since last fall, was selected from a substantial pool of applicants to receive a tuition scholarship, which recognizes “serious attitude, hard work and talent,” for the upcoming academic year.

The exchange program was created to enable Laguna College students to study at the academy and earn transferable credits toward their degrees.

The reciprocal arrangement also affords Italian students a chance to experience instruction at LCAD.

‘Duets’ in major movie release

Laguna Beach artist team Stephanie Cunningham and Betty Haight’s collaborative paintings, called “Duets,” will be part of a major motion picture.

Two of the paintings are in “The Proposal,” starring Sandra Bullock. Their work is also on display at the Festival of the Arts.

DeBilzan closes Santa Fe gallery

William DeBilzan is closing his Santa Fe gallery after 10 years, and will hold an auction of paintings through July 14 at the Laguna Beach showroom, 224 Forest Ave.

The auction will include 60 new paintings offered at 40% off retail. Any pieces not sold will be returned to their original price July 15.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday or 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

For more information, call (949) 494-2406.

Crystal Cove hosts Family Art Club

Crystal Cove State Park will unite local professional artists with families under a tent at the weekly Family Art Club.

The club will meet from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursdays and will include beach watercolor journaling, marine life sculpture, photo mosaics and nature photography.

Cost is $35 for each parent-child pair ($30 for Crystal Cove Alliance members); additional children $15. Appropriate for ages 7 and older.

Families will meet at the Crystal Cove Alliance headquarters, Cottage No. 45 in the Historic District. For reservations, visit www.crystalcovealliance.org.

2009 Mural Competition is soon

The deadline for applications for the Laguna Beach 2009 Mural Competition is 4 p.m. Aug. 7.

The contest is open to all artists who live, work or exhibit in Laguna Beach.

The budget range is $8,000 to $10,000.

The location of the mural will be the upper walls between the entry doors to the public restrooms on Forest Lane downtown, facing the city of Laguna Beach Parking area between Ocean and Forest avenues.