“The Wild Bunch II,” featuring the work of Billy Schenck, Greg Miller and America Martin, opens in November at the JoAnne Artman Gallery, 326 N. Coast Highway.
Schenck utilizes specific frames of reference in his oil on canvas depictions of the American West, establishing visual links between notable moments of American and film history, along with the history of visual modes of production.
Miller’s mixed media approach ties together the history of Pop Art, the processes of collage and assemblage, as well as the concepts of urban decay and collective memory.
Los Angeles-based artist Martin draws inspiration from her Colombian heritage and the natural world as well as the landscape of Southern California. Her work frequently features human figures shown in relationship to nature, with animals and plants used analogously to traits of personality.
Tickets On Sale for ‘The Lion in Winter’
“The Lion in Winter” with Frances Fisher and Gregory Harrison will open at Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, with performances through Sunday, Nov. 24.
It’s Christmas 1183, and King Henry II is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy, Prince John, to take over. Henry’s wife, Queen Eleanor, has other ideas. She believes their son Prince Richard should be king. As the family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.
“The Lion in Winter,” written by James Goldman, will be directed by Sheldon Epps.
For more information on all shows and programming, visit lagunaplayhouse.com.
Avran Gallery to Open New Show
A new exhibit by Iranian-born painter Hessam Abrishami, “In Absence of Color,” comes to Avran Fine Art Gallery, 540 South Coast Highway, with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. Refreshments will be served.”
Painted specially for Avran, this series relies on dynamic, even tumultuous compositional rhythms and stark contrasts between black and white areas to excite the eye, but color is not entirely absent from the paintings in inks and acrylics. An occasional flash of red or yellow serves only to emphasize that Abrishami has effectively hewn his images out of pure gesture, sprawling brushstrokes and agitated notations coalescing into apparitions of men and women who seem to vacillate in their poses and expressions.
RSVP is appreciated; send to [email protected].
Ceramic Artist to Showcase ‘Classic Coastlines & Cars’ at foaSOUTH
The Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach is revving up for its latest off-site exhibit at the foaSOUTH Gallery of classic car silhouettes and exquisite coastlines by 22-year exhibiting artist, Mike Tauber. Tauber’s display will showcase the landscape scenes of Southern California coastlines including La Jolla, San Onofre, and Laguna Beach, as well as, ceramic masterpieces of the classic cars that complement the coastline scenery. The exhibit is open daily at the foaSOUTH Gallery, located inside Active Culture at 1006 S. Coast Highway, and runs daily through Jan. 10, 2020.
The foaSOUTH exhibit is part of an ongoing series of shows that the Festival of Arts is holding at the location year-round. The building is open to the public Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free. The Festival of Arts is a nonprofit organization whose proceeds support the arts in and about Laguna Beach. For more information, call 949-494-1145 or visit www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.
Dance Festival Celebrates Choreographer Merce Cunningham
Laguna Dance Festival will present a “mini-event”—an uninterrupted sequence of excerpts of works by Merce Cunningham (1919-2009)—in a 100th birthday celebration at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3. Cunningham dancer and educator Silas Riener will stage the “min-event” at the Laguna Art Museum, 307 Ciff Drive, with dancers from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. The event is free with admission to the museum.
Cunningham was known for his longtime collaboration with composer John Cage, and danced with Martha Graham until he formed his own company in 1953. Site-specific “min-events” will be held throughout 2019.
KONTRAPUNKTUS Returnns Nov. 10
Neo-baroque orchestra, KONTRAPUNKTUS, will be making its Laguna Beach return with a classical concert to be held, once again, at the Laguna Presbyterian Church on Sunday, Nov. 10. The concert begins at 2 p.m. and admission and parking are free.The musical offering is named “TELEMANN: A Musical Celebration” and commemorates the music
of renowned Baroque composer, Georg Philipp Telemann. KONTRAPUNKTUS will also be performing new Baroque music from Composer-in-Residence, Mark Moya.
KONTRAPUNKTUS is an orchestra comprised of young classical musicians who hail from the prestigious Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles. They’re led by Artistic Director and renowned harpsichordist, Ian Pritchard.
This performance is made possible through the hospitality of the Laguna Presbyterian Church staff and is presented in conjunction with the support of the City of Laguna Beach and its lodging
establishments. To view a preview of the show, visit youtu.be/zxKTfvo6Uew.
Enjoy Some Americana-flavored Music
Bluegrass band The Miskey Mountain Boys is launching their new CD with a concert on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at Mozambique Restaurant, 1740 S. Coast Highway.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Reservations can be made online at LagunaBeachLive.org or by calling 800-595-4849. For more information, call 949-715-9713.
