Arts

Festival of Arts’ ‘Fresh Faces’ Exhibit Opens

February 21, 2019

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A young visitor checks out “Odyssey Liquor” by Lisa Kijak. Kijak is one of the 23 newly juried Festival of Arts artists whose work can be viewed through May 24 at the Wells Fargo Bank in Laguna Beach. Photo courtesy of Festival of Arts.

The Festival of Arts recently opened its newest exhibit, “Fresh Faces 2019.” Presenting the works of the 23 newly juried Festival artists, the exhibit showcases a wide range of mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media and more. Fresh Faces 2019 runs now through May 24 at the Festival of Arts Third Floor Gallery at Wells Fargo Bank in Laguna Beach. The public is invited to join the artists for a free reception on Saturday, March 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We are very excited to have 23 of the 24 new artists joining us for this exhibit,” said Ron Morrissette, Director of Exhibits, Education and Permanent Collections. “Their work, along with our longtime exhibitors, will help create one of the most exciting years the Festival has ever seen.”

The 23 exhibitors from across Orange County were recently juried into the Festival of Arts by a panel of six knowledgeable artists and/or art experts.

Tom Swimm Exhibition Opens Saturday

“Artist 2 Artist,” a new show of oil paintings by Laguna artist Tom Swimm, opens this Saturday, Feb. 23, with a reception from 4-8 p.m. at Pacific Edge Gallery, 540 S. Coast Highway. Artist Pil Ho Lee shares the spotlight with Swimm in this first gallery show of his oil paintings.

The entire collection can be viewed at www.pacificedgegallery.com.

“Lakeside Reflections” by Tom Swimm and “Castro Trolley” by Pil Ho Lee are two of the works featured at Pacific Edge Gallery’s new exhibition opening Feb. 23. Images courtesy of Pacific Edge Gallery

Segerstrom Offers Free Evening of Music, Dance and Illumination

Let There Be Light! returns to transform the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Julianne and George Argyros Plaza into a sensory feast of light, color and music from 7-10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Dance to the sounds of The Silent DJs at a Silent Disco. Guests will wear light-up headsets, which can be tuned to one of three channels of music offered by the three Silent DJs. Step into the light painting photo booth and enjoy the plaza’s color-changing fountain. Discover and explore interactive art and technology projects made in partnership with UC Irvine’s new Emergent Media + Design program. Works to be showcased include “In This Light | There is Silence,” an interactive piece using projections by Jesús Vargas and “Duet Between Machine and Human,” created by Omar Hamido. Refuel at George’s Café, with snacks and beverages including specialty drinks at the “Glow Bar.” The “Glow Cart” will offer illuminating clothing and accessories to brighten your look. This is a free, family-friendly event. Guests are encouraged to don their favorite light-up and glow-in-the-dark attire.

Arts Alliance Announces Nominees for Art Star Awards

The Laguna Beach Arts Alliance recently released its list of organizations, businesses and individuals that contributed to and shaped arts and culture in Laguna Beach in 2018. “The Laguna Beach Arts Community continues to be blessed with an abundance of programs and supporters of the arts, each and every one of them deserving of special recognition for all that they bring to our community and all that they do,” said Rosemary Swimm, LBAA’s chair.

A new category to Art Star Awards will be introduced this year—Volunteer of the Year.

“We may only be awarding one Volunteer of the Year award, but our heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one of our community’s volunteers and supporters of the arts,” said Swimm.

Laguna Beach Arts Alliance will also honor artist Scott Moore with a special Art Star Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his many accomplishments as an artist and contributions to the arts community in Laguna Beach.

Winnerswill be presented with a with one-of-a-kind Art Star award sculpture created by Louis Longi at a red carpet event at seven degrees at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 7. Tickets for the 13th annual Art Star Awards are $100 each and include dinner as well as all the festivities. To purchase tickets, contact: [email protected].

The nominees for the 2019 Art Star Awards are as follows:

Best Arts Program
Laguna Art Museum 100th Anniversary Celebration
Laguna Beach Live! 2018 Music Programming
Laguna Playhouse 2018 Year-round Season

Individual Arts Patron
William J. Gillespie
Riggie Horvath
Carla and Jeff Meberg

Corporate Arts Patron
Laguna Creative Ventures
Moulton Company/Jared Mathis
National Charities League

Outstanding Arts Collaboration
Festival of Arts Junior Art Exhibit
Festival of Mosaics – LOCA Arts Education
Pageant of the Monsters – Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters

Arts Leadership
Toni Kellenberg (Laguna Plein Air Painters Association)
Marinta Skupin (Laguna Art Museum)
Mike Tauber (Festival of Mosaics)

Artist of the Year
Jason Feddy
April Raber
Brittany Ryan