The Unexpected Places exhibit, which opened at the CAP Gallery on the second floor of the Wells Fargo building, 260 Ocean Avenue on Feb. 9, features juried works by Signature and Artist members of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.
Brandon Gonzales, an LCAD graduate and Laguna Hills resident, won first place for “S. Union Ave.” a view of tall trees with the yellow glare of a setting sun coming from behind them. Done on location, it has a timeless feel reminiscent of earlier Laguna plein air artists.
Corona artist Durre Waseem garnered a second-place win with “Visiting Capitola.” A couple and their dog stroll past a restaurant, the sun at their backs casting shadows onto the street.
Watercolorist and tattoo artist from Denver, Dan Marshall, took third place for “Viva Italia.” White paper depicts the bright sunlight, the loose style of his brushwork in the shadows and then the fine line work that highlights the details, all come together to show a busy street scene on a sunny day.
The People’s Choice award went to Fernando Micheli, a native of Italy, former landscape architect and long-time Laguna local. “I was at the Home Depot off El Toro Road in Laguna Woods when I saw the top of Saddleback lit up by the late warm light. I drove over to the end of the parking lot on the far eastern side and made a quick compositional sketch. I came back the next day to start the 12” x 16” canvas on site,” the artist said. “Turn On The Left” was finished in his studio.
Lore Hold, of Newport Beach, won an honorable mention for “Reflect,” a small gem of slick wet sand, rocks and water. David Marty also garnered an honorable mention for “Afternoon Calm,” another water scene.
Proceeds benefit the artists, support nonprofit LPAPA in its mission to promote and preserve Laguna’s art colony legacy, and support nonprofit CAP in its mission to increase the visibility and appreciation of art and serve as a catalyst for art education.
The show will run through May 29. Admission is free.
LAM’s ‘California Cool’ Auction Raises $435,000
The Laguna Art Museum’s 37th annual auction featuring donations from over 100 artists was attended by more than 250 guests who raised over $435,000 to benefit the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs.
The live auction was led by Aaron Bastian, the senior specialist in California and American paintings at Bonhams. Tony DeLap’s “Card Trick” sold for $24,000; the late John Mason’s “Ember Vessel” sold for $25,000; Scot Heywood’s “Centric—Grey, Black, White” sold for $14,000; Laddie John Dill’s “5am” sold for $23,000 above an estimate of $18,000; John Baldessari’s “Hands & Feet: Hands & Fish” sold for $4,600 above an estimate of $3,500; and Don Suggs’s “Oasis” sold for $4,200 above an estimate of $3,500. The silent auction featured an additional 97 works of art bringing in over $179,000. International bidding facilitated by Artsy added a unique twist to the auction.
The evening also included a Fund-A-Need campaign, presented by Laguna Art Museum’s curator of education Marinta Skupin, which raised $41,000 to support the museum’s K-12 education programs.
The California Cool Art Auction team was led by co-chairs Sara Heeschen and Vanessa Helin; and committee members Jeannie Denholm, Ruben Flores, Michael Fullen, Lauren MacLaughlin-Brinker, Karen Morally, and Eden Phair.
Baroque Orchestra to Perform in Laguna Niguel
A baroque orchestra comprised of classical musicians from the Colburn School will play its new classical music production, IL BAROCCO, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at Mission Lutheran Church, 24360 Yosemite Road in Laguna Niguel. Admission is open to the public and parking is free.
The concert celebrates the influence Italian baroque composers had on their German and English contemporaries. New Baroque music from composer-in-residence, Mark Moya, will also be featured.
Artistic direction will be provided by harpsichordist, Ian Pritchard. Joining him on stage will be concertmaster, Kako Miura, violinists Alena Hove and Tiffany Kang, violists Ben Chilton and Christopher Rogers-Beadle, cellist Vardan Gasparyan, and flutist, Sieon Choi.
Pacific Chorale Celebrates Women’s History Month
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Orange County’s Pacific Chorale will highlight the creative genius of female composers in a concert titled “UnSung Heroes” at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March
The evening’s program will feature music composed by women ranging from the medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen, to 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, and will include a world premiere commission by Seattle composer and conductor Karen P. Thomas, who also serves as the concert’s guest curator. Artistic Director Robert Istad will conduct the 140-voice Chorale with accompanist David Clemensen and guest musician
“Until fairly recently in history, women were strongly discouraged from pursuing careers in composition, and what music they did write was rarely publicly performed or published,” said Istad.
During this program, Istad will also recognize the major contributions of women in popular music, with selections from well-known English and American singer-songwriters Kate Bush, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell, and will prominently feature a number of the Chorale’s female members as soloists.
Prior to the concert, Segerstrom Center’s second annual ¡DAMAS! celebration will take place on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza beginning at 5p.m. ¡DAMAS! honors women creators and will feature performances, activities, and a panel discussion which will include Karen Thomas. As part of the plaza activities, Pacific Chorale will create a “gallery walk” of posters of great moments for women in music history and will provide free concert tickets to groups who primarily serve women’s causes. For more information, visit
scfta.org/events/2019/¡damas!-free.
Laguna Beach Live! Announces Two Spring Concerts
On April 17, Laguna Beach Live! presents, M-PACT, a pop-jazz vocal group that invokes the percussive power of Stomp and the funk and groove of Bruno Mars in sophisticated harmonies. The concert benefits the Live! Music & Kids program. Laguna Beach Live! also presents outreach programs, at no charge, to the Laguna Boys & Girls Club and Laguna public schools. VIP tickets, $100, include preferred seating, meet & greet with the artists, and a signed CD. General admission is $35.
On May 15, “Blues is a Woman” takes the stage. This ensemble of six talented women who use storytelling and music to bring to life the colorful history of the bold and singular women who wrote and popularized the blues. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door and can be purchased online at LagunaBeachLive.org or by phone at 800-595-4849.
Postmodern Jukebox Returns to the Segerstrom
Scott Bradlee’s music ensemble Postmodern Jukebox comes to the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Saturday, June 15. Originally a YouTube sensation, the time-twisting musical collective finds new ways to put Bradlee’s trademark vintage twist on modern pop hits. The concert is part of his Welcome to the Twenties 2.0 World Tour. Tickets start at $39 and are available online at SCFTA.org, at the Segerstrom box office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling 714-556-2787. A limited number of VIP ticket packages are available for this show.
