In The Arts
‘Fragile Planet’ comes to Laguna
Laguna College of Art and Design will feature the New York Society of Illustrators traveling exhibition, “Earth: Fragile Planet” today through Dec. 18 at the college gallery, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
The exhibit, divided into five categories — earth, energy, air, water and wildlife — will showcase 40 works from many of the world’s most accomplished illustrators, and talented newcomers, according to organizers. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 in conjunction with First Thursdays Artwalk.
Exhibition hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is free and complimentary parking is available.
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Bertran’s ‘Passion for the Landscape’
Painter Maria Bertran will exhibit her recent works, “Passion for the Landscape,” beginning Saturday at The Pacific Edge Gallery, 540 S. Coast Hwy., No. 112 in Laguna Beach.
In this collection of more than 30 oil paintings, which will be on display through Dec. 31, the artist captures the English countryside.
An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (949) 494-0491.
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Poetry reading at Latitude 33
Poets Eric Morago and Jessica Patapoff will host a special a reading and signing of their work at 5 p.m. Saturday at Latitude 33 Bookshop, 311 Ocean Ave.
A poet-in-residence for the California Workforce Assn., a nonprofit that deals with the unemployed and at-risk youth, Morago will read from and signing copies of his new book, “What We Ache For.” His poetry has appeared in various print and online publications and can be found in such anthologies as “Carving in Bone” (Moon Tide Press) and “Beside the City of Angels” (World Parade Books).
Patapoff was chosen by Morago for inclusion in Moon Tide’s third anthology, “Pop Art: An Anthology of Southern California Poetry,” which came out this spring.
For more information, call (949) 494-5403.
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Art show winners announced
The city of Laguna Beach Juried Fine Art Winners were: Ellen Rose, first place; Annette Wimmer, second place; Jennifer Griffiths, third place. Honorable mentions were given to El Esquerra, Beverly Factor, Kay Flierl, Naomi Shachar, Uriu Noriho and Gary Zuercher. The show took place at Laguna Beach City Hall.
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Playhouse sponsors holiday fundraiser
The Laguna Playhouse Women and American Assn. of University Women-Laguna Beach Foundation will perform “A Christmas Memory” and “Holiday Tales” from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2 at Muldoon’s Irish Pub & Celtic Bar, 202 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.
The staged reading performances will tell humorous and heartwarming tales from Truman Capote, Steve Martin and Betty Smith and will raise money for the host organizations.
Tickets are $100 each, and include pre-show appetizers, a beverage ticket, dessert and coffee. Muldoon’s is offering a pre-theater dinner package at a 20% discount with ticket.
RSVP by Wednesday to Amy Larson, Laguna Playhouse director of development, at (949) 497-2787 ext. 216 or [email protected].
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Festival of Arts invites submissions, holds seminars
The Festival of Arts is currently accepting applications from artists for next summer’s show, and will conduct two free seminars for artists on how to best photograph artwork effectively for submission. The first seminar will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Forum Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.
The festival will also offer a free Computer Tech Workshop from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 12 at the Southern California Artists Assn., 3251 Laguna Canyon Road, #F3, Laguna Beach. Both seminars have limited availability and will be open to participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
The photo-jurying seminar will focus on the Festival of Arts jurying process, how to select digital images for art shows and how Festival of Arts jurors review the images submitted. Festival of Arts exhibitor and educator Pat Sparkuhl, whose work has won national acclaim, will lead the seminar along with Festival of Arts exhibitor and board member Tom Lamb, an accomplished photographer and instructor at Saddleback College. As project director for the US/China Environmental Fund, Lamb is acutely aware of the importance of quality photographic communication.
“Included will be organization of the application process, pitfalls in photographing artwork, clear and concise ways of effectively photographing artwork, resources, and to complete the program, a helpful question and answer session,” Sparkuhl said.
The computer technology workshop is for those who are new to PhotoShop and other design-related programs and will be taught by Festival of Arts artist Fred Hope. Hope’s background includes work as an illustrator and multimedia artist as well as a painter who blurs the boundaries between these three disciplines.
“During this follow-up session I¹ll be demonstrating how to photograph artwork with a simple digital consumer camera, explain how to process the camera files and how to prepare those files to the Festival of Arts standards,” Hope said. “The procedures will be shown in their logical sequence from start to finish, resulting in work that is ready for submission.” Hope will also show applicants how to put an image on a disk and size it properly.
The application deadline for the Festival of Arts is 4 p.m. Jan. 21. For more information or to download an application, call (949) 464-4268 or visit https://www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.