First Thursdays Art Walk has many exciting artists, exhibits, and galleries to explore this Thursday

Compiled by SUZIE HARRISON

First Thursdays Art Walk celebrates the diverse cultural art scene of Laguna Beach year round. Don’t miss out on experiencing the myriad exhibits, artists, and art mediums during Art Walk this Thursday, Oct 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. First Thursdays is free to the public with participation by more than 30 member galleries, including entertainment and special events.

Free trolley service for Art Walk runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Trolleys begin at the Laguna Art Museum (north) and Bluebird Canyon Road (south). The trolley route runs as far north as Viejo Street, up Laguna Canyon Road as far as Canyon Acres, and south to Bluebird Canyon Road. For more information, visit www.FirstThursdaysArtWalk.com.

Metered parking is available along Coast Hwy and a few blocks inland on either side of the street and is free after 7 p.m. 

Laguna Art Museum: Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935

The exhibition celebrating the centennial of the LBAA is part of a year-long celebration marking the museum’s history and legacy. It includes over one hundred paintings by artists of the pioneering organization whose inception in 1918 helped determine the fortunes of the Laguna Beach art colony and its artists. Docents are available for tours. Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Drive. For more information, call (949) 494-8971 or visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

Quorum Gallery: Meet Quorum Gallery’s featured artist of the month, 

Teri Starkweather

Starkweather became known for her still life paintings, which are bathed in sunlight, in the 1990s. Her realistic watercolors have been included in many watercolor books. One of her works graced the cover of “Textures and Surfaces,” published by North Light Publishers in 2000. Inside of “Painting the Many Moods of Light,” published by North Light in 1999, Starkweather demonstrated her painting technique in a chapter called “Create sparkling window lit still lifes in watercolor.”

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Courtesy of First Thursdays Art Walk

Teri Starkweather is the featured artist at Quorum Art Gallery for October

 Starkweather won the American Artist cover competition with her painting “Sunflowers and Coffee,” which was on the cover of the June 2010 issue of American Artist Watercolor magazine.

 She has shown her artwork in various galleries throughout the United States as well as internationally in Italy and China. Quorum Art gallery is at 374 N Coast Hwy. For more information, call (949) 494-4422 or visit www.quorumgallery.com. 

LCAD to feature V01D, an exhibit showcasing the works of Joshua Davis

Davis is an award-winning designer, technologist, author, and artist in new media. Based in New York, Davis is acclaimed for his role in designing the visualization of IBM’s Watson, the intelligent computer program capable of answering questions on the television quiz show, Jeopardy. There will be a pre-Art Walk lecture from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

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Courtesy of First Thursdays Art Walk

Enjoy V01D by LCAD grad Joshua Davis, an award-winning designer critical in designing the visualization of IBM’S Watson

Curated by the artist, LCAD Gallery is at 374 Ocean Ave. For more information, call (949) 376-6000 or visit www.lcad.edu/gallery/college-gallery/.

The Signature Gallery to feature a new collection by painter Michael Pabst

Pabst’s strong textured landscapes have a distinct style that grabs your attention at first glance. Simultaneously described as a contemporary realist and impressionistic colorist, his paintings reflect both his engineering education as well as his artistic upbringing.

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Courtesy of First Thursdays Art Walk

Aspen Dusk by featured artist Michael Pabst at Signature Gallery

 “Studying structure and physics actually gave me a solid background for ‘building’ a painting, especially design and perspective. I have always been creative and love to build and make things. I enjoyed designing and building homes, but always continued painting. Painting brings all the things I love together,” Pabst said.

The Signature Gallery is at 220 Forest Ave. For more information, call (949) 376-4244 or visit www.thesignaturegallery.com.

Grand Opening Celebration of 20 Artist Studios at LagunaART.com

Don’t miss the Grand opening of 20 Artist Studios at LagunaART.com during Art Walk, from 6 to 9 p.m. 

Founded in 2004 as an exhibition website called LagunaART.com, representing over 200 national and international artists, four years later in 2008 the gallery created an iPhone APP with all of the Laguna Beach galleries, festivals, and artists rotated through the app. The APP is still at the top of the App Store for Laguna Beach art and is downloaded a half million times annually around the world.

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Photo courtesy of First Thursdays Art Walk

Don’t miss the grand opening of LagunaART.com’s 20 artist studios

In 2018 LagunaART.com opened its first physical brick and mortar location and contemporary art gallery with 20 artist studios adjoined, next door to the Laguna Art Museum on Gallery Row, and across from Urth Caffe and Las Brisas Restaurants, with 3,000 square feet of prime window display facing Pacific Coast Hwy and the Ocean with 3 - 5 million visitors annually passing by. 

LagunaArt.com is located next to the Laguna Art Museum on Gallery Row at 305 North Coast Hwy. For more information, call (714) 972-2787 or visit www.lagunaart.com.

To learn more about First Thursdays Art Walk and view a full listing of participating galleries, visit www.FirstThursdaysArtWalk.com.

LAM’s Art & Nature will feature a host of 

community-wide events Nov 1-4

Laguna Art Museum will present the sixth annual Art & Nature, a multidisciplinary exploration of art’s many and various engagements with the natural world, November 1-4. 

Art & Nature includes a work of art specially commissioned for the event –Elizabeth Turk’s Shoreline Project, a site-specific performance on Main Beach.

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Photo by Eric Stoner

LAM’s exciting Art & Nature will feature myriad events including a special site event by artist Elizabeth Turk on Saturday, Nov 3

Additionally, the event will feature a keynote lecture, film screening, panel discussion, and a free family festival exploring art and the natural world. In addition to events at the museum, LAM partners with local galleries and organizations hosting Art & Nature-related exhibitions, making it a community-wide event.

First Thursdays Art Walk: Thursday, Nov 1, the museum is open with free admission from 6 to 9 p.m. and local galleries open nature-inspired exhibitions during First Thursdays Art Walk. Participating galleries and partners include Kelsey Michaels Fine Art, LCAD Gallery, Peter Blake Gallery, The Redfern Gallery, saltfineart + RAWsalt, Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Community Art Project, and Gallery Q at The Susi Q.

Keynote Lecture: Friday, Nov 2, at 7 p.m., Jane Munro gives the keynote lecture, Charles Darwin: Art, Nature, and Beauty. Munro is the Keeper of Paintings, Drawings and Prints and Acting Assistant Director of Collections at the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge.

Her research interests and publications have focused on British and French art from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, much of it interdisciplinary in nature. She is the curator of Degas: A Passion for Perfection; Endless Forms: Darwin, Natural Sciences and the Visual Arts; and Silent Partners: Artist and Mannequin from Function to Fetish. The 7 p.m. lecture follows a 6 p.m. reception. Advance tickets are recommended.

Film Screening: Saturday, Nov 3, at 11 a.m., the newly-released documentary Leaning into the Wind, directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer, with be screened. The film follows the sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist Andy Goldsworthy on his exploration of the layers of his world and the impact of the years on himself and his art. Advance tickets are recommended.

In Conversation: Saturday, Nov 3, at 2:30 p.m., Art & Nature keynote speaker Jane Munro, UCSD evolutionary biologist Lin Chao, and artist and UCLA professor Victoria Vesna discuss art and nature in a conversation moderated by LAM executive director Malcolm Warner. Advance tickets are recommended.

Shoreline Project: Saturday, Nov 3, at 5:30 p.m., Elizabeth Turk’s Shoreline Project brings together 1,000 volunteer performers for a site-specific work. With LED-illuminated umbrellas designed as an evolution of the artist’s Seashell X-ray Mandala series, the performers converge on the shoreline in both spontaneous and choreographed movement. 

Shoreline Project creates a shared experience amongst the performers and an engaging spectacle for viewers from surrounding cliffs and buildings. The project is the commissioned work of art for LAM’s sixth annual Art & Nature and will take place on Main Beach.

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Photo by Eric Stoner

A thousand volunteer performers will light up Main Beach

Art & Nature Family Festival: Sunday, Nov 4, 2 p.m. The museum opens its doors for free to visitors of all ages and offers a variety of interactive art, nature, and science activities, environmental information, and face painting. Partner organizations include the Center for Art Education and Sustainability, Laguna Bluebelt Coalition, Laguna Canyon Foundation, Laguna Ocean Foundation, MY HERO Project, Newport Bay Conservancy, Ocean Institute, OC Face Paint, and Pacific Marine Mammal Center. 

Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Drive. For more information, call (949) 494-8971 or visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

Arts supporters get an early call, coffee and snacks provided at tomorrow’s forum

By BARBARA DIAMOND

The Laguna Beach Arts Alliance (LBAA) will host a forum tomorrow morning, Saturday, Sept 29 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Laguna Playhouse. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts served on the terrace. Seating is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

 Former Mayor Jane Egly will moderate the forum, which will address arts and cultural issues in Laguna Beach.

“The forum is a great opportunity to get to know the candidates and learn where they stand on arts and cultural issues,” said LBAA Marketing Coordinator Deena Harros. 

 Candidates will be asked to respond to pre-selected questions, including the need for performance space, artist work live and affordable housing, parking needs in the Civic Art District and comments on public art. They will also be questioned on whether the City should require arts supporting elements in the design of artists’ affordable housing, exhibit space, performance space, and meeting space in any major new or remodeling construction in the Art District.

Questions were selected by the Forum Committee: LBAA President Rosemary Swimm, past President Wayne Baglin, Arts Commissioner Pat Kolllenda, Laguna College of Art and Design President Jonathan Burke, Laguna Dance Festival Executive Director Joy Deitberner, Laguna Playhouse Marketing Director Dee Dee Irwin and Harros.

No questions will be taken from the audience. 

Candidates will have the opportunity to give opening and closing statements, limited to one minute. If time allows, five questions will be posed, with a one-minute limit on responses.

Laguna Playhouse presents The Seafarer just in time for Halloween

Laguna Playhouse presents the perfect show for Halloween, the Tony Nominated Best Play, The Seafarer. The show begins previews on Wednesday, Oct 17 and will open on Sunday, Oct 21 at 5:30 p.m., through Sunday, Nov 4. The Seafarer is written by Conor McPherson and directed by Ovation Award winner Michael Matthews. 

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Photo by Scott Brashier

The Full Harvest Moon sets the mood for the upcoming chilling play

In a small coastal village north of Dublin, Sharky has returned to look after his irascible, aging brother who’s recently gone blind. As Sharky attempts to stay off the bottle he contends with old drinking buddies Ivan and Nicky, who are holed up at the house too, hoping to play some cards. With the arrival of a stranger from the distant past, the stakes are raised ever higher and Sharky may be playing for his very soul. 

Executive Director Ellen Richard comments, “I love the writing in this play so much and we are thrilled to be presenting it, especially at this time of year.” Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham adds, “I’ve looked forward to producing this play for 10 years and the moment has arrived. An exceptional cast, an extraordinary director and a play that is funny, chilling and a perfectly spooky Irish ghost story for the season.”

Performances will be Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 1 and 5:30 p.m. There will be additional performances on Thursday, Oct 18 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct 28 at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, Nov 1 at 2 p.m. 

Tickets range from $55 - $85 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Group discounts are available by calling (949) 497-2787 ext. 229. Prices are subject to change.    

Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Rd.

LOCA’s Learn to Paint a Sea Lion on Oct 13 at PMMC

Join LOCA at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center for a workshop to learn how to paint a sea lion with artist September McGee on Sunday, Oct 13 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. 

Tour the Center in a docent-led tour of the facility and learn about PMMC’s rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts. Then create a sea lion painting on synthetic (non-tree based) paper. McGee will lead everyone in easy step-by-step instructions. Everything is included; take home finished art.

“This paper is non-absorbent and the paint sits on top of the surface,” said McGee. “This workshop will be tons of fun; the results are amazing.” 

The cost is $15 for children ages 6 to 18 and $20 for adults. There is free on-site parking. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Beginners are invited. 

For more information, visit www.locaarts.org or call (949) 363-4700. 

Pacific Marine Mammal Center is at 20612 Laguna Canyon Rd.