Les Thomas resigns from commission Les Thomas...

Les Thomas resigns from commission

Les Thomas resigned from the Arts Commission on Tuesday after five

years..

Thomas has been chair of the Arts Commission, president of the

Laguna Alliance for the Arts, established Music in the Park Inc. with

his wife Marilyn, and has been an asset in providing guidance to such

organizations as First Thursday’s Art Walk and California

Choreographers.

Public input wanted on public art

The 11 entries for the City Hall Art in Public Places competition

to be located at 505 Forest Ave. will be reviewed by the Arts

Commission at 5:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers. Up to six

finalists can be selected.

Preliminary selections will be displayed at City Hall from June 22

through July 1. Public input is encouraged. Finalists will present

proposals to the commission at a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. July 9.

Laguna Tunes gives to slide victims

Laguna Tunes community chorus performed to a full house Sunday at

their spring concert at Neighborhood Congregational Church.

Co-director Roxana Ward passed a hat to collect money for landslide

victims and raised $1,450.

Donations have been deposited in a relief fund established at

South County Bank.

Sawdust benevolence fund for artists

The Sawdust Art Festival’s Artists Benevolence Fund exists to help

Laguna Beach artists in times of need.

The fund was started about 20 years ago by Sawdust exhibitors who

were trying to help out a fellow artist who was diagnosed with a

terminal disease and had no medical insurance.

Two live art auctions each year provide money for the fund -- one

at the summer Sawdust Art Festival show, this year Aug. 28, and at

the Sawdust’s Winter Fantasy.

To qualify for assistance from the fund, applicants must be Laguna

Beach residents whose primary income is generated from their art work

-- applicants do not need to be Sawdust exhibitors.

For information, please call John Eagle, Benevolence Fund

treasurer at (949) 293-1322.

Festival artists exhibit, demonstrate

The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters is joining once

again with South Coast Plaza for a special satellite art display, to

be presented in Jewel Court at the plaza in Costa Mesa.

The exhibit opens to the public next Friday, and will continue

through June 26. South Coast Plaza hours are Monday through Friday 10

a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6:30

p.m.

The exhibit will include artwork from the Festival of Arts

permanent art collection and local artists, as well as rarely seen

sets and costumes from the Pageant of the Masters. The installation,

curated by Laguna Beach artist Mike Tauber, features the work of

Randy Bader, Gavin Heath, Mark Kerckhoff, Regina Jacobson, Troy

Poeschl, Carolyn Reynolds, Greg Riley, Miriam Shelton, Dan Skaggs,

David Speck, Shockley, John Warren, Scott Young and many other

notable Festival artists.

On the weekends, June 18, 19, 25 and 26, Festival of Arts artists

will be demonstrating a variety of art techniques from noon to 1 p.m.

and from 2 to 3 p.m. at Jewel Court at South Coast Plaza. The

Festival of Arts runs July 5th through September 1 (admission $7) and

the Pageant of the Masters runs July 7th through September 1 (tickets

$15-$80).

This year’s theme is “On The Road -- A Crash Course in Art and

Popular Culture.” Proceeds support the arts in Orange County. For

tickets, call the Festival of Arts ticket office at (949) 497-6582or

(800) 487-3378 or visit the website at www.lagunafestivalofarts.com.

Cunningham picks

up purchase award

John Cunningham, a former science teacher at Laguna Beach High

School and a city lifeguard, has won the Judges Purchase award for

his painting “Breakfast Treat” at the All California Nation Orange

Show Art Exhibition in San Bernardino. Cunningham’s second entry,

“Sit a Spell,” won an honorable mention.

Clearance sale at Museum Store

The Museum Store at Laguna Art Museum’s summer clearance sale ends

Sunday. Everything will be 60% off. The museum is open daily from 11

a.m. to 5 p.m. at 307 Cliff Drive. For more information, call (949)

494-8971, or visit the museum’s website at www.lagunaart museum.org.

Art college plans 16th fundraiser

Laguna College of Art & Design hosts its 16th annual Collector’s

Choice fine art exhibition from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the campus,

2222 Laguna Canyon Road.

The event features a fine art raffle and auction. All ticket

holders will have a chance to win a choice of any contributed piece

of artwork in the raffle. Dinner and entertainment are included.

Tickets are $100 each.

Proceeds will benefit the student scholarship fund enhance

facilities and technology. Original paintings and drawings in a

variety of media, as well as sculpture and hand-blown glass, will be

offered.

The college’s gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For

ticket and event information, call the college at (949) 376-6000,

ext. 241.