Laguna Art Museum

Art Shack Open House

2010-07-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

October 3, 2010 (2:00-5:00 p.m.) Art Shack Open House: select artists will be available to give brief tours of their art shacks and to answer questions for guests.

Come swing by the Laguna Art Museum for the opportunity to spend time and talk with select artists about their Art Shacks on the last day of the exhibition!

>> Please contact Jackie Bunge at 949.494.8971 x207 for questions and more information about educational events

"Build Your Own Art Shack"

2010-07-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Workshop with Hurley resident artist and Art Shack artist Jason Maloney
Sunday, July 18, 2010 (1:00 p.m.)

Students K-8 are invited to Laguna Art Museum for a workshop in conjunction with the Museum's current exhibition Art Shack. Learn the art of shack-making from Hurley resident artist and Art Shack artist Jason Maloney (pictured above), and take home your very own art shack.

Only 40 spots available!

>>Click here to pay your $25.00 materials fee and to reserve your space for the workshop!

>> For more information, please contact Jackie Bunge at 949.494.8971 x207

>> Click here to view all Art Shack educational events

Art Shack Artist: Elyse Pignolet

2010-06-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

Born in Oakland, CA, Elyse Pignolet is an American with Filipino heritage, living and working in Los Angeles. Pignolet works primarily in ceramics and her work has been inspired by and dealt with various themes including social issues and topics from contemporary news articles, as well as urban themes. Her works attempt to place the permanence and traditions of ceramics with the fleeting and transitory nature of the contemporary world. She has created several bodies of work that place the extensive history of ceramics in contrast with the temporary nature of graffiti as a starting point to make hand-built sculptures that draw from the traditional calligraphies of various cultures and the characters, combined with the lettering of contemporary urban writing.

Elyse Pignolet, Rim, 2009

Other artistic projects of hers, including her drawings continue to reference the world around us, dealing with formal concerns of art while blurring the line between figuration and abstraction. Her drawings begin with the deconstruction of city grids, maps, architectural plans, which are reorganized in multilayered semi-abstract compositions.

Elyse Pignolet, Cityscape #3,#4, #5, 2007

Also in the show are two collaboration pieces (Glory and Tire Shop) by Elyse Pignolet and Sandow Birk which are described as a peep holes into an alternate world. To learn more about this piece of the pieces shown above, come check out Laguna Art Museum's Art Shack Exhibition on display until October 3rd.

To learn more about this artist download the FREE Laguna Art Museum iPhone App which includes video interviews with the artists! If you don't have an iPhone of iTouch, you can rent one at the front desk.

Win 2 Summer Passes for Art Shack!

2010-06-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the opening of our summer exhibition, Art Shack, we are giving away 2 Art Shack Summer Passes ($30.00 value) which allows you to visit the Art Shack exhibition as many times as you like through October 3rd!!

In order to be automatically entered just comment on this blog post about "What Kind of Art Shack Would You Build?" You must be a follower of the Museum's blog in order to win. Winner will be contacted by July 15, 2010. Take advantage of this special offer and the chance to come see one of the most exciting exhibitions this summer!

The show includes over 30 different types of shack environment created by note-worthy artists, including Don Ed Hardy, Paul Frank, Mark Ryden and Marion Peck, and many more. For more information about the artists included in the show or about show hours, please visit the Museum's website.

We are excited to hear everyone's ideas!

Shop for Art Shack Merchandise!

2010-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Laguna Art Museum's summer exhibition, Art Shack, opened last week. In this show, artists combine art and architecture to create other worlds for visitors interact with and immerse themselves in. This group exhibition was guest curated by Greg Escalante, and includes such artists as such artists as Don Ed Hardy, Shag, George Herms, Paul Frank, Marion Peck, and Mark Ryden, among others. Come see this amazing show that will be up until October 3rd.
For this exhibition, the Museum store has been transformed into a Art Shack shopping wonderland! Come in today or shop online to bring some Art Shack merchandise home with you!

Some pieces are one of a kind and created personally by the Art Shack artists just for this show! Be sure to check it out!

Art Shack Opening Night Photos

2010-06-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some great pics from the pre-party hosted by Hurley at their downtown Laguna Beach 225 store and the opening night reception at Laguna Art Museum.

Are you in any of these photos?!

Art Shack Opening Night Video

2010-06-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

Art Shack Opening Night Party! Video courtesy Michael Farmer Photography.

The pre-party was hosted by Hurley at their 225 store in Laguna Beach where Art Shack artists signed shirts, and designed shoes and clothes. Then everyone made their way up to the Museum for the Opening Night Reception.

Hi-Fructose.com says about Art Shack: "a more enjoyable art show may be hard to find."

Art Shack is now on display! Come on over and check it out.

Art Shack Opening Night

2010-06-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope that you had a chance to come out last Saturday for the opening night of the Museum's summer exhibition, Art Shack! The night was filled with art, food, and drinks... but the big hit of the night (besides the amazing art shacks that fill the main and lower galleries) was the photobooth created by Michael Farmer Photography.

Patrons, artists and staff all took advantage of the festivities and posed in the booth to commemorate the night! Take a look...

If you didn't make it out to the opening, don't miss out on this exciting and unique show. Art Shack will be up from now until October 3rd! Check out the Museum's website for more information and open hours.

Hope to see you soon!

Art Shack Artist: Bamboo Ben

2010-06-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Bamboo Ben's Tiki Shack is up and on display, ready for the Museum's Opening Night for the summer exhibition, Art Shack, this Saturday, June 12th!!!

Make sure you come out to see this fantastic show with artists including Kevin Ancell, Wolfgang Bloch, Don Ed Hardy, Jason Maloney, and many more!!

Also, pre-sale tickets for Opening Night are on sale now on Laguna Art Museum's website, click here to purchase your $25 ticket ($30 at the door). The night will include drinks, festive munchies, a live DJ and the Art Shack artists!!!

Art Shack Install Photos

2010-06-04T10:08:00.001-07:00

Behind-the-scenes at Laguna Art Museum:

Hurley resident artist and Art Shack artist Jason Maloney installing his art shack Amber Alert.

Art Shack artist Savanna Snow and crew installing The Lodge.

Mike Shine and crew installing the 18 x 30 foot Shine Shack.

>> Click here for more information about Laguna Art Museum's upcoming exhibition Art Shack opening June 12!

Video of Art Shack Installation

2010-06-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a short clip of some of the installation thus far for the Museum's summer exhibition Art Shack opening next week on June 12th!!!

Excuse my shaky hand... but featured are shacks by artists: Marnie Weber, Jeff Gillette, Gregg Gibbs, Shag and Mike Shine.

Join us for the Art Shack opening night party to drink, eat and mingle with the Art Shack artists! Pre-sale tickets are available online for $25 or you can buy them at the door for $30.

Two New Art Shack Artists!

2010-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend, it was great to have another day off! But back to installing for the Museum's summer exhibition, Art Shack, opening in 2 weeks on June 13th!!

To add to the fun chaos of installation, we have add two new and amazing artists to the Art Shack line-up!!! The Museum is happy to include James P. Scott and Bamboo Ben in the show

Check out James' and Bamboo Ben's websites to see examples of their previous works. We will put up images of their works for the show soon!!

Don't forget to purchase your pre-sale tickets for the Art Shack Opening Night!!

The Staff with Mike Shine's Steppen Wolf

2010-05-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

The Museum staff is having a blast with all the artists and crew setting up for the upcoming Art Shack which opens June 13th!

Here we are hanging out with Mike Shine's Steppen Wolf...

Mark your calendars to come see the exciting show, Art Shack, June 13 - October 3!!!!

Mike Shine and Art Shack Install!

2010-05-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Museum is gearing up for our summer exhibition, Art Shack!! Today is the first day of install and Mike Shine's crew is setting up his amazing life-size shack in the gallery!

Be sure to come check out this shack and the 27 other shacks that will be on display June 13 - October 3!!!!

Join us for the Art Shack Opening Night Party Saturday, June 12, 2010. 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Enjoy a live DJ, cash bar, photo booth, food truck, and the chance to meet the participating artists. Kenny Scharf's trailer shack will be parked at the Museum and available for viewing this one night only!

Tickets are available online for $25.00 and at the door for $30.00. Don't miss this exciting event!

Art Shack Artist: Laurie Hassold

2010-05-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

The OC Art Blog visited Art Shack artist Laurie Hassold in her studio to see the work she's making for the Museum's upcoming exhibtion, opening June 13th. Check out the article!

Laurie Hassold's Bone Cave

The Opening Night Party will be on Saturday, June 12. Make sure to buy your pre-sale tickets online!

2010-05-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

Another busy day at the Museum as we get ready for the big opening of our summer exhibition, Art Shack! Earlier, Hurley resident artist and Art Shack artist, Jason Maloney, stopped by to discuss installation with the curator of exhibitions, Grace Kook-Anderson.

The opening night will be on Saturday, June 12th. Doors open at 7 p.m. Be sure you purchase your $25 pre-sale ticket on Laguna Art Museum's website.

Join us and enjoy drinks and music while mingling with the artists!

Please note: May 17-June 12, 2010 the Museum will be open daily from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Only the upstairs gallery featuring Artists in California: Early Twentieth Century: From the Permanent Collection will be on display. Admission will be $5.00. The main galleries will be closed for installation of Art Shack which opens to the public June 13.

Art Shack Tickets and Michael C. McMillen Video

2010-05-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

OsCene 2010 officially closed this past Sunday. It was a wonderful show and thanks to everyone who came out to see it and to all of the participating artists!

The Museum is busy getting ready for our summer exhibition, Art Shack, that will open June 13th!! Be sure to get your pre-sale ticket for the opening on Saturday, June 12th for only $25!! Tickets will also be sold at the door for $30.

Art Shack artist, Michael C. McMillen sent us a video of his shack Hideout... check it out!!!

OsCene 2010 Closes this Weekend!

2010-05-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC will be closing this Sunday, May 16 and this weekend is the last opportunity for you to check out the highly-praised exhibition!!

Here is a video of the OsCene 2010 exhibition created by Coast Magazine that features Laguna Art Museum's Curator of Exhibitions, Grace Kook-Anderson, speaking about the art in the show.

For you weekend be sure to come visit Laguna Art Museum to view OsCene 2010. After this Sunday, the Museum's Upstairs Gallery will be open until the next exhibition, Art Shack, opens June 13th!

Last OsCene Events: Allen and LaFarge Performance and Portfolio Review

2010-05-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is the last day to check out Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC, and it is also the last day of programming for the exhibition.

On Sunday, May 16th the Museum will be hosting two exciting events:

Live Performance by Robert Allen and Antoinette LaFarge of their video installation: Hangmen Also Die (12:00 p.m.):

Hangmen Also Die is a multi-media performance orchestrated by OsCene 2010 artists Robert Allen and Antoinette LaFarge. The work begins with a monologue by a live actor interacting with the projected environment. The live performance then merges with the projection, creating a recurring environment that changes over the course of a 70-minute cycle. The installation slowly breaks up as Allen and LaFarge note, “triggering successive attempts to salvage meaning by re-interpolating material.” Ultimately, the work almost completely disintegrates. The actor’s performance reflects upon issues of political actions and systemic consequences drawing from a number of texts addressing these concerns: The Measures Taken (1930) by Bertolt Brecht; Hangmen Also Die! (1943) by Bertolt Brecht, John Wexley, and Fritz Lang; Mauser (1976) by Heiner Müller; and recent U.S. government documents.

Actor: John Mellies
Videographer: Amy Kaczur

Following the performance is a Portfolio Review For Art Students (1:00 p.m.)
An afternoon of portfolio reviews by industry professionals for students who are interested in attending art school and questioning how they will further their practice.

>> FREE for Museum Members, free for non-members with paid admission.

>> For more information, please contact Jackie Bunge at 949.494.8971 x207.

Come and take advantage of these special events and afterward have a last look at the OsCene 2010 exhibition that is closing that day!!!

Art Talk's Edward Goldman on OsCene 2010

2010-05-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

On May 11th, Edward Goldman, from KCRW's Art Talk reviewed Laguna Art Museum's current exhibition, OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC.

Jim Jenkins, Jacaranda, 2009, on display in OsCene 2010

His article, Up Close and Personal: Your Only Chance, reviews his recent trips to two Southern California Museums, the Orange County Museum of Art and Laguna Art Museum. Here is what Goldman had to say about the OsCene exhibition:

"Driving another 20 minutes (from the Orange County Museum of Art), I found myself at the Laguna Art Museum, but it felt like a world away. The current exhibition (OsCene 2010), devoted to contemporary art and culture in Orange County, is a focused, thoughtful presentation of paintings, sculptures, video and photography produced by artists in the roughly fifty cities that comprise Orange County. And thankfully, this time (apposed to redundant information on the OCMA labels) each label succinctly communicated the essential information: the place and the year the artists were born and where they currently live. If you hurry, you can catch this exhibition in beautiful Laguna Beach before it closes this Sunday, May 16th."

To read the full article click here.

Take Goldman's suggestion and come view Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010 exhibition before it closes this Sunday, May 16.

Collecting California Artist Craig Kauffman Passes Away

2010-05-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Artist, Craig Kauffman, who was featured in the recent Collecting California Exhibition, passed away earlier this week, on May 9th. He was 78. The cause was complications from pneumonia, following a recent stroke. Craig Kauffman was well loved by the Museum, and we are happy to have a few of his pieces in our collection in remembrance of his life and talent.

Craig Kauffman studied architecture at the University of Southern California and art at the University of California, Los Angeles, completing his MA in 1956. Initially an abstract painter, he was a regular exhibitor at the Ferus Gallery, Los Angeles. In 1964, he began experimenting with plastics using vacuum-forming technologies to create objects that were painted to appear ephemeral as they modulated the light around them.

The Museum recently displayed one of Kauffman's bubble pieces in Collecting California. Noted for their sensual colors and shapes, Kauffman’s bubbles in particular evade principles of conventional painting and sculpture. Aside from there being no brushstroke, the surface of the bubble is slick plastic. The bubble itself sits out from the wall in high relief, placing it more in the realm of an object than a painting, and despite its horizontal orientation, its bulging lozenge shape frustrates attempts to identify any traditional figure ground relationship.

Gallery owner and close friend of Craig Kauffman, Frank Lloyd, wrote a touching and heart-felt remembrance of the artist's life and accomplishments. Read the full article.

Craig Kauffman, Untitled, 1968, acrylic and lacquer on vacuum-formed Plexiglas. Laguna Art Museum collection.

Michael C. McMillen Joins the Art Shack Line Up!!

2010-05-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

This week is very busy at the Museum...

Not only is it the last week to catch the highly successful, OsCene 2010, before it closes this Sunday, May 16th, but we are busy getting ready for the exciting Summer exhibition, Art Shack, which will open to the public June 13th!!

The latest update is that artist Michael C. McMillen has joined the Art Shack line up!! McMillen has sent some images of this petite shack what will be included in the show.
Check it out!

Michael C. McMillen
Hideout, c. 1970
Cardboard, paper, paint construction
2.5 x 3 x 2 inches

For more information about Michael C. McMillen or any of the other artists included in Art Shack be sure to check out Laguna Art Museum's website.

Also, don't miss out on the opportunity to see the amazing OsCene 2010 exhibition that features over 40 talented artists from Orange County!!!

Upcoming Exhibitions @ Laguna Art Museum

2010-05-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

This week is the LAST WEEK to view Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC!

OsCene 2010 is a survey of contemporary art and culture in the OC featuring some of the most provocative painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, multi-media installation, video, architecture, performance, music, and design that Orange County has to offer. Don't miss your chance to see this amazing show before it closes May 16th.

With OsCene soon coming to a close, here is a list of Laguna Art Museum's upcoming exhibitions to look forward to:

Art Shack (June 13 - October 3)
Guest curated by Greg Escalante, Art Shack is a group exhibition in which artists such as Don Ed Hardy, Shag, Paul Frank, and Mike Shine combine art and architecture. Explore surf shacks, tattoo huts, retro shanties and more, and immerse yourself in 25 different worlds created by the artists.

Artists in California (On display now through October 3, 2010)
The show features select works from Northern and Southern California artists included in the Museum's permanent collection. Laguna Art Museum's collection consists of works from the early nineteenth century to the present day and features significant examples from all periods of California art.

Artists in California represents art from the early twentieth century and includes artists William Wendt, Joseph Kleitsch, Matteo Sandonà, Charles Rollo Peters, Frank Cuprien, Granville Redmond, Donna Schuster, and Mabel Alvarez, among others. Alvarez's In the Garden is the most recent gift to the collection from Nancy Dustin Wall Moure.

John Paul Jones (October 31, 2010-January 23, 2011)
John Paul Jones will be a retrospective, from the Museum's extensive collection of his work, in the California and Steele galleries, and will be curated by Mike McGee, Professor of Art, California State University, Fullerton. This exhibition will be on display the same time as Roscoe Shrader, Sean Duffy: Searcher, and Master Strokes.

E. Roscoe Shrader (October 31, 2010-January 23, 2011)
A dynamic and influential teacher and leader in the arts for three decades, E. Roscoe Shrader produced colorful, post-impressionistic paintings-landscapes, figures, and still lifes-that when exhibited elicited praise from critics and patrons alike. Included in the exhibition will be examples of Shrader's illustration work, paintings from his time with the New Hope colony, and California works from the 1920s and 1930s. The exhibition will be curated by Curator of Collections Janet Blake, who wrote one of the essays on Shrader for the book published by George Stern Fine Arts. The exhibition will be in four galleries on the main level of the Museum, and will be on display at the same time as John Paul Jones, Sean Duffy: Searcher, and Master Strokes.

Sean Duffy: Searcher (October 31, 2010-January 23, 2011)
Artist Sean Duffy will take a journey that will make its way to his exhibition at the Museum. The story of this journey will unfold over four distinct spaces: the curb just outside the main entrance; the lobby, which is visible from the street; the stairway and Brief Gallery; and Segerstrom Gallery. Each space will contain separate elements linked by the story. All the elements in Duffy's installation are connected by his history, whether through elements or interests from past bodies of work (e.g. turntables, vinyl records, cars, modern design, fuel containers, etc.) or autobiography. Together, they map a progression toward a deeper understanding of Duffy's particular place and time, as well as a personal observation of Southern California.

Master Strokes: Selections from Laguna Beach Plein Air Association Signature Members (October 31, 2010-January 23, 2011)
Master Strokes will be curated by Jean Stern, Executive Director of The Irvine Museum. The exhibition will consist of the best work by Laguna Plein Air Painters Association signature members. Master Strokes will be in the upstairs gallery of the Museum and on display at the same time as John Paul Jones, Roscoe Shrader, and Sean Duffy: Searcher.

Noguchi East Meets West (February 27-May 15, 2011)
Isamu Noguchi (b. Los Angeles, 1904 and d. 1988) is a well-known figure both in the art world and in the design world. Although Noguchi was born in Los Angeles, this will be the first retrospective exhibition of his work to be shown in California.

Noguchi East Meets West is an exhibition that consists of approximately 50 sculptures and 50 drawings, spanning just over sixty years of Noguchi's career dating from 1927-1988. The works in this exhibition are drawn largely from the Noguchi Museum in New York. This exhibition is organized by the Noguchi Museum in New York, and will be on display at Laguna Art Museum the same time as California Scenario: The Courage of Imagination.

California Scenario (February 27-May 15, 2011)
Situated between two office towers at South Coast Plaza Town Center in Costa Mesa, is Noguchi's California Scenario (1980-1982), a 1.6 acre metaphorical abstraction of California's natural resources. Comprised of trees, plants, water, and sculpture, the garden is a space filled with beauty and tranquility. Commissioned by developer and philanthropist, Henry Segerstrom, Isamu Noguchi offered a plan that challenged everyone's notions of a garden.

California Scenario: The Courage of Imagination will feature a model of the park, memorabilia, photographs, and film footage of Noguchi's California Scenario. This exhibition will be guest curated by Bonnie Rychlak who is the curator at the Noguchi Museum in New York. Rychlak has been curating exhibitions internationally and writing on Noguchi since 1996. This exhibition will be on display at Laguna Art Museum the same time as Noguchi East Meets West.

Best Kept Secret: UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1969 (October 29, 2011-January 29, 2012)
Little has been done on the contributions of the art department at University of California, Irvine, from its inception through the late 1960s. However, during this period, UCI harbored a group of the most advanced artists, students, and art writers on the West Coast. UCI's first gallery director was the artist and critic John Coplans, who was appointed in 1965, the same year that Artforum, for whom Coplans was a writer/editor, moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Coplans was instrumental in bringing Philip Leider (editor in chief of Artforum, 1962-1971) and Barbara Rose (author of American Art Since 1900) to the faculty at UCI. In addition, Tony DeLap, one of the founding members of the art faculty, relocated from San Francisco along with John McCracken to teach there. Others drawn to the faculty included Vija Celmins, Robert Irwin, and Craig Kauffman. MFA students at the time included Michael Asher, Chris Burden, Jay McCafferty, and Alexis Smith. Artists like James Turrell (DeLap's studio assistant) and Frank Stella (at the time Barbara Rose's husband) contributed to the cultural ambiance of the campus at the time as well.

The exhibition Best Kept Secret will bring together the work of these seminal artists from this critical period, drawing connections between their work and contextualizing it in light of other developments in California and in the rest of the nation. In addition, Best Kept Secret will examine the impact UCI had on the roots of the Finish Fetish and Light and Space movements, performance, video, and conceptualism, as well as the development of the art programs

Clarence Hinkle: And the California Progressive Movement (Spring 2012)
A native Californian, Clarence Hinkle had a career as an artist and teacher that spanned several decades. Although associated with other American impressionists from California, Hinkle's work from the period of the 1920s sets him apart from other artists of his generation. Born in Auburn in 1880, Hinkle began his studies at the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento, followed by classes at the California School of Design in Sacramento. He traveled east, studying at the Art Students League in New York and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia where he won the Cresson Traveling Scholarship. The scholarship afforded him the opportunity to study in Paris for six years, attending both the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Académie Colarossi. After returning to the United States in 1912, he lived in San Francisco before moving to Los Angeles in 1917, where he began teaching at the Los Angeles School of Art and Design. Four years later, he accepted a position at the newly founded Chouinard School of Art.

Above Image: Suzanne Walsh, Flying Away, 2009, on display in OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC

OsCene 2010

2010-05-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

There are only 2 weekends left to come see Laguna Art Museum's exhibition, OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC!

The show features works by local artists like Wolfgang Bloch, Yasuko, Jeff Foye and Gordon Winiemko, Nobu Nishigawara, Ali Smith, and Brad J. Moore.

Don't miss out on seeing some of the greatest local art being created today!!

And, while you are in the neighborhood, here is some things for you weekend:

The first concert in the Laguna Beach Sunset Serenades begins today.

Indulge in Hush's special Mother's Day Brunch , featuring cinnamon roll french toast!!

Wolfgang Bloch's Art featured in Jack Johnson's New Album

2010-05-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

Exciting News! Laguna Art Museum's OsCene and Art Shack artist, Wolfgang Bloch, will be featured in Jack Johnson's upcoming To The Sea album artwork!!!

Wolfgang Bloch, Untitled No. 7, 2009, on display in OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC
Jack Johnson chose to include a Wolfgang Bloch painting from his own personal collection as the center spread of his new To The Sea album artwork. Wolfgang Bloch, one of Jack’s favorite artists, was born and raised in the vibrant Latin American culture of Guayaquil, Ecuador. At a young age, Bloch discovered the joy of surfing along Ecuador’s secluded beaches and, in the process, the coastal scenery that would forever serve as his primary source of inspiration.

To learn more about Wolfgang download the FREE OsCene iPhone app or check out his work on display in OsCene 2010, showing now!!!

Like the music style of Jack Johnson and the surfing-inspired artwork of Wolfgang?? Then, be sure to come check out the Marc B. concert tonight at the Museum and have a chance to check out the OsCene Exhibition for FREE from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Last OsCene Music Concert: Marc B.

2010-05-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Thursday, May 6, will be the last music concert of the OsCene 2010 series!!!

Performing will be OC Music Awards nominatee, Marc B.

The concert will take place at Laguna Art Museum at 7:00 p.m.

Admission is FREE and the bar opens at 6:00 p.m.

Marc B.'s music is made to mellow you out. His "Sublime-on-Marley" style is an honest representation of the laid back environment of the California coast. Marc was recently named as a nominee for Best Surf Artist at the 2009 Orange County Music Awards, standing alongside other nominees The Offspring, Matt Costa, and The Vandals. Now working with Oniric Records, Marc B has played with the likes of The White Buffalo, Matt Costa, The Dirty Heads, and others in such beachside locales like The US Open of Surfing, The Boost Mobile Pro, and the ASR Tradeshow. "The Yellow Jelly E.P." has been handed out to the industry's top professionals (including the top 52 Surfers in the World) in their contest gift bags for three years in a row at each major surf contest in the ASP World Tour.

"With a look straight out of Endless Summer and his mellow feel-good vibe, Marc B. may just be the next big thing to come from the southern California music scene." ~ Green Guide Network

Also, tomorrow is First Thursdays ArtWalk where admission to the Museum is free from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. That evening, Laguna Art Museum will host a book sale of lightly or never read art books.

The sale will feature art books and exhibition catalogs for 50% or more below Amazon.com's prices, with most in like-new condition.

The sale will take place from 6:00-8:30 p.m. and all proceeds will benefit the Museum Library. The Museum Library features one of the largest collections of California art books.

Come out to support Laguna Art Museum and have a chance to see OsCene 2010 before it ends May 16th!

Tim Bavington @ Mark Moore Gallery

2010-05-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Last week, Mark Moore Gallery opened its fifth solo exhibition of new work by painter, Tim Bavington. Decade celebrates Bavington's tenth year of representation by the gallery, and will feature new works alongside his iconic striped paintings. The show will be on display at the Los Angeles gallery April 29 - May 29.

The Museum featured Step (In) Out, 2007 in our 2008 exhibtion, Las Vegas Diaspora: Emergence of Contemporary Art from the Neon Homeland, which exhibited works of twenty-six artists who received their degrees from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Also, Mark and Hilarie Moore (of Mark Moore Gallery) have made two to three significant gifts of art to museums each year for the last sixteen years and plan on continuing. Through their family trust they have made other contributions to the Orange County Museum of Art; Downey Art Museum; Portland Art Museum; Madison Museum of Contemporary Art; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego; Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles; Brooklyn Art Museum; Las Vegas Art Museum; Santa Barbara Art Museum; Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego; and The Contemporary Museum Honolulu.

Decade celebrates the 10 years that Las Vegas-based painter Tim Bavington has been exhibiting in Los Angeles. The 15-work show, at Mark Moore Gallery, reveals that the London-born artist is in it for the long haul and capable of taking viewers on rides filled with more twists and turns than can be imagined.

Bavington's new spray-painted stripe paintings are as gorgeous as any of the delectable abstractions he has made in the past, but far more complex in their emotional resonance. Alongside the joy and playfulness that seemed to be Bavington's specialty come slower, more savory sensations: rich mixes of sentiments seasoned by sorrow, suffering and loss but still thrilled by the rhythms and textures of life's little pleasures... read the rest of the article on Culture Monster.

What do you think of Bavington's new work??

Art Shack Spotlight: Mark Ryden and Marion Peck

2010-05-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday night, Art Shack artist, Mark Ryden, had an amazing Victorian-themed opening night at Paul Kasim in New York. His loyal fan base flocked to to see Ryden's new work in his Gay '90s Old Tyme show.

Fans showed up at Paul Kasmin in New York looking like Victorian ladies or gents, in keeping with the theme of his new show. The standout was a woman on stilts, wearing a corseted red dress decorated with plastic pieces of meat.

Her costume was a nod to a painting in the show: "Incarnation," 2009, above, featuring a porcelain-doll-like girl-woman who wears a dress made of sausage links, ham shanks and other raw meat... read the rest of the article on Culture Monster.

Although the show is in New York, West Coast fans can come see the piece that Ryden and his wife, Marion Peck, will be showing in Laguna Art Museum's upcoming exhibition, Art Shack (June 13-October 3).

Here's a sneak peak video for the doll-theater "shack" that Peck and Ryden sent us!

For more information on these two artists or Laguna Art Museum's Art Shack, visit the Museum's website!

What do you think of the video????

Two Weeks Left to Catch OsCene!

2010-04-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

April is coming to a close, and you only have two weeks left to check out the Museum's OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC!! The exhibition will end on May 16th and then the museum will be closed in order to get ready for our summer exhibition, Art Shack, opening June 13th.

One piece on display in OsCene 2010 is McLean Fahnestock's St. Clare of Burbank.

The artist recreates a moment in history when television viewers across the country watched the Apollo 11 lunar landing on July 20, 1969. Viewers are able to experience what that moment was like—when everyone was asked to accept that what they were seeing via grainy and ghost-like imagery was real, not a staged event on a B-movie set. The moon walk was a miracle, and the title of the work—St. Clare of Burbank—is a reference to Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), a nun who toward the end of her life, when she was too ill to attend Mass, reportedly was able to see and hear it on the wall of her room. In 1958, Pope Pius XII designated her as the patron saint of television. Fahnestock raises the question of faith, “faith in the achievements of science, faith in the truth telling of television, and faith in things that cannot be seen or experienced first hand.”

So, for you weekend, make a trip to see the work by Fahnestock and the other talented local artists featured in OsCene!!

OsCene Last Film Screening

2010-04-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 30th, Laguna Art Museum and OsCene 2010 film curator Keiko Beatie present the last film screening of the OsCene 2010 series:

Surf and Skate Liquid and Concrete Action in Film

Featuring four short films from local Orange County filmmakers:

Short by Austin Silvers

Surf Noir by Suyen Mosely

California by Victor Pacpour

Drive: Brazil by Mark Jeremias

Admission is only $5.00 and the screening will start at 6:00 p.m. This event includes FREE wine and popcorn, as well as the opportunity to view the OsCene 2010 exhibition, ending May 16th.

Here is what attendees are saying about the previous OsCene 2010 film screenings:

"Tonight was a wonderful night at the museum. The filmmakers were fabulous. The storytelling was poignant and spoke to the heart. Cannot wait to see what these artists do next."

"Film shorts shown tonight at the Museum are ablaze in my mind!"

"Enjoyed the film shorts event you hosted Friday night IMMENSELY. Can't wait to come back!"

For more information on the event or the featured film artists, visit the Museum's website.

Come join us!

Art and Food: A Love Story

2010-04-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a friend of mine exposed me to a fascinating website that combines two great loves shared by everyone here at the Museum: Art and Food.

Eat Me Daily is a website / blog that focuses on experiencing politics, pop culture, history, and art through food. Browsing the site, I was memorized by videos of World Pizza Championship Dough Throwing contest and the history of my beloved snack: popcorn, but, what really caught my eye was the section on FOOD ART.

One recent article featured food interpretations of iconic pop art pieces that were on display (for the satisfaction of both the imagination and taste buds) at the Brooklyn Museum last week. Eight works, including artists Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, and Paul McCarthy, served at the inspiration for the Brooklyn Ball meal, created by Jennifer Rubell. Abstract expressionism, minimalism, post modern and performance art were all made palatable in an interactive meal that transformed galleries to banquet halls and diners to players as guests indulged in nearly every genre of 20th Century art... read the rest of the article.

Art and Food will come together again at the Museum's annual Palette to Palete event on May 22nd. This event has become one of the most anticipated art and dining experiences in Orange County. This year's Palette to Palate will feature cuisine by Executive Chef Craig Strong from Studio, Montage Laguna Beach and wines by HALL Napa Valley and will include artists Kim Abeles, Stephanie Bachiero, Linda Christensen, Ron Dier, Alison Foshee, Tony Marsh, Donnie Molls, Burton Morris, Gifford Meyers, and Randall Sexton.

Photograph: Mario Batali catching on his cracker melting cheese from molded heads hanging from the ceiling. Photograph: Adam Robb / Eat Me Daily

Check out the LBCA INFO EXPO this weekend!

2010-04-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Stop by the Laguna Art Museum's booth this Saturday, May 1st, at the LBCA INFO EXPO!!

The LBCA INFO EXPO is a unique gathering of representatives from local community groups, city officials and residents to share information, link up with other groups and rally new supporters. Part education and part coffee-klatch, this free event is your chance to learn, share and network!!

This event is only for groups located in Laguna Beach and serving Laguna Beach Residents. We hope you will stop by to support us, so we can continue to serve you!

The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the city lot adjacent to Farmer’s Market in Downtown Laguna Beach. For more information click here.

2010-04-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

The Museum was buzzing with excitement on Saturday with our annual IMAGINATION CELEBRATION! All the children, their families, and the Museum staff and volunteers had a blast listening to live musical performances, making Lagoonie Aliens, and creating other great works of art! Over 400 visitors came to Imagination Celebration, and we hope that all of you had a great time and will join us next year!!

Here is some great pictures of the festivities! If you want to find out more about Imagination Celebration or other events that Laguna Art Museum has in store, please come check out our website!!

Updates on Esteban Bojorquez's Shack!

2010-04-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! Here are the Museum we are all sad that the closing day (May 16th) for OsCene 2010 is fast approaching... but on the brighter side, we have been getting exciting updates from the artists in the next Laguna Art Museum show, Art Shack!!
If you remember, a few weeks ago we posted some pictures of Esteban Bojorquez working in his studio. Today, Esteban has sent us some detail photos of his shack that he has created for Art Shack. It looks amazing, and the Museum cannot wait to see the whole project in person!!

Esteban's work will be on display in the Museum's Summer exhibition, Art Shack, from June 13th- October 3rd.

For your weekend:

Be sure to come see OsCene 2010 before in ends May 16th!!!

Also challenge yourself to Orange County's own Food War between Trieu Chau and New Trieu Chau, and see which soup reigns supreme!

And come to the Imagination Celebration on Saturday to celebrate Earth Day by creating Earth Bags by upcycling fabrics, newspapers, string and more!

OsCene Spotlight -- Gina Genis

2010-04-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

Come check out the works of OsCene artist, Gina Genis, on display now at Laguna Art Museum. Genis' two photographs are located on the lower level and will be up for the duration of the exhibition, ending May 16th!

Gina Genis’ recent series of photographs, Window Peeping, captures the nocturnal activities of a cross-section of average American senior citizens. The works are noteworthy for their technical sophistication and their examination of a relatively rare subject matter in art. They also contain layers of meaning and implications that speak to the complex nature of human existence – its cultural, social, familial, and biological facets. It was on evening walks around a retirement community, that Genis began to photograph interior scenes revealed through open windows; her camera caught brief glimpses into the lives of the elderly. These were not artificially constructed images, but were spontaneously and discreetly shot to capture a straightforward and honest view of what it means to grow old.

Genis’ work says much about the ambivalent place that the elderly seem to hold in today’s mainstream culture, a culture that is primarily focused on and celebrates youth. The traditional position of the elderly as wise and relevant heads of family is something that is growing increasingly rare; reverence and respect is being replaced by obsolescence. This is especially pertinent today as baby boomers become senior citizens in growing numbers. Window Peeping acutely captures this social, cultural, and demographic shift while asking the viewer to reconcile wider cultural attitudes with their personal views regarding the inevitability of aging.

—Selected text from “Gina Genis’ Window Peeping: An Existential Examination of Aging,” by Brandelyn Dillaway, Mt. San Jacinto College

For more information about the work and life of artist, Gina Genis, download the FREE Laguna Art Museum iPhone app today! And be sure to come see OsCene 2010 before it ends on May 16th.

Images of Gina Genis' work Lives Lived in Cubes and and The Pack Rack.

Art News -- Celebrity Art Collectors

2010-04-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Don't you wish you could COLLECT like a celebrity!?!

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are among the many celebrities that have picked up on the art collecting habit.

James Franco and Lady Gaga have been the talk of the art world ever since the two began dabbling in performance art, but they're hardly the only prominent pop-culture stars to have a glittering foot in the art world. Recently, in fact, a rising tide of interest in contemporary art has led more and more celebrities to enter the gallery and museum sphere, oftentimes as collectors, patrons, or producers — a fact that has brought no end of satisfaction to Los Angeles dealers, who have long sought to tap into Hollywood money (and the celebrity endorsements that come with it) in earnest. While there's no mistaking these stars for the Steve Cohens or David Geffens of the world who spend millions on attention-grabbing historic works, these actors, designers, musicians, and sports gods have been throwing their support behind a number of rising (and established) talents in the art world. ARTINFO has assembled a list of 12 celebrity collectors, some of whom you may not have suspected. Read the full article on ArtInfo...

For more on what's happening in the art world, come and check out Laguna Art Museum website and be sure to come see our current exhibition, OsCene 2010, up until May 16th!

Interview with Education Curator Jackie Bunge

2010-04-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Imagination Celebration at Laguna Art Museum is just around the corner! You and your family are invited to attend this FREE fun-filled day at the Museum on Saturday, April 24 (11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.).

Attendees will enjoy hands-on art projects, face painting, live music, Museum exhibitions, the Art Detective game, refreshments, and more!

>> Click here for more information

In the meantime, we interviewed Laguna Art Museum's Education Curator Jackie Bunge who runs Imagination Celebration at the Museum.

Laguna Art Museum: How many years have you been running Imagination Celebration?
JB: This will be the third year I have helped with the event, but the second year I will be running it!

Laguna Art Museum: What is your favorite part about Imagination Celebration?
JB: My favorite part of Imagination Celebration is seeing the kids and their families enjoying a day in the Museum, along with all of the hands-on activities and musical performances!

Laguna Art Museum: Do you have a particularly fond memory from a past Imagination Celebration at the Museum?
JB: Yes, I loved watching the face painting last year. The kid’s love face painting and it was great to see their eyes light up when they saw the face painting table! Kids have such wonderful imaginations, so it is always wonderful to hear the designs they ask the face painters for. The best design request last year was a green and red tiger breathing fire while jumping on the moon! Needless to say…the face painters had their work cut out for them!

Laguna Art Museum: What are you looking forward to most for this year’s event?
JB: I am really looking forward to the music performances….they always add so much energy to the event!

Laguna Art Museum: What is your favorite part of your job as Education Curator at Laguna Art Museum?
JB: I love working on public programming, workshops, lecture series and tours. I love that the museum is able to offer so many exciting programs to the surrounding community.

Thanks to Jackie for taking time out of planning for this Saturday's big event to talk to us!

And to all you readers, we hope to see you at the Museum this Saturday armed with new and innovative face painting ideas.

Jason Maloney Video

2010-04-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

Southern Californian artist, Jason Maloney, Hurley's current resident artist, is joining the Art Shack line-up! Check out the awesome video Jason sent us of him working on his art!

For more art by Jason Maloney, check out Laguna Art Museum's Summer exhibition ART SHACK on display June 13-October 3, 2010!

Board President Featured in Riviera Magazine

2010-04-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Our stylish Board President, Robert Hayden III, is featured in the month's issue of Riviera Magazine for an article called OC Men of Style 2010.

From the article:

THE EXECUTIVE
Robert Hayden may be a third generation O.C. industrialist (he’s the CFO of his family’s metal finishing factory), but his heart is in the arts. “I dabbled in thinking I’d be an artist,” he says. “But I realized business is more my forte.” Hayden, 42, is the well-dressed president of Laguna Art Museum’s board of trustees, and the stunning homes he shares with his partner in Laguna and Palm Springs are filled with the finest 20th-century California art. Plus, his hobby is art research—he discovers lost works and forgotten artists for the museum’s exhibits. He calls his own immaculate sense of style “eclectic, a mix of cutting-edge and conservative. I might wear Comme des Garçons and something from Brooks Brothers at the same time.” He’s “addicted” to Hermès pocket squares, travels often to NYC for shopping sprees and loves finding “quirky, handmade things, like belts made by cowboys in Colombia.”

Congratulations Robert (love the photo)! We can't wait to see what you'll be wearing at the next exhibition opening...

Imagination Celebration

2010-04-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

IMAGINATION CELEBRATION is almost here!

SAVE THE DATE!
April 24, 2010
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
A fun-filled day for the entire family!

Admission is FREE thanks to a donation from the Arts Council, a support group of Laguna Art Museum. Reservations are not required.

Families will enjoy a fun-filled day of hands-on art projects led by members of Laguna Outreach for Community Arts (LOCA), face painting, refreshments, and more.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to view the Museum's current professional exhibitions (OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC, and Artists in California, Early Twentieth Century: From the Permanent Collection), and current student exhibition (Plaster Friezes of the OC created by 3rd grade students from St. Mary's School, Aliso Viejo).

Musical performances will take place every hour by musicians from local schools including The St. Mary's Drumline.

This year's hands-on art projects will focus on upcycling which is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value.

Hands-on Art Projects and Facilitators

Colleen Corbett, Lagoonie Aliens
Create your own alien and spaceship sculptures with recycled cans, tubes and sprials. Add googly eyes and have some out-of-this-world fun!

Mike Tauber, Tiki Totems
Create a sculptural head of a tiki figure. Start with a cardboard cylinder, add fringy hair, noodley eyes and mouth, and draw on face paint for good luck. Add a feather to make it fun.

Reem Khalil, Earth Bags
Create a bag by upcycling fabrics, newspapers, string and more!

Suzette Rosenthal, Creative Collage
Have fun taking various bits of paper ‘trash'-wrapping paper, candy wrappers, magazine cutouts, security envelopes-and turning them into a one-of-a-kind visual expression of yourself!

>> For more information, please contact Jackie Bunge at 949.494.8971 x207.

http://www.lagunaartmuseum.org/

SPECIAL OFFER on Student Memberships!!

2010-04-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

Want to do something new and exciting on your weekends?
Looking for a great gift for the student in your life??
No plans to look forward to this Summer???
Want a way to ask out that cute brunette in your Art History class????

Laguna Art museum has just the ticket... sign up to become a Student Member at the Museum!!!!

What does the membership get you? I'm glad you asked...

Student Membership at the Museum will grant you UNLIMITED access to music concerts, an inside look at exhibitions featuring cutting-edge artists, and of course invites to some of the coolest parties Orange County has to off -- ALL FREE WITH A MEMBERSHIP!

Here is just a few of the exciting events in the Laguna Art Museum line-up:

Thursday, May 6 (7:00 p.m.) -- Marc B. Concert

>> FREE Admission, wine and beer bar

Sunday, May 16 (1:00 p.m.) -- Portfolio Review
>> FREE for Student Members, or $10.00 for non-members
>>Meet with industry professionals to review you portfolio or ask advice on your art practice

Saturday, June 12 (7:00 p.m.) -- Opening Night Party

>> FREE for Student Members, $25 pre-sale, $30 @ the door
>> Opening Night for the Museum's summer exhibition, ART SHACK, will feature live DJ, cash bar, photo booth
>> Meet and mingle with artists featured in the show such as Don Ed Hardy, Craig Stecyk, Shag, Paul Frank, Jason Maloney, and Kevin Ancell...

Become a Student Member for only $25 (more than 50% off regular priced memberships) and attend all of these events + more for FREE!

JOIN online, in person, or call Dawn at 949-494-8971 x203.

Hope to see you soon!!

Art Shack's Jeff Gillette @ CorpGallery

2010-04-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

The artist, Jeff Gillette, who is exhibiting in the Museum's upcoming Summer exhibition, Art Shack, has a show that opened this past Saturday at the CorpGallery in Santa Monica. Gillette's Dismayland will be on display until May 1st.

Jeff Gillette's shack is inspired by his trips to the slums of India.
And if you like the style and theme of Jeff Gillette's Dismayland, be sure to check out his piece in Art Shack, opening June 13th at Laguna Art Museum!!

OsCene Artist Spotlight

2010-04-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Come into the Museum now to check out our current exhibition, OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC. OsCene 2010 is a survey of contemporary art and culture in the OC featuring some of the most provocative painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, multi-media installation, video, architecture, performance, music, and design that Orange County has to offer. One of the many talented artists on display at Laguna Art Museum is Kendell Carter, a Long Beach-based artist.

Too Black... Not Black Enough, Kendell Carter (artists standing in front of his piece), 2010

About the piece: Carter’s installation Too Black . . . Not Black Enough plays out the discourse of “blackness,” not just in western society, but also in the realm of contemporary art. Each set of objects in the installation provides a marker for this conversation: the tight rope becomes the apparatus for this discussion that hinges on the contradictory context of the two paintings, executed in identical fashion and installed on opposite ends of the rope. The text on one painting reads “too black” and on the other reads “not black enough.” Emphasizing the challenge—and perhaps disorientation—is the diagonal stripes along the walls where the paintings hang. The aspect of spectacle is heightened with the photo-ready sponsor wall—Grounded Studios—the name of Carter’s personal studio and black and white balloons, which add to the sense of celebration to an absurd extent. Undertones of cynicism are carried out in the installation, particularly by the gold shoes, which serve as a twofold metaphor: (1) a medal for accomplishing the balancing act on the tight rope, and (2) a reference to the tradition of shoes hanging from power lines as a marker for a location where drugs are sold. In the installation, the hanging shoes are a symbol of the compulsion of the duality that this discourse holds. A changing presence in the installation is set by the balloons that will slowly deflate and sink to the floor, signaling the end of the spectacle.

To learn more about this artist and the rest of the artists in the OsCene, download Laguna Art Museum's iPhone App for OsCene 2010 for FREE!!

OsCene Artist Panel - Watch the Video!

2010-04-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Did you miss out on the March 14 discussion panel with UCI MFA students and OsCene 2010 artists Andrew Printer, Betsy Seder, and Jenny Yurshansky?! Now you can watch it online! These artists work in different mediums, but similarities are drawn from their work including notions of absence and memory. The artists discuss these larger themes and how these are investigated in their different practices.

>> Click here to watch more videos of past lectures and events at Laguna Art Museum!

>> Don't miss out on another interesting OsCene artist discussion panel taking place THIS Sunday (April 11, 1:00 p.m.).

Ceramic Practices Between Generations: Panelists Richard Shaw, Patrick Crabb, and Nathan Betschart will talk about their own ceramic practice, and a discussion will open up to OsCene 2010 ceramic artists Melissa Thompson, Molly Schulps, Nobuhito Nishigawara, and Stephanie Bachiero on how the medium of ceramics has changed over the years. This panel is made up of a multi-generation of artists using ceramics to further establish this dialogue.

>> Free for Museum Members and free for non-members with paid admission.

>> Click here for more information

Weekend Events @ the Museum: Ceramics Panel and Tip Top

2010-04-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

No plans for the weekend?? The Museum has just the thing to spice up your lazy Saturday afternoon!!

Stop by Laguna Art Museum on Saturday, April 11 @ 1:00 p.m. to listen to a panel discussion of ceramic artists that spans multiple generations.

Nobuhito Nishgawara, Princess III (featured in OsCene 2010).

Panelists Richard Shaw, Patrick Crabb, and Nathan Betschart will talk about their own ceramic practices and a discussion will open up to OsCene 2010 ceramic artists Melissa Thompson, Molly Schulps, Nobuhito Nishigawara, and Stephanie Bachiero on how the medium of ceramics has changed over the years.

Immediately following the panel discussion @ 2:30 p.m. be sure to stay and view the compelling art performance by Barbara Berk in Tip Top. Tip Top is the latest in a series of works that use Berk's body as a connecting element. Berk relies on the context of her work to help further determine its content.

Tip Top by OsCene artist Barbara Berk

>> Both events are FREE to Museum Members and free to non-members with paid admission.
>> Click here for visitor information!

Other events for your weekend:

Explore the Spring weather with Laguna Beach Garden Club: "Monach Butterfly Habitat" Expert, Friday, April 9th

Or enjoy a Newport Beach Brunch Cruise!

How is your weekend going??

Fairey sighting in LA

2010-04-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

"If you've driven along Melrose Avenue in the past couple of weeks, you probably have noticed a new outdoor mural on the north side of the street near Ogden Avenue, across from Fairfax High School.

The recognizable mash-up of pop-psychedelic images -- including an elephant, a lotus flower and "Obey" logos -- point to only one source: Shepard Fairey, the popular and controversial L.A. street artist..."
Read the rest of the LA Times article...

Sherpard Fairey DJ-ing at the opening of Laguna Art Museum's Summer 2008 exhibition In the Land of Retinal Delights: The Juxtapoz Factor.

Like the art of Shepard Fairey? Check out other contemporary artists now showing in Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010!

You be the Critic!

2010-04-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Review OsCene 2010!

Leave a comment and let us know what you think about our current exhibition OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC. One special reviewer will be randomly chosen to win a set of permanent collection postcards from our Museum Store!

Here is what the press is saying about OsCene 2010:

"OsCene exposes the soul of O.C." ~ California Guide Book

"A fascinating exhibition...stimulating art." ~ Laguna News-Post

"A rare treat!" ~ OCLNN.com

OsCene 2010: Patrons enjoying Suvan Geer's Family/Tree: To Revive a Still Image
(video and mixed media installation, 2009).

Haven't visited the exhibition yet?! There is still time! OsCene 2010 is on display through May 16.
>> Click here for visitor information. We hope to see you at the Museum!

Art Shack Artist

2010-04-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
Now that it's April, along comes the showers! But the Museum has exciting news to brighten up your gloomy day.

The artist, Paul Frank, the co-founder of Paul Frank Industries and the mastermind behind the lovable monkey, Julius, has joined the talented group of artists for Laguna Art Museum's upcoming exhibition, ART SHACK!

Here is a sneak peak of Paul's new work...

Check out Paul Frank's site.

OsCene in the News

2010-04-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Laguna Art Museum Reveals Vanguard OC Artists with OsCene

By Joanna Clay, for OCLNN.com
Thursday, April 1, 2010

"Take a break from beachside impressionism and traditional works, and check out some contemporary art at OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC at the Laguna Art Museum.

The three month long exhibition features everything from visual artists and musicians, to painters and electronic installations..."
Read the rest of the story

From OsCene: Diana Donaldson, I Will Love You Forever (2008)

Activities for Your Weekend

2010-03-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

The real question is... Who DOESN'T love The Dude???

Joe Forkan, Supper at Emmaus, 2009
Happy Friday everyone! Make sure to come to the Museum to check out our current exhibition OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC featuring this painting by Joe Forkan.

A little bit about the piece:
This painting is part of the larger Lebowski Cycle series, in which Forkan modeled scenes from the Coen Brothers’ film The Big Lebowski, after recognizable masterpiece paintings from western art. In Supper at Emmaus (after Caravaggio), he incorporates into his painting the same linear composition, expressive gestures, and use of still life found in Caravaggio’s painting, Supper at Emmaus (1601) to create parallel visual and emotional tensions within the scene. Forkan foils the seriousness of this biblical story to the absurdly humorous tale of a cult classic to establish connections between two seemingly different paintings; as a result, he invites the viewer to create a wide range of possible readings within the scope of the history of art. By using similar techniques, scale, and recognizable composition, Forkan hopes to draw a parallel between historical and contemporary narratives, revealing underlying structures found throughout the language of art.

For more information about this piece, check out Joe's website or painting blog.

>> Click here for Museum visitor information!

Other local activities for your weekend:

Spend some time outdoors learning about Laguna's surrounding wildlife at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

Enjoy the holiday with your family at the Montage Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 4th.

Check out other local art in Laguna Beach on an Art Tour.

Concert Night at the Museum!

2010-03-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness it's Hump Day... the weekend is almost here!

Can't wait to celebrate?? Well you don't have to... Kick off the weekend and come visit Laguna Art Museum for First Thursdays where the Museum is FREE from 5-9 p.m. AND where will be a special performance by the award-nominated pop/folk duo I Hate You Just Kidding presented by the OC Music Awards!!

Enjoy the cash bar while listening to a great local band and looking at the Museum's current exhibition OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC!

Bar opens at 6:00 p.m. with $5.00 wine and beer.
Band starts at 7:00 p.m.

More information about the event, the band, or the OC Music Awards??

Download OsCene 2010 iPhone App

2010-03-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Make sure you download the FREE Laguna Art Museum iPhone for OsCene 2010!! Have all information about OsCene artists, the Museum, and all the cities in Orange County at your finger tips!

Or rent an iPhone Touch at the Museum front desk to have your own personal walking tour of the exhibition.

For more information about the OsCene Exhibition, visit our website.

What do you think about this new iPhone app????

Volunteer for Imagination Celebration!

2010-03-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Volunteers needed for Laguna Art Museum’s Imagination Celebration: Open the Door to Art Saturday April 24 from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Enjoy working with children and their families in creating hands-on art projects, assist with refreshments, help set up musical performances, and more!

Imagination Celebration, a program of Arts Orange County in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education, dynamically connects community, arts organizations, universities and Orange County students in providing meaningful access to the arts. This collaboration presents a county-wide arts festival offering free or very affordable events in performing and visual arts in order to highlight creativity as the center of a livable, healthy community.
Click here for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering for this fun-filled event, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Derry Coe at covail@fea.net.

Weekend News and Check Up!

2010-03-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday everyone and hope you had a wonderful weekend! Special thanks for everyone that decided to celebrate the weekend with us, either by checking out our OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture Exhibition up now or coming to the film screening last Friday. Shout out to Karen who had this to say about the night...

“Tonight was a wonderful night at the museum. The filmmakers were fabulous. The storytelling was poignant and spoke to the heart. Cannot wait to see what these artists do next. And also, to come back to visit the Museum!” ~ Karen, OsCene film screening attendee

I know everyone here at the Museum had a blast! For more events happening at the Laguna Art Museum click here or check out the Events link!

From OsCene: Yasuko, Wedding (from the series Snow White Revised), 2008

We were in the news again this weekend! Read what the OC Register has to say about the widely talked about OsCene: 2010...

"OsCene 2010 – Contemporary Art and Culture in OC," hosted by Laguna Art Museum, is a fascinating exhibition of the latest art created by Orange County and Long Beach artists. "OsCene" has become one of the most anticipated and closely watched events art lovers look forward to; something like an art barometer, every two years..."
Read the full story

Shack up at Laguna Art Museum this summer!

2010-03-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Art Shack artist Esteban Bojorquez sent over this photo of himself working on his shack for our upcoming exhibition. Looks awesome!

Art Shack is a group exhibition in which artists such as Don Ed Hardy, Shag, and Mike Shine combine art and architecture. Explore surf shacks, tattoo huts, retro shanties and more, and immerse yourself in 25 different worlds crafted by the artists.

Art Shack Summer Pass
Buy one day and get the rest of the summer for FREE!

>> Click here to purchase your Art Shack Summer Pass which allows you to visit the exhibition as many times as you like

Opening Night Party
Join us for the Art Shack Opening Night Party Saturday, June 12, 2010. Enjoy a live DJ, photo booth, cash bar, and the opportunity to meet the participating artists!

>> Click here to purchase your tickets to the Art Shack Opening Night Party

What do you think of our new blog???

2010-03-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

Laguna Art Museum is excited for our new blog! This is your one-stop-spot for all Laguna Art Museum news and for updates of what's happening in the art world in Orange County and the rest of California!

Here is a little something to say thanks for visiting...

This Weekend @ the Museum

2010-03-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Film Series: Shorts from the OC for the OsCene
Friday, March 26 (6:00 p.m.)

Come and check out the screens for the film artists included in the museum's current exhibiton: Oscene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC

Tender Roots by Matt Brailey
Amici by Alex Melli
Le Retour by Rachel Earnest
Heal by Mian Adnan Ahmed
Paper Cuts by Candace Jade-Lewis
1:00AM by Raymond Cinemato
The Journey by Elliot Fuster Master
Mutually Assured Desires by Andrew Hellesen
My Secret Love Affair With Matt Gonzalez by Gordon Winiemko

$5.00 admission. Includes FREE popcorn.

More Info

What are you doing this weekend??

"OsCene2010 Exposes the Soul of OC." --California Guide Book

2010-03-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Recent press for OsCene 2010: Contemporary Art and Culture in OC

>> Orange County Register

>> Laguna Beach Independent (2.19.10)

>> Laguna Beach Independent (2.26.10)

>> Coastline Pilot

>> Riviera Magazine

>> OC Weekly

>> OC Weekly Review

>> California Guide Book

>> The OC Art Blog

Derby Doll Smash Down

>> OC Register video

>> OC Weekly

>> OC Register

Come out and visit the exhibition! Support your local art scene.

Above: Fran Siegel's Overland #7 from OsCene.
Photo courtesy of Michael Haight Photography

OsCene Digital Catalog

2010-03-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

OsCene 2010 Digital Catalog now available online. Check it out!

OsCene 2010

2010-02-18T14:53:00.000-08:00

OsCene 2010 opens this weekend! The artists have dropped off their artwork, and some of them are even busy at work installing their works.

Jocelyn Foye is at the Museum today preparing for tonight's Roller Derby Girl performance in the California Gallery. The Long Beach and Orange County Derby Girl teams will compete against each other and make impressions on a wall of wet clay. Jocelyn will then take the mold and create an artwork that will be exhibited in OsCene. The above video shows OsCene curator Grace Kook-Anderson helping to prepare the clay wall.

Come to the OsCene 2010 opening night party! With music by DJ Velvet Touch, a cash bar, and live performances, it's sure to be a fantastic night! Tickets are $20 presale or $25 at the door. You'll also get the chance to talk with OsCene artists and preview music from OC Music Awards nominees. The Laguna Art Museum iPhone app, which will feature additional artist and OC information, will also be available for download.

Grace will be conducting a curatorial walk-through of the exhibition this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Don't miss the opportunity to hear about the exhibition directly from the curator!

You have the chance to support local art by sponsoring an OsCene artist! A portion of your donation is tax-deductible. For more information, visit our website.

Featured Auction 100 work

2010-02-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

Ether by Walter Robinson is a featured work in this year's Auction 100 at Laguna Art Museum. The Auction will take place this Saturday, February 6. You may preview works available for purchase online or in the Museum through February 5.

Featured Auction 100 Work

2010-02-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

David Roberts' Sunlit Spectrum, 2009, is available for sale at Laguna Art Museum's Auction 100. The work is a photographic print on Kodak Professional Endura Metallic and measures 20 x 16 inches. Its starting bid is $850.

The auction will take place this Saturday, February 6, at Laguna Art Museum. All of the works may be previewed online or in the Museum from now until February 5. Any unsold works will be available in a post-auction on February 7. You can still purchase your tickets to the event!

Collecting California and Weathering the Storm Closing This Weekend

2010-01-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum and Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm have been on view for about three months now, but they are coming down this Sunday, January 17.

The two exhibitions have provided patrons with a wide array of California art from the early nineteenth century to the present time. The works of art range from traditional California impressionist paintings to images of cartoon-like figures commenting on today's society. The exhibitions offered something for everyone - no matter one's artistic preferences, there was certainly a piece that each patron could really enjoy.

A Conversation with Jeremy Fish (January 17 at 1:00 p.m.) is the final programmed event that will take place before the exhibitions close. Attendees of this event will be able to hear firsthand from the artist about his first museum exhibition. Jeremy is a fun guy with interesting and creative ideas. This event is sure to be engaging and thought provoking.

I'm a little sad to see the exhibitions close - it seems like opening night was just yesterday - but also excited for the Museum's upcoming events.

Auction 100 is taking place on February 6. This event will feature 100 works of art from 100 California artists, and will offer collectors an opportunity to purchase quality works at competitive prices.

You can preview the exhibition from January 30 to February 5. You may also view the online gallery. All works unsold will be available for purchase on February 7.

Tickets to the event are $125 for Members and $150 for non-members. All proceeds benefit the Museum's education and exhibition programs.

Also coming up is OsCene 2010, which will be on display from February21 - May 16 and will feature 49 artists from Orange County, Long Beach, and San Pedro. Included will be works of art in all media, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, multi-media installations, video, and performance. OsCene 2010 has also collaborated with the OC Music Awards this year. During the exhibition, patrons will be able to visit listening booths in order to hear music from nominated musicians.

This is just a snapshot of exciting events coming up at Laguna Art Museum. For more events, visit our website. It looks like 2010 will be a great year at the Museum!

2009: A Year in Photos from Laguna Art Museum

2009-12-31T14:30:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Laguna Art Museum Opens its Vaults

2009-12-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

December 25, 2009 10:07 PM

By RICHARD CHANG

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Story Highlights

The current exhibition, 'Collecting California,' presents gems from the permanent holdings.

Videos

There's a California that doesn't get discussed much amid talk about the economy, housing, health care, global warming and changes in the population.

California is still the creative capital of the West, if not the entire United States. Disney, the movie business, television, the surf and skate industries, and high-tech companies such as Apple all continue to have firm foundations here in the Golden State.

"Untitled, or In the Garden," c. 1922, by Mabel Alvarez. Oil on canvas. Promised gift of Nancy Dustin Wall Moure. On view at Laguna Art Museum through Jan. 17.

California's creative energy is also reflected in its visual art. Since the 1960s, Los Angeles and Southern California in general have risen to global status in the art world.

Through Jan. 17, the Laguna Art Museum is showcasing works from its permanent collection in "Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum." More than 80 artists are featured in the exhibit, which spans 150 years and takes up all of the museum's ground floor and basement galleries...

>> Click here to read more!

OsCene 2010 Artists Announced!

2009-12-21T16:11:00.001-08:00

49 artists have been selected to participate in Laguna Art Museum's OsCene 2010. The exhibition, which will run from February 21 - May 16, 2010, will feature artists from Orange County, as well as Long Beach and San Pedro. The artists have submitted work of various media, including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, design, architecture, and performance.

“Despite the geographical framework that OsCene 2010 takes on, it's exciting to see the range of artists in this exhibition with diverse backgrounds and practices. There will definitely be some threads of dialogue between these different artists and their works,” said curator Grace Kook-Anderson.

Film and video artists will be announced by guest film curator Keiko Beatie January 11, 2010.

OsCene 2010 is also teaming up with the OC Music Awards this year! During the exhibition, a listening booth will be set up so that visitors may hear music from nominated OC Music Awards musicians.

Laguna Art Museum Hosts One of the 10 Most Fascinating Museum Exhibitions of the Year!

2009-12-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight hailed Laguna Art Museum's exhibition on Roger Kuntz as one of "the 10 most fascinating museum exhibitions [he] saw this year." Laguna Art Museum is mentioned along with shows at LACMA, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Huntington Library, The Getty Villa, UCLA Hammer Museum, MOCA, The Guggenheim, MOLAA, and The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Our New Publication Has Arrived!

2009-12-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Our new publication has arrived!

Laguna Art Museum's newest publication Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum has arrived in the Museum Store just in time for the Holidays!

$29.95

>> Add to shopping cart

Special Offer!

When you renew your Membership, become a new Museum Member, or purchase a Gift Membership at the Friend Level or higher before December 25, 2009, you will receive a complimentary copy of Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum!

Offer available for in-store purchases only. The Museum Store is open daily from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., and will be closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Visit the Museum Store today and take advantage of this limited-time offer! This publication would make a great holiday gift for the California art-lover in your life.

About the Book

Featuring over 80 works from the Museum's permanent collection and spanning 150 years, this book accompanies the Museum's current exhibition and is a celebration of the art and artists of California and of the generosity of many longstanding friends and supporters of the Museum.

Included are essays on the artists and their works by Susan Anderson (Independent Curator and Art Historian), Janet Blake (Curator of Collections), Jacqueline Bunge (Curator of Education), Bolton Colburn (Director of Laguna Art Museum), Doug Harvey (Artist, Curator, and Writer), Grace Kook-Anderson (Curator of Exhibitions), Will South (Chief Curator for The Dayton Art Institute), and Tyler Stallings (Director of Sweeney Art Gallery at University of California, Riverside).

This 144 page book is soft cover and full-color with stunning photographs by Chris Bliss and Eric Stoner.

Visit the Museum Store online to view other Laguna Art Museum publications and special exhibition merchandise!

Holidays at Laguna Art Museum

2009-12-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

It's the holidays at Laguna Art Museum!
To celebrate, the entire staff enjoyed a potluck feast on Tuesday. We had plenty of delicious food including chili, mac 'n cheese, tacos, fried rice, salads, and, of course, dessert. That red velvet cake was to die for. And Dawn slaved away on her tasty pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes. Yum.
Jackie brought traditional English holiday "crackers," too. They're cardboard rolls that make a cracking sound when you pull them open. Inside are cute little gifts, as well as corny jokes and crepe paper crowns. Of course, everyone wore their crowns for the duration of the lunch.
After we dined, we had a White Elephant gift exchange. Our group is very nice, so there wasn't much stealing of gifts, but it was super fun. Some gift highlights were a magic worm, a white elephant tea pot, and a Frida Kahlo cutting board that wasn't actually a cutting board.
Oh, what fun!
Today the staff got together to decorate the holiday tree in the lobby. There were ornaments on the tree during the previous three weeks, but they were all given away at a raffle. The Museum has accumulated a random assortment of ornaments over the years. We've decided that the tree is quite girly, as there are a lot of pink and sparkly ornaments. But the tree looks beautiful, and it was another opportunity for the staff to bond. That's the important part of the holidays, right?

Stop by the Museum to see our tree for yourself. Underneath the tree are gift bags available for purchase that contain various levels of Museum membership. These make great holidays gifts for your loved ones - and they're already wrapped for you!

Happy holidays from Laguna Art Museum!

A Piece of Cake

2009-12-14T14:31:00.000-08:00

A Piece of Cake by F. Scott Hess is currently on display in Laguna Art Museum's permanent collection exhibition Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum. This large painting is autobiographical, and records the events at a party which the artist attended.

Hess is a Los Angeles-based realist painter whose work explores vaired themes based on popular culture. Hess also bases many of his works on autobiographical material, but, according to the artist, few are as directly autobiographical as Piece of Cake (1986). Hess based the painting on the events at a party he attended in downtown Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. Late in the evening, an African American woman arrived at the party looking for a "friend," but clearly knew no one there. shortly after her arrival, she announced that she had been raped. Some of the few remaining partygoers offered her the last of the leftovers, a piece of cake, while other interrogated her with a variety of questions. Hess recalls, "The night was a racial, sexual whirlwind, and I knew in that moment it would be a painting." Hess went back to the apartment to capture the exact details of the kitchen and use the same party guests as models, but the artist invented the African American woman from his memory of the night's incident.

Hess notes, "My painting style at the time was rough, and the planes consisted of very active blobs of color laid down next to the others, sometimes compliments. The idea was the activate the surface, to make it writhe and seethe, as if heated from underneath. Then I'd set the viewer up in the air, in an impossible place, almost imposing vertigo. The intent was to leave the viewer in an unstable spot, suspended above this bubbling paint. I didn't want to soothe, but to disturb, with the hope of spurring the viewer to think more deepy about what they were looking at."

F. Scott Hess was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1955. In 1977, he received his bachelor of science in art degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1979, Hess moved to Vienna, Austria, where he studied for five years with the Austrian painter Rudolf Hausner, who has been credited as the first psychoanalytical painter. Through his artistic teaching experience in Vienna, Hess gained greater exposure to techniques of old master style painting, which profoundly influenced his work.

Jacqueline Bunge

Jeremy the Fish and his Friend

2009-12-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

Say "hi" to Jeremy the Fish and his Friend! The newest addition to the Laguna Art Museum administrative offices. Thanks to the Chapman PR team for all of their great ideas and the new pets!

Haven't seen Jeremy Fish's exhibition Weathering the Storm upstairs at the Museum? It's pretty awesome!

>> Click here for information about visiting the Museum

The OsCene 2010

2009-12-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

The OsCene 2010 will be on view at Laguna Art Museum from February 21 - May 16, 2010. The exhibition will feature artists working throughout Orange County and Long Beach. The artists work in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, performance, multi-media installations, and video.

The exhibition focuses on regionalism, and how Orange County has affected and inspired artists.

One highlight of The OsCene 2010 are Jocelyn Foye's live performance of the Long Beach vs. Orange County Derby Girls. The girls will fight and compete against one another in the Steele Gallery. This performance date and time will be announced later.

The OsCene 2010 is also teaming up with the Orange County Music Awards, which will take place on March 6, 2010 at The Grove of Anaheim. During The OsCene 2010, patrons will be able to visit a listening booth and hear music from the nominated musicians.

This exhibition will be extremely diverse, and will give visitors the opportunity to see the works of art of their OC contemporaries!

Collecting California & Jeremy Fish Opening Night Reception Videos

2009-12-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

The Collecting California and Jeremy Fish opening night party was so much fun. There was a great DJ, delicious food catered by Las Brisas, and, of course, fabulous art.

Opening night parties are exclusive events open to Museum Members only. Visit our website to learn more about Museum Membership, and how you can take advantage of special perks and deals!

Collecting California Opening Night Reception from LagunaArtMuseum on Vimeo.

Jeremy Fish Opening Night Reception from LagunaArtMuseum on Vimeo.

Kevin Ancell's Media Miracle

2009-11-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

Kevin Ancell's Media Miracle is on exhibit in Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum . Read below to learn more about the artist and his work. Feel free to post your thoughts and comments!

Kevin Ancell was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1963. Homeless at the age of nine, Ancell was taken in by Craig Stecyk and other artists in Santa Monica. Recalling some of those early years, Ancell states, “Craig didn’t care so much how good you were, but what you were willing to do. He gave me my first paying job.”1 Finishing only seventh grade, Ancell would paint murals for schools, spray-paint surfboards, and graphic design work. Since the age of seven, surfing and skateboarding became significant outlets for Ancell. In discussing his work now, Ancell doesn’t consider himself a conceptual artist and says that he jumps all over the place. Influences for Ancell include old masters like Rembrandt and Caravaggio; contemporary artists like Barry McGee, Sandow Birk, Russell Crotty, Billy Al Bengston; and of course, Craig Stecyk. Ancell explains, “The old masters are really the big influences and Craig’s guerrilla attitude toward approach.”2

Media Miracle (1999) is loosely based on the notorious Maverick’s surf spot just north of Half Moon Bay, California, and painted in the style of the old masters. The two surfers in the painting are Matt Ambrose (left) and Shawn Rhodes (center), both famous surfers who have been surfing at Maverick’s for years. From the sky, angels descend upon the two surfers. They both appear perplexed, and Ambrose holds a rock in his right hand, skeptical of their presence, as if he views the angels as the oncoming corporate media. Two elder figures on the right, representing “the establishment,” try to offer Ambrose and Rhodes a contract and several pieces of gold, eager to get them signed on for endorsements. Media Miracle depicts a final moment before the commercialization of surfing.

~ Grace Kook-Anderson, Curator of Exhibitions at Laguna Art Museum

1. Kevin Ancell, interviewed by Grace Kook-Anderson, September 22, 2009.

2. Ibid.

LACMA will host exhibition of American art

2009-11-23T12:05:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art will have an exhibition entitled American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765-1915 from February 28 - May 23, 2010. The exhibition will highlight 150 American paintings, including half a dozen works by California artists.

Artdaily.org - The First Art Newspaper on the Net

Allison Schulnik's Performance (for James Ensor)

2009-11-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Allison Schulnik
Performance (for James Ensor), 2006
Oil on canvas, 96 x 136 inches
Museum purchase with funds from the Mark and Hilarie Moore Family Trust

This week's selection from Laguna Art Museum's permanent collection exhibition, Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum, is a contemporary piece by Allison Schulnik.

>> Let us know your thoughts on Schulnik's piece! Leave us a comment and you could win a Laguna Art Museum permanent collection postcard set!

Schulnik says, "I paint rejects, misfits and their landscapes. My fixation on these characters is not intended to exploit deficiencies, but to find valor in adversity. There is something honest and true about imperfection. Something real about the shunned outcast ... someone who chooses to stay outside the realm of normal society, or is forced there against his will."

In regards to her piece Performance (for James Ensor) Schulnik adds, "They are seemingly alternate/bizarro world creatures existing between the animal-like and otherworldly. Presented in the midst of an extravagant and sadistic dance, almost like a choreography composed by Pina Bausch, Jan Svankmajer, and George A. Romero (if they ever would've had the chance of working together), it is unclear if the dance is a theatrical composition or a violent reality ... one thing seems detectable: the rapture they feel in their performance."

>> Visit Schulnik's piece in the California Gallery to read more about Performance (for James Ensor) and to discover the story behind the name of the piece.

>> Click here to view one of Allison Schulnik's recent clamation videos.

>> Click here to read more about the exhibition and to view images from the opening night reception.

>> Make an Annual Fund gift today to support this and other works in the Museum's permanent collection!

Jim Isermann's Shag Painting from Collecting California

2009-11-17T11:33:00.001-08:00

This work of art is featured in Laguna Art Museum's current permanent collection exhibition Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum, on view until January 17, 2010.

Jim Isermann was born in 1955 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He received a BFA at the University of Wisconsin in 1977 and his MFA at California Institute of the Arts in 1980. In the 1980s, Isermann created entire environments with rooms filled with furniture and decorative objects, all handcrafted. The contrast of moving from Wisconsin to California, and the experience of the modern architecture of the suburban, southern Californian landscape, influenced the environments he created. Isermann blends work done in the traditional sphere with the Bauhaus artists, influences from op art, and artists like Frank Stella and Larry Bell. In a succinct description of Isermann’s work, writer Dave Hickey states, “He may traffic in supergraphics and hot pink motel furniture, but Jim Isermann is, first and foremost, a California artist with Bauhaus tendencies, Minimalist agendas, and formalist precedents in the Abstract Classicism of John McLaughlin and Frederick Hammersley.”1

Untitled (Shag Painting) (1988), in the collection of the Laguna Art Museum, is the first painting in which Isermann used yarn that he hand-hooked. In this diptych, the left panel is a smooth enamel surface, with bold purple and orange swirls that encompass the entire panel. The background is divided by two colors, yellow and green. On the right panel, Isermann mirrors the form of the left with acrylic yarn, recalling the shag-carpet aesthetic that dominated domestic environments in the 1970s. Untitled (Shag Painting) creates a physical experience of movement that carries the tenuous balance of domestic and monumental scale.

~ Grace Kook-Anderson, Curator of Exhibitions at Laguna Art Museum

1. Dave Hickey, Jim Isermann: Utopia Now, ex. brochure (Los Angeles: Hammer Museum, 2002).

Unity Through Art

2009-11-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

Unity Through Art, which is presented by the Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau and Laguna Beach artists, benefits non-profits in Laguna Beach.
In the program, invited artists create a one-of-a-kind ornament for a nine-foot holiday tree that'll displayed in Laguna Art Museum until December 14.
Raffle tickets may be purchased for $10 from participating non-profits for a chance to win the tree and all of the original art on it! Ticketholders will also receive discounts around Laguna Beach just by showing their ticket.

In the Garden, a featured work from Collecting California

2009-11-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

In the Garden is a featured work in Laguna Art Museum's current exhibition Collecting California, which will be on view until January 17, 2010. Come see the work in person!

Mabel Alvarez was a modernist painter who was influenced by her study of Impressionism, Theosophy, and color theory. Her art may also be viewed as feminist and symbolist.

In the Garden depicts a modern woman: a 1920s flapper. The woman, whose face bears no emotion, is disconnected from the viewer and her surroundings, which burst with color, rhythm, and life.

Evan Pricco from Juxtapoz magazine blogs about Saturday's party

2009-11-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

via Juxtapoz Magazine

Posted by: Evan Pricco
A Jeremy Fish Show at Laguna Art Museum

This last Saturday night, M Revelli, Lynzy Blair of FIFTy24SF, and myself headed down to the Laguna Art Museum for an opening of Jeremy Fish's first museum show, "Weathering the Storm." I guess I didn't know what to expect, but once we got there it was amazing to see how many people came out to support Mr Fish; friends, fellow artists, fans, the curious types, members of the museum, all different, joined and made the opening a pretty special evening.

A big contingent of SF folk made the trip down, which I'm sure Jeremy enjoyed. I got to see some friends I hadn't seen in awhile as well, so goddamn, who would have thunk I needed to get to Laguna to see people that live in SF?

Finally, I got to meet Travis Millard and Mel Kadel (three year email relationships are funny things, I almost cried when I saw them, as if we all just got back from the war), Nathan Cabrera is a good dude, Mr Jon Dragonette and Zell Dragonette were great to see, John Trippe, the Grolsch, the Mike Giant look alike that I gave all my drink tickets to... the list goes on.

More work by Collecting California artist Allison Schulnik

2009-11-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Allison Schulnik is one of the artists featured in the Museum's current exhibition Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum.

Video: Grizzly Bear: "Ready, Able"

You'll never look at Gumby the same way again

Setting: A bucolic, woodsy landscape. Characters: Emotionally expressive claymation blob things. Plot: Something about being sucked up into some sort of polygonal spaceship. This is a weird one, folks!

Director and artist Allison Schulnik's video for Grizzly Bear's "Ready, Able" is online now, and its mesmerizing and hard-to-place sadness almost makes the all-out creepiness of Patrick Daughters' "Two Weeks" clip look like a picnic at the beach.

Why is that one blob thing melting? Why are those faces turning inside out? And why do I get so depressed watching all of it?

View the video.

OC Register article about Saturday's opening night party

2009-11-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

via www.ocregister.com/laguna

November 09, 2009 11:19 AM

Laguna museum opens new exhibits

By CLAUDIA KOERNER

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Videos

LAGUNA BEACH – Art lovers, artists and donors celebrated the Laguna Art Museum's two new collections Saturday night.

"Collecting California: Selections from the Laguna Art Museum" and "Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm" opened to the public Sunday and will run through Jan. 17.

Chloe Martin and Alex Vekich are interns at the museum.

The main and lower levels of the museum feature historic and contemporary work from the museum's permanent collection by California artists. The museum is also publishing a book in conjunction with the exhibit. Upstairs, San Francisco-based Jeremy Fish's paintings, sculptures and a mural take center stage.

Laguna Art Museum

Where: 307 Cliff Drive

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day

Tickets: $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, students or active military. Children under 12 are free.

More information: lagunaartmuseum.org or 949-494-8971

Jeremy Fish paints a mural in the Museum's upstairs gallery

2009-11-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

As part of his upcoming exhibition Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm, Jeremy Fish is painting a mural right onto the gallery walls. We've captured some candid photos of Jeremy and his crew hard at work. The exhibition opens this Sunday!

Preview The Pisser, a Featured Work in Collecting California

2009-11-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Pisser, by Robert Arneson, is a work that will be featured in Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum, which opens this Sunday. Come to the exhibition to see this work of art in person! Want a chance to attend the exclusive opening night party on Saturday? Become a Member of the Museum. Become our Facebook fan and you could win two tickets to Saturday's event.

Robert Arneson was born in 1930 and began his artistic career as a newspaper cartoonist, yet he is best known for his contributions to the funk art movement of the 1960s and his work in ceramics. Arneson first began to work with clay during his tenure as a high school art teacher. He rejected the traditional use of the medium, choosing instead to mold the clay in a way that was more expressionist.

The Pisser, which was part of Arneson's Toilet series, is an example of his ceramic works of art. In response to critics' claims that he was influenced by Duchamp's Fountain, Arneson stated that "Duchamp did not make a toilet, he made an untoilet. It's about transformation...I wasn't transforming anything."

Arneson began teaching ceramics at the university level in 1962, and remained teaching and creating art until his death by cancer in 1992.

Featured Work of Art from Collecting California

2009-11-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

View of Mountains in Ecuador was created by Norton Bush in 1868, and is one of the works of art featured in Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum, which opens this Sunday.

Norton Bush was an artist best known for his tropical landscape scenes of Central and South America. Bush was influenced by the Hudson River School painters and by luminists. Hudson River School paintings are characterized by a vast nature which makes man seem tiny and insignificant. Luminist paintings have no visible brushstrokes, play with the effects of light, and depict landscapes as paradises.

In 1853, Bush moved to San Francisco, where he received commissions from businessmen for tropical paintings. In 1868, he became sponsored by an art patron and traveled to Central America.

View of Mountains in Ecuador is an example of a tropical luminist painting. It depicts a small village surrounded by a tremendous landscape.

You still have a chance to win 2 invitations to this Saturday's opening party!

2009-11-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

We've decided to extend our raffle drawing to this Thursday. Once we reach 700 Facebook fans, we'll randomly select one lucky fan, who will receive two invitations to this Saturday's opening night party. The party celebrates the upcoming exhibitions Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum and Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm, which open to the public on Sunday.
Become our Facebook fan and spread the word to your friends! By becoming our fan, you'll be sure to stay up to date with Museum news and events.

Jeremy Fish on His New Installation at the Museum

2009-10-29T16:39:00.001-07:00

In his blog, Jeremy Fish talks about his first museum exhibition Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm at Laguna Art Museum. The exhibition will be on display from November 8 - January 17, and features 40 pieces including cutouts, sculptures, paintings, and even a piece of furniture. Fish's stuff looks really cool, and I can't wait to see it next week during the install.
Check out Jeremy's blog to hear what the artist has to say about his process, to preview some of his art, and to take a peek into his studio!

We have a winner!

2009-10-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

We decided to launch a social media promotion where, once the Museum got 400 Facebook fans, one of those fans would be selected to receive 4 free admission passes to our next exhibitions, Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm and Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum.

Yesterday we reached our goal of 400 fans, and Andrea Damusis Memenas was randomly selected as our winner! She is "so excited" about her prize. I bet all of her friends and family will be extra nice to her in the coming weeks so that she'll invite them to go to the Museum with her!

We've now set our eyes on a higher goal: once we get 700 fans, one of them will receive invitations for him/her and a guest to attend the opening night party for Jeremy Fish and Collecting California. Opening night parties are normally exclusive events reserved for Museum Members, but one lucky winner will be able to enjoy the music, food, and drinks for free. They will also have the opportunity to meet with the curators and artists featured in the exhibitions.

Become our fan on Facebook to have the chance to win this cool prize, and to keep yourself updated on Museum events and exhibitions!

Become a Member of the Museum to receive invitations for all of our upcoming opening night parties, as well as other special perks.

Good news for some CA arts organizations

2009-10-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is great news for some lucky arts organizations, as well as for those people who are looking for employment in the arts. via California Arts Council

Have an interest in California art and culture? Be sure to catch the Museum's permanent collection exhibition, Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum.

The California Arts Council announces agency's American Recovery & Reinvestment Act grants
Twenty-eight arts organizations statewide slated to receive funding for jobs

Published: 10-15-2009

The California Arts Council announces that twenty-eight organizations throughout the state are approved to receive funding for jobs through the agency's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. The Council approved the spending of $487,900 in job stimulus funds earlier this month. Other California arts organizations are approved to receive funding directly from the National Endowment for the Arts, regional, or local arts re-granting organizations.

The following organizations have been approved to receive ARRA funding from the California Arts Council -- given that the organization does not receive another ARRA-NEA grant from another source, and is able to fulfill the requirements of the grant agreement.

Community Works West, Inc. (Berkeley), $19,600
Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles), $20,000
Kulintang Arts, Inc. (San Francisco), $20,000
California Musical Theatre (Sacramento), $20,000
Center for LGBT Art and Culture (San Francisco), $18,000
Los Angeles Chamber Singers, Inc. (Los Angeles), $14,000
P.S. ARTS (Los Angeles), $16,640
Sierra Repertory Theatre (Sonora), $20,000
Venice Arts: In Neighborhoods (Venice), $20,000
About Productions, Inc. (Pasadena), $20,000
AXIS Dance Company (Oakland), $14,880
Eveoke Dance Theatre (San Diego), $20,000
Kearny Street Workshop (San Francisco), $18,720
LA Commons (Los Angeles), $15,000
Madera County Arts (Madera), $20,000
Oakland East Bay Symphony (Oakland), $10,000
Teatro Vision de San Jose (San Jose), $19,078
Arts Council for Monterey County (Carmel), $15,000
Media Arts Center San Diego (San Diego), $20,000
Mateel Community Center (Redway), $16,000
Merced County Arts Council, Inc. (Merced), $20,000
Plumas County Arts Commission (Quincy), $9,500
The Woodland Opera House (Woodland), $10,000
San Jose Multicultural Artists Guild (San Jose), $20,000
Robert Moses' Kin (San Francisco), $15,000
First Night Monterey, Inc (Monterey), $20,000
Galeria Studio 24 (San Francisco), $20,000
Kitka, Inc. (Oakland), $16,482

Curatorial Walk-Through on November 8

2009-10-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Join us for a personalized tour of Laguna Art Museum's permanent collection exhibition Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum on November 8 at 1:00 p.m. Members of the curatorial team, as well as participating artists, will be in attendance. This is a great opportunity to hear, from the experts, about the historical and contemporary art that will be featured in the exhibition.
Curatorial members include Susan Anderson, Janet Blake, Jacqueline Bunge, Bolton Colburn, Doug Harvey, Grace Kook-Anderson, and Tyler Stallings.

This event is free for Museum members. Not yet a member? Become one today!

For more information, contact Jackie Bunge at 949.494.8971 x 207.

Still accepting film & video submissions for OsCene 2010!

2009-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Laguna Art Museum is currently accepting film and video submissions for OsCene 2010, an exhibition that will be on view from February 20 - May 16, 2010. This exhibition will focus on artists working in Orange County and Long Beach.

Please submit your resume, filmmaker statement, two DVDs for film submission, electronic information site or disc with information (consisting of running time, synopsis, images, cast & crew, contact information, date of completion).

Mail all materials to:
Laguna Art Museum
Attn: Keiko Beatie
307 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

DO NOT send original work, as the Museum cannot be responsible for its safe return.

All submissions are due December 19, 2009.

Contact Keiko Beatie if you have any questions.

Special Discount on Friend Level Membership!

2009-10-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

In honor of its permanent collection exhibition, Collecting California, Laguna Art Museum is offering a discounted price on its Friend Level Membership. Take advantage of this limited-time offer today! Originally ~~$125~~, now only $100!

Friend Level Membership includes:

>> Unlimited admission to the Museum for two adults and immediate family members under eighteen

>> An invitation for two to pre-exhibition opening receptions

>> A 10% discount in the Museum store (excludes special exhibition merchandise)

>> Free admission to exhibition-related lectures

>> The opportunity to join Museum councils

>> A subscription to the Museum's e-newsletter

>> Annual Members' Magazine

>> Museum library privileges

>> Membership at this level provides you access to the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Program.

When a member presents their membership card validated with a gold North American Reciprocal sticker at one of the participating museums, they are entitled to the following privileges at those museums:

- Free Member admission during regular museum hours
- Discounts on concert/lecture tickets
- Member discounts at museum shops

More than 300 museums across the U.S. and Canada currently participate in the program including 25 in Southern California alone! Click here to view a list of participating museums!

Purchase your Museum Membership online or contact Dawn Minegar, Membership Manager, at 949.494.8971 x203.

Holloween Happenings

2009-10-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Lord Help Us

On Saturday, October 31st, of the year two thousand and nine,

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

INVITE you to a fabulous evening of Ribald Revelry, DEVILISH Dancing & Blood-feasting, as So-Cal & Desert Area Vampire Covens convene for the first official Vampires-Only Feast of the Supersensualists…

Start the evening’s feasting with a special intimate interview with a vampire....

Udo Kier

...who will be leading the oral fray after a special screening of...

Andy Warhol’s Dracula

all the while enjoying the dark melodies of DJ Fangbanger and Victor Rodriguez

Room rates starting at $119.
Use the code HLLW31 and receive a free upgrade (depending on availability). Book online at acehotel.com or call 760 325 9900.
Doors at 8pm - Show at 9pm - no cover charge
the best Vampire drag wins a night on us

Blood Sacks welcome, only if accompanied by one’s Master or Mistress.

701 e palm canyon dr. palm springs, ca I 760.325.9900

Ace Hotel is a sponsor for Laguna Art Museum's upcoming exhibition Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm.

New sculptures create a lot of buzz

2009-10-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

What do you think of the new sculptures outside of the police headquarters in LA? Post your thoughts below!

via www.latimes.com

Police Chief Bratton doesn't care for the cast-bronze pieces, which consist of six large black blobs and two tall, skinny structures. Others have mixed reactions.

By Steve Lopez

October 21, 2009

As luck would have it, the nearly completed LAPD headquarters is right outside my office window, so I've been bird-dogging the project from Day One to make sure taxpayers don't get ripped off. Which brings me to the $500,000 worth of public art that's just been installed on the west side of the building.

The cast-bronze sculptures consist of six large black blobs, with two tall, skinny structures on either side.

I wasn't sure what to make of them, so I went straight to the top: It looks like "some kind of cow splat," said Police Chief William J. Bratton, who sounded as if he were personally insulted by the installation.

Bratton said he first drove past the work and later walked back to see whether "it's as ugly up close as it is when you're driving by."

The answer was yes, and he sounded mad enough to have the artist arrested.

Bratton said he was not alone in his opinion; it was the talk of cops and staffers who already have moved into the new police administration building.

"I don't think anybody can figure out" what the shapes are supposed to be, Bratton said. "Bisons and hippos maybe. I haven't the faintest idea what the two tallest things are on either side."

Nor does he understand what any of this has to do with police administration, if anything. "I don't get it," he said. "It's just a shame."

Myself, I didn't see animals when I first looked at the sculptures. Peering down from my third-floor window, I thought they were giant molars. Not a good idea, I thought, to have a bunch of knocked out teeth on the grounds of the cop shop.

When I went outside for a closer look, I realized the molars were actually the torsos of animals with large rumps. Were the cops trying to tell me and my colleagues what they think of The Times, giving us a bunch of derrieres to look at?

Not clear. But the animal on the northern end looked like a pig that had been knocked on its side. You have to wonder how that's going to sit with the LAPD brass.

On the far side of the building I found a bunch of city employees with clipboards and asked about the sculptures. The first guy said it wasn't his department's jurisdiction, and I should check with the Bureau of Engineering. Then a bureau employee showed up and told me it wasn't her deal; I should call the Cultural Affairs Department and ask for Felicia Filer in the public art division.

It's easy to understand how a $300-million building project ended up costing closer to $450 million.

Filer told me that two artists were selected from roughly two dozen under consideration, and they split $1 million for separate projects at the police headquarters. The other work was a wall of etchings in the new auditorium representing an orange grove. A live orange tree was proposed as well, but police rejected the idea, fearing that citizens would pelt the building with low-hanging fruit.

Despite the city budget crunch and police staffing challenges, more art projects are in store for the new police headquarters because of a city requirement that 1% of any major project's cost be spent on art. Artists for the rest of the works will be chosen the same way the first two were -- by a panel of city officials, artists, neighbors and a civilian member of the LAPD.

Filer said Bratton first squawked about the sculptures when he saw the drawings. Bratton told me he liked the orange grove better because "it has some semblance of what it's supposed to be -- trees and leaves."

I spent a lot of time wandering the new police grounds this week, taking in the building and its surroundings, and I'd say the Parker Center replacement looks pretty good overall. But if Bratton thinks there's cow splat on the west side, wait until he sees all the dog splat on the south-side lawn, which has quickly become an outdoor toilet for neighborhood pets.

As for the sculpture, passersby had mixed reactions.

"That's a lot of butts on display," one woman said.

"It's nice," said another. "But is this a pig, or what is it?"

Elizabeth Shah, a state employee, shook her head in disgust.

"What kind of stupid thing is this?" she asked, claiming she's been an artist for 40 years, though a painter, not a sculptor.

Most people who made such comments were unaware that the pony-tailed man with a caulking gun, sealing the base of the sculptures, was the artist himself -- Peter Shelton.

"I'm generally getting very nice comments," he said.

Others don't understand why, if a piece looks somewhat like an elephant, it couldn't have looked more like an elephant.

"Well, does it really need to look more like an elephant?" wondered Shelton, whose work has appeared at the Getty and MOCA.

By the way, Shelton said he spent roughly $400,000 of his paycheck on supplies and casting, so he won't be retiring just yet. As for Bratton's cow splat comment, the artist took that as more of a comment on the chief's lack of knowledge about contemporary art than on his own work.

Shelton said that throughout Europe and Asia, animal sculpture is commonplace outside public buildings, regardless of the business inside. He got the job after telling the Cultural Affairs Department that he didn't care to make a statement about the Los Angeles Police Department; he wanted to create a playful and provocative street-scape that might evoke all manner of reaction.

Larry Osborn, who works for the city's General Services Department, strolled by and said at first that he didn't know what the objects were or whether he liked them. But as he continued looking, he decided he did.

"If it causes a person to stop and wonder," he said, it's working. He also said the figures are whimsical enough to soften the image of the LAPD.

I don't know. I could see the police hoisting criminal suspects on top of those beasts until they talk, or plopping them up there as a form of public punishment -- like stocks in medieval times.

I'll keep an eye on that through my window, and on all the illegal parking by -- guess who?

Yeah. Now that the new building is almost complete, cops are parking out there all day long, right next to the "No Stopping Any Time" signs. And a couple of blocks away, City Atty. Carmen Trutanich seems to be spending hours going through the City Hall phone book each day, looking for colleagues to threaten with jail time.

Where are you on this one, Nuch?

I can eyeball it for you from my window, if you want to do business.

It's installation time at the Museum!

2009-10-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Museum's next exhibitions, Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum and Jeremy Fish: Weathering the Storm, open on November 8. Now that the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational is over, the preparators are busy with installing the new exhibitions in the galleries.
Some of the works of art have already been delivered, and it's neat to finally see them in person! I had only seen images of the art that will be displayed, and it's definitely different to view them up close and personal. Photographs surely do not do these works justice, especially in the cases of my two favorite pieces, Jim Isermann's Untitled (Shag Painting) and Frank Cuprien's The Golden Hour, Laguna Beach. Before viewing the work in person, I had no idea that Isermann's work is nearly 8 feet tall! Cuprien's work doesn't photograph very well; in person, the painting actually seems to glow and shimmer.
I haven't seen any of Jeremy Fish's works of art yet, but I'm sure they will also be wonderful.
Become a member of the Museum and you will be invited to the exclusive opening night party for these exhibitions!

2009-10-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

An interesting article about American contemporary artist Shepard Fairey. He participated in Laguna Art Museum's exhibition, In the Land of Retinal Delights: The Juxtapoz Factor, in 2008.

Poster artist admits to lying

AP to continue copyright suit

By Liz Robbins New York Times / October 18, 2009 NEW YORK - Shepard Fairey, the artist whose “Hope’’ poster of Barack Obama became an iconic emblem of the presidential campaign, has admitted that he lied about which photograph from the Associated Press he used as his source, and that he then covered up evidence to conceal his lie.

Fairey’s admission, which he made public Friday, threw his legal battle with the news agency into disarray.

The AP claimed in January that Fairey owed it credit and compensation for using the photograph. But in February Fairey sued the AP, seeking a declaratory judgment that the poster did not infringe on the agency’s copyrights and that he was entitled to the image under the “fair use’’ exception of the copyright law. The AP countersued in March, saying Fairey had misappropriated the photograph.

Fairey told the agency - and his own lawyers - that he had used a photograph from an April 27, 2006, event about Darfur at the National Press Club in Washington, where Obama was seated next to the actor George Clooney. Instead, the photograph he used was from the same event, but was a solo image of Obama’s head, tilted in intense concentration.

Fairey admitted that in the initial months after the suit and countersuit were filed, he destroyed evidence and created false documents to cover up the real source. He said he had initially believed that the AP was wrong about which photo he used, but later realized the agency was right.

“In an attempt to conceal my mistake, I submitted false images and deleted other images,’’ Fairey said in a statement, released on his website. “I sincerely apologize for my lapse in judgment, and I take full responsibility for my actions, which were mine alone.’’

Fairey’s lawyers said they intended to withdraw when he could find new counsel.

Srinandan R. Kasi, the AP’s general counsel, released a statement Friday night that said: “Fairey’s lies about which photo was the source image were discovered after the AP had spent months asking Fairey’s counsel for documents regarding the creation of the posters, including copies of any source images that Fairey used.’’

Kasi said: “The AP intends to vigorously pursue its countersuit alleging that Fairey willfully infringed the AP’s copyright in the close-up photo of then-Senator Obama by using it without permission to create the Hope and Progress posters and related products, including T-shirts and sweatshirts that have led to substantial revenue.’’

Laguna Art Museum receives James Irvine Foundation Grant

2009-10-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

via Coastline Pilot

Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:09 PM PDT

Museum receives Irvine grant

The James Irvine Foundation will award the Laguna Art Museum $375,000 to aid in expanding audiences and increasing financial sustainability, museum officials announced. The museum reported a $500,000 drop in assets during the last fiscal year.

“This multiyear Arts Regional Initiative grant will allow Laguna Art Museum to strengthen its internal systems and tighten its long-range planning,” said Director Bolton Colburn.

Through its Arts Regional Initiative, the James Irvine foundation is awarding $4 million in grants to 11 arts institutions in Southern California.

“In this tough economy, we want to underscore our commitment to these regional arts organizations as they explore new ways of achieving financial sustainability and attracting culturally diverse audiences,” said James E. Canales, the Irvine Foundation’s president and chief executive.

The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on three areas: arts, California democracy and youth. Since 1937 the foundation has provided more than $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California.

Trust Your Plein Sight

2009-10-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

NEW this year! Trust Your Plein Sight.

All paintings in this portion of the Collectors’ Soirée and Sale will be 8x10 inches and all will be priced at $300. Trust your instincts because only after the purchase will the artist‘s name be revealed!

These paintings were created during the Paint Out last Sunday, October 11. They are now on display at Laguna Art Museum. Come check them out and pick which one you are going to purchase on Saturday!

The Museum is open 11:00a.m.-5:00p.m. every day this week.

http://lagunaartmuseum.org/Events/cal_landscape_2009.html

Rain + Plein

2009-10-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Although it is raining here in Laguna Beach, that won't stop our Plein Air Painting Invitational artists from creating their masterpieces!

Today Saim Caglayan and Eb rahim Amin have moved into Laguna Art Museum's Steele Gallery to work on their paintings which will be available for sale this Saturday, October 17 (6:00 p.m.) at the exclusive Collector's Soiree and Sale.

Tickets are going fast! Click here to purchase yours today!

www.LagunaArtMuseum.org

Support the arts in your community

2009-10-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to get involved with the arts in your community and to spread the word about your own art initiatives.
Love American art, especially that of California? Check out Laguna Art Museum's Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum, on view from November 8, 2009 - January 17, 2010.

via California Arts Council

Tell Americans for the Arts about arts service in your community

Americans for the Arts invites Americans to post arts volunteer stories on their new website serve.artsusa.org, dedicated to promoting community service opportunities for arts groups, arts volunteers, activists, and artists nationwide. Inspired by President Obama's United We Serve initiative, serve.artsusa.org provides a forum for volunteers and arts organizations to share volunteer stories and to upload related photos and videos. "[We] know that the arts have the power to engage and strengthen communities, and that volunteerism in the arts deserves more attention and support," notes an email invitation from Americans for the Arts to its members. "The personal and professional arts volunteer stories you share will be compiled with related videos and pictures and then shared with the White House, Congress, and the media."