Art World

Sometimes starting over is the only logical path for those in the unpredictable world of art. German native Marion Meyer was planning to become a stewardess for Lufthansa when she took a detour to the Nellie Gail Ranch. Meyer became an au pair for a family, and the mother of the kids she was watching was a hobby artist. As she tells it, that was how she discovered the world of art in Laguna Beach. Meyer started out in 1988 as an intern at a gallery on Forest Avenue, where she worked her way up to manager and stayed for nearly 10 years.

The new Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art will open its doors on Friday and host its First Thursdays Art Walk reception from 6 to 9 p.m. June 7. "The gallery was created by two gallery owners / gallery directors to bring contemporary work of the highest quality to downtown Laguna Beach from emerging to mid-career to internationally recognized artists," according to a prepared statement outlining the gallery's mission. "With 45 years of combined knowledge of contemporary art and a team of professionals working in the fine art world, LGOCA holds a vision of style and creative perfection with original paintings including: oils, mixed media, acrylics, encaustics, photography and sculptures of bronze, steel, marble and glass.

Suzie Harrison With several art galleries closing over the last few months and business being down, the 12 artists that make up the co-op at Quorum Art Gallery felt especially thankful celebrating their 40th anniversary May 1. Quorum was the first cooperative gallery in the city. "This is our third location in Laguna Beach," Schauer said. "We've been at this location for many years." Wally Schauer has been with the gallery since 1970. About half of the artists have been there for a long period of time, though with the economy as it is, there have been more changes the last couple of years.

Free college admission seminar approaches College Focus, an organization of college counselors, will hold a seminar on producing a perfect college application from 7 to 8 p.m. April 17 at Laguna Beach High School. Topics will include how to work with teachers and counselors; a step-by-step method to get kids into top colleges; community service, which summer program and extracurricular activities colleges like to see; and what college admissions officers look for in winning applications.

Suzie Harrison In a house surrounded by lush foliage and jasmine lives a pioneer and an art icon in Laguna Beach. She says she loves life, the community and other artists here. Anne England has been a Laguna Beach resident since 1962 and an artist since age 3. Her intelligence and creative mind has made a significant difference for Laguna's art community. It was England's idea for the inception of a studio art tour, and she is the co-founder of the Sawdust festival's annual Art Walk.

Two Laguna Beach High School seniors, Sadie Drucker and Ali Bloom, were recently awarded the opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists James “Dalek” Marshall and Jason Maloney on an art project for Hurley 225 on Forest Ave. Drucker said the pair became involved with the project through the high school, when an art teacher recommended them for the job. “I was called out of art class and sent to the principal’s office,”...

Suzie Harrison Since the early 1900s people have found their way to Laguna Beach seeking the life of an artist. It started with Norman St. Claire, who came to town in 1903 to paint the surf and hillsides. Now, most artists are forced to adopt the not-so-romantic view that their income will have to be supplemented somehow, often through a second job, an inheritance or the income of a spouse. Fortunately, there are plenty of examples of people in town able to support themselves solely through their creative abilities.

SUZIE HARRISON First Thursday's Art Walk was a perfect primer for the arts and entertainment happenings I consumed over the weekend. Dodging throngs of tourists as I navigated my way to the galleries proved to be an exercise in agility. I quickly felt reprieve once safely inside the sanctity of the art world, surrounded by familiar faces and allured by the artists' creations. Diane DeBilzan Gallery was one such safe haven, featuring new works by William DeBilzan, Gavin Heath, Andrew Myers, Rob Riemer and Claudia Meyer.

LCAD students to show off work at Art Walk The 11th annual mentorship between Laguna College of Art & Design and First Thursday's Art Walk member galleries comes to a close Dec. 6 when local galleries will feature original work by fine art seniors. Several LCAD students will show off their work at 17 local galleries that volunteered to be mentors, according to a news release. The event will take place during the Art Walk, 6 to 9 p.m. and the students will present their work at each gallery, with proceeds of sales benefiting student artists and the First Thursdays Art Walk LCAD Scholarship Fund.

Sometimes starting over is the only logical path for those in the unpredictable world of art. German native Marion Meyer was planning to become a stewardess for Lufthansa when she took a detour to the Nellie Gail Ranch. Meyer became an au pair for a family, and the mother of the kids she was watching was a hobby artist. As she tells it, that was how she discovered the world of art in Laguna Beach. Meyer started out in 1988 as an intern at a gallery on Forest Avenue, where she worked her way up to manager and stayed for nearly 10 years.

Two Laguna Beach High School seniors, Sadie Drucker and Ali Bloom, were recently awarded the opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists James “Dalek” Marshall and Jason Maloney on an art project for Hurley 225 on Forest Ave. Drucker said the pair became involved with the project through the high school, when an art teacher recommended them for the job. “I was called out of art class and sent to the principal’s office,”...

For Laguna College of Art and Design senior Mallory Rose, dreams of pursuing her passion for drawing and painting became a reality unexpectedly, when she received a generous donation from a high school classmate’s family to attend art school. “Their daughter, Amy, was killed in a car accident on her way home from a portfolio day at an art college she planned to attend in the fall,” Rose said. “Since she no could no longer fulfill her dream of going to art school, her family wanted to honor her memory by helping someone else live out that dream.

Free college admission seminar approaches College Focus, an organization of college counselors, will hold a seminar on producing a perfect college application from 7 to 8 p.m. April 17 at Laguna Beach High School. Topics will include how to work with teachers and counselors; a step-by-step method to get kids into top colleges; community service, which summer program and extracurricular activities colleges like to see; and what college admissions officers look for in winning applications.

Symbolism works in the arts because it's economical. A well-placed symbol can speak out beyond the limitations of direct representation, even past the symbolist's intentions, expanding to suit the viewer. Wang Niandong is a symbolist painter. His work is on view at Mandarin Fine Art Gallery (1294 So. Coast Highway). The gallery is also showing some very interesting pastel studies, but go to see the large-scale oils on linen, crammed into the small space just inches away from each other.

SUZIE HARRISON First Thursday's Art Walk was a perfect primer for the arts and entertainment happenings I consumed over the weekend. Dodging throngs of tourists as I navigated my way to the galleries proved to be an exercise in agility. I quickly felt reprieve once safely inside the sanctity of the art world, surrounded by familiar faces and allured by the artists' creations. Diane DeBilzan Gallery was one such safe haven, featuring new works by William DeBilzan, Gavin Heath, Andrew Myers, Rob Riemer and Claudia Meyer.

Jose J. Santos In college, missing class is missing class, period. When UCLA freshman Alexandra Nechita needed to skip one of her classes recently, the 18-year-old artist knew her professor probably wouldn't care whether her alarm clock didn't go off or her calendar was booked with a speaking engagement, an absence was still an absence. "You can't just say that you're going to Tennessee to give a lecture," Nechita said. "You can't do that here.