Laguna Art Museum

The Laguna Art Museum director announced Monday that he is stepping down May 13. Bolton Colburn started as a curator in 1987 and assumed the role of director after the Newport Harbor Art Museum and Laguna Art Museum merged in 1997. "I love Laguna Art Museum, its mission, and the community, but it is time for someone else to take the lead and for me to pursue other opportunities in the art world," Colburn said in a news statement. I wish the museum every good fortune and prosperity.

A storage unit, a garage, a car, a professor's office and a tent on a campsite. These are only a few of the 24 Irvine spots where Richard Newton bunked over two years in the early 1970s. This nomadic life - the yearning to feel out new surroundings - sparks inspiration. "The seed of my ideas comes from other places and, I suppose, works with my restlessness - I'm always going somewhere," he said. "I have personally found that the most interesting part of life is to be exposed to other people, cultures and places - to somehow step completely out of where you come from and immerse yourself in someone else's world.

They came, they drank, and they feasted on food and art. On May 18, 100 people paid $500 each for a ticket to the 2012 Palette to Palate, a benefit gala evening and dinner at Laguna Art Museum. Palette to Palate is one of LAM's main annual fundraisers, and this year's edition grossed about $150,000. The money will go toward the museum's education and artistic programs, LAM officials announced in a news release. Chef Craig Strong of Studio at Montage Laguna Beach cooked up a four-course gourmet dinner.

Clarence Hinkle lived in Laguna Beach from 1922 until 1935. Dating to 1917, he painted scenes of the arts colony, but only one of his paintings remains in the Laguna Art Museum's permanent collection. "Laguna Beach," a 30-inch by 36-inch oil on canvas, is LAM's lone Hinkle. His 1929 painting depicts a swathe of the town's coastline from an elevated vantage point. Soon, that and more than 114 of Hinkle's other pieces, including more than 25 painted locally, will go on display for "Clarence Hinkle," one of two exhibits that LAM will open to the public June 10 and run concurrently until Oct. 7. Paintings by Hinkle - who died in Santa Barbara in 1960 - will comprise the larger of the two shows.

The Laguna Beach Library and Laguna Art Museum will celebrate the power of art this month as part of the annual Orange County Imagination Celebration. This year’s festival will feature more than 100 events throughout the county; closer to home, the library will hold a free storytelling night and the museum will offer hands-on art workshops. At the library’s Flights of Fantasy, 7 p.m. April 22, storyteller Lorrie Oshatz will interpret folk tales and fables, weaving comedy and theater into literature.

Billabong will host an exhibition of Wolfgang Bloch’s work at Laguna Art Museum on Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12, in conjunction with Chronicle's release of a book on his life and art. The book follows the life-path of Wolfgang’s unique childhood in Ecuador, his move to America, his art education, the winding journey through California culture, the surf industry and, eventually, his return back into the world of art. ...

The Laguna Art Museum's director of marketing and public relations for the past six years, Stuart Byer, has announced his resignation. Byer, who worked part-time for the museum, gave notice in early December to ensure that the institution had enough time to find a suitable replacement. He chose a Feb. 15 end date in order to complete his work on the museum's upcoming Feb. 10 art auction. "It's been a tremendously rewarding experience; one that I'll always value," Byer said.

Laguna Art Museum has revamped its annual auction into a curated, specialized tour de force. "Art Auction = Stimulus," featuring works by new and established California artists, will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 10. A preview of the exhibition will be on view at the museum from Feb. 5 through 9; images of the pieces are also available on the museum's Web site, www.lagunaartmuseum.org. "We've created a whole new auction this year," Museum Director Bolton Colburn said.

Clyde is a former quality control engineer for Boeing. When he began attending Alzheimer’s Family Services Center, he regularly participated in art class, creating wonderful pencil sketches; once painting a beautiful seascape. As his dementia progressed, he stopped joining art class, becoming more and more isolated. Thanks to Laura and Louis M. Rohl, Clyde and many other participants at AFSC were treated to an outing including, lunch and a tour of the Laguna Art Museum exhibition of William Wendt.

Summer treats at the Laguna Art Museum include three new exhibitions: "Faux Real," "Sea Change: Tanya Aguiñiga's Bluebelt Forest" and "ex•pose: beatriz da costa. " The season begins with an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. June 1 at 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach. Curated by Grace Kook-Anderson, the museum's curator of contemporary art, "Faux Real" features artists Michael Arcega, Sandow Birk, Libby Black, Julie Bozzi, Amy Caterina and others from June 2 till Sept. 29. Infusing daily household items with a twist, this display is a commentary on culture and consumerism.

A storage unit, a garage, a car, a professor's office and a tent on a campsite. These are only a few of the 24 Irvine spots where Richard Newton bunked over two years in the early 1970s. This nomadic life - the yearning to feel out new surroundings - sparks inspiration. "The seed of my ideas comes from other places and, I suppose, works with my restlessness - I'm always going somewhere," he said. "I have personally found that the most interesting part of life is to be exposed to other people, cultures and places - to somehow step completely out of where you come from and immerse yourself in someone else's world.

Thomas Jefferson Kitts is inspired by nature. Also, given a choice, he prefers not to rely on memories, photographs or drawings. The result? A prolific 30-year career as a plein air painter. An avid follower of John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla and Anders Zorn, the Portland resident is driven by the challenges posed by this style of painting. He stands in agreement with Paul Cézanne's words: "Nature is the best instructor. " "It simply comes down to the fact that the world is more complex a place than anything I can make up in my head - I become lost in it as I paint," said Kitts, 52. "It's the closest I can come to God. " Kitts is one of 40 plein air painters who donated original work to the Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn.

Tenpa Dorjee isn't seeking to raise money for strangers with his charity project in Laguna Beach. The Indian monastery that will benefit from the campaign has a human face attached to it - one that Dorjee believes he's seen in multiple forms. On April 18, the Laguna Beach Film Society will screen the 2003 drama "Travellers and Magicians," the first feature film shot in the Asian country of Bhutan. Dorjee, the owner of Tibet Handicrafts in Laguna, is in charge of selling 100 tickets for the show.

The Laguna Art Museum dismissed a volunteer film curator last month after finding "financial irregularities" in her work, according to a museum official. Sharon "Keiko" Beatie, who curated films that were showcased by the Laguna Beach Film Society, received an email from the museum's executive director, Malcolm Warner, that the nonprofit museum, which receives some city funding, was severing its relationship with her March 3, according to Beatie. Warner said he and George Weiss, head of the film society, made the decision to cut ties.

The restaurant [seven-degrees] rolled out the purple carpet Sunday to welcome the royalty of the Laguna Beach arts community. The crowd at the sold-out event supped and celebrated the state of the arts in Laguna at the Art Stars Awards dinner in stellar fashion, honoring the winners, the nominees and their supporters. Guests at the 7th Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts event were also treated to musical entertainment by Laguna Flutes at the reception and the musical duo of Yael and Vlady during dinner, an excellent dinner catered by [seven-degrees]

Art Walk Join member galleries from 6 to 9 p.m. the first Thursday of each month for a festive cultural evening. The next Art Walk is Thursday. Asterisk [*] denotes the participating galleries. Dedicated shuttle service starts at 6:15 p.m. from the Laguna Art Museum at North Coast Highway and Cliff Drive, and Bluebird Center, 1590 S. Coast Hwy. Shuttles run until 8:45 p.m. First Thursdays Art Walk is funded by member galleries, lodging establishments and the city. For more information, call (949)