Lots of Happy Winners at Sunday's Annual Art Star Awards

Submitted by Jennifer Daniels:

In true Academy Award style, the best and brightest of Laguna’s diverse artistic community enjoyed a star-studded evening on Sunday, as the Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts (LBaa) recognized its stars and paid tribute to renowned actress and comedienne Rita Rudner at the 7th Annual Art Star Awards held at [seven-degrees].  Attendees included over 230 community and cultural leaders whose efforts allow Laguna Beach to enjoy worldwide recognition as a hub of artistic energy.

Guests enjoyed a red carpet reception with champagne and hors d’oeuvres set to the music of Laguna Concert Band’s 20-member ensemble, Laguna Flutes.  Later in the evening, entertainment included the gypsy jazz stylings of musical duo Yael and Vlady.  Wayne Baglin, Art Stars Event Chair, emceed the award gala and Rita Rudner delivered a compelling keynote address.

The evening’s first honoree was the winner of the $5,000 [seven-degrees] of inspiration grant, awarded to Ed Peterson for his proposal to work in conjunction with the Laguna Concert Band to create the original musical score for an animated film to be produced by the Laguna College of Art & Design Animation Master Class this summer. The finished project will be a professional-quality film fashioned under the artistic direction of master animator Stephen Chiodo that will be shared by a worldwide audience at international film festivals.

Last year’s recipient of the [seven-degrees] of inspiration grant, John Barber, was on hand to unveil his creation of a large-scale indoor sculpture entitled Feeding Frenzy.  The exquisite piece consists of as many as 100 blown colorful glass fish tails suspended from a ceiling mounted cable.  The sculpture is illuminated with winding rope lights that provide subtle filtering through the length of the sculpture.  It will continue to be on display in the [seven-degrees] entry foyer.

The 2013 Art Star winners were announced:

Best New Arts Program:   Summer Entertainment on the Green (Festival of Arts)

Individual Arts Patron of the Year:  Terry Smith

Corporate Arts Patron of the Year:  Wells Fargo Bank

Outstanding Arts Collaboration:  Orange County: Destination Art & Culture (John Wayne Airport, Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau, Art-A-Fair, Festival of Arts, Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Art Museum)

Arts Leadership: Jonathan Burke (Laguna College of Art & Design)

Artist of the Year: Scott and Naomi Schoenherr

For her outstanding and significant contributions to both the visual and performing arts in Laguna Beach, Jacquie Moffett was honored with a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award. An award-winning watercolorist, scenic artist and actress, Moffett also has devoted a significant part of her life volunteering her time, skills and leadership to the Festival of Arts, the Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Outreach for the Arts (LOCA), LPAPA and the Festival of Arts Foundation.  She has the distinction of being the longest exhibiting artist at the Festival of Arts, this summer will mark her 46th year.

"No one is more deserving of this award than Jacquie,” said LBaa president Wayne Baglin.  He continued, “Her exceptional accomplishments, contributions and artistry will continue to influence and inspire generations to come.”

The winners were presented with an original one-of-a-kind sculpture created by local artist Louis Longi.  The sculptures are created specifically for the Art Star Awards with no molds or editions. Bronze sculptor Louis Longi has been creating sculptures for over 26 years encompassing over 12 public art commissions and countless exhibitions, some of which have been sponsored by MGM Mirage, Cirque du Soleil and General Motors.  His works captures the essence of human emotion with forms that encourage the viewer to transcend the limits of vision and experience the works.

The Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts was established in 2002 as the result of an exciting partnership among more than 20 Laguna Beach organizations. The mission is to serve as an advocate for the arts, promote collaboration and networking among the arts organizations of Laguna Beach, and to serve as a united voice for the arts in the city. Members of the Alliance for the Arts include Art-A-Fair Festival, Laguna Dance Festival, Chamber of Commerce, City of Laguna Beach Arts Commission, Community Art Project, Festival of Arts, First Thursdays Art Walk, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach Chorale, Laguna Beach Craft Guild, Laguna Beach Film Society, Laguna Beach Live!, Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association, Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau, Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna Concert Band, Laguna Outreach Community Arts, Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Lagunatunes Community Chorus, No Square Theater, Sawdust Art Festival, and [seven-degrees].

ABOUT THE WINNERS:

«  Best New Arts Program:   Summer Entertainment on the Green

Festival of Arts

The 2012 music program at the Festival of Arts, Summer Entertainment On the Green, reached new heights of professionalism this past year, bringing record numbers of visitors to the grounds during the two-month run of the Festival.  Guests enjoyed performances ranging from Grammy award- winning and internationally renowned musicians such as Christopher Cross and Poncho Sanchez to the music of Southern California and local favorites, Max Bennett, Jason Feddy and Peter Dobson.  With the high caliber of entertainers, excellent publicity program reaching out to the community and neighboring residents, enhanced by the investments of a new stage, sound system, and seating, this program exceeded expectations.

«  Individual Arts Patron of the Year: Terry Smith

In the years since 2001 when he was first recruited to serve as a trustee at LCAD, Terry has served on or chaired every committee of the board.  In each case, his service was distinguished by thoughtful preparation, engaged participation and willingness to lead by example – actively inspiring and cajoling others to “up their game” in support of the college.  Indeed, Terry and his partner, Wayne Peterson, a former City Councilman and Mayor of Laguna Beach, have quietly and consistently contributed more than $260,000 to LCAD over the past decade. Terry has enjoyed a long and successful career as a high school teacher, a computer programmer and a business systems analyst.  Terry is active in Saint Catherine’s Church and has been a member of the Laguna Beach Arts Commission and also involved in numerous City Council campaigns here in Laguna.

«  Corporate Arts Patron of the Year: Wells Fargo Bank

For more than fourteen years, the local Wells Fargo branch has allocated two floors for attractive gallery space – free of charge – to the Festival of Arts and Community Art Project. The artwork is rotated quarterly and has given hundreds of artists the opportunity to showcase a diverse range of work to a new audience comprised of locals and visitors alike. The unlikely "marriage" of banking and art has created a mutually rewarding relationship for Wells Fargo and artists, and provided an important link between bank customers and their community.

«  Outstanding Arts Collaboration: Orange County: Destination Art & Culture

John Wayne Airport, Visitors Bureau, Art-A-Fair, Festival of Arts, Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Playhouse

The Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau formed a committee of the major non-profit arts destinations of Laguna Beach to showcase Laguna’s art past and present as part of John Wayne Airport’s exhibition program titled: “Orange County: Destination Art & Culture.”  The Laguna Beach exhibit entitled “A Legacy of Art” features – Laguna Beach Yesterday, Laguna Beach Today and images from Sawdust Art Festival, Art-A-Fair, Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters, The Laguna Playhouse and Laguna Art Museum, dating from 1904 to the present.  John Wayne Airport Orange County launched the new program in conjunction with the opening of its new Terminal C in November 2011. The program allows the airport to highlight Orange County’s non-profit arts and cultural venues to the millions of passengers and visitors who travel through the airport each year.

«  Arts Leadership: Jonathan Burke

Laguna College of Art & Design

Jonathan Burke is president of the Laguna College of Art & Design. From 1985 to 2011 he was the dean of fine arts and gallery director at LCAD. In 2011 Jonathan was appointed as President of LCAD, and in his new role has succeeded in elevating the college to new heights.  Notable accomplishments include: doubling the capacity for freshman student housing, expansion of the main campus by acquiring adjacent property in the canyon that nearly doubles the footprint of the college and welcoming the largest incoming freshman class in the history of LCAD. Additionally, Jonathan immediately embraced a leadership role in the arts community - attending events, collaborating with other key organizations in activities such as providing student exhibits to the Laguna Playhouse, and actively participating in many forward-thinking committees including the Downtown Civic Arts Vision Committee. We acknowledge Jonathan tonight in this still new position, for these things and more, for his countless creative contributions, and not forgetting his boundless enthusiasm for always reminding us that, indeed, Laguna Beach is a college town.

«  Artist of the Year:  Scott and Naomi Schoenherr

Scott and Naomi are nominated for their beautiful Heisler Park sculpture garden dedicated in 2012.  This popular and arresting creation highlights the natural history and environment of Heisler Park, inviting the visitor to contemplate and explore.  The project consists of three walkway panels, large bronze and ceramic inlay sculptures, and natural stone slab benches, cohesively creating a flow connecting the garden and park to the ocean.  Scott and Naomi have a unique voice in their ceramic and mixed media creations and show a deep connection with the Heisler Park environment, echoed in their colorful and textural installation.  The Heisler Park sculpture garden is their second public art project in Laguna, following their 2010 ceramic installation on the Ocean Avenue public restroom.  Scott and Naomi believe strongly in the importance of well executed artworks that connect with audiences at many levels.