SANDRA JONES CAMPBELL "Gauguin’s Dream Meditation"

Title: Gauguin’s Dream Meditation

Materials: Acrylic paint on wooden violin

Dimensions: 31” H x 14” W x 3” D
Estimated value: $3000
Buy It Now: $3750
Display Location:

Pacific Edge Gallery; 540 South Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach

Artist’s Background

Sandra was educated at the University of Maryland (International Division in Istanbul) and the University of Oregon and has gone on to become a popular and critically acclaimed painter.

Sandra describes her paintings as composites of social sightings portraying evocative associations from a voyeuristic perspective, often at moments of personal apprehensions or sociological attitudes. Her visual narratives achieve effects that are simultaneously playful and sophisticated.

Sandra’s depiction of social and political scenes reflect both her professional respect for the 30′s style German Expressionists Max Beckman, George Grosz and Otto Dix, and her uniquely gentle wit. Multiple figures populate lively acrylics on paper or canvas images that blend Sandra’s optimism and candor, along with her keen visual skill: balancing color, form composition, humor and subject matter.

Sandra’s provocative paintings have been shown in over 50 one and two person exhibits, and at museum shows in California, Oregon, Massachusetts and Arizona. Paintings by Sandra Campbell Jones are included in permanent collections both nationally and around the world. She is a regular exhibitor at the Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach.

Artist’s Statement

Homage to Gauguin’s passion for painting Island Women, for using Primitives as subjects. His desire in painting to deal with suggesting rather than describing. Concept of vision replaced that of observation. His intuition led him to discover that in terms of surface area or degrees of intensity, color no longer builds up but merely suggests form. For Gauguin’s meditation, art was an abstraction.

The violin is held aloft by a wooden Art Deco style statue (painted in acrylic to match). It is used to balance the violin and is a tribute to the female figurative in Music and Art.
For more information about this artist, visit: sandrajonescampbell.com

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Shannon Richardson “Muses”

Title: “The Muses”

Materials: Oil paint on violin

Dimensions: 24”H x 8.25”W x 2.5”D
Comes with painted gold metal stand.

Estimated value: $2800
Buy It Now: $3500

Display Location:
JoAnne Artman Gallery; 326 North Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach

Artist’s Background

Shannon earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR. She graduated with honors and studied in Rome, Italy.

Shannon has experienced an exceptional story-filled life and her work reflects her honesty and sensitivity to the human condition. Using her art to both define and obliterate her past, she transcends the boundaries of reality and memory with an element of the fantastic, often referencing fairy tales.

Shannon’s work is collected throughout America and Germany. Her paintings have appeared in museums and numerous juried shows and Shannon been highlighted in art magazines as one of the artists making waves in contemporary art and as an “emerging artist to watch and collect.”

Artist’s Statement

From the sound of a violin, with its ability for melancholy and revelry, I saw the music as a storyteller for the muses of another time, an antique fable, colorful at the surface, but dark and enchanted in its narrative.

These characters have danced for the music of the violin, and have come together for a festive audition.

For more information about this artist, visit: shannonrichardsonpaintings.com

Make a bid  www.BiddingforGood.com/lbmf

Michael Obermeyer “Twilight”

Title: “Twilight”

Materials: Oil paint on violin

Dimensions: 24”H x 8.25”W x 2.5”D

Estimated value: $3000
Buy It Now price: $3750

Display Location:

Miranda Galleries 417 South Coast Highway  Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Artist’s Background

Michael received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration at California State University, Long Beach. A twenty-year career in illustration included works for Disney Studios, the Anaheim Angels, McDonnell Douglas, Coldwell Banker, and the United States Air Force. Many of his paintings are in the U.S. Air Force Historical Art Collection in the Smithsonian Institute and the Pentagon.

He recently won the “Collector’s Choice Award” at the Laguna Beach Invitational Plein Air Competition as well as the “Award of Excellence” at the La Quinta Desert Plein Air and the Gold Medal at the Carmel Art Festival.

Collectors include the Marriott Hotels and Resorts, The Irvine Company, Hoag Hospital, California State Parks and many corporate as well as private commissions.

Currently, his paintings are showing at galleries in Carmel, Sonoma, and Laguna Beach, where he is also a regular exhibitor at the Festival of Arts.

Artist’s Statement

I painted and titled the violin “Twilight” for the simple reason that it’s the time of day that I love the most – early evening into dusk.

This is when I can really begin to relax, listen to music, and reflect a little on the day.

Whenever I hear my favorite music, regardless of the style, this is the time of day that the music transports me to, whenever or wherever I may be listening to the music.

The city lights, the cool of the evening, the music. All I need is a nice glass of wine and I’m set.

For more information about this artist, visit: michaelobermeyer.com

Make a bid  www.BiddingforGood.com/lbmf

Lucas Risé “Playful”

Title: “Playful”

Materials: Oil and water based paints and metal on violin.

Dimensions: 24”H x 8.25”W x 2.5”D

Estimated value: $2800
Buy It Now price: $3500

Display Location:
DeBilzan Gallery; 224 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach

Artist’s Background

Lucas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During his adolescence he painted street signs and murals, his first incursion into painting. He studied Graphic Design at the University of Buenos Aires and developed his unique style during his travels and experiences in South America, Africa, the United States and Europe.

Lucas creates work that interacts, that transforms from different angles. Movement, shapes and color make his work come alive. His dimensional art has been featured in publications, galleries and private collections around the world, from Sao Paolo to Paris, from Istanbul to Jerusalem.

Artist’s Statement

The violin is such an icon. It is such a strong classic instrument. It has its own meaning, its own personality. It looks so pretty and balanced. I felt that painting on the front of the violin would not reveal its true spirit, its real meaning. So I decided to take the front part off.

It happened in an instant. Sometimes you don’t understand why you do things. Later you find the words to explain what you’ve done. What I wanted to do was break the distance between the instrument and me. The front of the violin was limiting me. I wanted to pass through to get to the essence of the violin. People shouldn’t be blocked–there shouldn’t be a distance between them and music or art.

I made the inside of the violin colorful, abstract and geometric. Depending upon how you look at it, you may see a face. Not a “happy face” but someone who is doing fine. If you turn it around, you’ll see a sad face. What you see depends upon your perspective. As when you listen to music, it’s up to you to react, to decide what you are experiencing.

For more information about this artist, visit: sansparapluie.com

Make a bid  www.BiddingforGood.com/lbmf

Kirsten Whalen “The Muse”

Title: “The Muse”

Materials: Paint, paper and paper clay were added to the violin to create a 3 dimensional work of art.

Dimensions: 24”H x 13”W x 4’ D
Comes with black painted metal stand.

Estimated value: $3000
Buy It Now price: $3750

Display Location:
Sotheby’s/Visitor’s Bureau, 361 Forest Ave; Laguna Beach

Artist’s Background

Kirsten has been an artist all her life, experimenting in a variety of creative media. She first worked as a graphic designer before focusing her creative energy on painting. She holds a B.S. in Design from UC Davis and a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Laguna College of Art & Design. Kirsten is currently an exhibitor of watercolors in the highly regarded Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach. Her work has also been exhibited in other Laguna Beach locales, including the Esther Wells Collection, Gallery 821 and Morgan Stanley.

Artist’s Statement

In all of the arts, the artist’s chosen medium is the language the artist speaks with. For this project, I wanted to explore the beautiful and magical language of music.  When composing music, I imagine the instruments themselves influence the artist’s design, but they also must respond to the artist’s needs.  My violin, The Muse, looks for the source of the beautiful sounds.  Who really is pulling the strings?

There is a wonderfully notable difference between performing arts and visual arts:  the visual arts are often created by an artist alone in a studio, and once finished remain unchanged.  The viewer, then, is the next person who brings heart and mind to a piece.

In contrast, the performing arts have a wonderfully dynamic aspect: once a piece of music is designed, it goes through many other artists’ hands and hearts on its way to the listener.  The work is new and unique for the audience every time it is performed.  “The Muse” also represents the live nature of this art form.

For more info about this artist, visit: Kirstenwhalen.com

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Cheryl Eckstrom “The Weeping Violin”

Title: “The Weeping Violin”

Materials: Plaster, acrylic and resin on violin.

Dimensions: 27”H x 8.5”W x 3”D

Estimated value: $6500

Buy It Now price: $8125

Display Location:
S Cube Gallery; 346 North Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach

Artist’s Background

Cheryl is an internationally known sculptor who has received widespread critical and popular acclaim. Educated at UCLA, the New York Studio School and Cal State universities, Cheryl was also very influenced by studying and working as an emerging artist living in Europe.

She continually pushes creative boundaries and regularly explores new artistic materials and techniques. Her public art has included twenty 6 ½ foot “Warriors Against Angst” displayed in a CA park, as well as a sculpture in the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach and the 2011 installation of five 8 foot stainless steel and bronze sculptures in the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Cheryl’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world and is in numerous private collections. (The well-known collector, Beth Rudin DeWoody recently purchased one of Cheryl’s pieces for $95,000.)

Artist’s Statement

Sometimes there is a reason for an artist to do something when the muse comes. What we artists often have a hard time understanding is when we aren’t creating…. when we put things aside. Each time, in retrospect, I find that there is a reason. It cannot be forced. You can’t push the river. I created this sculpture when the time was perfect.

The violin was my husband’s favorite instrument. I call this piece “The Weeping Violin”. I placed it on my husband’s painting to photograph. It is a marriage of material and soul.

His painting was done this year (2K11) and my sculpture was done two days before and two days after 13 October 2K11, the day we both were born and the day my husband passed, a very significant day.

For more information about this artist, visit: cherylekstrom.com

Make a bid  www.BiddingforGood.com/lbmf

Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach

Tickets: $30-$40 / PRIME package $80

Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 8pm
American Dreams, American Dreamers

Dvořák String Quartet No. 12 in F “America” plus works by jazz composer Don Byron and festival participants Colin Jacobsen and Japanese shakuhacki (bamboo flute) master Kojiro Umezaki and more. This concert is part of the Philharmonic Society’s JapanOC festival.

Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 8pm

Tango Nuevo

Music by the great Astor Piazzolla, including his masterpiece “Libertango,” plus a new tango by Osvaldo Golijov and more.

Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 3pm

Silent City

Persian music master Kayhan Kalhor joins Brooklyn Rider for a live version of the hit recording “Silent City,” plus a new composition by Colin Jacobsen for Kalhor and the quartet and more.

Programs, artists & dates subject to change.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Monday, February 7, 2011 at 6:30pm

Introducing Brooklyn Rider

Enjoy an exclusive introduction to the Festival in an intimate setting with Brooklyn Rider. Evening also includes a fine selection of hors d’oeuvres and wine before the performance, sponsored by Claes Restaurant to support Festival Education programs

Hotel Laguna. Tickets $60

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 7:30pm

Kayhan Kahlor in concert

A special house salon starring Persian music master Kayhan Kalhor. Enjoy the mystical tones of traditional Persian music amid the elegance of a distinctive home, and savor Persian delicacies while mingling with your fellow concert goers in a post-performance reception.

Private Home. Tickets $100.

Thursday, February 9, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Festival Feast: Wine, Dine and Music

Enjoy a champagne reception, gourmet dinner with selected wine pairings at Claes Restaurant, VIP seating at the Festival’s opening concert, and complimentary shuttle from theater to Hotel and back. Sponsored by Claes Restaurant to support Festival Education programs.

Thursday, February 10, 2011 8 pm

New World

Tickets will go on sale on September 1st 2010.

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