Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

If you want something on the agenda, get a third vote

City Council meets this evening. One item drawing attention is Agenda Item #11, Resolution Establishing The Policy for City Council Meeting Agenda Items.

Councilmember George Weiss last week sent out messaging to his constituents denouncing the resolution that calls for adjustments in the way items would be agendized to City Council moving forward. 

The proposal is simply an innocuous attempt to streamline processes as to what goes on the agenda and what doesn’t, in order to make efficient use of staff time. Councilman Weiss, however, is somehow trying to stir something up that this is some monumental change in policy.

Moving forward, the updated proposal would have a councilperson reach out to the City Manager expressing their interest in an item. The City Manager would then bring that item before Council under the guise of “is this something we want to discuss moving forward or not?” Then, the Council, by majority opinion, decides whether it is or isn’t.

It’s simple, clear-cut and efficient.

Here’s why. Councilman Weiss, at times, definitely beats to his own drum and has been known to bring items before Council that have no chance at passage. A recent example of this was his cigarette ban proposal.

In the past what’s happened is that Councilman Weiss directly puts the item on the agenda, gets City staff committed to spending way too much time focusing on it, for something that never has a chance of passage.

The new proposal eliminates any of these wastes of time.

Councilman Weiss in his communication said, “per the CA government and National League of Cities, a councilperson works to ensure that their district’s residents are treated fairly by those policies. The League document states that a City Manager is responsible for implementing and enforcing council policies and legislative initiatives. It does not list among a City Manager’s duties a responsibility for deciding on a policy that governs what can be discussed at City Council meetings.”

Let’s review, first off, Laguna Beach does not have districts. All council electeds represent all citizens, vs. a city like Newport Beach that is broken down in seven councilmanic districts. 

Secondly, denouncing the City Manager’s duties isn’t necessarily correct. Again, Newport Beach’s policy is one of many similar to this exact way, where the agenda is put together by the City Manager, with input.

Here’s the problem that Councilman Weiss is faced with, he’s frequently one of two minority votes on a number of issues. The way to change that is not through protecting inefficient policies, but to work toward changing the balance of the Council with like-minded individuals.

I also truly believe that if he has an item that’s worthy of being on an agenda, fellow council people are also going to want to make it happen. The key word here is “worthy.”

B-t-w, there’s still another way to get something on the agenda. Each councilperson is also asked to bring their best ideas to the City’s annual strategic planning discussion, where items there are selected for future calendars.

Some other items before Council tonight:

–An ask to extend the COVID-19 emergency orders, rules and regulations for an additional 60 days.

–The recommendation to approve the installation of a temporary Laguna Art Museum sculpture, titled “Anastatis” (by Gerard Stripling) outside City Hall from February 1-28. The installation would “recognize Ethnic Diversity and Black History Month.

–The approval of $18,100 to enhance the Downtown Tree Lighting done in conjunction with the Laguna Beach Chamber. The current program calls for year-round downtown tree lights on upper and lower Ocean Ave., upper and lower Forest Ave., and during the holiday season on Broadway, Beach, Third and Glenneyre. The agreement would add lower Broadway (from Beach St. to Coast Highway) to the year-round program and the upgrade of some of the lights themselves.

–An amendment to the City-operated in-house ambulance transport service budget in headcount and equipment.

–The introduction of an ordinance that amends the Downtown Specific Plan in conjunction with the California Coastal Commission certification.

–An appeal for the approval of Design Review for the construction of a new single-family residence at 1587 Atlantic Way.

To view the meeting with Zoom, go to https://lagunabeachcity.zoom.us/j/91641723096. 

• • •

Frontier Communications work efforts could be coming to a neighborhood near you in the next month or so. Their Frontier Fiber2Home Project “will be accessing existing manholes, handholes and poles, installing new cable on existing aerial cables, and installing in-ground hubs to complete fiber optic cable placement to modernize services.”

Here’s where you’ll see them: Laguna Canyon Road and the neighborhoods that run along it, North Laguna and areas between Downtown and the Alta Vista Way neighborhood.

The work will take place now through March from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and could result in the closures of some traffic lanes and sidewalks. You may also see new boxes being placed in the ground at various locations in the public right-of-way, as an effort to avoid having new equipment placed above ground.

Questions? Here’s where you call: Residential 877.436.0325 or Business 877.414.1311.

• • •

Non-profit organizations that provide special services to residents of Laguna Beach may now apply for Community Assistance Grants through the city.

When applying, organizations will be asked to describe what they do, how many people their organization serves per month, and what percentage of those served are Laguna Beach residents. They’ll also want to know what amount of funding is being requested, and where other streams of funding come from.

Applications are due by April 27th.

• • •

The Laguna Live! Jazz concert planned for February 23rd has been postponed until Wednesday, March 23.

The event will return to [seven degrees], with doors opening at 5 p.m. for a social time with bar and pre-paid food bites, followed by the concert from 6-8 p.m. The Laguna Beach Live! All Stars, featuring acclaimed trumpeter Bijon Watson, will perform a celebration of the music of Stevie Wonder.

Tickets go on sale February 1 to the public for $35 at www.lagunalive.org or by calling 949.715.9713.

• • •

Finally, we all have them, those paint cans with the drip marks running down the side that remind us of a paint job completed in our past, or simply other cans and chemicals that sit on our shelves taking up room, rusting, with ill-fitted lids, while they solidify in their cans. 

Good news.

On Saturday, Feb. 5, from 8 a.m. until noon, the City of Laguna Beach will hold a paint, universal waste and e-waste drop-off event for residents and businesses. It’ll take place at the City Maintenance Facilities at 1900 Laguna Canyon Road.

There are limits: 15 gallons of liquid or 125 pounds of solid waste, that may be transported per vehicle, per trip. It’s the law, as they say! However, multiple trips are okay.

Materials should be in original containers, must have lids and be sturdy and secure. 

What won’t be accepted are household chemicals, commercial chemicals, radioactive waste, sharps, expired pharmaceutical products, explosives, ammunition, containers larger than five gallons, hazardous household wastes such as compressed gas containers, flammable liquids, toxics, oxidizers, corrosives and state-regulated materials.

Residents should bring proof of residency, while businesses will need a business license number.

If you have questions, contact Public Works at 949.464.6677.

Red Cross blood drive reached goal of donors for January 26, but extra volunteers still needed

Sandra Grim, ARC/LPC BPL (Blood Program Leader), reports, “We just got two more msgs/voicemails that will complete my Volunteer Schedule, but we may still need one more person at end of day to help us wipe and ‘strike’ all the tables, chairs, etc. Our need to have 2-4 ‘standby’ blood donors stands.”

The January 26th blood drive at Laguna Presbyterian Church has reached their goal of 64 Blood Donors. However, these “stand-bys” would need to be prepared as if they are scheduled (complete Rapid Pass, have masks ready, photo ID, etc.) COVID protocols are followed for these “gatherings.”

Grim reports, “We’re still trying to fully fill our Volunteers Schedule…still need at least three more to handle this many people, and ideally more would make things flow quicker and be able to ‘sub’ if someone can’t make it or needs to leave early, or will be late. With 64 donors w/in six hours = 10/hour. That requires lots of busy hands helping, cleaning, restocking, making sure donors are re-hydrated and blood sugar okay before they leave the refreshment area we call our canteen.”   

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Blood drive at Laguna Presbyterian Church on January 26

Preferably, all who volunteer to be “extra” donors or helpers will probably need to walk in, ride in, be dropped off, and/or have a Laguna parking pass. With this many people on-site, parking is an issue.

Anyone who wants to volunteer, contact Heather Hines, Office Manager at Laguna Presbyterian Church, 949.494.7555, ext. 100, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Sandy Grim, ARC/LPC BPL (Blood Program Leader), 949.735.7930, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“Art in Public Places” – Sound and Sight by Raymond Persinger

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Some of the art you see around Laguna Beach is the result of two city programs: “Public Art and Murals” and “Art in Public Places.” The goals of the Public Art and Murals and Art in Public Places (adopted in 1986) initiatives are to create diverse art installations of the highest quality that will, over decades, reflect the city itself and its citizens, and improve the quality of life; and to be a source of pride to all Laguna Beach residents. 

Sound and Sight was created by Raymond Persinger and installed in 2002 at 551 S. Coast Highway. It was funded by the City of Laguna Beach Art in Public Places. 

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The architectural installation incorporates poetry 

Persinger’s two sculptural panels of bronze and colored glass serve as fencing at the popular scenic locale at the end of Brown’s Park. The architectural installation incorporates his poetry that begins with “This fleeting moment....”

“There is often a gap between looking, seeing and understanding,” explained Persinger. Written by the artist, these site-specific poems remind us of the fragile and fleeting quality of that experience.

Persinger is described as being one of the most skilled sculptors alive today, with an accurate understanding of the human form that is so often missing in contemporary figurative work, combined with his poetic nature and dynamic sense of design. His work shows the influences of great masters such as Michelangelo, St. Gaudins, Rodin and Camile Claudel.

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“Sound and Sight” is located at the end of Brown’s Park 

As the eighth of 10 children, Persinger was born in South Sioux City, Nebraska and his family moved to Southern California while he was a child. Even as a youngster growing up in Santa Ana, he always enjoyed working with his hands and making things. He would use his father’s tools or the shop at the neighborhood boys club. His high school art teacher was the first to point him in the direction of being a fine artist and Persinger’s passion for creating art continued and grew from that point in his life. He attended California State University, Long Beach, which at that time, offered one of the best figurative art programs in the nation.

At age 25, he received his first large public art commission Mustangs, three life-sized running horses in bronze for the City of Brea, California’s famed public art program. This was the first of many public art commissions that Persinger continued to create. 

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Persinger used glass as a medium for creating sculpture; a new approach to glasswork 

“Powerful” is the word most commonly used to describe Persinger’s public art. Whether a large installation or a small intimate piece, his work has a power to it that draws in and completely captures the attention of the viewer and the power of the moment. 

Persinger was the sculpture program chair at the Laguna College of Art + Design from 1995 through 2013. During this period, the sculpture program was considered one of the best figurative sculpture programs in the country. 

He first began to incorporate glass into his public art with the artwork he created for the City of Laguna. Shortly after the completion of this work, he was invited to participate in a symposium with several prominent glass artists including Ruth King and Hank Murta Adams where he began to learn how he could further use glass as a medium for creating sculpture. 

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“Sound and Sight” beckons the viewer to stop and reflect on the moment 

With his training as a classical sculptor, combined with his newly discovered love for glass, a new body of work developed, one unlike anything being created by other artists. It is a new approach to glasswork, and a new medium for sculpture.

This is the 45th article in our weekly series featuring Art in Public Places. Since there are more than 100 pieces of public art scattered throughout Laguna, it will take a while to cover them all.

For a map of Art in Public Places (not every piece is listed), click here. 

To apply for the Arts in Public Places program, click here.

“Time to Play” at Hotel Laguna to benefit Boys & Girls Club Laguna Beach’s Dream Play Yard

The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach (BGCLB) is holding an exclusive afternoon of oceanside Aloha to celebrate the new Dream Play Yard.

 The “Time to Play” outdoor festivities take place on Sunday, Feb. 20 from 3-6 p.m. at Hotel Laguna. Spanning two decks, the courtyard and the sparkling sand, enjoy tropical bites, music, magic, art and an opportunity drawing. Attire is playfully chic.

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Courtesy of Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach

Current Play Yard at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach

The New Dream Play Yard is an enhanced outdoor space to address the physical, socio-emotional and academic deficits faced by all children in the COVID era. Through experiential learning, mindfulness, creativity, holistic wellness and more ways to PLAY, the future is bright for Club members and the community.

Naming rights opportunities are available for you/your business to invest in the well-being of precious children and youth.

“Time to Play” Naming Opportunities:

–Includes two (2) admissions to “Time to Play”

~$1,000 Lend-a-Hand Wall

~$2,000 (10/8 remain) Picnic Tables – Stagg Family, Tarbox Family

~$5,000 Handball Court and Wall – Austin Family

~$5,000 Creative Expression Art Wall – Ellingson Family

~$8,000 (2) Basketball Nets

~$8,500 Raised Gardens and Greenhouse – Laguna Garden Club

~$10,000 Media/Movie Screen Wall

~$22,000 The Shade – Carrie Click (Tuttle-Click Family)

–Includes four (4) admissions to both “Time to Play” and VIP dinner

~$30,000 Eco System Environmental Stewardship

~$30,000 Ocean Stewardship Exhibit

~$40,000 (2) The Turf

~$80,000 Skate Park Conversion

~$100,000 The Play Structure – Wayne Peterson

~$150,000 The De-Constructor

~$200,000 The Maintainer 

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Courtesy of Design With Purpose

Active Use Rendering of the Dream Play Yard

It takes a Village to build a Play Yard!

–All naming rights participants ($1,000+) are invited to celebrate with BCGLB at Hotel Laguna on February 2, as well as at their ribbon-cutting party on the grounds, Summer 2022. Two tickets are available with a 100% tax deductible donation of $1,000 or more.

–Sponsors/donors at $25,000 and up are gifted with four (4) admissions to “Time to Play,” plus four (4) admissions to the VIP dinner at Larsen following the event.

–Sponsorships and visibility opportunities may be crafted around individual needs including social media, print, website, marketing items, as well as visibility at the event through signage.

–All pledges above $5,000 may be planned for multi-year.

For more information, to make a donation and RSVP, contact Michelle Highberg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by phone at 949.813.7681.

Hotel Laguna is located at 425 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach is located at 1085 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

Paint together with Gil Dellinger, Mark Fehlman

LOCA Arts Education is collaborating with Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) in presenting Virtual Paint Togethers. This is a special opportunity to learn online from notable LPAPA artists as they demonstrate their drawing and painting techniques in easy-to-follow step-by-step processes. Demos will take place online so everyone can participate. Subjects include “The Laguna Coast” with Gil Dellinger on Tuesday, Feb. 1 from 11 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. and “Sierra Majesty” with Mark Fehlman on Tuesday, Feb. 8 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

Photos by Mike Tauber

Courtesy of LOCA

Paint “The Laguna Coast” with Gil Dellinger

Working from a photo, Dellinger will paint shoreline rocks and surf starting with a gray background to control dramatic light, shadow and value patterns. Fehlman, also working from a photo, will paint Sierra water reflections, atmosphere and reflected light. He will answer questions, and offer a prize gift of his Design Strategies DVD to one winning attendee.

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Paint “Sierra Majesty” with Mark Fehlman

Everyone who registers will get a supply list and photo reference in advance, enjoy the live-stream event and receive a recording for future reference. Advanced registration for each demo is required. Cost is $40 for guests and $20 for LOCA or LPAPA members.

Visit the education pages at www.LPAPA.org, or calendar pages at www.LOCAarts.org. https://lpapa.org/member-workshops/.

R Star Foundation receives Rotary International grant to help impoverished women in Nepal

R Star Foundation, a non-profit based in Laguna Beach, has been awarded a grant that will aid one of Nepal’s most marginalized populations – women – by bringing fresh water to the village where hundreds of the shunned women and their children have migrated. Although the number fluctuates, approximately 320-360 women live in the village with their children.

The $60,210 Rotary International grant, given in partnership with the Nepali Rotary Club, Patan South, coincides with R Star’s mission to serve the “disempowered women and children of Nepal.”

The drinking water project for the village Kapurdhunga, populated primarily by single/divorced/widowed women in Nepal, will eliminate the need for the women to walk over an hour several times a day to fetch water.

“I am totally excited,” said R Star Foundation Executive Director Rosalind Russell, affectionately known as the “Goat Lady,” who has been working to improve the economic status of women in rural Kavre (one of the poorest states in Nepal) since founding R Star in 2003. “We try to find out from the villagers what they need and go from there.”

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Photos courtesy of R Star Foundation

R Star Foundation Founder and Executive Director Rosalind Russell with Dr. Jill Fabricant, who wrote the foundation’s Rotary grant

Russell began by giving village women pregnant goats, along with one male, with the requirement that they pass on offspring (two goats equal to what they were gifted) to another village within two years. Now more than 50 villages have benefited from the goats giving women who never before had a source of income the chance to improve their families’ standard of living while gaining respect from their husbands and communities.

Russell worked for a year and half on the water project grant with Jill Fabricant Ph.D., a member of the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, who wrote the grant. The project will also include a sanitation station with hand washing facilities and a septic system.

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This is an officer of one of the single women groups, holding a book for accounting and notes

A member of the Rotary eClub of the West, an all-electronic club, Russell has served in several board positions including president for three years. Following a presentation at the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, Dana Point, she was introduced to Dr. Fabricant, a grant writer, artist and scientist, who was highly enthusiastic to be involved with the work R Star does. Russell connected Dr. Fabricant (who has successfully written grants for Rotary projects) with a Rotary Host Club in Nepal – Patan South in Lalitpur, a city within Kathmandu. The three Rotary Clubs worked together, in addition to Dr. Fabricant bringing in several other Rotary Clubs to join the project with their contributions to move forward with a Global Grant from Rotary, which is no easy task.

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(L-R) Som, once a goat gatherer who lives in Noma Buddah, assisted R Star with its goat project; Rosalind Russell; a 102-year-old woman, who is one among the many shunned, disenfranchised women in the village and Russell’s right-hand man, Rabindra Sitaula, who volunteers in collaborating the Rotary with government projects

R Star has also built 50 greenhouses, gifted goats and built an elementary school, known as Top of the World Nepal. In collaboration, it drilled wells, offered literacy classes, made water available to homes and built roads. The foundation has provided seed money to the goat groups of 25 women in the form of micro loans. The women get permission from the group to borrow a certain amount, the terms for repayment get set and interest is part of it, currently at 10%. With the 10% interest, the women now have more money to loan out. All the village groups increased their original seed money by 1500%, which means larger loans can be made. To date, all of the loans have been paid back.

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Som and Rosalind Russell (center in the foreground) appear with women villagers who received the grant, with the Himalayan range in the background

R Star Foundation, a 501(c)3, serves and educates the isolated and disempowered women and children of Nepal, connecting resources to the neediest people in one of the most remote areas on earth and helping to bring about peace. Their mission statement is, “Helping Women & Children in Nepal…therefore the world.”

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Ramdevi (in purple seated on the ground) is a “mover and shaker” who brought the freshwater project to Rotary’s attention at Rabindra Sitaula’s suggestion. She advocates for single/divorced/widowed women.

Join R Star Foundation’s work, make a donation and follow their journey, by visiting www.RStarFoundation.org.

Where’s Maggi?

This was one tough week on the Maggi challenge, but Lynn Jax was up to the task. She knew the little Frida Kahlo detail could be found at the end of Goff Street (near Los Olivos).

Thanks everyone for playing along! Check in on Friday for our new challenge.

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Frida Kahlo detail found on Goff Street

Laguna Art Museum to hold virtual panel conversation on William Mortensen

Laguna Art Museum (LAM) is holding “William Mortensen at 125: A Virtual Panel Conversation” on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 12 p.m.

Join expert panelists as they debate and discuss the legacy of the revered and hated William Mortensen on the occasion of his 125th birthday. Stephen Romano moderates the conversation among panelists Deborah Irmas, Matthew Rolston, Michael Moynihan and Brian Chidester.

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Courtesy of LAM

Photographer William Mortensen

Mortensen (1897-1965), an American photographer, is remembered as being in contention with the popularly accepted photographic techniques of his time. Rather than presenting a pure or unadulterated image, he altered his photographs by whatever means necessary to achieve his desired effect. Mortensen was at odds with Group f64 whose members included such influential American photographers as Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston. It is said that Mortensen was written out of the history of photography by his peers. Adams notably labeled Mortensen as the Anti-Christ. His most well-known works speak to themes relating to the grotesque; however, Mortensen focused on various subjects throughout his career.

Mortensen established his home and the Mortensen School of Photography on October 2, 1931. The school was originally located at 1731 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. He moved the school to different locations through Laguna Beach until his death in 1965.

Note: This is a pre-recorded program. Ticketholders will receive a link to view the program at approximately 12 p.m. on January 27. The link will be valid for 24 hours. Tickets are $5 for Museum members and $10 for Non-members.

For more information and to register, go here.

Letters to the Editor

Village Laguna deserves better mention than being an afterthought

Village Laguna has been around for 50 years, with a long history of service to the community. It predates anything remotely associated with the popular understanding of a PAC (Political Action Committee), which exists primarily or even solely to influence elections. To put Village Laguna in the same category as, and almost as an afterthought to, the developer-funded reboot of Liberate Laguna (a.k.a. Laguna Forward, which seeks to wipe the past clean) is a disservice to the community.

Catherine Jurca

Laguna Beach

The passing of Jeff Sears

Sad news about Jeff Sears for sure. I’m glad my son, Spencer, had a chance to play for “Coach” in 2009 and 2010.

I played Little League baseball more than 60 years ago. To this day, I still can remember wearing my uniform hours before each game, hearing the crack of the wooden (not aluminum) bats, and crouching behind home plate in all my catcher’s gear. Although I eventually traded in my mitt for a water polo cap, I never stopped loving baseball.

My hope is Spencer’s teammates, and all of Jeff Sears’ players, for that matter, continue to love the game years after hanging up their cleats. I don’t know for certain, but it wouldn’t surprise me if “Coach” isn’t saying something like this now: “Over a lifetime, classmates, friends and business partners come and go, but baseball is forever.” 

RIP Jeff. You will be missed.

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

Who knew, Wayne Thiebaud’s work was “licensed”

Thank you for the comprehensive article in today’s Stu News Laguna detailing the vast artistic contributions by the late California treasure, Wayne Thiebaud. I am writing to add one detail that the article fails to mention: Wayne designed the California Arts License Plate offered by the DMV. I thought this might be of interest to your readers.

Elyse Miller

Laguna Beach

Editor’s note: The California Arts Plate (below) was created through special legislation in 1994. Since then, the iconic image has become famous worldwide, and proceeds from the plate have provided millions of dollars to support arts programs in California.

Courtesy of www.artsplate.org

Peace gesture apparently means anything but

I go to yoga to de-stress, to be among like-minded people who want to cultivate calm and goodwill. And yes, despite no clear studio policy, I wear a mask to protect myself and others while in class. So, you can imagine my shock and disgust when a woman in yoga class swore at me last Thursday for wearing a mask!

The incident unfolded halfway through class, when this woman returned from the restroom and started to close the sliding doors at the back of the studio, which were slightly ajar. I asked her if she would please leave them open, as I was very warm from wearing a mask. Apparently, these were fighting words, because her response went something like this: “So, you’re going to make all of us pay because you’re wearing a mask?” 

As she went back to her spot in the room, she yelled at me, “You should not be wearing a mask.” She repeated this a few times, like an ill-begotten mantra. The mood in the room was tense, the teacher didn’t say anything, and there were a few other people in the room wearing masks. I didn’t want to escalate the situation, so I simply said, “Peace,” and proffered the peace sign to her in a conciliatory manner. I sincerely meant this. I was trying to calm her down.

She gathered her belongings and as she stormed out of the studio, she leered at me with a chilling look of hatred and called me “a f—–ing hag.” 

One woman who was not involved in the confrontation, but who was wearing a mask, got very afraid. She was shaking. She voiced her fear to the teacher, who said to let it go. After the class, many of the women who took the class told me how sorry they were that I was aggressed. The teacher wasn’t one of them.

I reported the incident to the receptionist, who apologized. A group of women in the class stood by me and said the offender should be banned from future classes. I called the manager, who also apologized. Since the studio has no stated mask policy, I asked that their mask-wearing policy be posted in plain sight. I asked that they address the issue with teachers. I said that the teacher should have checked-in with me to see if I was alright.

After I did all this, I got an email from the teacher. She apologized for not taking action. As of today, I haven’t heard anything from the studio owner and the management hasn’t followed-up with me or instituted anything to stop this from happening again.

Clearly, the yoga studio isn’t responsible for this woman’s behavior. But their lack of any clear policy regarding COVID protocol contributed to the harassment. There is a mask mandate in the State of California right now. But in Orange County, many businesses ignore it. Everyone in that yoga studio should be required to mask-up – because COVID loves a crowded, poorly ventilated room. 

By many standards, this was a small act of aggression. But it demonstrates a much larger problem we have yet to resolve in this nation – the role of individual rights versus collective rights during a pandemic. I believe we all have a responsibility to do all we can to protect ourselves and others from a highly contagious, life-threatening disease. And that civil discourse with others should remain civil. 

Lisa Morrice

Laguna Beach

Pageant of the Masters releases new edition of “Pun-derful” e-cards in time for Valentine’s Day

Let Cupid’s arrow strike your heART this Valentine’s Day! Pageant of the Masters^®, the nation’s most iconic presentation of living pictures, is spreading the love this February with new releases of its witty, art themed, virtual e-cards. Offering eight different options of iconic artworks and “punny” notes to choose from, the experts of all thing’s art have once again made it easy to celebrate love digitally (and artistically) this year. To send a Pageant of the Masters Valentine’s Day e-card today, visit www.jotform.com/festivalpageant/valentines.

Hoping to pair your e-card with a unique and romantic gift idea? Pageant of the Masters is also offering a sweet deal ahead of Valentine’s Day. Save 20% on tickets to this summer’s production of Wonderful World, July 7-September 2, with promotional code VDAY22 now through February 14. This offer cannot be combined with other deals and excludes loge center seats, premium tickets and the special event on August 27. To take advantage of this offer, call 800.487.3378 or visit www.PageantTickets.com. A Pageant ticket is also a season pass ticket to the Festival of Arts, so patrons can enjoy the art show all summer long.

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Courtesy of FOA

“American Gothic” by Grant Wood is among the “Pun-derful” e-card selections

“Crisp, summer nights under the Laguna Beach starry night sky, snuggled-up with your loved one watching the Pageant of the Masters – what could be more romantic?” shared Sharbie Higuchi, director of marketing/PR at Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach^®. “The Pageant of the Masters is a SoCal jewel right next to the ocean, and we are excited to offer patrons a chance to celebrate love with our e-cards and limited deal ticket pricing.” 

Lovers of puns, art enthusiast and hopeless romantics alike will adore the creative and witty sayings paired with past Pageant re-creations of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Edgar Degas’ Two Dancers on the Stage as well as classic works of art including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and American Gothic by Grant Wood.

To send a Pageant of the Masters’ Valentine’s Day e-card simply include the email address of the recipient, select the preferred e-card and hit send. Each e-card allows the sender to include a customized message as well as a customizable subject line. Those looking for even more customizations even have the option to schedule the e-card for Valentine’s Day or any time sooner by selecting a specific date the card should send. 

To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Fine Arts Show visit www.foapom.com or follow @FestivalPageant on social media. To support the Festival of Arts, visit www.foapom.com/supportnow.

School Notes

District seeking input from parents, staff and community on development of accountability plan

This week the Laguna Beach Unified School District began the administration of a survey to gather community feedback to inform the development of the District’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). Administered by Hanover Research, the survey offers an opportunity to measure district progress in areas including academic achievement, school climate and engagement of students, staff and families. The survey is online now and will be open through Friday, Feb. 4.

The LCAP, an important part of California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), is a three-year plan that describes the goals, actions, services and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address state and local priorities. In Spring 2021, Laguna Beach Unified worked collaboratively with education partners to develop the 2021-2024 LCAP focused on three key areas: college and career readiness, social-emotional competencies and safe, equitable and inclusive schools. This plan will be revisited and revised annually to ensure student needs are effectively addressed through current goals and actions.

“The LCAP survey provides key insights into the diverse needs of our LBUSD students. The survey is one of many different forums the district uses to seek input from the community. This important feedback also serves as a tool for assessing the impact of district programs, services and support offered to our students and families,” said Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Dr. Chad Mabery.

Parent, staff and community input via the survey is vital to the development of data-informed goals and the evaluation of outcomes. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The annual LCAP update will be submitted to the Governing Board for approval in June 2022.

Meet Pet of the Week Wallace 

Wallace is currently taking over Pet of the Week. He is a 7-year-old Dobermann who is neutered. He is very calm, affectionate and a favorite to anyone who meets him. Wallace is on the quiet side, and is a great companion to have in your life. He loves going on long walks. Nancy Goodwin, shelter director, is hoping to have Wallace adopted as soon as possible. 

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Courtesy of the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter

Meet Wallace, one of the kindest and loving dogs out there 

The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible. Due to their approach to adoption, their return rate is five percent as compared to the national return rate of fifty percent.

The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter is located at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road. Call 949.497.3552, or go to the website for information on adoption procedures, www.puplagunabeach.org/our-pets.php.

Dennis’ Tidbits

By DENNIS McTIGHE

A perfect day in paradise 

Here on Sunday at noon, stand-up paddlers and skin and scuba divers were having an absolute field day as underwater visibilities were at least 40 feet or more. This was all thanks to Lake Laguna conditions with little ankle snappers – at the most – out there, so there was absolutely no movement or churn at all. In addition, the Santa Ana winds we’ve been having have really cleared things up, especially in the sheltered coves. The bottom was visible in 40 feet of water off Main Beach. That was greatly enhanced by very clear and sunny skies with no clouds at all – and surface visibilities approaching 50 miles. On the beach, air temps were up in the high 60s, making for a picture-perfect day all around. Once again, that’s why we live here. Wonder what the poor folks in Fargo are up to? Cabin fever for half a year? Uh, uh!

Tidbits is now in his 11th year with Stu News and keeps crankin’ them out. Sometimes I wonder how I’m even pulling it off. I think loving this job now as much as my very first day has something to do with it. When you love what you’re doing, no matter what the job may be, the work you do seems a bit easier and, in the long run, the desire to constantly improve along the way is very fulfilling.

Speaking of jobs, my job in the Air Force was a dandy one as a meteorologist in the 61st Military Airlift Wing in Hawaii of all places. Once you’re property of the Armed Services, you go where they send you, and you don’t always get the position you want. Somehow, through the grace of God, I got the job I was longing for, and I didn’t have to engage in combat in Southeast Asia. The Air Force sent me to a wonderful place – thanks largely to my Pop’s advice.

My job at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii was to track the paths of typhoons in the South Pacific and to alert any flights with supplies coming from the U.S. Mainland on route to bases in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The aircrafts that transported all these supplies were C-124s and C-130s, which were known as prop planes – not jets – so they were not equipped to fly through any of these violent tropical systems. 

We had to inform these flights on the whereabouts of the typhoons, so they had ample time to divert themselves around the storms and avoid any trouble. If you’ll remember, a typhoon is just another synonym for a hurricane. It has exactly the same properties as a hurricane, which is the name used for tropical systems in the Pacific and Atlantic. The same kind of system in the Indian Ocean is called a cyclone and in Australia, they’re called willy-willies. 

In 1967, we had the luxury of a weather satellite, the very first of its kind back then, by the name of the TYROS satellite. It was launched way back in 1960, and this satellite enabled us to plot the tropical monsters and guide the incoming flights to safety. More on that in Friday’s edition of Stu News. 

Until then, ALOHA!

Fog bank

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Photo by Scott Brashier

This gloomy day is highlighted by a bank of fog sitting just off the coast

Guest Column

Do you get triggered often? Here’s how to stay calm?

By Dr. Vidya Reddy 

Hello, Spiritual Being! This week we are discussing how to stay calm when you are triggered.

We live each moment of our life through the ebb and flow of emotions. It’s almost as if each beat of our heart, and every breath we take, move us in one direction or another. It is as if one moment we are joyous and carefree, and the next moment, we can be triggered and proceed to spiral out of control.

Or it could be that someone says something to us, and suddenly our mood shifts, we feel triggered, and we are suddenly not feeling ourselves anymore. Instead of calm, balanced and happy, we are suddenly dysregulated, overwhelmed and trying to choke back tears. Has that ever happened to you? We are a bundle of conditioned emotions that are primed to respond to the momentary assessment of whether our needs have been met or not.

Simply put, emotions are subjective, conscious experiences that link our interpretation of a given moment to a biological reaction which creates a particular mental state. Have you ever yelled at someone after having a tough time or a difficult encounter over something that had nothing to do with them? 

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Photo by Johnny Antezana

Dr. Vidya Reddy 

Psychologists refer to this mis-direction as “emotional leakage.” When you are triggered and suppress your emotions rather than becoming aware of them in the moment, you’re likely to express them inadvertently in other avenues such as being sarcastic, snarky, retaliatory, biting, harsh, or downright mean to people who had nothing to do with your initial frustration.

Suppressing our feelings is now scientifically proven to lead to poor memory, relationship challenges and deeper health issues as our body is influenced so strongly by our subjective conscious experiences.

We can rise above being triggered by heightening our emotional intelligence. In many leadership, psychology and philosophy circles it is also known as “EI.” EI is essentially our ability to “own” these four capabilities: 

1. Correctly perceive emotions.

2. Retrieve and produce emotions to assist thought. 

3. Comprehend emotions and understand them. 

4. Effectively adjust emotions to promote personal development and growth.

If you don’t know how you feel or why you feel a certain way, you will experience emotional overwhelm or confusion and won’t be able to communicate effectively, meet your needs, or resolve disagreements. But if we master our emotional intelligence, you will be triggered less and flow with less stress, more grace and greater ease. And, the more successful we are at heightening these core skill sets, the happier and more fulfilled we will be.

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Photo by Pieter Baetens

Emotional intelligence is key to achieving your goals 

The beauty of EI is that it’s not a function of simply being born with it. Emotional intelligence can be learned, developed and mastered. Although daily intelligence is important to succeeding in life, emotional intelligence is key to achieving your goals. Remember, EI is an awareness of your actions and feelings – and how they affect those around you. It also means that you value others, listen to their wants and needs, and are able to empathize or identify with them on many different levels. In this process, you will be able to reduce the number of your emotional triggers and you will meet more of your own needs. Brilliant!

As a thought exercise, I’ve learned a lot of things over the past few months and feel compelled to share them with you in the spirit of robust helpfulness. If you would like more information, techniques and meditation based on Life Lessons, please refer to my blog: https://naturally-happy.com/blog/

In Peace, Love and Gratitude. 

‘Til next time,

Dr. Vidya Reddy, ND, AMS, DAC, CLC

www.Naturally-Happy.com.

Laguna Craft Guild returns January 30

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Courtesy of Laguna Craft Guild

The Laguna Craft Guild will return to the Main Beach Cobblestones this Sunday, Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to dusk. Come by and meet the local artists offering jewelry, ceramics, glass blown art, paintings and more. For more information and the schedule of future shows, visit www.lagunacraftguild.com. Shop small...Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

A tribute to Wayne Thiebaud: The Laguna Art Museum celebrates the life of one of its treasured artists

By MARRIE STONE

This story is a part of our Arts section. Visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts for more arts stories as well as our arts calendars.

Art is not delivered like the morning paper; it has to be stolen from Mount Olympus. – Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021)

If artists are lucky, their work gains notoriety within their lifetimes. Other artists attract recognition after they’ve passed on. For Wayne Thiebaud, who died last month at the age of 101, his followers may well come from both camps. Especially if the Laguna Art Museum (LAM) has something to say about it. For an artist whose career spanned eight decades and cut across many mediums in the art world – including drawing, painting, animation, printmaking and more – there are countless ways to appreciate his contributions. Thiebaud’s playful subject matter was only outmatched by the seriousness with which he approached his craft. 

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Courtesy of LAM

Artist and educator Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021)

“Our Friend Wayne Thiebaud,” an exhibition of Thiebaud’s work in LAM’s permanent collection, will be on display at the Museum through May 1. It includes over a dozen donated pieces, including several rough pencil sketches that give audiences access to Thiebaud’s artistic process. It also contains woodcuts, linocuts, serigraphs and etchings that showcase the broad range of Thiebaud’s printmaking techniques. Whether you’re already familiar with Thiebaud’s work or encountering his art for the first time, this exhibition likely holds something for everyone. It’s both a tribute and a gentle introduction to the might and mind of an artist at work longer than most people’s entire lifespans. 

Happy childhoods beget happy art

Born on November 15, 1920 in Mesa, Arizona, Thiebaud spent the bulk of his life in California. The family moved to Long Beach when he was only 6 months old. His Mormon childhood was a happy time, influenced by memories of traveling circuses and summers spent on his uncle’s Utah ranch. The exhibition conveys that sense of joy and playfulness that permeated Thiebaud’s long career.

Though born into a tumultuous time in American history, Thiebaud described his childhood as essentially ideal. “I was a spoiled child. I had a great life, so about the only thing I can do is to paint happy pictures,” he once said. What some might characterize as misfortune (breaking his back playing high school football), Thiebaud viewed as opportunity (it gave him more time to draw). 

He first found his artistic voice as a cartoonist, spending a high school summer working for Walt Disney Studios where he drew “in-betweens” (a process in animation that involves generating hundreds of intermediate frames to produce a sense of movement) of Goofy, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket.

“If we don’t have a sense of humor, we lack a sense of perspective,” Thiebaud once remarked. He was able to retain that youthful sense of humor, and subsequent nostalgia for those childhood memories, throughout his 80-year career. 

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Photo by Marrie Stone

“Jolly Cones,” oil on panel, 2002 

A lifelong educator

In addition to his many artistic talents and work across genres, he was, at his core, a teacher. Thiebaud began teaching at Cal State Sacramento, where he obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the early 1950s. He became an assistant professor at UC Davis in 1960, where he remained until 1991. Even after his retirement at age 70, he continued imparting his wisdom on young artists, retaining his Professor Emeritus title until his death.

“I hope one of the takeaways when people see this exhibition is what can be learned from his sketches and drawings,” said Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of LAM. “Wayne was a teacher. When people look at this work, I hope they see his teaching through these drawings. He was always working out his thoughts, as artists do. The sketches are raw and direct. That’s what he imparted to so many people – his process. It feels very personal.”

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Photo by Marrie Stone

An untitled sketch shows Thiebaud’s artistic process while creating a cover for “The New Yorker” magazine in 2002

At the opening of Thiebaud’s exhibition sits a book that invites viewers to leave their impressions and remembrances. To prove Lee’s point, one unsigned entry reads: “Since I was a kid, I could always spend tons of time staring at his cakes, pies, cityscapes, trying my hardest to track his moves, his brushstrokes, his color choices. I heard an interview with him a few years ago on the Modern Art Notes podcast and hearing him talk about his work rushed me back to my years before art school when his paintings were the magic that got me excited about painting in the first place.”

“Every paint-stroke takes you farther and farther away from your initial concept,” Thiebaud once said. “And you have to be thankful for that.” The half-dozen sketches on display demonstrate this point. With each pencil stroke, the viewer can watch Thiebaud’s mind at work.

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Photo by Marrie Stone

Graphite and ink sketch showing the stages of Thiebaud’s process

Michael Tompkins, a former student and assistant to Thiebaud in the 1980s, said of his teaching style, “He preferred teaching undergraduates and ‘raw beginners’…He wanted people who were wide open, without any irony. He told us his work was about scrambling around with the basic issues, like a baseball player who still goes to spring training each year to brush up on the basics.” Thiebaud believed that in teaching, “you have to constantly rethink things.”

Pop artist? Maybe not…

Despite his association with the 1950s pop art movement, Thiebaud rejected the label. He didn’t want to be lumped in with Andy Warhol, whose work he regarded as “flat” and “mechanical.”

One reviewer at the time interpreted Thiebaud’s colorful desserts, gumball machines and childhood toys as a commentary on the vacuousness of American culture. Editor and critic Thomas Hess admired Thiebaud’s work for offering a scathing critique on American consumerism. Thiebaud rejected that interpretation as well. In contrast to Warhol’s cynicism, Thiebaud’s joy was genuine. 

When asked why he painted gumball machines, Thiebaud relayed a conversation he once had with Barnett Newman, who pointed out: “The gumball machine is the most surreal object in the world. It promises things inside. It’s like gift-wrapped elegance. All it supplies is something to chew on but look at it with its brightest kind of colors plus the fact that you put in the dirtiest, grimiest kind of copper money and out comes a beautiful magenta or yellow ball full of sweet promise.”

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Photo by Marrie Stone

“Toy Counter,” serigraph proof, 1970

An extraordinary career in print

Fans of Thiebaud’s paintings and drawings may be interested in exploring his versatile talents as a printmaker. The exhibition includes roughly half a dozen examples of his woodcuts, linocuts, serigraphs and etchings.

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Photo by Marrie Stone

“Candy Counter,” linocut, artist proof, 1970

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Photo by Marrie Stone

“River Turns,” etching and aquatint, hard worked with charcoal and white chalk, 2012

A strong supporter of LAM

Thiebaud was a longtime friend and ally of the Laguna Art Museum. He staged three exhibitions at the LAM over the years: 70 Years of Painting (2007), American Memories (2004) and Clowns (2021). He even funded the wood floors in the museum’s galleries. In 2013, LAM presented Thiebaud with the Wendt Award for his outstanding contributions to the study and public awareness of California art. 

I had the opportunity to write about Thiebaud’s Clowns last September. (To access the article, click here.) What struck me then was the sense of melancholy that slipped into Thiebaud’s work in his later years. Clowns came late in the artist’s life, after the death of his son Paul (2010) and his wife, Betty Jean (2015). The pieces contained Thiebaud’s classic playfulness and cheer, but also a ribbon of sadness and a recognition of his own mortality. He must have known that, in all likelihood, he was painting his final act. 

“This retrospective exhibition reminds us that the museum is an important hub,” said Lee. “Over the years, people came to see three full exhibitions, attended programming and had the opportunity to meet him, learn from him and experience that direct connection to his work. Many of those people are students of Wayne’s. They’ve increased their own art practicing success because of the things they learned from him over time. It’s a huge loss felt deeply by so many people in town. We’re honored the museum can pay tribute to that legacy.”

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Photo by Marrie Stone

“Our Friend Wayne Thiebaud” exhibition will be on display through May 1

“I think art is probably our saving grace,” Thiebaud wrote last year. “It can almost ignore our animal premise and spirits. It’s worth investing in as many deeply involved people as we can muster because I think that’s where our hopes lie: in giving us a life of pleasure, challenge, comfort, joyousness – all of the things that make us human and able to relate kindly to each other.” 

The day after Thiebaud’s Christmas Day death his daughter, Twinka Thiebaud, made the following statement on Facebook: “Master painter, art professor, tennis player, joke teller extraordinaire, beloved husband, father, uncle and friend, Wayne Thiebaud has packed up his brushes in search of new scenery to paint, new canvasses to conquer. He will always be our favorite Father Christmas. Rest in sweet peace, Papa. One hundred one extraordinary years on planet earth!”

For more information on the exhibition and Wayne Thiebaud’s contributions to the Laguna Art Museum, visit their website at www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

This story is a part of our Arts section. Visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts for more arts stories as well as our arts calendars.

Laguna Batting Cages play part in fulfilling “Bucket List” dream wish

By DIANNE RUSSELL 

Someone once said, “Stop dreaming about your bucket list and start living it.” Al Vangelos took this adage to heart and the results are nothing short of extraordinary. Laguna Batting Cages and Coach Mark Przybylak were instrumental in helping Vangelos fulfill his wish on his “field of dreams” – the San Francisco Giants MLB field.

For 25 years – 14 at Laguna Batting Cages on Laguna Canyon Road – Przybylak has been a professional hitting instructor who gives individual lessons. (A bit of nostalgia: The old scoreboard from Riddle Field is on the site of the Laguna Batting Cages.)

Two years ago, Przybylak got a special request from a perspective student.

“In 2020, I was contacted by 89-year-old San Juan Capistrano resident, Al Vangelos, inquiring about giving him lessons on how to hit,” said Przybylak.

Although, Vangelos hadn’t hit a baseball since he was 17 years old, he had a “Bucket List” dream of getting a base hit on the San Francisco Giants MLB field. 

“Other than sandlots, I didn’t play baseball in school,” Vangelos said. “We lived up in the Bay Area for many years, and I was a big SF Giants fan.”

Vangelos signed up with his two sons, Stephen and Vasi, and two grandsons, Will and Alexander, to play in the SF Giants “Fantasy Camp” the week of January 9, 2020. “We represented three generations,” Vangelos said.

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Courtesy of Al Vangelos

Three generations of Vangelos at Fantasy Camp. (L-R) Grandson Alexander, son Vasi, Al, son Steve and grandson Will.

Fantasy Camp is held before the start of spring training and continues for a week – from Saturday to Saturday. Attendees play two games a day for four days and then on the final day, they have a World Series game. Participants wear the uniforms, have their names on the lockers and do all the things the pros do.

“They let us all play on the same team and made it special for all of us,” said Vangelos. “People were so nice. They accommodated everyone and said, ‘just have fun.’ I was the oldest one there.”

This isn’t the first time that Vangelos has surpassed the norms for his age. Although he retired from the agriculture industry at 55 years of age, at 74, he was recruited as CEO of the Sun World Inc. board and spent three years in that position.

The training begins

“I hadn’t met him before, but I gave one of his grandson’s lessons,” Przybylak said. “Al had long been a fan of the SF Giants, and told me, ‘I want to hit one off in uniform in their stadium. Do you think it’s possible?’”

Przybylak replied, “Anything is possible.” 

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Courtesy of Al Vangelos

Mark (on left) and Al at the Laguna Batting Cages

Then they got around to finances.

“He had asked me what my fee is per lesson,” Przybylak explained. “My response was that I did not want to charge him my regular professional fee of $50 per session, because I was so moved by his passion to achieve his goal. But instead I made him a deal, that when he achieved his dream and got that hit, that he would owe me one nice Cuban Cigar…so I too could celebrate!! He reluctantly agreed, because he thought I would get the short end of the stick if he didn’t manage to get the hit. On the other hand, I honestly believed that I was good enough to teach him, and if he got that hit…it would be priceless for all involved. I wanted this as much as he did.” 

“That’s a deal,” Vangelos said.

And the work began. 

“Al and his son Steve began showing up for hitting lessons once a week, every Friday afternoon,” said Przybylak. “The first time he hit, I was worried about his balance. Mechanically, he wasn’t in the right position, so I got him in the right posture. He’s very good at applying what he learned and his desire to do well was apparent.”

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Courtesy of Al Vangelos

Al in his Giants uniform at Fantasy Camp

Vangelos gave Przybylak high praise. “Mark is great. It was an exciting process as he took me from a fledgling to a proper hitter. There was so much I didn’t know. I gained a lot of respect for the physical skills of the professional players.”

After attending a few sessions, Vangelos found out in late 2020 that the camp had been canceled due to COVID restrictions.

“Al called in October of 2021 to tell me that the camp had started up again and was due to take place on January 9, 2022, so we began meeting on Fridays again,” Przybylak said. “We went back to work.” 

A lifetime of coaching

Przybylak started coaching when his son was in Tee Ball and has been at it a long time. “I made a promise to God to give back. I was raised in Buffalo, NY, with little money, and I had to step up to get a scholarship. I worked hard and got a choice of scholarships at 10 schools. I also played football, but I was injured. I kept my promise to God when I started coaching Tee Ball.”

Starting his career as a baseball coach at St. Margaret’s in San Juan Capistrano, Przybylak stayed for six years. Then he moved on to Capistrano Valley for five years, and eventually to the Laguna Beach Batting Cages as a hitting instructor. It’s his mainstay income.

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Courtesy of Al Vangelos

San Francisco Giant’s locker room 

“I heard from Al on Tuesday, January 10, telling me that he got a hit in a warm-up scrimmage, and they gave him the game ball,” Przybylak said. “But…It wouldn’t count because it was just a scrimmage. The real games began on Wednesday, a double header!” 

Guess what? 

“Wednesday came…and Al got his hit!” said Przybylak. “I texted my friend, former MLB great Reggie Smith, who mentors me in teaching the art of ‘hitting’ …I had kept him apprised of this journey since it began. Reggie responded back to me, with congrats, as well as to let me know that the record for oldest player to get a base hit was 91 years old. I shared this with Al.”

Vangelos’ response was, “Well, then we’ve got lots of work to do!” 

An inspiration

At 63 years of age, Mark says he has friends retiring – and then dying.

“I’ll never retire, this is my fountain of youth,” Przybylak said. “I love what I do. Al gives me hope with his will and drive to achieve, and that’s so important for people my age. I want them to see this story and be inspired. I have all the respect in the world for Al.”

That feeling is most certainly reciprocated. 

In response to a question regarding the other items on his bucket list, Vangelos said, “There’s not anything close to this – it was the highlight. It was a dream come true.”

However, he is considering going back next year to Fantasy Camp – when he’s 90 years old.

Rolling with the pandemic’s punches: The Pageant of the Masters’ casting call looked a little different this year, but nearly 550 turned out

Story by MARRIE STONE

Photos by Jeff Rovner

This story is a part of our Arts section. Visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts for more arts stories as well as our arts calendars.

Despite the latest surge of the Omicron variant, a surprise tsunami warning and a splash of unexpected rain, the 2022 Pageant of the Masters casting call went off as planned this past weekend. As they say in the industry, “The show must go on!” Mindful of pandemic protocols, safety procedures looked a little different this year. Sign-ups took place entirely outside, conducted with a fully masked staff and crew. 

Director Diane Challis Davy oversaw the process. “It’s very different for us this year,” she said. “Normally we’d conduct the casting call indoors and backstage. But we’ve created these areas under the canopies and brought in plenty of heaters. It’s the same process, but everyone’s wearing masks and we’re being conscious of people keeping their distance. We’re just hoping for a good turn out and anticipating a wonderful summer show.”

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Diane Challis Davy will serve her 26th year as the Pageant’s director and celebrate 42 years with the show

Wonderful World, the Pageant’s 89th show, is scheduled to open on Thursday, July 7 and will run through September 3. The organization seeks 500 volunteers each summer to act in two rotating casts, as well as workers for their makeup, wardrobe and headdress departments. Attendees could also opt to be substitutes. A typical season usually sees a 40% return rate from previous year volunteers, although everyone acknowledged the past years have been anything but typical. 

Curious how the process worked, Stu News accompanied a first-time hopeful from start to finish. Five-year-old Layla Hartwell-Lewis tried out alongside her father, Orlando Lewis, who has been cast in the show the past two years. If chosen, she’ll be one of the youngest members to join the annual summer cast. 

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Orlando Lewis and daughter Layla Hartwell-Lewis arrive to try out for the 2022 show, “Wonderful World”

“I’m bringing her along for the ride,” said Lewis, a native Londoner who lived in Laguna Beach before recently moving to a new home in Costa Mesa. Last year, Lewis was cast as a sculpture in Hiawatha’s Marriage. He was also one of John Nieto’s Buffalo Dancers. 

We walked alongside the father-daughter duo and learned something new at each stop. 

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Before beginning the process, Lewis completed their paperwork including whether they wished to be part of the cast or crew (which includes the wardrobe, makeup, headdress departments or onstage set design)

First stop: Meet the casting director

Casting Director Nancy Martin, a 39-year veteran of the show, highlighted the unusual nature of the last two years. “Last summer was crazy,” she said. “We’re hoping for a normal season. But we’re still following strict procedures for the casting call.”

Martin said the annual casting call usually yields between 700 and 1,000 applicants, depending on the year and the weather. “We’re hoping for the best this year, but we never know for sure,” she said. “We use approximately 500 people every year for both casts and all the various departments. So, 700 applicants really isn’t enough. We hope for at least 1,000 to begin with, but we allow people to come during the week if they give us a call.”

When asked the deadline to apply, Martin laughed and said, “The drop-dead deadline is at the end of the show. We take people all the way through.”

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Layla and Orlando meet with Casting Director Nancy Martin and Joy Monson

Second stop: headdress measurements 

Headpiece designer Rome Fiore was on hand to take Layla’s first measurements. Fiore joined the Pageant last year and is overseen by Costume Director Reagan Foy. 

While Layla was being measured, we chatted with Foy about the complicated costuming that goes into the show. 

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Fiore takes Layla’s head measurements

“Once I get the cast members’ sizes, I cut the patterns, stitch the fabric and call the cast in for fittings,” she said. “When we get them in the set, we sometimes have to manipulate the fabric. Onstage garments aren’t worn the way they typically would be.” 

Much of the fabric Foy uses is muslin. “We use some cotton Lycra knit and a lot of Landau foam to create bulkiness. We also use the foam for the sculptures. For instance, the warriors and guardians this year will involve a lot of foam.” 

Multiply this process by at least 150 costumes for the show. “Sometimes one person wears three or four pieces,” said Foy. “Maybe a vest, jacket, shirt and pants.” 

We couldn’t help but remark on Foy’s incredible outfit. “I’m known for fashion around here,” she said. “I literally wear a different outfit every night throughout the summer. The volunteers love it. They always want to see what I’m wearing. I have quite a collection.” 

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Costume Director Reagan Foy assumed her role in 2018, but worked in the headpiece department since 2008. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal State Long Beach in costume design.

Third stop: body measurements

While Layla was measured from head to toe (and side to side), we spoke with volunteers about how the Pageant has become a family tradition. While the commitment is significant – volunteering for nightly shows every-other-week for eight weeks – the payoff motivates generations of families to return year after year. 

“My daughter, Michelle Pohl, is now the Makeup Director. She started in the Pageant when she was 5 years old. Now she’s 42,” said Linda Kerr, whose entire family has participated in the Pageant for generations. “Our son also started when he was 5. My husband has been in the show, I’ve been in the show through the years, and now our grandchildren are in the show.”

“It’s a complete, wonderful, full circle, well-oiled machine,” said another volunteer, who likened the Pageant to summer camp for adults. “Everybody works together. Chemistry is the one fabulous thing that everyone here has. You work with the people you love. We’re all an extension of each other.”

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Layla holds still for a long series of measurements, convincing us she’ll make it through the 90-second requirement on stage

Fourth stop: photos

Once Layla’s measurements were completed, she hopped over to the mirrored photo booth with her dad. The booth captures volunteers from every angle and accurately gauges their height (a critical component of casting). 

“That photo booth is probably circa 1960 or even a little earlier,” said Challis Davy. “They’ve been using that mirrored photo booth ever since I’ve been here [1980] and probably long before. So, the same process has been used for decades. Things may look a little different this year, but it’s a traditional casting call.”

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Layla cheers her dad on while he stands for his angled photo

While waiting for Layla, we chatted with others in line about what inspired them to apply. “I’ve been looking for ways to get more involved in the community and searching for volunteer opportunities,” said first-time hopeful Nandita Batra. “Until now, I had no idea they run the Pageant with an all-volunteer staff. When I saw the notice for the casting call, I thought this would be a fun and cool opportunity. I’m really impressed by how well organized it is. Everybody is so friendly.”

Final stop: treats!

After about 30 minutes, Layla successfully completed the process. We watched as she and her dad selected their rewards from a table full of past Pageant souvenirs. Layla picked a few pencils while Orlando found a T-shirt. Other volunteer benefits for those chosen will include complimentary Pageant tickets, a cast party and lifetime bragging rights about being part of a near 90-year tradition in Laguna Beach. 

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The long-awaited treat table gives Layla pause. She and Orlando finally settle on a few new pencils and a T-shirt.

Prospective volunteers met their match

Layla and Orlando made their way over to a giant corkboard that showcased the pieces planned for this summer’s show. 

“The images on the corkboard will be the actual artwork featured in the 2022 show,” said Marketing and PR Director for the Pageant, Sharbie Higuchi. “However, we are still in the process of obtaining rights and permissions. Our final selections are subject to change.”

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Layla and Orlando examine the board, speculating on what roles they might play in the 2022 production of “Wonderful World”

What happens next?

“We cast everything gradually,” said Challis Davy. “And we cast as we build, as we make the costumes and build the sets. You really have to be patient.” 

Challis Davy said of the people who sign up – typically about 900 or 1,000 – roughly 50% will get a phone call. Those not called will get a postcard asking them to try again next year. “It’s nothing personal,” said Challis Davy. “It’s mostly your height that determines casting.” 

Higuchi echoed the process. “The Pageant rehearses one to three set pieces each Thursday night beginning in February,” she said. “Rehearsals run through June. There’s a chance someone won’t find out if they’re cast until the last set is created for the show in June. The earliest a person could be notified is the end of this month (January) or the beginning of February.” 

Higuchi shared a little more behind-the-scenes information. “Technical Director Richard (Butch) Hill sizes up the artwork and determines what size person or persons are needed for any given set,” she said. “He then gives that information to the Casting Department, who must find two people of like size to play a particular role. We double cast the show – one for the Green cast and one for Blue. The casts alternate from week to week.” 

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Layla proves she’s been practicing her 90-second hold

The Pageant encourages anyone who would still like to sign up to contact the casting department at 949.494.3663 to schedule a private appointment for measurements. “We do need more volunteers,” said Higuchi. In the meantime, we wish Layla and her father the best of luck.

For more information, visit the Pageant’s website at www.foapom.com.

This story is a part of our Arts section. Visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts for more arts stories as well as our arts calendars.

Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center is expanding program to include new acts for 2022

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center (LBCAC) announced that it is collaborating with Lyric Opera of Orange County, Bare Bones Theater Group and the Incredible Women Film Festival to launch its 2022 season.

“We look to be an accessible and affordable epicenter for art by offering exhibition and event space to showcase leading-edge, experiential and thought-provoking art that drives positive change,” said Rick Conkey, founder of the LBCAC. “Positive change begins with creating a dialogue that spurs a deeper understanding of things that we may not understand, or even fear. If we address our ignorance with increased knowledge, these fears just disappear and we’re left with a higher consciousness that was brought to us through art.”

The LBCAC is uniquely positioned to help extend Conkey’s vision and supporters of the arts are encouraged to engage with some of the Center’s upcoming programming. 

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Photos courtesy of LBCAC

“Shakespeare’s Fool: An Evening of Song and Speeches” takes place on January 29

–Bare Bones Theatre features “Shakespeare’s Fool: An Evening of Song and Speeches” on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. Founded by Laguna Beach writer and Literary Laureate Emeritus Lojo Simon, ART WOW has been producing Bare Bones Theatre since 2015. Tagged “theatre you can chew on,” Bare Bones Theatre is a script-in-hand playreading series for discerning theatregoers that pairs a curated series of performances with thought-provoking community conversation about contemporary topics. Guest facilitators have included clergy from three different denominations, psychologists, community leaders and experts in a variety of topic areas.

Bare Bones’ first event in its new home will be a time-honored Laguna favorite, Shakespeare’s Fool, a rambunctious and unpretentious romp through lyrics and lines of William Shakespeare featuring singer/songwriter Jason Feddy and actor Ava Burton. Cost: General Admission, $30; VIP, $50. For tickets, go here.

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“James Clay Garrison and Friends” takes place February 5

–James Clay Garrison and Friends on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. For more than 30 years, James Clay Garrison has been a source of delight and inspiration to fans and aspiring players from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Now, he collaborates with his favorite musicians and friends to help make this evening exciting and unforgettable. Pal Matt Rohde of Jane’s Addiction and associate music director for American Idol join Garrison on stage as they go through some of his favorite numbers and call up very special guests to add to the evening.

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Geraldo “Jerry” Segura

Geraldo “Jerry” Segura will be opening the night with his universal sound, to get the audience hopping out of their seats to dance. Cost: General Admission, $30; VIP, $50. For tickets, go here.

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“Opera Re-Imagined: Songs in the Key of Love” takes place February 12

–LBCAC presents “Opera Re-Imagined: Songs in the Key of Love” on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. Visit the LBCAC on Valentine’s Day weekend for another special “Opera Re-Imagined” evening, celebrating the wonder of love, including all of its highs and lows.

In collaboration with the Lyric Opera of Orange County, this recital will feature founder and soprano, Diana Farrell, along with former Michigan Opera, Detroit Opera mezzo-soprano, Molly Noori. As always, you’ll hear from your host, “Laguna Tenor” Rick Weber and some of Southern California’s most promising up-and-coming voices. Cost: General Admission, $30; VIP, $50. For tickets, go here.

Lojo Simon’s newest play, “L’Dor V’Dor” takes place on February 22

–Bare Bones Theatre features L’Dor V’Dor on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The premiere of Lojo Simon’s newest play, L’Dor V’Dor (from Generation to Generation), explores assimilation, identity and what we inherit from the generations who have gone before us, through the story of one ordinary American family on the morning of their daughter’s bat mitzvah. The reading will be followed by a curated community conversation. Cost: General Admission, $30; VIP, $50. For tickets, go here.

Take action. Use these links to support the arts and drive change:

–Donate to the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center (LBCAC): https://lbculturalartscenter.org/donations/.

–Reserve the LBCAC for your private event, volunteer your time and/or skills: https://lbculturalartscenter.org/contact-us/.

–View “Anything Goes Happy Hour” episodes:
https://lbculturalartscenter.org/tv/.

Throughout the ages, civilizations have been judged by their artistic and creative expressions. The LBCAC is harnessing the power of the arts for the benefit of the community, creating artivists and growing the hearts and minds of our youth. This epicenter of art is located along the Forest Avenue Promenade in Laguna Beach, the heart of Southern California’s premier art colony. Follow the LBCAC on Social Media – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lbculturalartscenter and Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbcac235.

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center – Arthouse Theatre is located at 235 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. www.lbculturalartscenter.org.

Festival of Arts satellite gallery foaSOUTH presents new Dagmar Chaplin exhibition

Art fans, get excited! Starting February 1 through April 15, experience the newest exhibition at the foaSOUTH Gallery, Dagmar Chaplin: Artifacts and Fiction. Located at the Festival of Arts satellite gallery inside Active Culture, the exhibition will feature a distinguished collection of striking acrylic paintings by Dagmar Chaplin. The foaSOUTH gallery is part of an ongoing series of shows that the Festival of Arts presents at the location year around. 

“With her unique palette and style, Dagmar brings to her canvases a soulful energy,” shared Festival of Arts Marketing and PR Director Sharbie Higuchi. “We believe the public will truly appreciate her collection and are thrilled to display it for Laguna Beach residents and visitors to experience with our partners at Active Culture.”

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Courtesy of FOA

“Cosmic Bocci” by Dagmar Chaplin is on display at foaSOUTH, February 1-April 15

Born in Berlin and having lived around the world, Chaplin has developed an inventive and creative form of art that is truly unique in the world of painting. Taking portraiture to a highly surrealistic means to an end, she has carved her own little niche in the world of art. She has been influenced by the many diverse countries that she has both visited and lived within. Her life experiences in these diverse cultures are easily seen in the “world fusion” that Chaplin calls her art form. Taking her views of people, from the world famous to the virtual unknowns, she has produced art that is easily recognizable as hers and hers alone.

Chaplin moved to Laguna Beach from Vancouver, Canada in 1974. The very next year, she exhibited in the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show. In 2000, her work, “Madame Butterfly” was featured on the Festival of Arts poster. That original acrylic painting is now part of the Festival’s Permanent Art Collection. Her work can also be admired all over the world and is featured in many collections, including in Chicago’s “Standard Oils Permanent Collection of American Artists”; Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy, purchased three paintings and producer, Mike Nichols, even used her art in a movie.

The foaSOUTH gallery featuring Dagmar Chaplin: Artifacts and Fiction is inside Active Culture located at 1006 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. The gallery is open daily from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. The Festival of Arts is a non-profit organization whose proceeds support the arts in and about Laguna Beach. Admission is free. For more information call 949.494.1145. Visit www.FestivalofArts.org.

LBCAC presents “2020 Three Artists Response To An Historic Year”

In the pantheon of recorded history, how will those who write about the year 2020 view the impact it had on humanity, societal change and the environment? Creatives have always played a significant role in recording those changes. In an unprecedented year, the world was impacted by a worldwide pandemic, political upheaval and social injustice.

Working in the solitary confines of their individual studios and without knowledge of each other’s efforts, Jorg Dubin, Carrie Zeller and Tom Lamb set about to document through various mediums and methods a record of this unprecedented year.

On Friday, Jan. 28 from 7-10 p.m., Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center (LBCAC) presents, “2020 Three Artists Response To An Historic Year.”

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Photos courtesy of LBCAC

“The Orange Stand” by Jorg Dubin

Dubin’s work is often driven by the immediacy of current events. Social injustice and political division are often depicted in sometimes brutal realism that commands the attention of the viewer to respond driving complacency into the rearview mirror.

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“Triple Threat” by Carrie Zeller

Zeller’s work takes on more global and universal themes. Dealing again with current events, Zeller’s photographic collages bring to the forefront compelling images of basic human rights that often motivate people to take a closer look at their personal existence and how they treat those around them keeping a sense of optimism just beneath the surface. 

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“Bolsa,” a handwoven Tibetan 100 knot wool and silk carpet by Tom Lamb

Lamb approached the turmoil of 2020 by considering the impact of Black Life Matters as seen In Minneapolis, climate change as seen from above and the global pandemic had on parts of the world that lacked resources to survive Covid-19 either from a health standpoint but also economically. He set about to transform his aerial photographs into functional artworks by collaborating with Tibetan and Nepalese artisans in Nepal to carry on their traditional weaving skills to create visually beautiful carpets of his aerial views. In the greatest tradition of helping those less fortunate, Lamb helped these craftspeople survive the terrible onslaught of the global pandemic. 

These three artists created bodies of work that for future generations will be a small part of the documented history in a multi-generational and unprecedented year.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with the performance taking place from 7-10 p.m. This is a seated event for all ages. Admission is free. Metered parking is available until 7 p.m. For more information, go here.

The LBCAC Arthouse Theatre is located at 235 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. www.lbculturalartscenter.org.

Mozart Classical Orchestra comes to Artists Theatre on February 13

The annual Mozart Classical Orchestra with Music Director Ami Porat comes to the Laguna Beach High School Artists Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.

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Courtesy of Mozart Classical Orchestra

Mozart Classical Orchestra

The 266th birthday concert will feature an all-Mozart program, with violin virtuoso Isabella Lippi in Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G major. The overture to Lucio Silla, an opera written when the composer was 15, opens the festivities. The concert concludes with the master’s Symphony No. 34, a rarely performed masterpiece, deserving of the highest ranking in the performed repertoire.

To purchase tickets, visit https://mozartorchestra.org/sngconcerts.html.

For more information on the Mozart Classical Orchestra, go to www.mozartorchestra.org.

Laguna Beach High School is located at 625 Park Ave., Laguna Beach

LOCA Instagram Challenge “Color of the Month” continues throughout the winter months

This month, take the LOCA Instagram Challenge “Color of the Month,” which kick offs seasonal arts challenges on Instagram. Creative types can get inspired by sharing their photos, and photos of their artwork, that follows easy themes.

“It’s been so fun seeing the variety of responses we get from our followers – all so creative!,” said Lisa Mansour, LOCA board member.

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Artwork by Mada Leach

Courtesy of LOCA 

The LOCA Instagram Challenge “Color of the Month” is blue for January

The challenge for winter is “Color of the Month” featuring images with a dominant or obvious color. The theme for January is blue, February is red and March is green. All mediums are invited including collage, drawing, printmaking, painting, photography and sculpture.

To participate now, post photos or images of artworks featuring blue, to LOCA Instagram and be sure to tag @locaarts and use the hashtag #locaartschallenge.

Quiet time

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Photo by Scott Brashier

Just imagine the loneliness of sitting on a barge waiting for your turn to come ashore

Register for a PMMC Spring Break Camp experience

Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) is offering two Spring Break Camps in 2022: Camp Pinniped and Marine Mammal Rehabilitation and Research Lab. 

Camp Pinniped:

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Photos courtesy of PMMC

Camp Pinniped takes place April 4-8, 2022

PMMC offers a unique experience for kids to witness a marine mammal hospital in action. Campers learn how their animal care team rehabilitates their seal and sea lion patients through a series of mock activities including weighing fish, preparing fish smoothies, cleaning pens and learning the art of marine mammal rescue. Campers will be learning all about the gray whale, harbor seal and manatee through games, arts and crafts. On the last day, campers join PMMC at the beach and get to explore the tidepools and all the creatures that call it home.

Camp hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at PMMC.

Cost: $350.

Dates: Monday, April 4 through Friday, April 8, 2022.

Ages: 8-12.

To register, go here.

Marine Mammal Rehabilitation and Research Lab:

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Marine Mammal Rehabilitation and Research Lab takes place April 11-15, 2022

This small group experience allows teens, ages 15-17, to explore different aspects of marine mammal science. Teens gain hands-on experience in animal husbandry while they work side by side with PMMC’s rescue and rehabilitation team, shadow their veterinarian on patient rounds and work as a team during activities related to ongoing research investigations at the Center. On the last day, the group goes out in the field with their researchers to conduct marine mammal observations to learn about research methods and techniques their scientists use to collect data.

Camp hours: Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at PMMC.

Cost: $500.

Dates: Monday, April 11 through Friday, April 15, 2022.

Ages: 15-17.

To register, go here.

Note: Masks must be worn while in PMMC’s classroom.

Pacific Marine Mammal Center is located at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. www.pacificmmc.org

Police Beat Primer

Compiled by Suzie Harrison

Police Beat derives from information in the daily police and arrest logs published on the City of Laguna Beach’s website and required under CA Government Code Section 6254 (f). Additional information is obtained through communication with the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officer.

Information in the logs is deemed reliable and Stu News Laguna is not responsible for any mistakes made available as public record by the Laguna Beach Police Department.

Any person arrested is innocent until found guilty in a court of law.