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AN ARTFUL ATMOSPHERE
SCULPTURES, MURALS AND OTHER PUBLIC ART—BOTH NEW AND NEWLY RESTORED—
HELP MAKE LAGUNA BEACH A VIBRANT PLACE TO EXPLORE.
BY CASSANDRA REINHART
A
s locals and visi- art or pay an in-lieu fee
Beach is home to any new building construc-
tors know, Laguna
toward public artwork for
dozens of art galleries filled
tion—and some renovation
with all manner of mediums
projects—valued at more
and styles: impressionist
than $225,000.
paintings, modern sculp-
“As an arts colony, public
tures, landscape photos and art defines our aspiration
of the painters that helped ty,” says Sian Poeschl, cultur-
even early works by some
and qualities as a communi-
establish Laguna as an artist
al arts manager for the city
colony. And, while walking
of Laguna Beach.
from one exhibit space to the
The city is also defined by
next, it becomes obvious that its proximity to the ocean,
of sorts; the town’s public art toll on outdoor artwork.
you are already in a gallery
a setting that can take a
does as much to define La-
Over time, Laguna’s natural
guna’s character today as its
arts heritage dating all the way back to its first resident painter,
Norman St. Clair, who settled here in 1903.
Laguna has since made a name for itself in the public art are-
na, now boasting more than 80 pieces scattered around town.
Everything from sculptures prominently displayed near beaches
and green space to those carefully camouflaged as part of the
coastal landscape, public art has become part of the fabric that
makes Laguna more than just another California beach town.
coastal environment has
created problems for some of the public art pieces on display
throughout the community, as metal corrodes up to 10 times
faster in salty ocean air than it does in places with normal humid-
ity. And the organic material found in sea spray contains bacteria
that can disrupt outdoor surfaces, too. In response to these fac-
tors, for the 2017 to 2018 fiscal year, the city budgeted $25,000
for ongoing restorations to repair damaged artwork.
“When public art is installed, there is a commitment to its main-
Two city programs—Art in Public Places as well as Public Art and tenance for its lifetime,” Poeschl says. “The Arts Commission annu-
remains a priority. The goal is to reflect the city and its residents. More than a dozen public art pieces have been restored over
Murals—ensure that installing high-quality, diverse public art
Under a city ordinance, developers must install a piece of public
C HRI S GUZ I AK | 949-285-0509
ally allocates funds in its budget to ensure this is undertaken.”
the past couple of years. Some receive a quick fix; for others,
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