ARTS
SPECIAL SECTION
ON DISPLAY
FRESH APPROACHES TO ART CAN BE FOUND WEAVED IN WITH WELL-KNOWN WORKS AT THESE RECENTLY OPENED GALLERIES .
By STEFANEE FREEDMAN
From walls showcasing Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí to street artists Banksy and Jeff Gillette , as well as mixed media , modern and abstract pieces by emerging artists and everything in between , a variety of new galleries have opened in Laguna Beach over the past year or so .
The owners of these galleries are a mix of creatives showcasing their own work to the coastal community and collectors ready to sell off some of their holdings while exhibiting pieces by artists from all over the world . “ Laguna Beach is an art center , which means that one of the top … art schools in the country is here ,” says Mogie Dillow , director of Pop Art Masters Gallery , which opened earlier this year . “ We have Pageant of the Masters and many art festivals are here . Anyone who wants to buy art comes here . It is a very bohemian town and a very artsy town .”
Laguna College of Art and Design alumnus Andrew Myers is a local artist who recently opened a gallery downtown to showcase his pieces along with those of other artists working in a variety of mediums and genres . Charles Pellicane and Suzanne Barber have galleries mainly displaying their own creative talents . Then there are newly opened spaces from worldwide collectors , like Ryan Wortham and Robin Liu , ready to display and sell their collections to art lovers coming through Laguna Beach .
“ I am happy to be in Laguna Beach , and what better place to have a gallery than Laguna Beach ,” says Wortham , owner of Kool Chit Street Art Gallery . “ It is an artisan city . It was born as an artisan city .”
Here are some of the newest galleries to peruse while enjoying the artwork on display around town .
52 LAGUNABEACHMAGAZINE . COM