ARTWALKING

AMY JACKSON:  Amy Eidt Jackson is an artist of distillled light and interpreted environments. Her work reflects her love of nature and the inspiration of the natural landscape.She is a member of Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), Los Angeles Art Association, SoCal Papa, and participates in exhibitions throughout Southern California.Eidt Jackson has studied art and art history in Southern California and on the east coast, as well as at the Universita di Firenze, in Florence Italy and the Cotswolds of England. She has created multi media works, as well as exploring the meaning of time as it relates to the Japanese lute.   CELESTE GILLIS:  Born and raised in Newport Beach, Celeste has lived in Laguna Beach for the past 25 years with her husband Graham. She is actively involved in the Laguna Beach arts community and serves as Vice President of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. She has served on LPAPA’s Invitational Planning Committee since 2013, joined the Board in 2014. Celeste is passionate about art and how it relates to our community. She graduated from the University of Southern California, and has been in luxury real estate along the Orange County Coast for over 20 years. Celeste, along with her husband and two sons, and like those early California painters, loves to enjoy the surf, sun, and outdoor sanctuary that is abundant in Laguna Beach.

HOPE RAILEY  Hope is a passionate and driven fine artist and teacher who has dedicated the last 20 years to painting in the studio and teaching future generations of artists. She is an Associate Professor and has served as chair of the Fine Arts department at Laguna College of Art and Design since 2011. She is a regional juror for the AXA Art Prize and has served on artist panels at the 2021 LPAPA Invitational. NOEL LASHLEY  Noel is a multi faceted artist who shares his passion in part by teaching others. The proprietor of the Laguna Art Supply since 1986, he’s been the informative, helpful, friendly face artists go to for help. Take a minute, and meet this talented local artist. Laguna Art Supply is the source for all kinds of artist materials, helpful instruction and valuable resources.

This month, Artwalking Radio brings you two guests, Ricardo, and Mike, as we explore their paths traveled and share life experiences - an artist's perspectives. All these guests have incredible histories and fascinating backgrounds, leading them to be passionate artivists artists called to action through their work. Artwalking is grateful to the Laguna Beach Beautification Council as its sponsor, which promotes and advances projects to enhance Laguna's natural and cultural beauty. Artwalking encourages listener support, including organizations and businesses advancing appreciation of natural resources that sustain the beauty of our surrounding environment. Each year, The LBBC recognizes and awards public and private beautification projects. It also acknowledges the Laguna Beach County Water District's generosity in hosting its meetings and awards ceremonies. RICARDO DUFFY: Ricardo is one of those people we call bi-racial; that is to say, he is a bridge person. Bridge people begin with their legs planted in one place and end up with their arms outstretched to someplace else entirely. For Ricardo, the bridges have spanned the distance between Costa Rica, where he has one residence, and California, where he makes his home in Laguna Beach. The distance underneath, the subterranean land bridge that connects the two Americas, is what Ricardo and his work have come to exemplify: the complex social, political, and infinitely spiritual relationship between the Americas. As all artists choose an approach to expression, Ricarrdo's approach is truly that of the social commentator. He is not tempted by commonplace dialogue with society that gently seduces opinions. His art is more direct in approach and more confrontational. Ricardo often uses gentrified consumerist symbols to illustrate the farce of shat our modern-day monoculture has become. Ricardo toys with the true meanings of words such as alien, migration, class, acculturation, border, and spirit. Ricardo is a self-identified Chicano and freedom fighter at war with growing corporate colonialism and the growing genocide of our earth. Greed is thecancer his art rebuffs.MIKE BEANAN: MIke grew up in Northern California in a large working-class family. They camped every summer for two weeks in State Parks and remote national forests so Mike developed a close relationship with Nature. As teens, he and his brothers surfed the cold, wild waves north of Santa Cruz. Leaving high school, he was faced with being immediately drafted for the Vietnam War so he joined the Navy to avoid the Army. Somehow, however, he wound up being assigned to SEAL Team One as a point man and platoon sergeant. The experience made him a lifelong anti-war activist. Leaving the military after turning 21, he pursued an education and eventually became the Assistant Dean at UC Irvine advancing programs to help veterans and other non-traditional students to succeed in their education. While at UCI, as a SCUBA Instructor, Mike developed the first SCUBA Project for paralyzed veterans. Having a strong art background and always loveing the ocean, he moved to Laguna to become an artist and added political cartoons to the Sawdust Festival in 1984. He also remain determined to protect the Greenbelt. His activism included arrest actions to draw media attention to challenging the Toll Road and became part of BC Space's artivism projects.

BOB BORTHWICK: Bob is a landscape architect who has lived in Laguna Beach since 1974. He has designed numerous public projects in town, including significant portions of Heisler Park. His largest project in Laguna has been Alta Laguna Park in 1990, in collaboration with Ann Christoph. His firm designed the award-winning 2.4 mile San Clemente Beach Trail, the Avalon Waterfront Promenade on Catalina Island, and is currently completing the last 17 cottages of the Crystal Cove Historic District for the State of California on Newport Coast. Many other notable public and private projects throughout southern California were designed by his firm, in addition to selected international projects.Bob has devoted much time over his career to local open space preservation, beginning with the volunteer "Aliso Creek: Forest-to-the Sea" master plan in 1974. More recently he prepared a pro-bono plan for environmental enhancement of Laguna Canyon and Creek, in collaboration with Lance Vallery, which resulted in a $500,000 grant from the State of California to the City of Laguna Beach. He was honored for his work by the American Society of Landscape Architects "Public Stewardship Award" in 2016, and has received the Laguna Beach Beautification Council "Harry Lawrence Award" for his efforts in our community. JANE LEARY: Jane Leary grew up in Fair Oaks (near Sacramento) and moved to Southern California in 1979. Sheretired in 2021 from a successful 40+ year career in outside sales, with the last 25 years spent in the medical device industry. In 1984 Jane earned her Bachelors Degree in Management from the University of Redlands and in 2019 Jane and her husband Greg Frock moved from Coto de Caza to their cottage in Laguna Beach, with their only regret being that they didn’t do it 25 years sooner! Upon retirement Jane became involved in the community embracing all that it has to offer. She became a member of the Laguna Beach Garden Club in 2020, was elected CO-Vice President in 2022 and President in 2023. You will find Jane enjoying the South Laguna beaches, hiking in the Laguna Canyon Wilderness, fitness walking the streets of South Laguna and attending events around town. And of course you’ll find her at the Lagun Beach Garden Club meetings! Regular meetings are held 9:30-11:30AM the 2 nd Friday of every month Sept through May in Tankersley Hall at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Come join us and become involved in this vibrant 95-year-old service organization committed to the advancement of gardening, horticulture, ecology and conservation through education and participation in related community projects. KRISTY SANTIMYER-MELITA: Kristy has been dancing for a long time. Born near Pittsburgh, PA, she trained and performed as a young student with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Her adult years took her to the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and others, in NYC. Later, her family moved to London, UK, where she owned and operated a somatic movement studio and teacher training center. Now settled in Laguna Beach, you can find her hiking in the canyons, walking at Crystal Cove, or birdwatching in the Hortense Miller Garden, where she also curates historical, art,and nature installations in the Aviary Gallery. Sky Is Falling Environmental Rap

BOB BORTHWICK: Bob is a landscape architect who has lived in Laguna Beach since 1974. He has designed numerous public projects in town, including significant portions of Heisler Park. His largest project in Laguna has been Alta Laguna Park in 1990, in collaboration with Ann Christoph. His firm designed the award-winning 2.4 mile San Clemente Beach Trail, the Avalon Waterfront Promenade on Catalina Island, and is currently completing the last 17 cottages of the Crystal Cove Historic District for the State of California on Newport Coast. Many other notable public and private projects throughout southern California were designed by his firm, in addition to selected international projects.Bob has devoted much time over his career to local open space preservation, beginning with the volunteer "Aliso Creek: Forest-to-the Sea" master plan in 1974. More recently he prepared a pro-bono plan for environmental enhancement of Laguna Canyon and Creek, in collaboration with Lance Vallery, which resulted in a $500,000 grant from the State of California to the City of Laguna Beach. He was honored for his work by the American Society of Landscape Architects "Public Stewardship Award" in 2016, and has received the Laguna Beach Beautification Council "Harry Lawrence Award" for his efforts in our community. JANE LEARY: Jane Leary grew up in Fair Oaks (near Sacramento) and moved to Southern California in 1979. Sheretired in 2021 from a successful 40+ year career in outside sales, with the last 25 years spent in the medical device industry. In 1984 Jane earned her Bachelors Degree in Management from the University of Redlands and in 2019 Jane and her husband Greg Frock moved from Coto de Caza to their cottage in Laguna Beach, with their only regret being that they didn’t do it 25 years sooner! Upon retirement Jane became involved in the community embracing all that it has to offer. She became a member of the Laguna Beach Garden Club in 2020, was elected CO-Vice President in 2022 and President in 2023. You will find Jane enjoying the South Laguna beaches, hiking in the Laguna Canyon Wilderness, fitness walking the streets of South Laguna and attending events around town. And of course you’ll find her at the Lagun Beach Garden Club meetings! Regular meetings are held 9:30-11:30AM the 2 nd Friday of every month Sept through May in Tankersley Hall at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Come join us and become involved in this vibrant 95-year-old service organization committed to the advancement of gardening, horticulture, ecology and conservation through education and participation in related community projects. KRISTY SANTIMYER-MELITA: Kristy has been dancing for a long time. Born near Pittsburgh, PA, she trained and performed as a young student with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Her adult years took her to the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and others, in NYC. Later, her family moved to London, UK, where she owned and operated a somatic movement studio and teacher training center. Now settled in Laguna Beach, you can find her hiking in the canyons, walking at Crystal Cove, or birdwatching in the Hortense Miller Garden, where she also curates historical, art,and nature installations in the Aviary Gallery. Sky Is Falling Environmental Rap

Peter Clothier is an internationally-known writer who specializes in writing about art and artists. He believes in avoiding the jargon that obscures much current writing about art, and in writing simply, clearly, in language that the lay person can readily understand. He seeks to achieve a harmony of mind, heart, and body in his work, and looks for […]

Songwriter virtuoso guitarist, storyteller, playwright and poet presenting his  original music and lyricism to listeners, and how he combines story-telling and mediums.

Laguna artist Kate Lyons Landry is our featured guest sharing her interests working with children, art, and environment. A graduate of College of the Holy Cross,  Kate holds a masters of education and is a seasoned art educator, she has taught both abroad and locally in the public and private sector. She  graduate from  LCAD […]

Craig Cooley and Leah Vasquez interview Dan Trupiano… You have likely experienced his work, and are not aware of his legacy! Inventor, art director, "Imagineer"… we will be speaking with Dan Trupiano on his amazing creative journey from RISDI blown glass and Product development for several retail companies, including Bloomingdales, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Banana […]

Special guest Robin Lee Riddell is the owner of coastal eddy a gallery. She is also one of 34 artists showing their work at her ceramic gallery in Laguna Beach, California. Robin has dabbled in many creative fields, always feeding her artistic expression. She has owned a custom invitation company, a bakery in NYC, and […]

The premier radio broadcast of Artwalking Radio on KX FM 104.7 FM. Our interview will be with Mike Tauber and Susan Brown as we discuss the most recent addition to the Laguna Beach community of art and that being the "Festival of the Mosaics", how it came about and what it represents… along with all […]