For Immediate Release
Monday, February 17, 2014
Laguna Beach, CA – The Sawdust Art Festival is pleased to announce its 2014 “Art of Dining” fundraising event scheduled for Sunday, March 9 from 4-7 pm at the Sawdust grounds, hosted under the umbrella of Visit Laguna Beach’s annual culinary event Celebrate Good Taste. The Sawdust is excited to partner again with local restaurant 370 Common owner Chef Ryan Adams to present a three-course meal with wine and beer pairings. Unique dining-ware, serving-ware and stemware will be made by a team of talented Sawdust artists specially for this event, as art gifts for guests to take home, and to be incorporated into the dining décor.
The purpose of the “Art of Dining” event is to raise funds that will benefit the Sawdust Art Education Fund and be directly utilized in the creation of a 30-minute educational artist video. The brand new 2014 film created directly from last year’s Art of Dining proceeds will be premiered at the event on March 9. Twelve Sawdust artists were interviewed and captured on video, sharing and demonstrating their specific creative processes. This never before seen footage is currently being edited together by local filmmaker Shawn Fung into a complete film and will be the fourth installment in a series of similar films. The Sawdust artists featured in the 2014 artist video project include the following:
- Olivia Batchelder, silk painter
- Sean Brown, photographer
- Julita Jones, printmaker
- Shamus Koch, found object sculptor
- Bette McIntire, mixed media artist
- Helen McNamara, textile artist
- Jesse Miller, mixed media artist
- Patrick Moran, painter
- David Nelson, jeweler
- Dawn Spurlock, fused glass artist
- Michele Taylor, blown glass artist
- Walter Viszolay, painter
These films are an integral part in supporting Sawdust’s mission and will serve in educating the public as guests come through the festivals each year. Due to lack of funding, the Sawdust Art Festival has had to put the creation of these films on hold since 2009. In order to retain the knowledge of unique art forms and the creative processes behind them, the production of these artist films is paramount to the goals of the Sawdust Art Festival.
Select Sawdust artists will “meet and greet” event guests and demonstrate their creative processes at the event. Guests will take home special art gifts and will have the opportunity to purchase art pieces at the event. “Art of Dining” tickets are $175 per person. Space is limited. All purchasers will be automatically entered to win a Laguna Beach Sawdust Experience to include Sawdust annual passes, gift certificates to Sawdust Studio Art Classes and merchandise, along with an overnight stay at the Inn at Laguna Beach. One entry per ticket purchased.
The Art of Dining event is sponsored by the Inn at Laguna Beach, a local hotel offering a 20% discount during the event weekend of March 8-9; promo code PROSDF when booking hotel stay. For Art of Dining tickets visit www.sawdustartfestival.org/product/fundraiser or call 949-494-3030. To contribute at sponsorship levels, please contact Cynthia Fung at cfung@sawdustartfestival.org or 949-497-0517. For more information on Celebrate Good Taste, please visit www.celebrategoodtaste.com.
About the Sawdust Art Festival
The Sawdust Art Festival is located at 935 Laguna Canyon Road. The Sawdust Art Festival is a non-profit art organization dedicated to educating the public and promoting the art created in Laguna Beach. Two-hour Sawdust Studio Art Classes are offered every Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Sawdust Art Festival Grounds. To check out more details about the Sawdust Art Festival and other upcoming events and festivals, please navigate to www.sawdustartfestival.org or call 949-494-3030.
About 370 Common Kitchen+Drink
Three Seventy Common Kitchen+Drink is a gathering place for good food, fun and camaraderie – where Chef/Owner Ryan Adams offers boldly updated, locally sourced American cuisine served in a welcoming, energized casual setting. Three Seventy Common takes over the legacy of Sorrento Grille, which for 23 years drew locals and visitors alike. A Laguna Niguel native and formerly Sorrento Grille’s executive chef, Adams purchased the venue in 2011 and revamped it to offer a new urban look and his inspired take on farm-to-table fare.
The Sawdust Art Festival is a non-profit art organization dedicated to educating the public and promoting the art created in Laguna Beach.
###