Strength through art

EYE ON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday night at Marion Meyer Contemporary Art Gallery was the second

event of two exceptional happenings in Laguna Beach. The first event

took place on July 15 at Woody’s at the Beach. It was the second

annual One in Eight celebration of breast cancer survivorship, which

included a four-course meal and an art auction that raised $12,500 to

benefit the Orange County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast

Cancer Foundation.

Marion’s gallery hosted a “Survivor Art Exhibition” and artist

reception for survivors, whose art was on display throughout the

gallery. With each piece, the artist wrote some information about

their work, their journey through surviving cancer and the cathartic,

healing of art.

It was such a powerful event to see the strength in these women,

to witness the healing power of art and to talk to them about it. I

was blown away by the more than 11 artists who displayed at least one

piece of work. Some of the artists were professional artists and

Laguna Beach locals -- such as Anne England, Julita Jones and

Caroline Zimmerman. Marion’s gallery was packed as friends and family

gathered to celebrate life, art, food and wine.

I think of Anne England as “the light of Laguna,” which is an apt

headline one of my editors wrote for a story I wrote about her last

year. I met England at Fitz Maurice’s Gallery two years ago and in

April and I had the pleasure of going to her house and interviewing

her shortly after that. It was one of the first stories I did after

the Los Angeles Times bought the paper and I remember the experience

so clearly. She talked to me about surviving cancer. That year she

had been awarded survivor of the year -- which seems so appropriate

for she truly is a survivor.

Since our first meeting, I have had the pleasure of talking with

England on many occasions, seeing her art and experiencing all the

wonderful events she has created to help all those around her. From

the “Blessing of the Artists” to the “Benevolent Fund” and the

“Tie-One-On” Benefit and LOCA, she gives so much to our community.

She is such an inspiration to me and has become one of my idols.

England has been a survivor for six years and is living with

metastasis cancer. Her piece on exhibit is called “The Journe,” it’s

an original monotype.

England wrote:

“Cancer is a journey ... into the unknown, and the destination is

a question mark. I was able through my Art, to work through some of

the frustration and physical problems I was experiencing on my walk

through the disease. Creating my piece has helped me heal physically

and hopefully helped others with Cancer to realize there is HOPE ...

for their own healing as well. God works through the creative process

and never have I felt his presence and protection more than I have

during this journey.”

Zimmerman is a cancer survivor since 1997 -- she found out she had

cancer at 32. Her piece is called “Pillars of Serenity,” and is oil

on linen. Her inspiration for her work was Tuscany, Italy -- a place

that perpetually inspires her. She had introduced the beauty of

Tuscany to Anne, they both teach art in Italy part of the year.

“There’s something about Tuscany that definitely heals our souls

and inspires my work,” Zimmerman said. “After all the places I’ve

traveled, it’s a well-spring of inspiration for me.”

She said she started painting when she was 6 years old. She began

painting the things she loved, such as the chickens, rabbits and cats

and dogs she grew up with.

“My paintings were adorations of those things around me that I

loved and cherished as a child,” Zimmerman said. “I still paint those

places and things that I love the most, as I did when I was a child.”

She now sees how it all ties together and said that art has been

her saving grace, along with loved ones and a great community like

Laguna Beach.

“I learned no matter what you’re going through in life,

perseverance is so important,” Zimmerman said.

She said that everyone has their life and that we all go through

hard times, but the important thing is to persevere and make the best

of it.

Jones is also a source of inspiration. I met her around the same

time I met England, but I met Jones at a Community Art Project event.

I had no idea she was a cancer survivor, but with her spirit, I can

see that she is in many ways. I have had the pleasure of seeing her

and conversing with her at many events and art happenings around

town. She is a very caring and giving person who always has a smile

on her face.

There were so many other people from around Orange County I

enjoyed speaking with at the event, learning about their survival of

cancer and the art that helped them heal.

I feel privileged to share a community with so many wonderful

people. Marion was very gracious to host this event and everyone

there was very appreciative, as they were for Alford Harrison of

Woody’s. His restaurant also catered Marion’s event.

Laguna Beach is the best place to call home and the people who

make up the community are some of the finest friends I’ve ever met.

THE ART OF LIFE

We can all notice the obvious changes of the seasons, and subtly I

notice the seasons turning into years, casting together a collection

of time known as life. And it’s interesting how things can change yet

remain the same.

Perhaps one of the places or instances when that is most evident

is during a class reunion. Last weekend I had the pleasure of

experiencing this phenomenon at my 20-year high school reunion in

Kansas City. Though most of my friends are married and have children,

the bond we had formed during junior high at lunch or at the football

games in high school remains as strong as ever. Even though I hadn’t

talked to many in more than a decade, we could pick up a conversation

as if no time had passed.

Seeing them with their children struck an emotion that is hard to

explain; perhaps it’s pure joy, knowing what their parents were like,

growing up with them, and having a gut feeling that they are in good

hands because you know what incredible people their parents are. To

me, that’s what life is all about -- seeing, enjoying, experiencing

and feeling -- collecting these things is what I call art -- the art

of life. I have to admit I have quite a priceless collection.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321 or [email protected]