Laguna College of Art & Design Sculpture Competition

"I was astounded how well all of the students did! With only 9 hours of working time, the competitors took the work much further than I was expecting. I was amazed by the amount of artistic passion in the room," commented faculty member Marianne O'Barr.

The final pieces were judged by department head, Ray Persinger. Ray has headed the sculpture program at LCAD since 1995. He is considered among the most skilled sculptors of our time, with an accurate understanding of the human form that is so often missing in contemporary figurative work. Entries were judged on criteria that included the model's proportions, gesture, representation of anatomy, overall texture, and overall appeal of the piece. The competition winners were Brittany Ryan (Gold), Madison Gregory (Silver), James Bertucci (Bronze), and Lauren Sassen (Honorable Mention). Brittany's completed sculpture will be on display at Wells Fargo Bank in downtown Laguna Beach.

The competition was the result of Sculpture Club President Samantha Willson's creative vision, and plans are underway to expand the competition next year to include alumni. Samantha modeled the contest after the Lyme Academy and the Grand Central Art Center's competitions. "Sculpture is my true passion, and ever since I was in elementary school, I have been making sculptures of imaginary creatures," said Willson. "LCAD has really enabled me to combine my love of sculpture and animation. After I complete my education, I would love to break into the toy or stop-motion industry." Samantha will graduate from the Animation program in 2011 with a minor in Sculpture.

Laguna College of Art & Design is unique in being one of only a handful of colleges that offer a substantial array of courses in figurative sculpture. The Sculpture program not only supports and compliments coursework in all majors, but also combines to create a minor degree. Sculpture program students learn to work in a broad range of media, approach their work employing a variety of techniques, and work in scales ranging from half life-size to twice life-size. With an on-campus foundry and master sculptor Ray Persinger at the helm, the program enriches and supports the ever growing ambitions of the students.