Art World

For his vibrant use of color and design, Vladimir Atanian earned a Juror Award for his oil painting “Dance of Metamorphosis,” in the Fine Arts Federation of Burbank’s Membership Show of mixed media works. The show is taking place at the Creative Arts Center in Burbank through March 20. Members of the arts federation, a support group of the center, each enter one piece of artwork. The Glendale resident’s winning abstract painting shows figures dancing.

In the art world, treasure can be defined as a trove of never-before seen artworks, journals written in the hand of the artist, and links to other great artists already on the art-world radar, all found in one cache. From one such find are 54 paintings and sketches by Arthur Pinajian (1914-1999) currently on exhibition at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral-Zorayan Museum in Burbank. The discovery was made by Larry Joseph, a writer living in California, when he bought a run-down cottage in Bellport, N.Y., on the south end of Long Island.

The Colburn Orchestra, from the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, is tuning up for its debut at the Alex Theatre on Sunday. This performance is just the beginning of sharing students' talent with surrounding communities, said Deborah Berman, dean and chief academic officer. "We are really looking to bring the Colburn Orchestra to new audiences in the L.A. area," she said. For more than 55 years, the Colburn School of Performing Arts has offered performing arts education to young people, she said.

Seta Injeyan's La Crescenta studio is a place where realism and illusionism meet on the canvas. The Syrian-born artist combines the abstract, surrealism, photorealism and impressionism to create pieces of art that reflect unlimited perceptions of reality. "Based on your perception, you can create your own reality," Injeyan said. "The possibilities are endless." Injeyan's series of door paintings contrast what is real and what can be perceived as illusion. In "Waking Dream," a woman is seen walking in through a doorway with half of her face covered.

Stephen Blaha is taking people on a trip to London. But no airline tickets are necessary, because the tour is courtesy of his photographs now on display at the Kodak Photo Gallery in Glendale. Four years ago, Blaha returned to Glendale after living in London for five years, where he worked in e-commerce development. Three months ago he returned to London for a friend's 40th birthday celebration, and this time, he brought along his camera. The photographs range from landscapes of popularly photographed landmarks, but shot at unusual angles, to neighborhoods and street scenes, he said.

For centuries, artists and critics have argued the merits of form versus function in not only the art world, but in everyday life. It is often difficult to determine the specific role that art plays in our society when many pieces found in museums lack any discernible practicality. While aesthetic choices almost always play a role in which sculptures or paintings become priceless works of art and which are labeled junk, artist David D. Gilbaugh of La Crescenta has discovered a way to ensure that his work is appreciated beyond merely pleasing the eye. Gilbaugh is a sculptor who works primarily in paper clay, a forgiving type of clay that lends itself generously to a broad range of movements and positions.

She?s a talented artist and an all around good kid, according to teachers, counselors and those who know her. This week?s Valley Sun All- Star is Nicolle Kwon, 15, of La Cañada, a sophomore at Crescenta Valley High School. Kwon recently won second-place in the Congressional Art Contest, and her acrylic painting, ?A Study on Surrealism,? will be on display throughout the coming year on the wall of Congressman David Dreier?s San Dimas office. Each congressional district hosts its own competition and sends the first-place honoree?

Midge Boardman, People GLENDALE -- "Why me?" wondered Virginia Fair when TSL Inc., the Wilshire Boulevard entertainment and retail design firm, recently called her. Why ask a Glendale artist to travel all the way to Japan to create Italian murals? Simple. Japanese artists are not familiar with Italian scenes. Besides, TSL's CEO and designer, Tak Toda, was familiar with Fair's work and felt it would be an ideal marriage of client to artist. Faux art, a painting technique designed to create the impression of marble, wood or stone, has been one of Fair's specialties for several years, mostly for interior designers, architects and commercial clients.

Mike Post It is indeed disappointing that Allen Brandstater had the time to write such a disparaging and uninformed letter ("Police statue lacks meaning," April 27) but has never taken the opportunity to view the work, to talk to the artist and, most importantly, become acquainted with the men and women of the Glendale Police Department's Police Memorial Committee, whose hard work and collective decision brought this artist and this piece of sculpture to Glendale.