LCAD Alumnus and Faculty Member Unveils Two New Murals in Laguna Beach

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) MFA in Painting alumnus and Fine Arts faculty member, Timothy Robert Smith recently unveiled two murals just in time for the fall semester.

Momentum now graces the Art Building at Laguna Beach High School, and Glimpse the Studio Building at LCAD Main Campus.

Both mural projects were led by Smith and a team of students recruited from his 2018 spring semester mural course at LCAD.

In spring 2018, Smith was approached by Laguna Beach High School teachers Bridget Beaudry-Porter and Dawn Hunnicutt to collaborate on a mural using images of high school students representing different electives, sports and core subjects. Smith brainstormed with Beaudry-Porter’s AP Art class on some ideas and what the mural would represent.

“We envisioned a mural for the No Place for Hate campaign’s efforts to encourage cultural diversity on campus,” said Beaudry-Porter. “The mural will be a visual reminder of the collaboration with LCAD, and an artwork that recognizes students in a variety of achievements. Hopefully, students will be empowered when they see it on the first day of school.”

The mural, which took twelve days to complete, can be seen from the track and field and classes in the English building. Paint for the high school mural was provided by Amsterdam Acrylics.

“I’m excited that future high school students and alumni will enjoy it for hundreds of years,” said Smith. “I’m very happy with it.”

Glimpse is the second mural Smith has created for LCAD. It depicts a group of children and a dog peering down into a mysterious light. Smith deliberately places the viewer as the mysterious subject that the characters are looking at and vice versa. Paint for the LCAD mural was donated by Golden Acrylics.

After the mural projects were completed, Smith traveled to Japan to create a mural for a street wear retail store, Bassline. He will return to LCAD to teach his mural course in Spring 2019.