Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) honored the McBeth Foundation with the inaugural LCAD Creative Partnership Award at the 26th Annual Collector’s Choice held on Friday, September 25 at The Montage, Laguna Beach.

More than 330 guests including trustees, donors, artists, alumni, faculty and friends of the College raised $310,000 for LCAD students and programs.

For more than 30 years, the McBeth Foundation has generously supported much of the growth of LCAD including the expansion of the Dennis and Leslie Power Library in 2011, and provisions for the latest technologies at all of its campuses, including the Suzanne Chonette Senior Studios, LCAD Big Bend and LCAD’s Main Campus.

LCAD President Jonathan Burke awarded the McBeth Foundation with a sculpture of LCAD Founder, artist and philanthropist Nellie Gail Moulton. Burke commissioned LCAD Alumna and Fine Arts Faculty Member Brittany Ryan to create the bronze sculpture, which will continue to be presented to future recipients of the LCAD Creative Partnership Award. Invoking an inspiring quote by English author Neil Gaiman, McBeth Trustee Skye Woods urged the College to continue its representational emphasis and to continue making great art.

Master Sculptor Richard MacDonald surprised Burke with a gift of his work, “Blind Faith,” in honor of the College President’s 35 years of leadership and service.

“I am more than overwhelmed,” Burke said. “It has been such an incredible journey with such a special place. When I arrived in 1980 to take charge of the drawing program with the goal of making it the best representational program in the world, it was an honor and it continues to be a joy every single day.”

More than 330 guests including trustees, donors, artists, alumni, faculty and friends of the College raised $310,000 for LCAD students and programs.

Burke thanked event chair Nelson Coates and co-chair Laura Rohl for their contributions to the momentous evening, which featured the highest caliber of representational and figurative works in the event’s 26-year history. Suzanne and David Chonette underwrote the critically-acclaimed musical entertainment, Magnolia Memoir. Suzanne and James Mellor were Honorary Chairs and hosted a spectacular underwriting party at their home.

One of the highlights of the evening took place in a spirited live auction when collectors competitively bid on a collection of juried paintings and sculptures by artists Ken Auster, Regina Jacobson, Richard MacDonald, Michael Parker, James Galindo, Jonathan Burke, Jason Kowalski, Gerard Basil Stripling, Alla Bartoshchuk, Marton Varo, Tim Lemen, Betty Shelton, Darlene Campbell and Mark Jacobucci. Also included in the live auction were a Montage Vacation at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina and two private dinners at the Chef’s Table with Craig Strong, executive chef at The Montage.