Bringing Art to the Orange Plaza

A year of planning is about to pay off as the newly formed Orange Arts Council soon brings its first Orange Plaza Art Walk to life.

In February 2022, Orange artist Tina Leigh Heiland organized the Orange Arts Council after participating in an art show with some of her close friends.

“I noticed that in the city, there are a lot of restaurants going up, but where are the artists and the venues for artists to share their work?” asks Heiland. She is Chair of the Orange Arts Council, a business owner and art teacher for Garden Grove Unified School District. “There are lots of creatives here. We needed a place for us to meet and put our minds together to get ideas.”

Shortly after organizing, members of the Arts Council began brainstorming. They came to a consensus that Orange had previously had art walks, but they had fallen away at some point. Planning began, and Heiland quickly realized that the Council needed help.

“I decided to get a partner because this was bigger than just having an idea and going forward,” she says. “I thought, ‘if I could get the backing of the Orange Chamber…,’ so I called on a whim and was lucky enough to get Elizabeth Holloman at the Chamber on the line.”

Heiland and the Chamber began putting the pieces together to make the art walk a reality.

The Chamber organized sponsorships from members John Aust Realty and The Potting Shed by Carlisle. It turns out that John Aust’s daughter Madison had already begun organizing an art walk before joining forces with the Chamber’s show.

“It was a perfect match for a community event that would also bring business down here,” says Elizabeth Holloman, Executive Director of the Orange Chamber of Commerce. “Tina and I, along with the whole team, have worked for the last year to bring this together.” That team consists of Heiland, the Chamber, the Orange Arts Council, Madison Aust and Ben Finley, who both work for John Aust Realty, as well as Mary Platt, Director of the Hilbert Museum, and locally renowned artist Judy Schroeder. (Heiland, Platt and Schroeder are jurors for the show.)

Planning the event produced more support from individuals and businesses than Heiland anticipated. “We have a lot of really amazing people working with us who are just as excited as we are,” she says. “Having people post on Instagram and hang posters, and sponsors paying for the banners we’re printing is a good thing to see. Everybody involved is excited about bringing art back to Orange.”

With all the pieces in place, the Art Walk finally became fully organized last December. At that point, a call was put out for artists to submit their pieces for the show.

“We’re trying to get enough venues to match one per artist, so if we get 25 venues, we will have 25 artists,” Holloman says. “We might have to double up on some, but the merchants here in the Plaza have been very open to the idea and are willing to be a part of the Art Walk.”

“During the event, you get a passport signed off to show that you’ve been to each of the venues and then drop it off at the Hilbert Museum in a box,” says Holloman. “At the museum, we are having a drawing of the passports for a piece of art, an original watercolor donated by Judy Schroeder.”

The Orange Plaza Art Walk will begin at 2 pm on Saturday, March 25. Final viewing will be at 6 pm, and the drawing for Schroeder’s painting will be held at 6:30 pm at the Hilbert Museum’s temporary location at 216 East Chapman. Additionally, during the event, children’s art from CHOC will be displayed in the parking lot behind John Aust Realty at 219 East Chapman.

The Orange Arts Council holds their meetings at 4 pm on the third Thursday of every month in the Chamber of Commerce building. •

Orange Chamber of Commerce 34 Plaza Square / 714-538-3581 / www. OrangeChamber .com

Ultimately, Guebert leads his team through listening to his staff and guiding them through challenges to ensure their own success with the same humbleness he admires about Heide.

“The purpose is always worship, which keeps us in check,” he says. “It’s not about our showmanship and musicianship. It’s good that we can be solid, good musicians, but at the end of the day, it’s about worship.” • St.

What’s Happening

ONGOING

2nd & 4th Wed / 6 pm

Flag Lowering Ceremony

Honoring our veterans & active duty. Plaza Park, Old Towne Orange

Every Fri / 9:30 - 11:30 am

Orange Home Grown Educational Farm

Volunteer Farm Friday

Plant, harvest, compost, mend soil & more, as new and seasoned volunteers work together on farm projects.

356 N Lemon / OrangeHomeGrown.org

Every Sat / 9 am - 1 pm

Orange Home Grown, Farmers Market

A great way to begin your day, with quality produce & fresh healthy foods.

1st Sat Knife Sharpening

2nd Sat Free Cooking Demo

3rd Sat Kids Club / Seed Lending

303 West Palm / OrangeHomeGrown.org

Every Sat & Sun / 10 am - 2 pm

1886 Brewing, Brunch at the Brewery

Offering Several Brunch Options!

3-course brunch, brunch ala carte & our famous 1886 Brunchuterie.

114 North Glassell St / 714-922-8130 www.1886BrewingCo.com

Every Sun / 10 am - 3 pm

Citrus City Grille Buffet Brunch

Reserve your table now for Bottomless Mimosas & Bloody Marys. A la carte brunch items also available.

122 North Glassell St / 714-639-9600 www.CitrusCityGrille.com

Rotary Club Weekly Meetings

Tue / 7-8:30 am Orange North Facebook.com/ OrangeNorthRotaryClub

Wed / 6 - 7 pm Orange Plaza OrangePlazaRotary.org

Thu / 12-1:30 pm Orange Rotary Orange-Rotary.org

Biking Around Old Towne

Bob Eames moved to Old Towne Orange in the 1970s while stationed at El Toro Marine Base. A job as a dental assistant brought Karen Kent here in 1970. As fate would have it, Bob and Karen met at a party near the dental office and married one year later.

When The Eames furnished their home, they did so with antiques purchased in Old Towne. Though Bob isn’t related to Charles Eames, the architect and furniture designer, the couple acquired a classic chair with the name.

Today, the Eames ride their bikes throughout Old Towne, which enables them easy access to events like Chapman University’s summer outdoor concerts. They also frequent the Hilbert Museum and enjoy people watching while sitting next to the fountain in Plaza Park.

“We have coffee at Cafe Zócalo, fix our bike tires at Orange Cycle and shop at Orange Army Navy,” says Karen. “By riding our bikes, we’re reminded of the city’s charm.”

The Eames will use their coupon at Rutabegorz, a favorite of theirs since the 1980s at the Tustin location. “We were thrilled when they opened one here in 2001!” says Karen. “We order salads and soups of the day and sit outside.” •