BRIEFLY IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

‘Images of Africa’ to debut at local gallery

Cynthia Grilli’s latest series of oils, “Images of Africa,” will open at Diana Ferrone Gallery, 1951 South Coast Highway, Saturday, with a reception at 7 p.m.

The gallery has additional events celebrating African culture planned for the month.

“Images of Africa” will be at the gallery from July 22 through Aug. 19. Grilli and gallery owner Diana Cook have pledged to donate 10% of the proceeds from the show to Jordan Property Group charities Fields of Life and Outreach to Africa. Both charities share the mission of giving education and medical assistance to needy children in Africa.

For more information, call (949) 715-1842 or visit www.dianaferrone.com.

‘Save Trestles’ music series Thursdays

HelpBlueWater.com and Club M have created a weekly “Save Trestles Session” every Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m. at 680 South Coast Highway. Tickets are $10, but the first 40 people to arrive before 8 p.m. will be admitted without charge.

The organization wants to bring awareness to the environmental consequences of the proposed 241 toll road extension near San Onofre State Beach, which opponents claim could mar surf breaks.

Tickets can be purchased at the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, 257 Glenneyre St.; The Mail Stop, 1278 Glenneyre St.; and Marvy Star, 658 South Coast Highway.

Screening of ‘Pope Dreams’ Thursday

The Laguna Beach Film Society will screen “Pope Dreams” at 7 p.m. Thursday at South Coast Cinemas, 162 South Coast Highway. The screening is free to society members or $15 at the box office.

“Pope Dreams” is about a 19-year old boy whose only clear goal is to get his sick mother, a devout Catholic, to meet the Pope before she dies.

The Film Society screens films every third Thursday. For more information, call Joanne Story at (949) 494-8971, ext. 201.

Closing reception for ‘Spirit Path’ artist

June Phelps will discuss the creation of her “Spirit Path” series of mixed-media works and paintings at a closing reception for the artist from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Endangered Planet Gallery, 384 Forest Ave., Suite 13.

Phelps will make a presentation on the creation of this series of works at 3 p.m. Admission is free.

Phelps is the president of Women Painters West, which was founded in Laguna Beach in 1921 and now is one of the oldest and the largest artists’ groups in Southern California.

For more information, call (949) 497-5690 or visit www.endangeredplanet.org.

Shoemake Quintet at the Rose Garden

The Charlie Shoemake Quintet will play Wednesday in the Jazz @ the Beach summer series presented by Laguna Beach Live! in the outdoor Rose Garden of the Hotel Laguna, 425 South Coast Highway.

Shoemake has worked as a studio musician and recorded with Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Nelson Riddle and Johnny Mandel. He traveled and recorded with George Shearing’s quintet before returning to Los Angeles, where he operated his own jazz improvisation school until 1991 and now continues to perform throughout the Los Angeles area.

Shoemake heads his own jazz club, The Hamlet, at Moonstone Gardens in Cambria with his wife Sandi, who was a staff vocalist at NBC and did freelance work at other studios.

Charlie and Sandi will be joined by Luther Hughes on bass, guitarist Frank Potenza and drummer Paul Kreibich. The concert is from 6 to 8 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. $10 cover charge.

Other Laguna Beach Live! concerts feature the Ron Eschete Trio on Aug. 9; the Watson- Ordiano Project on Aug. 23; the Jamie Shew Quintet on Sept. 13; M&M;: the Music of Monk and Mingus on Sept. 27 and the Kristin Korb Trio on Oct. 11.

For more information, call (949) 715-9713 or visit www.lagunabeachlive.org.