Your Hero, My Hero, Our Heroes

Laguna Beach artist Robert Holton reached out to the City’s Cultural Arts Manager, Siân Poeschl, with the idea and artistic way to say thank you to first responders, medical staff and all essential business workers during Covid-19. As seems appropriate for an arts community, Holton had a concept to revise his “Super Hero’s Changing Station” temporary sculpture installation at the red phone booth on Forest Avenue and make some artistic revisions to thank the real heroes of our time.

               “I felt as a community that it was incredibly important to thank those people who made sure we are safe and cared for during these incredibly anxious times. I have been an artist my entire life, the best way I can say thank you is through my art” said Holton.

Arts Commission Chair, Adam Schwerner, said  “I can’t imagine a more appropriate way to say thanks in our art-filled city than with an artist designed tribute.”

“Super Hero’s Changing Station” by Holton was installed in May 2019, funded by the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach. It is part of an entire program of temporary installations that include the current sculpture “Camouflage House” by Tom Fruin located outside City Hall. The original “Super Hero’s” installation included a fist coming out of the top of the booth with is filled with superhero costumes. Early on Monday morning, Holton painted the fist blue and replaced the costumes with the uniforms of first responders and medical staff.

Arts Commissioner Donna Ballard added, “We are pleased to be honoring our first responders, who have worked selflessly to help all of us during this crisis. These men and women are true superheroes, and we thank them all!”

“I have been astounded by the artists response to the Covid-19 crisis. We are so fortunate as a community to express out thanks through art, our friendship and support through the sing-along with Jason Feddy, T.M. Rives allowing us to screen his film, David Zinn’s virtual chalk art installation and artist contributions to the online coloring book,  all have donated and volunteered their time. I shouldn’t be astounded, after all, we are Laguna Beach” said Cultural Arts Manager, Poeschl.

Robert Holton is an exhibitor at the Sawdust Art Festival along with his wife Marita and live in Laguna Canyon.