LADERA RANCH, CA (March 2012) — A canvas, easel, brushes, paints, and the talented local artist, Lani Woods will be performing live at the Ladera Ranch Education Foundation “Great Gatsby Gala” event on March 24, 2012. The artist painted live most recently at Studio 419 in Laguna Beach, California, last December, and at The Pet Rescue Center benefit in Laguna Beach in October of the same year.

Along with twenty other international artists, Woods was just named “21 Artists to Watch in 2012” by a well known social media art analyst and guru, “SkinnyArtist.”  In the article, Woods’ work is described as having a “distinctive sense of movement that comes from her bold swirling forms and thick luminous colors, that at times appear to be literally vibrating off the canvas.” Woods has become very popular with her time-lapsed painting videos found on YouTube and Vimeo. The write up also boasts that “Lani is an amazing artist…and an artist we will be watching very closely in 2012.”

Woods earned her BA in Art Studio from UC Davis, and her MA in Communication Studies from CSU, Sacramento.  She values education and is committed to contributing her talents to educational and philanthropic causes, to name a few.

Don’t miss this opportunity to watch a painting come to life and bid on the original at the LREF Gala’s live auction. Learn more about Lani Woods by visiting her website at www.LaniWoods.com. Tickets for the Gala are available at www.LREFgala.com.

LADERA RANCH, CA – The Ladera Ranch Education Foundation (LREF), created to raise funds for all of the public schools serving Ladera Ranch, including Chaparral, Ladera Ranch, and Oso Grande Elementary Schools; Ladera Ranch Middle School; and Tesoro and San Juan Hills High Schools, welcome one and all to attend this year’s marquee event, The Great Gatsby Gala.

The LREF Gala is the Ladera Ranch Education Foundation’s (LREF) signature fundraising event.  The eighth annual Gala will be held at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo on March 24, 2012.  The Great Gatsby, 1920′s themed event features dinner, dancing and incredible silent auction items.  The LREF Gala is organized and planned by an all-volunteer committee and is LREF’s largest fundraiser of each year.

 LREF needs sponsorships, donations of any kind, and volunteers in various capacities. For information on how to be a part of the event either through donation, sponsorship, and or volunteering your time, contact LREF: online – http://www.LREFonline.org , http://www.LREFGala.com , via email: ContactUs@LREFGala.com.

 Last year’s Groovy Gala raised over $35,000 to fund the LREF grant awards.  The purpose of LREF’S  grant program is to support the public schools that serve the community of Ladera Ranch and to provide funds to enrich the learning environment, motivate students, and enhance instructional effectiveness. Grants are awarded on an annual basis and the success of LREF fund raising events directly impacts the amount of funds that are awarded to schools each year.  These grants fund various curriculum areas including reading, math, social studies and music. Since its incorporation in July 2004, LREF has granted over $205,000 through its fund raising efforts.  You can get more information about our grant program at our main LREF website:  http://www.LREFonline.org.

About Ladera Ranch Education Foundation (LREF)

LREF was created to raise funds to enrich and improve the quality of the educational environment for the public school children of Ladera Ranch. It is designed to strengthen the relationship between the public schools and the community, and to support a level of excellence and innovation in our children’s educational experience.

LREF Media contacts:

Meredith Giraudi – Gala Chair

Email: chair@lrefgala.com

Please visit our Gala Sponsors: O’Connell Landscape Maintenance, and TLC Allergy and Asthma Associates

View the OC Register Article at:
http://www.ocregister.com/news/ladera-293405-ranch-foundation.html