IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Great Park will present a special closing reception celebrating the tenure of Great Park Artist-in-Residence and artist Andre Woodward.  To commemorate Woodward's final day in the Great Park Artists Studios, the Great Park will present an installation of his environmental sculptures, as well as a lively musical performance by Sea Moon and Friends on Friday, November 30 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Palm Court Arts Complex.   

"As the first artist to showcase sculpture through the Great Park Artist-in-Residence Program, Mr. Woodward has given visitors a unique opportunity to participate in the creative process," said Beth Krom. Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. "This is the kind of interactive arts experience the Artists-in-Residence Program was designed to create."

Woodward's sculptures, which frequently feature plants mysteriously growing out of concrete, connect nature, technology and humanity using a mixture of man-made and natural materials.  His carefully composed sculptures mediate between the urban environment and the natural world. 

The Great Park Artists Studios are open Saturday and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission and parking are free for both the November 30 closing reception and regular studio hours.

About Andre Woodward

Andre Woodward is a Costa Mesa-based artist who earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Art from University of California, Irvine and a Masters in Fine Arts in Sculpture from California State University, Long Beach.  He was featured on the cover of the May 2012 issue of Sculpture Magazine. Woodward's work has been featured in many southern California galleries, including the Torrance Art Museum and the Huntington Beach Art Center.  Woodward has received several honors, including a Hoff Foundation Grant and the 2011 Vision from the New California award.

About the Great Park Artists-in-Residence Program

The Great Park Artists-in-Residence program is dedicated to showcasing artists that create educational experiences for the community while designing site-specific visual or performance works for the Great Park. The program provides artists with suitable studio space and open studio hours to routinely interact with the general public during their six-month engagement. Participating artists are selected by a panel of public arts experts through a competitive selection process administered by Arts Orange County, the county's designated local arts agency.

The Orange County Great Park is located at Sand Canyon and Marine Way, and can easily be reached by the 5 or 405 freeways.

For more information, visit, please visit www.ocgp.org or call 866-829-3829.

About the Great Park

Hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over Southern California enjoy the Orange County Great Park's array of recreational and educational opportunities and participate in shared experiences, including panoramic views from the iconic Great Park Balloon that rises 400 feet in the air.  Other Great Park features include the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Historical Timeline, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and historic Hangar 244.  In addition to free sports clinics, gardening workshops, weekly Farmers Market and other community events, the Great Park hosts an annual series of special events that provide unique experiences for the entire family, including the Growing the Park: Anniversary Celebration, Great Park Pumpkin Harvest, Great Night! Family New Year's Eve, and the Flights & Sounds Summer Festival. With its approximate 1,300-acre master plan, the Great Park is the centerpiece of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. For more information, please visit www.ocgp.org.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park