LELA International Art Gallery
Craig Cooley has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. Craig started their career in 1995 as a Regional Manager at Shilo Inns Suites Hotels, where they oversaw operations and implemented marketing strategies. In 2002, they became the Corporate V.P. of Sales and Marketing at Good Nite Inn Inc, where they developed marketing plans and managed vendor contracts. Craig then held various roles at different companies, including Dir. of Marketing and Yield Management at Cabo Azul Resort & Spa, Corporate Director of Yield Management at Pacific Monarch Resorts, and V.P. Market Development USA at Allotz.com Limited. In 2003, they joined HSMAI Los Angeles as the VP PR-Programs and Education and developed strong relationships in the local business and hospitality industry. From 2006-2010, Craig served as the Director of Business Development at LELA International Art Gallery, focusing on overcoming biases in the contemporary art world. Craig also hosted a radio show called Rainbow Radio at KX935 in 2017, highlighting LGBT happenings in the Laguna Beach area. In 2018, Craig became the President of Laguna Beach Pride 365. Lastly, in 2003, they founded their own company, Intellatech - Media and Marketing, where they currently hold the role of President and CEO, exploring financial opportunities created by new social changes and technologies.
Craig Cooley attended Shasta College from 1971 to 1975. Prior to that, they completed their high school education at Yreka High School.
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LELA International Art Gallery
LELA started as Lantern of the East, an art movement initiated by four Asian artists, Lee Kye Song, Hideo Sakata, P. Khemraj, and Yoko Kamijyo, who became concerned about trends in the contemporary art world in the late 20th century. These artists viewed the art scene as becoming increasingly dominated by commercial forces and tending towards a mono-cultural, Western-oriented bias. This perception was reinforced when he NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1996 at their special exhibition of '20th century Great Artists' featured scant representation from Asia. The Lantern group believed that Eastern art, with a different sensibility derived from the intrinsic religious and culturl traditions of the Asian region, needed to become a more active force in the contemporary visual art scene and that in doing so, would be a driving force in shaping the world of contemporary visual art in the 21st century. The movement these Asian artists started became rooted in many locations on a global level, from the Korean city of Pyong Taek and their hosting LELA International Art Festival to APEX in L.A., which marked the 10th anniversary of the LELA by hosting an International Art Festival being it's largest and most ambitious project in its history. It presented not only the spirit of Eastern art to Westerners but also introduced the sensibility of Central and Latin American art. The founders of LELA hope that more cities in the world like Pyong Taek and Los Angeles join this movement and provide spaces to enjoy and appreciate all that represents the diversity and intrinsic beauty of our global artist community.