FUND-RAISER GETS COLORFUL HELP.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

Miriam Hacken appreciates the attention her 3-D collages are receiving at the 11th annual ArtWalk show.

``It's not just putting pictures together. You want movement. You want colors to blend. The collages tell stories,'' said the Newbury Park resident, appearing in her third ArtWalk show.

Each one costs $125-$350 and contains 15-50 pictures. They are covered in a high-quality resin coating, with artifacts consistent with the piece's theme - a dancing show amid photos of Fred Astaire, for instance. Other theme pieces, in frames ranging from 11-by-14 inches to 24-by-30 inches, include tributes to the Beatles, James Dean, the Sixties, New York City and ``Star Trek.''

``I didn't do one on Sinatra,'' Hacken said. ``I don't like to capitalize on people who just died.''

Celebrating the lives of noncelebrities is part of her 24-year-old business.

All one needs to do is provide the photographs and other mementos; each piece takes two to three weeks to complete.

``Milestone birthdays and anniversaries are big sellers for us,'' said Hacken. ``When you look at a collage, it captures the essence of what the subject's about.''

Organizers were expecting as many as 12,000 people for ArtWalk `98, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at The Oaks mall.

The blend of oil paintings, photography, glass work, sculptures, watercolors and textiles made for a popular outing under overcast skies.

``There's a lot of local artists taking part in it,'' said Donna Hall, event coordinator. ``People like to support their community. And there's something for everybody.''

The event is expected to raise up to $20,000 for the Conejo Valley Art Museum - homeless since 1994 when it was forced to vacate the Janss Mall.

Its five paintings, office supplies and furniture remain in storage.

Maria Dessornes, museum president, said she hopes to raise several million dollars to construct or purchase a 25,000-square-foot building in which the museum will be housed.

She estimated the final cost will be $10 million but not all of the money needs to be secured by the opening or groundbreaking date.

The museum's building fund currently contains only $28,000 - not including ArtWalk '98 funds.

Dessornes said she hopes foundation grants will cover the bulk of the costs.

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3 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) (Ran in Conejo Edition only) Karen Croner of Westlake Village awaits visitors to her exhibit of papier-mache animals at the ArtWalk show.

(2-3) Miriam Hacken of Newbury Park, left, shows her 3D collage of jazz greats at the 11th annual Artwalk at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks on Saturday. Below, an artful golfer looks ready to take a swing. Some 160 artists took part in the event to raise funds for the Conejo Valley Art Museum, which has been homeless since 1994.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News