Overcast skies didn’t cloud plein-air event

BARBARA DIAMOND

Fifty artists from across the county participated in the 7th Annual

Laguna Beach Plein-Air Painting Invitational.

The musem and the Laguna Plein-Air Painters Assn. hosted the

event, which benefits both organizations and the participating

artists.

Works completed during the event went on sale Saturday at the

Laguna Art Museum. Canvases produced in the Quick Draw Paint Out at

Heisler Park were auctioned in the afternoon, but guests at the Gala

Dinner Collectors Preview Sale that night got first dibs on the rest

of the works. The show was open to the general public on Sunday.

“Art lovers and collectors have made this one of the most popular

events in the city, and we are very proud of that fact,” said Laguna

Art Museum director Bolton Colburn.

This was the first year an auction was held of the Quick Draw

paintings. Artists were given two hours to paint a park scene under

dreary skies.

Arizona artist Joan M. LaRue said the quality of light in Laguna

always makes a difference to her palette compared to the sun-bleached

color in Tucson. However, the grey skies that cast a gloom over the

city this year made an even more noticeable change.

“I think the artists rose to the occasion,” Colburn said.

“I heard some of the artists complain [about the overcast], but I

think the works were better this year than ever,” Kathleen Wichman

said.

This year, the plein-air event grossed approximately $316,000.

Proceeds are divided among museum, the association and the artists.

Depending on the artist, the museum and the association get 35% to

45% of the selling price, with 10% of that going to the association,

Colburn said. The museum and the association also share ticket sales

and underwriting. An association entry fee includes a year’s museum

membership.

Artist Jeff Horn said “I am pretty much a plein-air artist. I

can’t imagine doing commissioned portraits; a tree doesn’t have an

ego.”

Horn was among the California-based artists in the show. The

roster also included Ken Auster, Jacobus Baas, Cynthia Britain, Robin

Hall, Anita Hampton, Calvin Liang, Michael Obermeyer, Jess Powell and

Jeffrey R. Watts, who all live or work in Laguna.

Washington artist Ned Mueller was the guest of Bob and Linda

Dietrich, familiar names in local art circles. He represents the

Festival of Arts Board of Directors on the Chamber of Commerce Board.

She is a former Arts Commissioner and past President of California

Choreographers.

“I have 10 or 12 friends in the show,” said North Laguna resident

Paulette Adams, a neighbor of local artist Joan Corman.

The seven-day event began with a “paint out” July 10 at Treasure

Island Park in South Laguna. The artists spent the rest of the week

in the canyons and coves of Laguna Beach -- and in surrounding areas

from the Saddleback mountains to San Onofre -- capturing scenes in

oil, acrylic, pastel or watercolor.

“It is the most prestigious plein-air invitational in the nation,”

museum public relations director Stuart Byer said. “The artists all

say that. And it is the only museum-based event of its kind.”

Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot was among the sponsors.

Patino Goup catered the sold-out gala dinner. Young’s Market Co.

provided the wines.

The guest list included Hotel Laguna owner Claes Andersen, pleased

as punch with his new chef, Steve Latta.

“He is the best we have ever had,” Andersen said.

Also: John and Lu Campbell, a Festival of Art exhibitor; Karen

Philippsen, president of the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference

Bureau President; and Laguna summer home owners from Las Vegas,

Gloria Fine and Sue and Paul Lowden -- he has been coming to Laguna

for 27 years and never missed a pageant; Fine’s mother, Maria

Campbell; Lisa and John Mansour, Athens Group vice president of

development; Mary Ferguson, Arts Commissioner and Laguna College of

Art & Design trustee; and Mary and Matt Lawson, who co-chair the

museum Advisory Board.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O.

Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652.