Each year Laguna Beach hosts a stellar list of artists from across the nation to participate in one of the key plein air painting events. This year The 13th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational occurs during October 9-16, 2011 with a revamped format focusing on the community, the environment, and education. The affair opens at Heisler Park on Sunday, the 9th, with the Quick Draw competition, which in the past typically closed out the week long activities. To view other planned events during the week and to see a list of the invited artists you can go here. I’m particularly excited that Peggi Kroll-Roberts is attending this year. Her work is always fresh, immediate and ‘of the moment’. While simple in approach, her painting is always direct and accurate with a uniquely intimate quality. Some of her work can be seen here.

As for my own work, I’m including a few beach scenes I painted last month in studio using photos for reference. One day it will be nice to paint Northern California in person.. until then I hope you enjoy these. I haven’t golfed in years but I found the lush green of Pebble Beach Golf Course to be particularly beautiful against the blue Pacific coastline. The last image is one of my first attempts painting children. The photo of this sister duo photo struck me as beautiful and I felt I just had to give it a go and try to capture that tender moment.

For a really nice drive along the coast between Palos Verdes and San Pedro I can recommend stopping off for a visit at Point Vicente Lighthouse. Point Vicente Lighthouse is a lighthouse found midway between Palos Verdes and Los Angeles Harbor (San Pedro), California. It is the only lighthouse between Point Loma Lighthouse to the south and Point Conception Lighthouse to the north. The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While there visit the small natural history museum highlighting local fauna and wildlife. Here is a location map.

I captured this painting on location while a late afternoon marine layer cloud bank was beginning it’s sojourn on land.

Summer 2011 is in full swing and with it comes two special, not-to-be-missed annual art events located in Laguna Beach, CA.

The 45th Annual Sawdust Festival located in Laguna Canyon runs June 24 through August 28, 2011, open 10-10 daily. Check out the site here. The Sawdust Festival features fine art and crafts of over 200 Laguna Beach artists.

The annual Festival of Arts exhibit runs July 3 through August 31, 2011, open 10am-11:30pm daily. This is one of California’s finest art exhibitions. The Pageant of the Masters runs concurrently with nightly shows at 8:30pm. Tickets are available online. If you haven’t been to the Pageant you are missing out on an incredible experience. The Pageant is an outdoor extravaganza, real life three-dimensional display of Master’s paintings. The result is truly ‘larger than life’.

My own artistic pursuits have been for the most part in a holding pattern. I’ve been busy expanding my web development arsenal lately. I’m focusing on PHP and MySQL with hopes in mind of establishing an online store front in the future to provide art prints and other items.  Here are a few smaller works I was able to create in between crashing code.

Mom's Advice

Moo Gossip

Just The Way It Is!

Thanks for dropping by my new blog. It’s a first for me and I’m interested to see how it develops. I plan to include a lot of local art community info and of course, relay updates on my own development as an artist.

This blog ‘Opening’ coincides with a new exhibition of fine art paintings that I was graced to be included in, The Spring 2011 6×6 Show hosted by Randy Higbee Gallery. The Opening Reception is on April 16th from 5pm to 9pm.  The show runs through to May 6th. Randy Higbee Gallery is located at 102 Kalmus in Costa Mesa, CA  92626.  This large exhibition, I’m told about 500 works, is all about the small format. Every piece of art is 6 inches square, with no restriction as to media, although I’m anticipating the majority will be oil paintings based on the inaugural held last December. All pieces are available for purchase.

Below are pics of my inclusions to the show, a couple of plein air works depicting Laguna Beach shoreline. The first painting is of the north end of Laguna Beach. The day was slightly overcast and the emerald color of the crystal clear shore waters was inspiring.  The second piece was painted on one of those unusual days where I got up early enough to paint the morning light. A typical beautiful day in Laguna at Moss Street.

Crescent Bay Surf

Moss Street Beach Early Morn