Festival of Arts showcases mix of media and artists

Barbara Diamond

The Festival of Arts was founded in 1932 to help local artists sell

their work. The goal hasn’t changed.

Saturday night’s invitation-only private opening boded well for

the 2005 exhibitors.

“After 10 years of not selling anything on opening night, someone

came up Saturday and bought major pieces from me,” photographer and

festival board member Dianne Reardon said.

An estimated 3,500 people were expected at the opening, scheduled

for 7 to 10 p.m.

“I invite people who have bought from me before,” said

watercolorist Lu Campbell, who already had sold one piece early in

the evening.

Campbell has been an exhibitor in the festival for 27 years, the

last 12 as a watercolorist.

“I was in the show for 15 years as a ceramist, and then I got a

divorce,” Campbell said. “It was a watershed for me. I gave away all

my clay and decided to paint. I called my friend Roger Armstrong and

said: ‘Can I come and take classes with you?’ He said, ‘Sure,

honey.’”

Eventually, Armstrong wanted to know when Campbell was going to

put what she had learned to the test.

“He asked me what I was doing with [the canvases] besides putting

them under my bed or in my closet,” Campbell said. “‘How did you

know?’ I asked him.”

Armstrong told her it was time to frame her work and get it out

there.

“So I entered some shows, and then I entered the festival, and I

have been in ever since,” Campbell said.

Sculptor Sherri McEuan sold two major pieces opening night.

“Last year was the first year I exhibited at the festival,” McEuan

said. “And the first piece I sold was to the two women who bought the

two pieces tonight.”

More than 145 artists are exhibiting works this year in a variety

of media: 28 oil painters; 24 photographers; 18 jewelers; 16 working

in mixed media; 14 watercolorists -- with Steve Bjorkman also showing

works in ink; 13 sculptors -- with Marlo Bartels’ work listed as

functional sculpture; six printmakers; six ceramists; five

glassmakers; three acrylic painters; two furniture makers; two color

etchers; two wood handcrafters; and one each in the categories of

scrimshaw, gouache, egg tempura, hand-painted silk, fiber art,

graphite and pastels.

Works are juried into the show and include a broad range of

influences.

“My husband and I adopted a daughter from Korea, and I immersed

myself in the Asian culture,” said mixed-media artist Mia Moore, an

exhibitor for 12 years.

Scott Young’s ceramic pieces also have a lingering flavor of Asia,

spiced with surprise when you take off the lids of his covered

pieces.

Young was born and raised in Hawaii, but he earned his bachelor’s

and master’s degrees at Cal State Fullerton. A part-time teacher at

Saddleback Community College, Young has been in the festival for 13

consecutive years.

Ray Friesz, who was not in the 2004 show, is back this year, to

the delight of long-time Lagunan Barbara Painter.

“I bought his work in the 1970s, and I have two of his paintings

in my house,” Painter said, “I was heartbroken when he wasn’t in the

show last year.”

Missing from the show this year and missed is the work of Kate

Riegler.

Festival exhibitors work in different media, and they also come

from different wellsprings of inspiration.

“I am continuously challenged and inspired on my artistic journey

whether working on canvas, with textiles or on mosaic formations,”

mixed-media artist Carolyn Machado said.

Nicolai Erngren takes a more prosaic view.

“Artistic vision? I just make stuff,” he said.

To learn more about the artists, attend the art tours conducted at

2 and 4 p.m. daily by festival exhibitors at no charge to grounds

visitors. The educational tours are funded by an American Express

grant.

Besides the tours, the festival offers free workshops from 11 a.m.

to 5 p.m. daily. Supplies are provided except for a small materials

charge for the Japanese pottery workshops.

“Our special events have been expanded this year,” said Sharbie

Higuchi, festival spokeswoman.

Among the special events:

* “Walk on the Wild Side,” July 16, an up-close-and-personal

experience with some of television’s hottest animal celebrities, seen

on The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, The Disney Channel and Jay

Leno’s show.

* Hawaiian Cultural Day, July 30, features traditions, art, music

and crafts that are influenced by Hawaii. Presented by Aloha

Airlines.

* Surf’s Up Day, Aug. 6, celebrates the history of surfing and the

Southern California coastal lifestyle, including the Long Beach

Aquarium of the Pacific mobile aquarium and demonstrations by custom

surfboard painter Drew Borphy and a vintage collection from the

Surfing Heritage Foundation.

* Asian Arts Day, Aug. 20, showcases the exotic legacy of the

Asian culture through music, dance and martial arts.

* Jazz and wine tastings will be offered from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays.

* Blues Fest will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays.

* Alfresco Entertaining with Laguna Culinary Arts, 1 to 2 p.m.

Sundays. Samples will be served and copies of the recipes will be

available.

* Sit-down dinners every night at Tivoli Terrace. Call for

reservations.

The festival grounds at 650 Laguna Canyon Road are open daily 10

a.m. to 11:30 p.m. through Sept. 1, except Aug. 27 for the gala

benefit. Laguna Beach residents are admitted free with proper

identification. All other general admission grounds passes are $7.

Seniors and students passes, $4.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Coastline Pilot.

Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248,

Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 222 in the Lumberyard, 384

Forest Ave.; or call (949) 494-4321.