Plein Air invitational heading around town Fifty...

Plein Air invitational heading around town

Fifty of the best in the country have been invited to Laguna Beach

to compete in the sixth annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting

Invitational held Sunday through July 18. The community is welcome to

watch every step of the way.

The “Sunset Paint Out” will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the St.

Regis Beach Club at the north end of Salt Creek Park. It’s not a

competition but a way for everyone to meet the artists and watch from

the onset of the weeklong event.

The “Quick Draw Paint Out” is one of the highlights. From 10 a.m.

to noon July 16 at the north end of Heisler Park, the artists will

compete with only two hours to complete a park scene. The winners

will be announced at the gala.

July 17 is the Gala Dinner and Collectors Preview Sale at the

Laguna Art Museum. Guests who attend this event will have the first

opportunity to purchase paintings completed during the invitational,

mingle with the artists and attend the awards presentation.

The final part of the invitational is the free exhibit and sale of

the work at an exhibit at the museum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July

18. Pieces that are still available can be purchased at that time.

A limited number of tickets are still available to the Gala and

Collector’s Preview event. All other events are free. To purchase

tickets, call the museum at (949) 494-8971, Ext. 200. The Laguna Art

Museum is at 307 Cliff Drive.

Master stone carvers offer multi-level class

Learn the techniques of this time-honored art form using both hand

and pneumatically driven tools working in a variety of available

stones. Master stone-carvers Marvin Johnson and Joseph Sovella teach

the Stone Carving Class summer workshop. It’s held at Laguna College

of Art and Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road, July 10 through Aug. 28.

No prior experience is necessary. The class is available for

carvers, beginning, advanced or otherwise. Technical skills will be

taught as part of the art process.

To register for the workshop or for information, call Caroline

Butler at (949) 376-6000, Ext. 233. The cost for this eight-week

class is $250. There is a free makeup class.

‘Music in the Park’ concerts start July 25

July 25 is the first concert of the nine-week season of “Music in

the Park.”

The schedule at Bluebird Park is the LA Mambo Combo, performing

Latin music July 25; swing music by Jumpin’ Joz on Aug. 1; blues by

Mojo Filter Blues on Aug. 8; Latin rock by Savor on Aug. 15; Lion

Heart performs reggae Aug. 22; Hot August Night is a Neil Diamond

tribute band performing Aug. 29; folk-rock by Thornbird on Sept. 5;

Eagles tribute band Desperado on Sept. 12. The final concert is at

Riddle Field on Sept. 19 with pop-rock band Cloud 9.

The nine-week concert series is a partnership between the city of

Laguna Beach, the Arts Commission and Music in the Park Inc. All

concerts are free and go from 5 to 7 p.m., except the final concert,

which goes from 4 to 6 p.m. For information, call (494) 497-0722.

Sawdust Art Festival honors guest artists

Each year, the Sawdust Art Festival honors two guest artists in

the show. This year, Michael Karydas was selected as honored guest

artist. The other award is a retrospective of the career of artist

Andy Wing, who died in February.

Wing was an internationally exhibited mixed-media artist who lived

in Laguna Beach for nearly 50 years. In 2002, the Laguna Art Museum

honored him with a lifetime retrospective.

Karydas is a self-taught woodworker from Texas.

Both artists’ work, along with that of nearly 200 other artists,

is on exhibit at the Sawdust Art Festival at 935 Laguna Canyon Road.

The festival runs through Sept. 5 daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission is $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors (65 and up), $2 for

children up to age 12 and free for children 5 and under. Season

passes are $12, and annual passes for the summer and winter shows are

$16. For information, visit https://www.sawdustart

festival.org or call (949) 494-3030.