Some pageantry at the mall

Elia Powers

At Pageant of the Masters, a Laguna Beach showcase that runs July 7

through September 1, volunteers pose as life-sized subjects who are

depicted in classical and contemporary works of art.

At the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts, an exhibition that kicks off

July 5, nearly 150 area artists will display their pieces in a juried

show.

For Newport-Mesa residents who haven’t made the short trek south

on Coast Highway, items from the shows are on display through June 26

at South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court.

“It’s a way for us to kick off our summer events,” said Sharbie

Higuchi, the festival’s director of marketing and public relations.

“And it’s a chance to share with SCP [South Coast Plaza] patrons a

little of what we do.”

Each year since 2002, South Coast Plaza and center retailer

Montblanc have partnered with the Festival of Arts and the Pageant of

the Masters to bring the exhibition to Jewel Court.

The exhibition includes sculptures, oil paintings, watercolor

paintings, ceramics, glass and photography. Works range from $500 to

$25,000, Higuchi said.

In all, there are 28 pieces, coming from both permanent

collections and the festival’s current exhibitors.

“We don’t normally have exhibition space for art in our

collection,” exhibit coordinator Mike Tauber said. “This is a chance

for us to bring pieces out we don’t usually show.”

Sets and costumes from past Pageant of the Masters performances

will also be on display at the exhibition, which opens to the public

today. Tauber said the biggest surprise for those who have attended

Pageant of the Masters shows will be seeing the sets up close.

“Their crudeness and simplicity is jarring,” he said.

Tauber said one of the focal points of the exhibition is El Cid

Campeador, a large model horse made mostly of steel framework,

plywood and polystyrene that was recreated by a pageant design team

in 2004.

The original sculpture is displayed in the courtyard in front of

the San Diego Art Museum.

Other highlights are Xian Warriors of the Terracotta Army costumes

worn by actors in a 1997 Pageant of the Masters show. Seven of the

Xian Warriors will also appear in this year’s Pageant, titled “On the

Road: A Crash Course in Popular Art and Culture.”

Visitors will also find bright green sculptures, called

“Radioactive Cats,” that were a part of last year’s pageant.

This weekend, from noon to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m., Laguna

Beach exhibitor Hal Lambert will be giving watercolor painting

demonstrations and teaching techniques at Jewel Court.

“You have to play to the audience and see who you are talking to,”

Lambert said. “I go through the painting process and explain how I

use color.”

During the second weekend, two artists will be teaching oil

painting techniques.

Throughout the exhibition, a concierge table will be staffed to

give visitors information about this summer’s schedules for the

Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters.

An invitation-only preview party was scheduled Thursday night to

kick off the exhibition.

“We are delighted to have the exhibition again,” said Mitra Azar,

general manager of Montblanc. “I believe in creativity and showcasing

what our artists can do.”