Chasing Down The Muse: Summer’s in full swing at Sawdust Festival

“Inspiration is right before us.”

— Anonymous

Shafts of sunlight filter through the grove of trees, revealing shiny dust motes in the cool morning air. A host of songbirds’ voices are raised in praise of the day.

Myriad greens mix with the bright-colored art works of the 200 plus artists in this naturally beautiful setting. Though I am here at the summer’s Sawdust Art Festival at least part of every day, each day brings a new appreciation of all that is available here, and in Laguna Beach in general.

My intention with this week’s column was to continue spending the day with the fictional artist created in my last column. As is all too often the case, the artist did not show up no matter how I have tried to conjure him. It did occur to me, however, that I am here and the experience can be seen through my eyes as well. So here goes.

The summer’s festivals all offer so very many wonderful opportunities for both tourist and resident that it is sometimes difficult to call them all to mind.

Let’s start with the “passport” program. This wonderful summer program costs $19 for entry into all three festivals, one-time free parking at the Act V parking lot and many other benefits around town. Check out www.lagunabeachpassport.com for more information.

Free trolley rides all over town allow resident and visitor alike to avoid the parking nightmares. Here I might add the reminder that resident parking permits do not work in the summer along Laguna Canyon Road, as my neighbor Michelle recently found out the hard way.

The Sawdust Art Festival ( www.sawdustartfestival.org) continues its commitment to educating the community in regard to the arts. Walkabout Wednesdays are self-guided tours to participating artists who will demonstrate their art form and answer guests’ questions. In addition to the many artists who demonstrate their art on these tours, every day one can find artists doing demos in their individual booths, as well as the fine glassblowing demos held throughout the day.

One can find classes at three designated spots on the grounds at various times. The ceramics demo booth operates all day and some evenings, giving guests the opportunity to make their own small pot. The Art Spot for kids offers activities daily and many evenings one can find Patti Klingenmeier or another of the artists teaching for both children and adults. Daytimes, classes are offered at The Sawdust Studio in all manner of media. Weekday evenings find many of the artists teaching one- or two-hour classes in their field to groups of eager budding artists of all ages.

With all the classes and entertainment, good food and more, the stately grove of eucalyptus trees that is home to the Sawdust Art Festival rings with laughter and chatter all day and into the night. The sweet song of the birds is often too difficult to discern as the day’s activities heat up, but the happy sounds of human activity have their own kind of sweetness.

There are so many stories to be found among the artists who spend their summers in this grove of trees. I cannot imagine that my fictional artist from last time was by any means the most interesting of these stories. Perhaps that is what caused him to flee the scene of my mind. This way I open up to giving you an invitation to all the many stories.

Katlin Evans and Emily Howell, pied piper-like, lead a group of visitors from downtown to free entry provided by some of the artists. Muffin Spencer-Devlin regales her new fans with tales from her past as a pro-golfer. The stories are many and varied, always full of joyous fun.

Please come and join all of us in welcoming you to our home away from home for the summer. Don’t forget to stop by booths 427/428 to see me and Suzette Rosenthal. We are here most of the time and alternate teaching Wednesday evenings at 7 in The Sawdust Studio.

As Bob Barker was wont to say, “Come on down!”

CHERRIL DOTY is an award-winning writer and artist, creative coach, and teacher. She can be reached at (714) 745.9973 or [email protected] or summers at the Sawdust.