In The Arts

‘Beatlemania’ at Sawdust Festival

Sawdust has a special line-up of entertainment this weekend.

The main attraction, the Jason Feddy Band, will play Beatles music from noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday on the main deck. Tribute band, the Neat, will rock out with more Beatles tunes from 5:30 to 9:45 p.m.

The themes today are acoustic folk rock and blues/Jazz, with performances by the Nathan McEuen Trio from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the tavern, followed by Michael Ubaldini from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

The Scott Martin Soul Quartet will perform blues and jazz on the main deck from 5:30 to 9:45 p.m.

Enjoy light rock Sunday with Honk’s Beth Fitchet Wood from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the tavern, and some country folk with the Anna Marie Trio from 5:30 to 9:45 p.m. on the main deck.

Art-A-Fair activities include workshops

The Art-A-Fair has a variety of hands-on art activities, demonstrations, and live music performances in the upcoming week.

Festival-goers can create their own paintings at a watercolor workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

Watch several exhibiting artists work from the same live model to create different works of art in various mediums at “See the World Through Artists Eyes” from noon to 3 p.m.

A colored pencil workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, where visitors can create art cards, or dance to popular R&B; group Heart ‘n Soul, who will give a performance from 1 to 4 p.m. on festival grounds.

Create something unique for pets in a “Dog House Design” workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, or gather around the Sounds of Paradise for a steel drum band performance from noon to 3 p.m.

‘Red Hot’ auction at Festival of Arts

The Artists Fund at Festival of Arts will offer 70 “red hot” items at their Art-To-Go Auction from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday on the Center Green at Festival of the Arts.

The silent auction will feature originals by Terry Manchester, John Taylor, Greg LaRock, Bruce Vanderwilt, Carolyn Pelkey, Pat Sparkuhl, Julie Sample, Geri Medway and many more exhibiting artists.

Retail prices range from $100 to $1,500, and silent bids start at up to 40% off.

Prizes for two opportunity drawings will include a $9,800 oil painting by Tom Swimm, to be awarded Aug. 30, and a $3,000 diamond and pearl pendant by Adam Neeley, which will be drawn during the “Red Hot” auction.

Tickets are $5 each, or five for $20, and are available daily at the sales booth near the Festival entry.

Auction attendees are invited to wear red in support of the theme.

Proceeds from Art-To-Go and the Opportunity Drawing go to the Artists Fund, a disaster relief fund for artists.

Donors will receive a red wristband, while supply lasts, with the slogan “Without Artists There Would Be No Art.”

For more information, call (949) 494-1145.

Best of Plein Air honors artists

Art enthusiasts gathered Saturday for the opening night celebration of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn.’s fifth annual “Best of Plein Air” show at the Telonic Berkeley Building.

Fifty-two paintings from more than 200 submissions by LPAPA artists were on display.

They were juryied by Michael Obermeyer, an association signature member and judged by Dennis Power, president of the Laguna College of Art & Design.

Erich Neubert won top prize for his painting “A Couple of Barns.” The second prize was awarded to John Budicin, and the third to Robert Steele. A John Budicin won honorable mention

The show is open to the public and will run through Aug. 22 at the Telonic Berkeley building, 2825 Laguna Canyon Road. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Parking and admission are free. For more information, call Event Coordinator Rosemary Swimm at (949) 376-3635.

Laguna Beach juried exhibition seeks art

All Orange County artists 18 or older are invited to submit two-dimensional work to the City of Laguna Beach 2009 Juried Fine Art Exhibition, taking place at City Hall from Oct. 19 to Nov. 25.

Prizes will be awarded. Work must be original and executed within the past two years and not have been previously exhibited at City Hall.

Work must be framed and measure no more than 36 by 36 inches. A non-refundable entry fee of $20 for up to three entries must accompany submissions. Checks should be made payable to: City of Laguna Beach.

The deadline for CD submission, check and entry form is Sept. 11. Submissions must be sent to the Cultural Arts Department, City of Laguna Beach, 505 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, CA 92651

The juror for the show is Grace Kook-Anderson, curator of exhibitions at Laguna Art Museum.