Laguna Beach - Mecca for Art Lovers

Laguna Beach is located in Orange County, California and encompasses approximately 7 miles of scenic coastline between Newport Beach and Dana Point. Laguna enjoys a long tourist season, and is known for its' excellent hotels, restaurants, and of course, its beautiful beaches, coves, and tide pools. But Laguna is also a gem for art lovers.

In the 1920's Laguna's population was approximately 50% artists, and has been well-known as an artist's colony ever since the followers of renowned artist Norman St. Clair set up their canvas and paints in the charming city by the sea. Today, there are a variety of artists, art galleries, and festivals to please any art lover's tastes. Here is just a sample of some of the art offerings available:

The Sawdust Art Festivals

There are actually two annual art festivals: The Summer Show which runs from the end of June through August, and The Winter Fantasy which runs from Thanksgiving till mid-December. These outdoor festivals feature more than 150 Artists for each festival. 2009 will mark the 43rd Summer Show, with artists on hand to display their techniques in a variety of mediums including painting in acrylic and watercolor, hand blown glass, jewelry, textile, metal sculpture, and photography. There's even a Meet The Artist tour each week. For more information on these festivals and other events year-round on the Sawdust Festival grounds, please visit www.sawdustartfestival.org.

Pageant Of The Masters

Pageant of the Masters - "where Art comes to life". Each night during the Summer season, the Festival of Arts puts on its' most famous attraction: The Pageant of the Masters - a ninety-minute awe-inspiring production of classical and contemporary paintings re-created with real people posed to look exactly like their counterparts in the original works of art. Tickets to this event have been known to sell out quickly! For more information: www.foapom.com

Wyland Art Gallery

Wyland, the famed marine life artist has a gallery here, complete with the Whaling Wall mural that has become a a treasured landmark on Pacific Coast Highway. To read more about this artist, his work, and his foundation, visit Wyland.com

Art Walk

The City of Laguna Beach hosts a monthly Art Walk on the first Thursday of the month, from 6-9 pm. Those who participate enjoy visiting more than 35 local art galleries. To learn more: FirstThursdaysArtWalk.com .

Laguna Art Museum

The Laguna Art Museum's permanent collection boasts more than 3500 works from the early nineteenth century to present day. All periods of California art are well represented. The museum also has a variety of visiting exhibitions throughout the year. Lectures and other educational programs for art enthusiasts of all ages are also available. Be sure to check out the online library at their website: LagunaArtMuseum.org

Galleries

Laguna has too many art galleries to list separately here, but a comprehensive guide can be found at: art-collecting.com