On Saturday, Oct. 7th , 25 of the country’s top “plein air” (meaning “painting outdoors in natural light”) painters will descend on our lovely town for the Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational 2017.
I love the Laguna Beach Plein Air. This is a nine-day event, giving you plenty of time to get outside and see amazing works of art progress right under your nose.
It starts with a bang – my favorite event – with all of the artists gathering at Heisler Park, for their first “Quick Draw” 2-hour painting contest. Wander the expansive park between 2 pm and 4 pm, and watch as these folks work on their initial paintings in various locations on the upper lawn, walkway and lower beach areas.
Immediately thereafter, there will be a Meet & Greet and Public Sale of the art you just saw painted. The event takes place at the Festival of Arts grounds, from 4 – 6 p.m.
From there, and throughout the week, you’ll be spotting artists everywhere as they fan out around Laguna Beach to paint their favorite scenes.
As they work on new pieces of art for the Collector’s Gala on Saturday, Oct. 14th, there will be plenty of other events to attend throughout the week. Stay tuned here for updated details and events.
Saturday’s Gala takes place at Tivoli Too (tickets can be purchased here), with hundreds of paintings available from the week’s work. Then, on Sunday, Oct.15th, from 10 am – 5 pm, a public viewing and purchase opportunity takes place again at Tivoli Too, with free admission. It’s your last opportunity to meet your favorite artists and discuss the very work you’re purchasing!
Mark these days in your calendar as this is truly a rare treat as you witness fantastic works of art coming together right in front of your eyes. It’s one of the rarest events occurring in Laguna Beach and a true pleasure to be a part of.