Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy is Here A winter wonderland comes to Laguna Beach! The Sawdust Art Festival's 21st annual Winter Fantasy opens on November 19th. The show is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday leading up to December 11th. The Sawdust grounds have been transformed into a sparkling holiday fantasyland which is fitting as the theme this year is "Put a Little Sparkle in Your Holiday."

If you are looking for an activity to do with the little ones, your annoyed teenagers, your best friends, parents, or significant other the Winter Fantasy is the place to go. With 170 artists, 32 of whom are new this year, working in media including jewelry, glass, ceramics, painting, photography, clothing, textiles and mixed media. Visitors will be sure to discover treasures for everyone on their lists.

When you are ready to take a shopping break walk through the masterfully decorated Towne Square where Santa's house and sleigh and reindeer barn are located. Santa will be on site all day to visit and take photos with the kids. After you have shared your wish list with Santa make your way over to the artists demonstrations. You will be able to watch glassblowing firsthand along with numerous artists working on projects in their booths. If you are curious as to how an artists goes about creating their work, just ask. The artists usually love to share and talk about their creative process.

If being surrounded by all the amazing artwork is making you want to rush home and get crafty, don't run for the exit instead make your way to the project area. You can try your hand and lungs at glassblowing, take a class in ceramics and numerous other arts and crafts projects. The Children's Art Spot has endless amounts of art projects ranging from "Create Your Own Wrapping Paper" to "Upcycled Decorative Ornaments" to holiday cards and decorations. Some of the artists-taught classes include "Embellished Holiday Gift Holder", taught by artists Judy Kearby and Susan Leonhard, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ages 6 and up, Linda Valesco's "Winter Watercolors" teaches students 6 and up how to create a beautiful winter scene, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sundays. An all ages "Digital Photography" class, taught by Mary Gulino, will take place on November 27th, December 4th and 11th
from 4 to 5 p.m.

For the twelve and up crowd there are three exciting classes. New to the grounds this year is a photojournalism class "Challenging Location Photography", taught by Ret Talbot from 4 to 5 p.m. on November 26th and December 10th. Paul Renner, travel and safari photographer, will teach "Aspects of Photography" on December 3 from 4 to 5 p.m. From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on December 4th, Antonio Mendoza will teach "Weaving with Natural Dyes."

There is a chance that tummies will be growling after everyone in the family has had the opportunity to learn a new technique. If you are in the mood for soup, chili or gourmet sandwiches Debi's Deli is delicious. If a taco and burrito hit the spot then stop by the scrumptious Tacos Durrell or if you are more in the mood for Greek appetizers, soups, Pappour plates, pita bundles and pasta then the marvelous Pappou's Mediterranean Grille is the place for you. If you still have room for dessert Sallie's has decadent funnel cake and
other fried delights, Fran's Popcorn is serving freshly popped kettle corn, ice cream and candies and Espresso On The Go has a large selection of coffee, pastries and sweets. The Sawdust Saloon is serving numerous draft beers, wine and other libations.

Before you head home for the day, take the opportunity to take a family picture among the beautiful decorated grounds. The Towne Square makes a great backdrop for a holiday memory! Enjoy!

Receive FREE admission on Sundays when you donate a new unwrapped toy for children, ages newborn to 17. All toys are donated to Toys of Tots.

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Laguna Beach Sculpture Bandit Strikes Again On Friday November 4th, the Townley Gallery was visited by the Sculpture Bandit. The Bandit, described as approximately 6 feet tall, with dark hair, weighing 220 pounds and well dressed wearing a dark jacket and light jeans, stopped by the gallery around 7pm and walked out with a $2,000 glass sculpture. Bill Bradfield was in the gallery while the bandit was about to strike. Bradfield was giving a couple directions to a nearby restaurant causing him to have his back turned to the thief. Having staked the place out twenty minutes prior to the incident, the bandit tucked the 12 x 12 x 12 inches sculpture inside his jacked and headed for the door around 7:15pm. The sculpture was discovered missing the next morning. The rams head sculpture, entitled Orvis, created by Palm Springs based artist Patrick Blythe has been registered with an international lost art database.

The thief also stole a sculpture from Village Gallery on October 22nd at 7:20pm and from Wyland Gallery the same evening he hit Townley. The unaccompanied thief walked into Village Gallery numerous times on October 22nd appearing to be taking pictures with his cell phone and communicating with someone over the phone. He walked out with Sherri McQuen's $3,300 sculpture entitled Esprit while a gallery attendant was distracted.

This is not the first time the Sculpture Bandit has come to Laguna Beach. Eighteen months ago Townley Gallery was hit, the bandit stealing a $10,000 bronze sculpture, prompting Townley to install a video surveillance system. The bronze sculpture has not been recovered although that has not stopped Townley from scouring Craig's List and Ebay in hopes of
finding the missing piece.

There has been lots of press coverage about the stolen pieces, including an article in the Los Angeles Times and a segment on Channel 4 News. Although we always hope for good press we are happy that a light is being shined on the Sculpture Bandit and that the mystery can be solved.

If you have any information please contact the Laguna Beach Police Department (949) 497-0701 (Ask to speak to Officers Short or Nelson)

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And the Winner Is......

The 13th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational at the Laguna Art Museum was a huge success! The community greatly enjoyed participating in the much anticipated Quick Draw, the artists had two hours to create a painting of a Heisler Park scene. The Quick Draw paintings were on sale during the week as part of the silent auction. The silent auction culminated at the Collector's Soiree.  New this year were events such as a Kid's Paint Out, Next Generation Paint Out with students from Laguna College of Art and Design, and an environmental awareness lecture.  

Numerous awards were presented to the artists at the Collector's Soiree. LagunaART.com was proud to be the sponsor of Best in Subject Award. Choosing a winner was a very difficult decision since there were so many outstanding pieces this year. But it was the non-traditional subject, the vibrant colors and brush strokes that lead us to award the $500 prize to Brian Mark Taylor for his painting titled Balboa Alley. Brian could not have had a bigger smile on his face when he was presented the award! Congratulations Brian Mark Taylor! To view more of Brian's work visit his website www.brianmarktaylor.com.






 

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LAG and Plein Air Since the 13th Annual Plein Air Invitational at Laguna Art Museum is here, Laguna ART Group wanted to get you in the plein air spirit by introducing you to a few of our plein air artists.
Having worked in the graphic design world for 11 years, Kim VanDerHoek, was ready to try something new. She had a new baby boy at home and was in need of a creative outlet so she turned to plein air painting. She found comfort in plein air painting because it combined her love for the outdoors and for creating art. VanDerHoek says, "I enjoy the challenges plein air painting poses. Dealing with the weather, changing light and the other hurdles of outdoor painting has forced me to learn to make decisions quickly, to paint with commitment and above all, to have a plan for each painting." She hopes that from across the room the subject for her painting is easily identifiable but as the viewer approaches the painting they become lost in the brushwork. If you are interested in learning more about plein air painting, VanDerHoek teaches classes and workshops ranging from open studio time to beginner to intermediate sessions. For more information visit kimvanderhoek.com/workshops.
Drawing inspiration from wide open spaces, mountain scenery, country lifestyle, and the people who work the land, Melanie Nogawski finds great pleasure painting outdoors. Melanie explains, "my job as an artists is to capture the essence of a place, person or feeling, and to pass that onto others. It's a transformative process for me, as well as for the canvas. I grew up in natures, and my hope is that we all preserve the beautiful places so future generations can experience them as we have, it's a big part of why I paint landscape, it preserves them in memory for future generations." Nogawski enjoys venturing into local environments but she also finds it inspiring to travel and paint in foreign surroundings. In recent years Nogawaski has been fortunate to participate in plein air workshops in Croatia in 2005, France in 2010, Hope Town, Bahamas and Belgium in 2011. If you have been thinking about trying plein air painting but are at a loss on what equipment you need, Nogawski has tried numerous products and loves to share her favorites. " I have tried out many plein air paint box set ups. My favorites were the French Easel (it's sturdy, and has an area to set you palette on, downside is it's heavy), Guerilla Paint Box (which I like because it has a deep box that I can carry my paints in, and its a wet panel carrier). My most favorite is the Easy L Travel Boxes, they're light, easy to pack and everything is packed in a small bag. My favorite accessory is the small folding trash pail that Easy L carries…go green! Jury still out on umbrellas…"
Self-taught plain air artist E.E. Jacks credits her French and Hispanic upbringing as her main artistic influence. Jacks's great Tio (uncle), Gonzalo Elosegui, provided advice and guidance when Jacks was first exploring the art world. Jacks is inspired by John Constable, Camille Corot, Bierstadt, Frederic Edwin Church and many others. When studying Jacks's pieces, plein air, portraits and abstract, her Hispanic background is evident in her palette. She does not hold back when it comes to using color. Jacks also greatly enjoys working on commissions. Please don't hesitate to contact her if you are looking for a custom piece. Looking for a way to communicate why he enjoys painting, Jacks wrote a poem entitled:
"Why I Paint"
Oh the trees the trees!
Oh the sky the sky!
Ah the sea the sea..
They are what I feel
They swell within me
I like a child
Gaze with wonderment
Every time my eyes are opened
It is the first time
I am stirred beyond words
Such majesty booms
Like a Caruso in my heart
Violins and cellos rise and fall with the wind
And like a thousand little waves crashing over and over
Their voices never grow old
To me the full depth of human emotion
Is weaved into the land, sea, and sky
I cannot escape it
Nor do I want to
I exist only in those moments
Or brief understanding
Is this really for me?
What have I done to deserve such gifts?
Why have I been graced to see such beautiful ever changing things?
In awe in humility in utter gratitude
And complete abasement I paint
But please
Forgive me
For I am selfish
I want you to be mine

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The 13th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational The 13th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational, presented by Laguna Art Museum and Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, runs from October 9 through the 16th. Fifty of the nation's top plein air painters participate in the week-long festivities which include educational activities, environmental awareness events, and public paint outs. Prestigious prizes are awarded at the end of the week.

The French expression, en plain air, which translates to "in the open air" is used to describe the activity of painting outdoors. Plein air painting gained popularity in the mid-19th century when paint in tubes and the box easel was introduced. Before paint was sold in tubes, artists had to make their own paints by grinding and mixing dry pigments with linseed oil. The artists were spending more time as scientists then working on their paintings. The portable easel allowed the artists to travel to remote locations that would have been hard to navigate with a traditional easel. These two inventions made painting in the great outdoors very attractive and are still used today.

Plein air painting shines light on the fragility of our natural world and the environmental threats humans are placing on the eco-system. Wanting to bring attention to environmental issues the Laguna Art Museum choose "Sea, Sage, and Sustainability" as its theme. Some
of the environmental awareness events include a Kid's Paint Out, Environmental Awareness Panel Discussion lead by representatives from Crystal Cove Alliance, Laguna Canyon Foundation, and Surfrider Foundation South Orange County, a fine art lecture by Mr. Jean Steam (Executive Director of The Irvine Museum), private tours of Laguna Canyon Foundation, a paint out at Crystal Cove State Park, a Next Generation Paint Out with Laguna College of Art and Design students, and outdoor artist demonstrations.

The event kicks off on Sunday, October 9th with the Quick Draw event from 11:00am-1:00pm at Heisler Park. During the Quick Draw the artist only have two hours to complete their paintings. The Quick Draw paintings will be available through a silent auction starting
Monday, October 10th ending at the Collectors Soiree on Saturday, October 15th. After the Quick Draw join the participating artists back at the museum for a Meet and Greet, from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Complimentary beverages will be served.

All of the weeks events are free and open to the public except for the Collectors Soiree on Saturday, October 15th. Tickets are $125 for museum members and $150 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the museum.

LagunaART.com is a proud sponsor of the 13th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational. We are providing a $500 Best in Subject award and LagunaART.com will be in the 40,000 event directories. Good luck to

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50th Anniversary Celebration for Laguna College of Art and Design

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Laguna Beach 1st Thursday Art Walk Are you looking for something to do this Thursday, September 1st? Well, look no further and come and join over 80 Laguna Beach galleries for Art Walk. Art Walk is absolutely free to the public and takes place the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 9pm. (Yes, it runs year round!) It is family friendly, great for date nights, girls' night out, or just a plain old good night out on the town. There are artist demonstrations, exhibition openings, music, dancing and more. Many of the galleries serve drinks and appetizers while you peruse their collections. If your salivating over the art you might consider dropping in at one of the many fabulous restaurant and bars in town. Art Walk is a really great way to see and be part of the Laguna Beach art scene. The participating galleries are spread all throughout town. It is suggested that you start at one end of town and work your way across town, using the free shuttles that take you from one side of town to the other.
 The gallery owners and artist are generally present during Art Walk and love to chat about the gallery and the work on the walls. Don't be shy: ask the gallery owners or artists questions about their work. They love to tell their "story". Make sure to allow time to stop by the Laguna Art Museum which will be open until 9pm on Thursday. The current exhibits are Noguchi: California Legacy, Lita Albuquerque: Emergence, Landscape and Figuration from the Collection: Early to Mid-Twentieth Century and Natural Wonders: Wood Sculptures Inspired by Isamu Noguchi. The Laguna Art Museum is a small but mighty museum. In addition to the participating galleries there will also be an exhibit at City Hall Gallery Highlights- an exhibit of First Thursday Art Walk members. The exhibit is open from 5 to 6pm on Thursday night. City Hall is located at 505 Forest Avenue.
Townley Gallery and the Laguna ART Group, located at 570 Coast Highway, will be featuring Hugo Rivera's contemporary figure paintings. Rivera always had an interested in art but never truly pursued it until he started attending school at Orange Coast College. He would walk through the art department each day as he was on his way to another class. One day a painting teacher noticed how interested he always was as he made his daily pass and asked Rivera if he would like to join the painting class. From there on out Rivera was hooked on painting. Rivera explores every aspect of art, from contemporary acrylic paintings to portraiture to Trompe L'oil, faux finishes, cartoons, and sculptures. Rivera has become one of our most popular and renowned artist. As you are out on the town, stop by Townley Gallery and see Rivera's work and the work of many other astonishing artists. The gallery is located at 570 South Coast Highway. We hope to see you on Thursday!

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A Visit to the Art-A-Fair Located on Laguna Canyon Road, near the Sawdust Art Festival and the Festival of Art, the Art-A-Fair is nestled in the rustic canyon, lending to its lovely garden ambiance. This art venue is unique among the Laguna Beach fairs as it is comprised of 125 juried artists from all over the world. As you weave your way through the exhibits, you are treated to the intriguingly varied works, ranging from oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, drawings, photographs, digital art, mixed media, and sculpture, to jewelry, ceramics, glass, and woodwork. The Art-A-Fair has musical entertainment Thursday through Sunday, usually with two performances on Saturday and Sunday. The stage area has ample shade and plenty of seating, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the show in comfort. Tivoli Too, the sister restaurant to Tivoli Terrace which is located at the Festival of Art, has delicious Mexican food, sandwiches, and salads. They also serve delicious margaritas! If you are attending the fair with children, make sure to be on the look out for "Arty" while you walk through the exhibit. "Arty" is a stuffed artists palette that likes to explore the art fair after hours ,but when the sun comes up, he quickly runs and hides in a different spot each day. There is a special prize if you can find him hiding among the works of art.

As we wandered through the grounds on a recent visit, we enjoyed the works of artists Alice Hernandez-Gaona, Emilee Reed, Duncan Asper, and Michelle LaRae.
Oil painter Alice Hernandez-Gaona decided at age 45 that she was tired of painting just being her hobby and decided to make it her full time career. Hernandez-Gaona's still life paintings, rendered in oil on linen, masterfully capture the various still-life arrangements she has created. The way Hernandez-Gaona presents light - shadows and reflections - is remarkable and quickly draws the visitor's eye. She also specializes in custom portraiture, so be sure and visit her website for more details on ways to own an original portrait by this unique artist. You can purchase her art at www.lagunaart.com/AliceHernandez-Gaona.




Growing up in Corona Del Mar, CA, Emilee Reed became fascinated with light and color, a fascination which stayed with her through the years as she experimented with various art techniques. When Emilee-Reed began to explore watercolor, she fell in love since the medium allows her to be meticulous as she carefully manipulates light and color. Reed particularly enjoys painting beach and garden scenes, although she also greatly delights in custom work, combining all of her "favorite things" to create a unique and personalized watercolor. Reed keeps her work playful, adding an often unexpected touch of whimsy in watercolors by nestling a tiny green tree frog in the careful compositions. Reed invites you to partake in the challenge and try to spot the cheeky frog! You can purchase her art at www.lagunaart.com/Emilee-Reed.

Duncan Asper's mixed media pieces are inspired by the three decades he spent in the advertising world, where he was confronted with numerous image-building challenges. The fast paced and consuming world of advertising defines Asper's current approach to art. The idea behind each painting "is to represent nature's most ancient and basic building materials, stone, wood, metal, and glass." All of Asper's pieces have a clear and accessible inspiration, usually in the form of a quote or short sentence. Having such a concrete idea of the source of the artist's intentions allows the viewer to better appreciate the piece. Asper completes each piece by adding a compelling framing element. You can purchase his work at www.lagunaart.com/Duncan-Asper.




Michelle LaRae finds she unwinds when she steps into one of her collector cars and takes a drive - as she describes it, "a drive down memory lane." In turn, her paintings of these vintage cars remind her of simpler times. LaRae "strives to create peaceful, calming paintings- giving the viewer an opportunity to daydream." Many people who see her work want to jump into the painting and hop right in the car for a quick spin into a golden past. In 2009 LaRae was contacted, through her website, by IN-N-OUT to create artwork for that year's collectable t-shirt. LaRae painted a piece titled Serving Our Troops that was now proudly grace the 2009 IN-N-OUT t-shirt. While exhibiting in galleries, shows, and art fairs is very important to the artist, having a web presence is just as important, as LaRae can easily attest. You can purchase her work at www.lagunaart.com/Michelle-LaRae.
Make sure to stop by the Art-A-Fair by August 28, when it closes its doors for the season.

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A Day at the Festival of the Arts As summer draws to a close, make sure to spend a delightful afternoon or evening at the grounds of the legendary Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. Spend some leisurely time browsing exhibits, chatting with artists, and picnicking under the magical canopies as you take in the evening's free musical entertainment. Home to more than 140 juried Orange County artists, the Festival grounds is also hosts the acclaimed Pageant of the Masters' ninety minutes of fascinating tableau vivant or "living pictures". I don't want to give away too many of the Pageant's secrets before you get a chance to see the spectacular show before it closes on August 31.

We usually head to the Festival of Arts around 4pm and walk around looking at the amazingly varied and highly selective art. We had the chance to stop by the exhibits of Geri Medway, Todd Kenyon, and Murray Kruger, spending time to chat with each artist.

Geri Medway's enchanting watercolors capture the light and beauty of our natural surroundings. Before Medway starts a new watercolor series, she explores the terrains of California and Hawaii, looking at the everyday environment in which she "finds the beauty in the mundane." Medway photographs the outdoor scenes, considering and natural patterns, then heads back to her studio and begins to paint. Medway has been exhibiting at the Festival of Arts for 10
years.


At first glance Todd Kenyon's captivating pieces can be mistaken for compelling photographs of the Laguna Beach coastline. However, when you step closer, you realize that the photo-realistic ocean scenes are in fact paintings. I love standing in front of Kenyon's
pieces and getting swept away into the Laguna Beach surf. Kenyon made his Festival of Arts debut in 2007.


Murray Kruger's tarot card-based series of intricate fantastical scenes are compelling surreal digital paintings. The depth he can create with his cutting-edge technical medium is amazing, especially considering he is working on a two-dimensional plane. Congratulations to Kruger
for exhibiting at the Festival of Arts for the first time. We hope you will be at the Festival of years to come.





After you have had a chance to take in the art (which is hard to do in one visit), make your way to the grassy area in the middle of the grounds, find a table and set-up your picnic before the music starts. The Festival of Arts provides plenty of picnic spots under the large
canopies, on which intriguing organic light patterns play. You are encouraged to bring your own food and alcohol onto the grounds, and some patrons get really creative with their picnics, bringing tablecloths, candles, china, silverware, crest, and even flower arrangements. If you are looking for a more laid back time, you can leave the cooking to Gina's Pizza, located on the grounds. Of course, if you aren't in the picnic mood and would prefer a sit down dinner on the grounds, then Tivoli Terrace would be the place for you, with their
large menu offering salads to steaks. Picnickers (and perhaps some Tivoli Terrace diners, too) are treated to a nightly concert and the night we were there we enjoyed the music of The Girls. When the music has ended (the show generally runs from 6-8pm) take a moment to revisit your favorite artists, as a lot of the artists generally are in their booths starting around 6pm. As you finally head for the exit, make sure to swing through the charming Children's Art exhibit. You never know - the early masterpieces of some of the future
exhibitors of the Festival of Arts could be hanging on the walls!

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A Conversation With Prince Duncan-Williams and Russ Sanders At Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com we represent a wide variety of artists. This week I had the opportunity to speak with two very different artists: Prince Duncan-Williams and Russ Sanders.

Fiber artist Prince Duncan-Williams moved to the States from Kumasi, Ghana in the early 1980s, bringing with him an art technique that has been in his family for four generations. "Silk Mosaic" is a complicated, labor intensive process in which silk-rayon blended threads are arranged in rows by hand, creating a woven painting. There is no stitching involved in this technique- just glue and thread. "Silk Mosaic" truly is hand-work.

For Duncan-Williams, Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com has brought global recognition. Since joining the LagunaART.com family nine months ago, he has sold three pieces , none of which were ever in the gallery or viewed in-person. Buyers simply discovered them online and made the purchase through the LagunaART.com website. Selling his work all of the world- Australia, Canada, and Korea- Duncan-Williams has noticed an increase in traffic on his personal website since joining Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com. With this increase in public recognition, Duncan-Williams has been asked to participate in shows all over the world and is currently thinking about showing in Europe. Stop by his website princesilkcreations.com and see his amazing work!

Russ Sanders is a self-proclaimed "water-baby". Having grown up at the beach, Sanders became familiar with the ocean at a very young age and his respect for the waves increased over time. Sanders employs a unique photography approach which he dubbed "the shore break technique." He designed and had custom-built a protective camera housing allowing Sanders to be directly in the surf, at the shore break, photographing the volatile ocean from a distinctively personal and immediate perspective. Although his images look peaceful he says the process is far from peaceful. While he is doing a shoot Sanders explains that "the water is explosive where it breaks and collides. It knocks me down." Falls, currently at at the LagunaART Gallery, is the artist's favorite piece created under these challenging conditions. When he was capturing the movement of the water, the wave threw him around nearly devoured him, keeping him under the water for more than thirty seconds as he struggled to come up for some air. Having water driven up his nose, sand packed in his ears, and being roughly tossed onto the shore does not stop Sanders from doing what he loves - it only drives him to photograph more.

Two weeks after joining Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com, Sanders made his first sale through the website. The buyer saw his photographs on LagunaART.com and then purchased from Sanders through his personal website, www.russsandersphotography.com, covering his LagunaART.com Membership for the year. Sanders has also made lots of contacts through the Laguna Art gallery. When he has a few free moments, he enjoys stopping in the gallery to visit, often running into another artist, exchanging contact information, adding more and more people to his invaluable professional network.

The Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com encourages buyers to contact our artists through their personal websites. The artists really enjoy getting to know their buyers on a personal basis and buyers often find enhanced enjoyment of the pieces through this contact. We hope you have a chance to stop by Russ Sanders and Prince Duncan-William websites.
Russ Sanders is a self-proclaimed "water-baby". Having grown up at the beach, Sanders became familiar with the ocean at a very young age and his respect for the waves increased over time. Sanders employs a unique photography approach which he dubbed "the shore break technique." He designed and had custom-built a protective camera housing allowing Sanders to be directly in the surf, at the shore break, photographing the volatile ocean from a distinctively personal and immediate perspective. Although his images look peaceful he says the process is far from peaceful. While he is doing a shoot Sanders explains that "the water is explosive where it breaks and collides. It knocks me down." Falls, currently at at the LagunaART Gallery, is the artist's favorite piece created under these challenging conditions. When he was capturing the movement of the water, the wave threw him around nearly devoured him, keeping him under the water for more than thirty seconds as he struggled to come up for some air. Having water driven up his nose, sand packed in his ears, and being roughly tossed onto the shore does not stop Sanders from doing what he loves - it only drives him to photograph more.

Two weeks after joining the Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com, Sanders made his first sale through the website. The buyer saw his photographs on LagunaART.com and then purchased from Sanders through his personal website, www.russsandersphotography.com, covering his LagunaART.com Membership for the year. Sanders has also made lots of contacts through the Laguna ART Group. When he has a few free moments, he enjoys stopping in the gallery to visit, often running into another artist, exchanging contact information, adding more and more people to his invaluable professional network.

The Laguna ART Group - LagunaART.com encourages buyers to contact our artists through their personal websites. The artists really enjoy getting to know their buyers on a personal basis and buyers often find enhanced enjoyment of the pieces through this contact. We hope you have a chance to stop by Russ Sanders and Prince Duncan-William websites.

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A Day at the Sawdust Festival Visiting the Sawdust Festival on a sunny Sunday afternoon is the perfect summer activity. Founded in 1965 the Sawdust Festival is three acres of art. Everything from painting, sculpture, clothing, jewelry, ceramics to glass blowing. You name the medium and most likely the Sawdust will have it. Strolling from booth to booth talking with the artists and other fellow art enthusiasts can make you hungry. The festival has some great dinning options from sandwiches and salads to tacos and pitas. Get your food to go and head on over to one of the stage's to listen to some live music. This visit we were treated to the Ken Garcia band playing a mix of folk music with a Hawaiian and Latin flare on the Main Stage. The Main Stage is nestled near the trees making it a perfect time to take a break in the shade.

After you have rested for a bit continue wandering, maybe this time with a wine, beer, or coffee in hand. Many of the artists are in their booths and occasionally do demonstrations. During this visit we were lucky enough to watch Laguna ART Group's John Eagle work on an oil painting. He describes his work as "en plein air" which means done on location, in the open air. His paintings have an impressionistic feeling as the undiluted paint is dabbed onto the canvas using mostly vertical brush strokes. As the artists says "it creates a mosaic effect, with form and movement seen from a distance rather than up close." It was such a treat to be able to talk with the artist for a while and hear about his Sawdust experience. Congratulations John on 20 years at the Sawdust! We hope to see you for 20 more! John's work can be purchased at www.lagunaart.com/John-Eagle.

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