Contest Kicks Off

Under overcast skies this past Sunday 45 painters unfolded their easels and pulled on latex gloves to kick off the Laguna Art Museum’s 11th plein-air painting contest in Treasure Island Park.

Michael Situ This was the first day of a week-long painting fest that allows 50 invitees to paint at locations of their choice and will culminate Saturday in a so-called quick draw at Heisler Park, followed by a silent auction and soiree for buyers and collectors of the genre.

Finding fave spots and setting up easels and paints amid the morning gloom, they went to work on uniformly sized 8x10 inch canvasses.

Those following in the footsteps of Laguna Beach’s original artists ranged from 10-year veteran Jim Lamb to several first-timers. A Seattle resident, Lamb felt right at home under the marine layer. “I am used to this weather. I am an expert at painting grays,” he quipped while fleshing out plant-covered rocks and palm trees set against an initially pink sky that he eventually turned, well, gray. (A pink undercoat gives warmth to colors, he explained)

Jim Lamb Erich Neubert, an affable newbie worked close-by. As he began brushing outlines of craggy rocks, plants and a bit of sea, the painting quickly reflected the morning’s mood with a blue, brown, gray and white palette. “I use monochromatic colors because I am colorblind,” he said, explaining that he uses “color approximation” by deftly mixing primary colors and white. “If you know your color theory, you can get away with that,” he said.

Neubert, 37, earns a living as a freelance computer programmer and systems administrator and is an avid World of Warcraft gamer. Though he loves plein-air, another form of painting ignites his passion. “I’d love a job at Blizzard Entertainment. You can use so much imagination and if you’re as much into gaming as I am, it would be a dream come true.”

Jim Wodark Concentrating on the ocean swirling around a keyholeshaped rock, Chinese-born Michael Situ arrived in Laguna Beach 20 years ago from near Hong Kong. He maintains a studio on Laguna Canyon Road and has exhibited at the Festival or Arts for eight years. His image of the museum set against the coastline was selected to illustrate this year’s collectors’ soiree brochure.

For Jeanne Mackenzie, a native of Colorado, this was her first invitational as well as a first serious attempt at painting a seascape. “Moving from the mountains of Colorado to crashing surf is definitely a new experience,” she said. “I like the coast and I need practice painting here.” But, during her week’s sojourn, she plans to head into the canyons.

Greg Scheibel’s canvas Around noon the sun burst through the dispersing clouds and, alas, changed the prevailing mood enough for artists to call it a day. The finished results can be seen at the museum on Sunday when they are available for public viewing.
Jennifer McCristian