Explore What Inspires Artists

Explore the artist colony Laguna Beach with Open Studios on Saturday, Jan. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

During this free event, art enthusiasts are invited to visit local professional artists in their studios. Participants can catch a free shuttle service from the ACT V parking lot, 1900 Laguna Canyon Road, and take advantage of free parking.

The majority of participating artist studios are nestled along Laguna Canyon Road, the creative backdrop for legendary artists William Wendt, Frank Cuprien and Edgar Payne, who set roots here in the early 1890s captivated by the natural, idyllic setting.

Observe 31 artists working in fused glass, painting, printmaking, and bronze. Drive downtown, just off the canyon on Ocean Avenue, and discover painter Cliff Wassmann. Here, art enthusiasts will appreciate his historic art studio, nearly 100-years-old.

“For visitors, it’s nice; they can come in and see an actual working studio,” Wassmann said. People get to see a retrospective look at the artist’s work that you can’t see anywhere else. “It’s different than a gallery experience. A gallery can be intimidating, but in a studio – you get to see work in progress,” said Wassmann. “It’s more hands-on than a gallery, a little more intimate.”

At the first stop, visit painter John Repka. At the second stop, don’t miss the opportunity to make your own piece of kiln formed glass with Maggie Spencer, and view her colorful work. Each month, she presents a new project for visitors to try.

Tucked in a serene spot at the third stop in the canyon, experience the creative ceramic and wood studio space, with Sandy Groves.

Laguna Canyon Artists complex, at the fourth stop, offers a cluster of studios with a host of artists who work in a variety of art mediums. Many artists are located at Laguna Canyon Artists. Join a number of new participating artists in exploring their studio space and art work. This artist complex is widely known for a number of imaginative and experimental printmakers, painters, jewelers, and mixed media artists, as well as established artists like oil painter Tom Swimm.

During the event, visitors can enjoy Swimm working at his easel, painting new coastal scenes in oils. “I have lots of original work on display there as well, with many different subjects done in oils of all sizes,” Swimm said.

Swimm finds Artist Open Studios to be a great way to connect with people who appreciate and collect all forms of art. “When you send your work off to galleries, you usually don’t have access to comments about your work, or have any interaction with someone if they purchase a piece,” Swimm said. “I find that a lot of people like to meet the artist and talk about what inspires them – it’s a nice way to connect with people who like your work.”

The artist added, “I think it allows people to learn about how artists work and to see the environment that they have created to fit their own artistic personality. Many people have this perception that artists are inaccessible and that there is some magic or mystery to creating fine art.”

At the very last stop in the canyon, visit with artists Louis Longi, Olivia Batchelder, Deborah Paswaters and Micha von Doring, who work on bronze, silk, painting and wood, respectively.

Longi creates one-of-a-kind bronze sculptures, abstracting the human form, and expressing the strength of human will. He has myriad public art pieces, including “Beacon” and “Usher In” at ACT V.

“I like to show the unique process of my sculpting technique, lost wax foundry process, and behind the scenes production cycle of creating contemporary sculptures,” Longi said. “During Artist Open Studios, people will experience hands-on sculpting, participating in the wax sculpting process with a new technique that I am working on. And they can check out an exterior studio and creative canyon environment.”

For a list of participating artists, please visit the Cultural Arts Department page at www.lagunabeachcity.net or call (949) 497-0722.