Figurative painter Hilary McCarthy, of Laguna Beach, is currently adjunct faculty in the Fine Arts Department at Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD). Several of her works will be on display Saturday, Feb. 1, at B Minus Studios in Santa Ana from 6-10 p.m. during an exhibition entitled, “The Light of the Sea, New Paintings by Hilary McCarthy.”
McCarthy said she feels making art is an escape from the “uncomfortableness” of life. Behind the easel she feels safe and protected, and not subject to life’s many ups and downs.
“As a subject in my art, the ocean is timeless and seemingly endless. It existed before we did. We do not own it. If anything, it owns us,” she said. “The ocean helps me see life in terms of unlimited possibilities. Because it lets me reach a place of freedom, its unpredictability is also a metaphor for life. Sometimes it is turbulent and other times tranquil.
“The women I paint in the foreground deal with the messy complexities of the human condition. In the background, the ocean forms a vast backdrop. The narrative of each painting tests these two interfaces,” the LCAD art professor said. “Sometimes the women want to leave the physical world. Other times, they simply are floating in water, riding the waves. The women I paint live in the present, are weightless and at peace with themselves and the world.”
A New Yorker for 18 years, McCarthy moved to Laguna last year. Her work has been exhibited in numerous galleries in the United States and Europe. She has studied at Harford Art School, The Art Student’s League, New York Academy of Art and Columbia University. She also has attended art residencies in Puglia Italy; Victoria, Australia; Leipzig, Germany; and, Johnston, Vermont.
For more information about McCarthy, visit www.hilarymccarthyart.com.
Laguna Craft Guild Returns Jan. 19
The Laguna Craft Guild will host a show on Sunday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to sunset on the Main Beach cobblestones. Shows next month will be on Feb. 9 and 16.
LPAPA’s ‘Town & Country’ Opens Saturday
The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) recently announced the opening of “Town & Country,” a unique exhibition “Where the Cities Meet the Pastures,” showcasing paintings created by LPAPA members. The public is invited to join the celebration at the opening reception with the artists on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 5-7 p.m. at LPAPA in Residence, located at Forest & Ocean Gallery, 480 Ocean Avenue, Laguna Beach. Awards will be announced at 6 p.m.
LPAPA’s “Town & Country” is a special juried exhibition of original works of art created by signature and artist members of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. The show received 225 entries, with jurors Anthony Salvo (signature member of LPAPA), Rosemary Swimm (LPAPA executive director) and Ludo Leideritz (owner Forest & Ocean Gallery) choosing 40 original framed paintings created by LPAPA members for the show’s coveted spots.
The Jan. 18 opening is a free event—all art lovers welcome. The exhibition will run through Jan. 26. For show details, visit www.lpapa.org, email [email protected], or call 949-376-3635.
LPAPA was founded in 1996 with a mission to preserve Laguna Beach’s rich artistic legacy founded by early plein air artists and promote the tradition of plein air painting in the community, across the nation, and around the world. LPAPA has a growing roster of more than 600 local, national and international artist members. In addition to providing opportunities for established and emerging artists to show their work, LPAPA has a strong commitment to education utilizing their Plein Air Project to benefit young and emerging artists and the greater community.
Wyland Offering Art Classes for Kids
Children ages 3-12 can take an art lesson via video feed by local environmental artist Wyland at 9 a.m. and go on a free two-hour whale watching adventure at 10 a.m. for $15 from Jan. 25 through April 25. Additional whale watching tickets are available from $29-$49.
Art class participants will be entered in a contest to win prizes as well as a gift from Wyland. The 2020 grand prize will be a limited edition signed and numbered framed Giclee on canvas by Wyland called “Orca Realm,” valued at over $2,500. All children’s artwork will be judged by Wyland for a chance to win other prizes.
For reservations and additional information, visit danawharf.com or Wyland’s Whale and Dolphin Adventure – Art Lessons in the Wild.
Arts Alliance Announces Honarkar Family Grant
Laguna Beach Arts Alliance is now accepting applications for the $5,000 Honarkar Family Grant. Each year, LBAA presents the “Art Star Awards” to honor the best and brightest of Laguna’s diverse artistic community; next year marks the 14th anniversary of the Art Star Awards.
Submissions will be open to all artists residing in Southern California, and the winner will be announced at the Art Star Awards on Sunday, April 5.
The grant is open to choreographers, composers, playwrights and visual artists as well as dancers, instrumental and vocal musicians, and actors. The individual winner of the $5,000 grant will have 11 months to complete their project and the body of work will premiere at the 2021 Art Star Awards.
To apply and receive additional information about the Honarkar Family Grant, visit www.lagunabeacharts.org or email [email protected].
Laguna Beach FOA Foundation Now Accepting 2020 Grant Applications
The FOA Foundation recently announced that applications are now available for 2020 Art Grants. Nonprofit organizations with programs promoting fine arts in and about Laguna Beach may apply. Grant applications are available online at www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org and the submission deadline is Feb. 14.
“Each year the Foundation is proud to be able to provide grants to many of the art-related nonprofits in Laguna Beach,” shared FOA Foundation President Bob Earl. “We look forward to helping fund programs that provide enrichment to our community.”
The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Foundation (now named the FOA Foundation) was established in 1989 to preserve and promote the fine arts and all other artistic endeavors in and around Laguna Beach. For more information on the grant application process, contact Bob Earl at 949-494-4132.
