Rubble Gone, Clean Slate Emerges

Out of deconstruction debris from a 1965 facility cleared from the grounds, new structures will replace the Festival of Arts’ entertainment stage, artists’ booths and children’s art center by July of next year, promised Fred Sattler, the Festival of Arts board president.

“We are starting with a blank canvas,” he said. “The grounds may not be  traversable now, but they will be by next summer. If not, I accept donations for a flight to Brazil, a country with no extradition treaty,” he quipped during the annual membership meeting Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The $10 million project approved by the Laguna Beach City Council in 2015 had been delayed by a year due to a forecast for an El Niño season that never materialized, Sattler reminded those in attendance.

Bauer Architects of Newport Beach, the designers of the award-winning new façade bordering the public property, has also been tasked with designing the new festival grounds, whose grassy central plaza and event venue enjoyed the shade of several large trees. Two Eucalyptus trees and a California sycamore were removed due to disease or pests and will be replaced with a native coast live oak and two more sycamores, said Greg Tate, an associate principal of Bauer Architects.

Sattler enthused that the Festival was on a “good track” financially, bringing in record revenues of $9.7 million. Expenses amounted to $8.4 million with a 36 percent increase in net profit to $1.36 million, according to 2016 unaudited figures. By comparison, last year netted $995,649.

Mayor Steve Dicterow praised the city’s relationship with the Festival of Arts as better than ever.

Sattler also recounted that the summer art show and Pageant of the Masters production drew more than 204,000 visitors in two months, utilized 500 volunteers working more than 40,000 hours collectively and awarded $100,000 in scholarships to Laguna Beach High School students and alumni in various artistic disciplines.

Pageant of the Masters director Dianne Challis Davy introduced next year’s production of “living pictures” titled “The Grand Tour.” The theme stems from the 17th and 18th century itineraries of European elites, who embarked on continental grand tours by land and sea to cultural centers.

Next summer’s production features works by Antoine Watteau’s “The Shop of Gersaint,” J.B. Tuby’s “Fountain of Apollo” and C. Hansen’s “Danish Artists in Rome” among others and will provide viewers with colorful insight into masterpieces that drew attention then.

Act II introduces a medley of European and American attractions, among them posters from “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” and sculptures of music icons Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Challis Davy will also highlight personal favorites centered on the romantic sagas of Lord Hamilton, Emma Hart and Lord Nelson.

Following tradition, the 90 minute show will end with the enactment of Leonardo DaVinci’s “Last Supper.”

The board announced that for the 2017 season, Festival of Arts jurying will be open to artists from Aliso Viejo, Balboa, Balboa Island, Capistrano Beach, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Monarch Beach, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Orange, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park.

The Festival’s board underwent some transition this year. Scott Moore was appointed to succeed Anne Webster, who died in September at age 91. Sattler and David Perry also won re-election.

Sattler reminded members of new works acquired in August by the Festival of Arts for its permanent collection. They included work by print maker Noriho Uriu, paintings by Elizabeth McGhee and Mike Ward, ceramics by Mike Tauber and mixed media from Mariana Nelson.