Art-A-Fair: Upcoming offerings at Laguna’s “Festival Without Borders” range from exhibits to workshops, music to puppies
By THERESA KEEGAN
This summer appreciation and admiration of both artists and visitors are flourishing under the canvas tarps of Art-A-Fair. “It’s changed a lot,” said participating artist Barbara Palmer-Davis. “The artists juried in keep getting better and better. This year is the best.”
Indeed, a walk through the festival reveals an impressive array of booths, with colorful and impressive art in a variety of mediums, from traditional oil and pastels to woodworking, glass, beading and textile. Touted as a “Festival Without Borders” there is also a distinct international perspective. Palmer-Davis, who has been showing at the festival for 30 years, has a booth next to an artist from South Africa.
“I really enjoy talking with him,” she said, adding that conversations extend well beyond artistic techniques and there’s been a deep camaraderie among the artists this summer.
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Photo by Theresa Keegan
The display areas at this year’s Art-A-Fair festival are opened up and flow into each other. Attendees can drift among the displays of 115 artists from throughout the world.
In addition to the diverse range of artists, the workshops at Art-A-Fair have also been popular this year.
“We had more workshop signups online this year, before we even opened, than we completed last year,” said Emilee Reed, an exhibitor and instructor at Art-A-Fair.
With 19 different instructors, and topics ranging from jewelry making to art pour, watercolors and even gourd making, the diversity of the workshops is appealing. There is at least one, and sometimes two, workshops a day.
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Courtesy of Laguna Art-A-Fair
Many workshops are held at the central gazebo area of Laguna Art-A-Fair, where passersby can see classes in action
“Even if they (visitors) don’t have workshops on their mind they see it (classes) happening when they visit, and then they want to sign up,” said Reed. “It’s just a fun experience to get to know a little about a particular thing you’re interested in.”
Artist Sandra Morrison, who has been at Art-A-Fair for the past two years and is leading workshops this summer, said the reasons people attend the workshops are as diverse as the attendees.
“Some people just love doing workshops and take all different things because they want to learn and have a good time, and others want to increase their skills,” she said. “I think everybody has different reasons for taking the workshops.”
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Courtesy of Sandra Morrison
Artist Sandra Morrison (left) is thrilled she can connect with people who visit her booth at Art-A-Fair
Looking at the artwork is also an inspiration to many who visit the summer festivals and some sign up for the workshops after they’re on site, if space is available.
“When someone walks into Art-A-Fair, they walk in and look around and say, ‘Wow!’ I think they are really inspired by everything they see,” said Morrison.
Her workshop on discovering pastels has been well received. “In the workshops we’ve had a lot of happy people who are pleased in what they’re creating.”
And she expects interest in the Festival will remain strong and even increase as the summer winds down. History supports her theory.
“The last three weeks, it really picks up,” she said. “There’s that sense of urgency ‘If I don’t go now, it’s going to go away.’” Sales also pick up as people return for what she calls a “second touch” – an opportunity to revisit something they had seen earlier in the summer but weren’t ready to purchase at the time.
“Art is a crapshoot,” she said. “You just never know when someone will buy something.”
Also, the upcoming special events at Art-A-fair should bring in people from throughout Orange County.
Palmer-Davis can’t wait for the Ohio Trio to come to the festival. Their re-creation of music by The Platters is a favorite for many. “I can’t wait to go dance when they’re here,” she said.
Morrison thinks the upcoming “Tails @Twilight” event on August 22 will be a big draw. Billed as “An Evening of Art, Tail-Wagging Fun and Puppy Kisses,” the event benefits local animal organizations. There will be a special happy hour menu offered by the venue’s restaurant, live music and a silent auction. It is bittersweet to already be thinking about the season closing, said Morrison.
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“It’s a great community and we’ve made really good friends,” she said. “But I don’t think people realize what it takes to get your art created, then framed and out there and to show in a festival. It’s really a lot of work.”
But when people’s creations are sold, and go to a new home, there is plenty of joy at Art-A-Fair.
“Whenever a sale is made, it doesn’t matter which artist it is, we all applaud.”
For more information, to register for a workshop or for tickets to Laguna Art-A-Fair, click here.
Art-A-Fair is located at 777 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.
