Laguna Craft Guild sets up on Cobblestones at Main Beach for show on Sunday

Although the location has changed over the years, on Sunday, Feb 9, the Laguna Craft Guild continues an over four-decade tradition of setting up their wares for the community. The artisan group will be displaying at the Cobblestones at Main Beach from 9 a.m. until sunset. 

The Laguna Craft Guild was started in the early 1970s as a way for local artists and craftsmen to sell their work. It is a non-juried show with two simple rules: you live in Laguna Beach and you make what you sell. Originally Forest Avenue was closed on Sundays, and the artists set up for the day a few times a year. Later the show was on Ocean some days and on Forest some days. 

The group’s current home is on the Cobblestones next to The Greeter’s Corner Restaurant on 14 Sundays a year. The artists must be present to show their work so this is a great opportunity for the public to meet the makers. 

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Vendors set up on Main Beach Cobblestones from 9 a.m. until sunset on Sunday

A few of the many vendors represented are:

Oil painter Cliff Wassman (a graduate of The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) whose work garnered attention from Lucasfilm’s art licensee Acme Archives, which went on to publish his work for sale at Comic-Con and Star Wars events. Cliff has a studio and gallery in the Village. Sold and collected worldwide, his latest  theme is mixing time periods and blending the familiar with the fantastic in a whimsical mash-up of classical realism and contemporary culture. Cliff is on the Board of the Laguna Craft Guild and has also served on the Board of the Sawdust Festival.

Illustrator Laurel Meister (a graduate of Art Center College of Design) once did a mural at the home of Michelle Pfeiffer and has illustrated children’s books. Laurel sits on both the Laguna Craft Guild Board of Directors and The Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund, whose purpose is to bring art education to the underserved. Her current series is inspired by fortunes from fortune cookies. Next up she plans to combine iconic GenX symbols with iconic paintings. Laurel’s work is in collections worldwide. 

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Beautiful vases for sale

Gold and silversmith David Nelson has been exhibiting in Laguna Beach since 1969. David has been an exhibitor at the Sawdust for 50 years, a member of the Laguna Craft Guild since 1972, and is a founding artists of the Sawdust Winter Fantasy. During the summer, David moves his entire shop to his Sawdust booth and can be found creating, sizing, designing, and customizing his jewelry late into every night. He has also exhibited in numerous art shows in Southern California for many years.

Glass Artist Muffin Spencer-Devlin, whose first career was as a professional golfer, studied glass blowing under longtime Laguna resident and artist John Barber. Muffin will incorporate ashes of loved ones into her glass vessels. 

Hodel McRae has been designing and creating jewelry for over 20 years. She hand makes every piece, which makes them unique and one of a kind. Hodel works with sterling silver, 14K gold-filled, and leather. She exhibits her work at the Laguna Craft Guild shows, the Sawdust Festival, in the Laguna Art Museum gift shop, and on her Etsy page. She sits on the Boards of the Laguna Craft Guild and The Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund.

Mark Sanderson is a photographer who has captured our beautiful coastline for over 30 years. His vibrant images are dazzling.

For more information on Laguna Craft Guild, go to www.lagunacraftguild.org.