Celebrating Art in Laguna: A Fresh Look at the 60th Art‑A‑Fair

Laguna Beach, known for its sunny art scene, opens the first week of September with a trio of festivals. The newest event, Art‑A‑Fair, marks six decades of creativity and welcomes hundreds of artists from near and far. The fair showcases a mix of traditional and modern styles. This year, 40 new artists—many young—bring fresh ideas that blend old techniques with new materials. Walk through the stalls and you’ll see sea creatures carved from polymer clay, birds and boats made of rusty metal, and animal portraits on scratchboard. Felted wool becomes purses and wall hangings, while pine needles form intricate baskets with natural stones. Gourds are painted and decorated, and bright dichroic glass dazzles those who love light. Six artists from the local Laguna Woods Village community lead the show. Carrie Olsen, a former quilter and photographer, displays modern fiber art that critics compare to Kandinsky or Mondrian. Her “matchstick quilting” mixes hand and machine stitching with rope, fabric, and hand‑dyed textiles.

Eva Altmann, a long‑time resident, specializes in acrylic geometric collages. She cuts shapes, tapes them precisely, and paints each section with bold colors. Her work invites viewers to feel the energy of bright hues. Viviana Stone, who usually works on large canvases, presents smaller whimsical portraits this year. She calls the theme “Sacred Play” and keeps a unified color palette so pieces can be mixed or matched. Audrey Grider explores mixed media, combining acrylics, oils, gold leaf, and felt. A psychotherapist by training, she draws on a Japanese concept of restoring broken objects to create art that feels both healing and beautiful. Agnes Copeland uses paper collage on canvas, sourcing materials from Japan, Thailand, and India. Her whimsical scenes challenge the line between reality and imagination. Deborah Shriver, a newcomer to the fair, paints textured flowers and seascapes using special prints, molding paste, alcohol ink, and oil paint. Her work aims to bring joy and spark happiness in viewers.

Actions