Learning young

Suzie Harrison

All over town, sightings have been made of plein air painters parked

on street corners and in parks recording the outdoor sites on canvas.

They are part of the fifth annual Laguna Beach Plein Air

Invitational, which will continue with scheduled painting events.

Today, the Student Plein Air Invitational will bring student

artists from different areas of Orange County to try plein air

painting. They will be taught by artists competing in the

invitational. This will take place at Heisler Park near Myrtle Street

from 12:15 to 2:15 p.m.

The students will also take part in activities at the museum that

help them learn more about plein air painting.

“This is the second year for the student event,” Laguna Art Museum

Marketing Director Stuart Byer said. “It’s an interesting event with

50 fourth- and fifth-graders from across Orange County.”

He said the program is a cooperative effort by the Orange County

Board of Education, Laguna Art Museum and the Los Angeles Times.

“Jim Thomas is the art coordinator for the Orange County

Department of Education. He helps put out a call for artists,” Byer

said. “It gives kids inspiration, the chance to be artists, some who

normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to do it.”

Part of the fourth- and fifth-grade curriculum is California

history, Byer said. As part of the program, they spend an hour with

the docents of the museum looking at plein air historical art

galleries, learning about plein air art and its rich history in

Orange County.

Michael Obermeyer, a local plein air painter also in the

invitational, will help the kids learn the art. His daughter Olivia,

9, is a junior member of the Festival of Arts. She participated in

its inaugural year and will again this year.

“She loves art,” Obermeyer said. “I volunteered to help the kids.

It will be fun to help the kids learn how to paint. Each instructor

takes about five kids to complete a plein air painting in Heisler.”

He said they will take them step by step through the process,

introducing them to painting outside.

“It was really fun with Mark last year,” Olivia said. “I liked

painting with him because he really helped me a lot. It’s the first

time I painted in plein air.”

What she likes about that art form is seeing and painting the

waves, all the people and everything, she said.

“They would teach us first, and then, we’d paint,” Olivia said.

“I’m excited about my dad teaching me.”

Rebecca Goncharov, 10, of Aliso Viejo will be enjoying the event

for a second time. She said she likes sketching and painting outside.

“I did really like to look at stuff outside and draw it,” Rebecca

said. “It’s really fascinating -- I think it helps my imagination a

little bit more.”

Juliana Johnson, 10, of Aliso Viejo said the medium isn’t new to

her. There’s plenty she likes about doing everything she can to make

the picture more beautiful, she said.

“I like filling up the space with paint, seeing all the wonderful

colors and what you’ve done,” Juliana said. “You think, I did this,

and you just want to do it more and more and more.”

The Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn. and the Laguna Art Museum are

hosting the event. To find out more about the events and schedule,

call 494-8971. Laguna Art Museum is at 307 Cliff Drive.