Portrait of a pageant

Suzie Harrison

The term seeing is believing is suspended when it comes to the magic

of the Pageant of Masters. There are whispers as the audience shares

the disbelief that great pieces of art have actually come to life.

It’s called “tableaux vivant,” or living pictures. Not only is the

art extremely moving -- it’s actually alive. Through the use of

makeup, lighting and talented artists, volunteers are magically

transformed to be the art.

Every year there is a different theme in this 71-year tradition.

This year, nine-year veteran pageant producer-director Diane Challis

Davy has chosen the theme “Portrait of the Artist,” a show that

emphasizes the personal aspect of the lives and works of artists.

Works dating to 1553 Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze “Perseus,” to

Viktor Tilgner’s 1896 marble “Mozart Memorial,” to pieces by Matisse

and Picasso to today -- many medium are represented.

Kasey Perry and John Spenker, held their pose as subjects in

“Nijinski and Ida Rubenstein,” with cameras flashing like it was the

Academy Awards at a press preview Monday. They kept still much longer

than the usual three minutes that is required during the show.

“It’s my eighth year, I’ve done all different [pieces], I like

them all,” Perry said.

She said there is a bit of trepidation for the first few weeks of

the show, especially the first couple of performances, where they are

trying to make sure they are on mark holding their positions right.

“I like doing it, being onstage with the audience clapping and

coming back each summer and seeing everyone,” Perry said. “After

eight years you meet a lot of people and it’s something you enjoy.”

Spenker said it takes about a half an hour to get in full makeup

and costume. To keep still he tries to keep his mind off what he is

doing.

“This is my third season, it’s a good way to spend your time, to

see the production of your labor” Spenker said. “I like their

purpose, what they’re doing with the art community, it’s a really

good cause.”

Wardrobe supervisor Catherine Esera talked about their process.

“We have to recreate what it looks like, not what it is,” Esera

said. “We make it how it appears.”

That includes sewing in the movement to a piece so it looks as if

it is flowing.

“This was my first year building it, sewing the costumes,” Esera

said. “There are around 120 costumes. ‘Nijinski and Ida Rubenstein’

was the most labor intensive, the beading and adornments, with these

sculptures we had to do all of it.”

The scenic artists paint the actual costumes.

“My favorite piece is probably ‘The Harbor at Lorient’ with one

woman off to the side looking over the harbor,” Esera said.

There will be more than 30 different works in this year’s show.

In the makeup area, makeup artist Danielle Ford is holding a

Styrofoam model in one hand with her eyes transitioning carefully

between that and the child’s face she is painting, practicing for the

show. The model shows the exact shading and there are other aids and

pictures at hand to make sure she has the shading and colors just

right.

“It’s hard keeping my hand from shaking,” Ford said. “I’ve painted

three different people, her the most. I’m working and getting faster

and faster.”

Her subject was Mackynzie Miller, 8, who will be in the pageant

for the first time.

“I really wanted to do it, I really liked it a lot,” Mackynzie

said. “I feel happy and good, not nervous.”

She said when she found out she had been cast, she started

screaming with excitement and ran to her mom to tell her.

“Trying to stay still will be the hardest part,” Mackynzie said.

Ford said the hardest parts to do are the lips and the eyes.

Lastly a mini-preview of four pieces was displayed on stage

complete with narration. Per usual the show didn’t disappoint.

Diego Velazquez, considered the greatest Spanish painter of all

time created “Las Meninas,” in 1656, where he painted himself into

the picture doing a portrait of the king.

Perhaps the most impressive was William Alexander Griffith’s 1928

oil, “William Wendt at Work.” It is a picture of Wendt at work in the

canyon, both artists had set up their easels to paint in the open air

and Griffith captured Wendt, one of the first plein air artists

capturing the Laguna hillsides.

The Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, with more than

140 world-class artists exhibiting their works will run July 5

through Aug. 28. The Festival of Arts, now in its 72nd year is

California’s longest-running outdoor fine art exhibit.

Admission to the Festival of Arts is free for Laguna Beach

residents everyday. Tickets to the Pageant of the Masters sell out

early every year and range from $15 to $80. The pageant and festival

are at 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For information, call (949) 494-1145,

1-800-487-3378 or online at https://www.lagunafestivalof

arts.org.