An inauguration

The Pageant of the Masters is “Young at Heart” this year, with director Diane Challis Davy channeling the classic Frank Sinatra song for her theme.

Classic children’s book illustrations will join flower fairies, classic “baby boomer” magazine art and a Chinese New Year celebration.

A highlight in the Pageant will be a rendition of the throne of King Tut, from 1300 B.C.

For artist John Michael Dickinson, the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Arts marks his own inauguration.

Dickinson learned printmaking and mixed media techniques with festival artist Mada Leach for about 10 years during the annual summer exhibitions.

He debuts this year as one of the festival’s new artists.

Dickinson exudes nothing but warmth for Leach, a 24-year festival veteran. “She’s a mentor, friend and teacher,” he said.

The duo joined four other exhibitors in welcoming members of the press to the festival and Pageant of the Masters on Monday, where they also were whisked backstage and treated to an up-close-and-personal view of the inner workings of the annual summer events.

After being juried into the Art-A-Fair festival last year, Dickinson has moved to exhibiting at the Festival of Arts, and says that, to his knowledge, he is the first person to make the transition from festival student to professional festival exhibitor.

“What an honor,” he said; 332 people applied this year to fill 40 available festival slots. Dickinson joined 24 other brand-new exhibitors in securing spaces.

Dickinson’s embossed creations feature a mélange of intaglio and monoprint techniques and media including oils, acrylics and graphite, applied on layers of paper to create a unique combination of styles.

This year, longtime festival exhibitor Leach is introducing a vibrant series of coastal and desert scenes, using her signature methods of monotype, collage and Shibori dying techniques.

“This is kind of a breakthrough,” Leach said, showing rice paper that she has dyed using the Shibori method; it’s typically applied to silks, and has its ancient origins in Japanese kimono construction.

Her works, with fun titles like “Hoodoos and Whatnots” and “Rogue Wave,” have garnered the 24-year festival veteran a devoted following of collectors.

Dickinson, a Newport Beach resident, said he plans to continue Leach’s unofficial policy of reinventing her work each year.

“She’s always growing and improving,” he said. “I don’t want to get bored with myself.”

An elementary school teacher, Dickinson says that creative pursuits are crucial to a child’s development, but they are swept under the table due to the nation’s focus on standardized testing.

“The arts aren’t very important in schools right now,” he said.

Teaching is key in this summer’s festival, where every Wednesday will be Youth Arts Education Day.

The event will host afternoon kids’ art workshops each week, and a former festival fixture —puppet shows — will return with Bob Baker Marionettes.

Students of all ages will be able to participate in workshops and view live art demonstrations throughout the festival’s run.

There will also be exhibitions of work by young artists, Disney artists, and college students who received festival scholarships in past years.

The festival has joined the Sawdust Art Festival in hosting Project Skimboard 3; exhibitors at both shows will create art from blank skimboards, which will be hung throughout the summer.

The festival will run from July 1 to Aug. 31; the Pageant will run from July 7 to Aug. 31.

For more information, visit www.foapom.com.