Capturing images outdoors

Professional artists will once again flock en masse to Laguna’s most scenic vistas, as the 9th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational takes place from Oct. 7 to 14.

The annual Invitational is hosted by Laguna Art Museum and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn.

“It gives the public the opportunity to view 50 of the finest plein air painters in the nation, scattered throughout Laguna Beach,” said Theresa Marino, the organization’s executive director.

“It makes art accessible to people, and that’s a big draw for us,” said museum Events Director Marnie Wall.

The weeklong event will begin with the Montage Resort & Spa Paint Out, which will be from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 7; all of the participating artists will create works in the adjacent park.

The artists, who stay with host families for the week, then will paint throughout the week.

“It’s a pretty rigorous program, where they’re waking up as soon as there’s light and they paint until dusk,” Marino said.

They are instructed to stay within the boundaries of Huntington Beach, Trestles and Saddleback Mountain.

“They can paint anywhere, but they sure like Laguna,” Marino said. “It’s a beautiful place to paint.”

A new aspect of this year’s invitational is the addition of a masterpiece exhibit, which gives participating artists the opportunity to showcase one of their paintings that was created without the time and location constraints of the event.

“This lets people see what else they can do,” Wall said.

The paintings will be displayed at the museum throughout the week, along with the pieces created during the Paint Out at Treasure Island Park.

At the popular Quick Draw event Oct. 13, all 50 artists will create a work in under two hours while hundreds of onlookers watch.

The works are then brought to the museum, 307 Cliff Drive, where they are immediately auctioned.

“I have to say, I think the Quick Draw actually is a lot of fun,” Wall said. “There’s just so much energy around it. Crowds watch the artists then come into the museum.”

The event has been moved from Heisler Park to Main Beach this year due to construction in the park.

That evening, works painted throughout the week will be displayed at a Collector’s Dinner and Preview Sale at the museum. Attendees will have first pick of three works by each artist completed during the week, as well as the masterpieces they brought in.

The organization is putting images of the pieces online as well, in order to let anyone in the world see them.

“We’re already hearing from people who want to buy the paintings,” Marino said.

The pieces will only be sold after the Collector’s Dinner Saturday night, but Marino suggested those who will not be able to attend call her if they are interested in a painting.

The artists’ website links have also been added to the organization’s website, so visitors may become more familiar their work.

A public sale Oct. 14 will feature unsold works from the night before as well as other paintings.

“The event really allows the community to participate in painting,” Wall said. “When you think about it, Laguna’s always been a plein-air-painting town, and it really helps us to honor the history of the town.”

For more information, call (949) 376-3635 or visit www.lpapa.org.

Tickets for the Collector’s Dinner are available online at www.lagunaartmuseum.org or by calling (949) 494-8971, ext. 88.