Hansen: When art and nature meld

It dawned on me about halfway through Sunday, sitting on kid chairs at the Laguna Art Museum and watching the children try to make clay pots: I never had art and nature.

There was an ant farm, maybe in second grade. I used to love that ant farm.

Now there are aquariums on wheels with sea cucumbers that quite possibly are the softest things in the world.

There are birds of prey that look completely unhappy being held in place by their handlers instead of taking flight to chase mice.

There are rainbow beads, Haiku and face painting.

The museum opened its doors to families for its first Art and Nature festival, an interactive way for children — and adults — to appreciate the connection between the two.

With a long list of contributors, including the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Laguna Bluebelt Coalition, the Discovery Science Center, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, the Orange County Bird of Prey Center, the Ritz-Carlton’s Eco-Adventure Center and many others, it was like an artistic fifth-grade science camp.

I got away with taking my youngest son, a 12-year-old, who spent longer than usual at the clay area. At first, he was trying to make one of the pots shown on the wall by renowned ceramic artist Adam Silverman.

“It’s harder than it looks,” he said, digging in with flourish.

After about 30 minutes and several failed bowls, I finally suggested that he might want to make a butter dish or a Frisbee.

He stuck to his fancy bowl, which ended up looking nothing like the picture.

Thanks, Silverman.

I don’t smoke but now have a bad ashtray thingie.

The girls are always better at these activities. They spent forever at the My Hero booth, making cut-out birds with feathers and shiny, sparkly doodads.

I half-heartedly asked my son if he wanted to make one, and he didn’t even have to answer. I knew by his expression.

He wanted to pet the eagle.

It had a 6-foot wingspan. Who wouldn’t?

One look at its beak, though, and there was no way you would get too close.

The four-day event was not all about science, however. There were academic lectures, panel discussions and special exhibits. Historian Kevin Starr spoke Saturday about how ideas of nature have helped shape the state’s history and identity.

Perhaps the highlight of the event was Saturday’s sand drawing on Main Beach by artist Jim Denevan of Santa Cruz.

Using sticks and rakes, Denevan patiently made shapes in the sand on the north end of the beach during the day. Late in the afternoon, with the help of volunteers, he outlined the shapes with lights, so that they came alive in the dark.

Indeed, there was a buzz about the shapes. Everyone wanted to see them glow to appreciate the full effect. It kind of reminded me of the environmental artist Christo, not in style so much as scale and purpose.

It’s as if we wanted to complement nature to see it in plain sight.

With Denevan’s illuminated spirograph, we became fifth-graders again. He etched our tourist beach and made it better.

Art always implies value. Plus, with the juxtaposition of geometry and sandy abstraction, it is the ultimate left-brain/right-brain visual.

Suitable for all, and only for one night, it truly fit the Art and Nature theme.

Somehow, somewhere, my ant farm teacher is probably envious.

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at davidhansen@yahoo.com.