The Laguna Beach Art Association Exhibit

Last week I flew to SoCal. One reason was to see the Laguna Beach Art Association Exhibit at the Laguna Art Museum. Edgar Payne was one of the main founders of this art association which started in 1919. Here is a painting by Edgar Payne hanging in the exhibit. There was also a magnificent large painting from the Sierra Nevada's.

Here is my most favorite "new" artist for me. I had never heard of George Brandriff before but these two paintings are both by him and I love them for different reasons. The top one has such an amazing composition as well as being very luscious in paint application. The second one I thought had particularly well done abstracted shapes that made up the whole.

detail of the abstract handling of this painting, Sunday Reflection, 1929

Here is another new to me painter, Frank Cuprien. This painting that at first I did not really like. It took some getting used to. It comes off as so Yellow. But the longer I looked at it or tried to ignore it (both) the darn thing kept calling me back for closer inspection. And upon further reflection it too made me marvel. The foreground water is a light wash over a wonderful palette of soft pastel under-layment which is thicker in texture. I learned that Frank built a house on a hill overlooking the ocean and was known for just painting water. This painting is from 1930.

Detail from Poeme du Soir, Frank Caprien

Thomas Hunt, Newport Harbor Scene

I like this Thomas Hunt, another artist I had not heard of before, Newport Harbor Scene, as it is so graphic and simple. With the blue flag hanging down out of the top frame. Very 'edgy.' There was one other by him, also boats, although more abstract than this one.

I did not take a photo of the tag for the painting below so I do not have that information to share with you. I guess you will have to go see the show if you want to find out! It is up through early January I believe. And it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. I really enjoyed the exhibit very much. I took the photo because I liked the abstract shapes of the porch and laundry and the colors used (a wee bit of glare there). I also thought the palm tree rather lovely with the warm browns in there. Not something you see painted in on palm trees too often.

To round out this first post on this exhibition of newly discovered painters for Victoria,  I will close with Ruth Peabody. I think her style is more reminiscent of the time period in which she painted but I did like her work.

Ruth Peabody, The Cookbook

I found out about this show through American Art Review a wonderful magazine that highlights shows around the USA every two months. I find a show that interests me and then figure out if I can go. My sister moved to just north of LA last year so it was a perfect marriage to go see her and her new home and go see this show.