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43-461: LAM is situated upon a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a scenic spot originally chosen by Laguna Beach artists in 1929. The museum collects and exhibits artwork solely created by California artists, or artwork that represents the state itself. The museum's collection ranges across all periods and styles since the nineteenth-century, maintaining a dynamic balance between the historical and

86-699: A carpenter. Edgar's occupation was listed as “carpenter, apprentice.” Leaving home on several occasions, Payne painted houses, signs, portraits, murals, and local theater stage sets, to pay his way. Traveling through the Ozarks, then around the Southeast and Midwest, he finally wound up in Chicago , and enrolled to study portrait art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago . He remained only two weeks at

129-446: A collection of annual acquisitions at an art show sponsored to acquaint high school students with styles of painting and art. The collection was forgotten and distributed to various offices (and closets) in the school district. Its existence was rediscovered by school librarian John McGinnis who tracked down and restored all 56 of the missing paintings. The collection is now known as "The Ruth Stoever Fleming Collection". Upon returning

172-433: A gift from the artist Frank Cuprien's estate served as the catalyst for a fundraising campaign aimed at enlarging the gallery space. Shortly after, the original building doubled in size and this new expansion opened in 1951 with an exhibition organized by Mrs. William Daniell. The selection of paintings included in this exhibition by early Laguna Beach artists later became the museum's Permanent Memorial Collection. By growing

215-588: A great deal of his time in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains, painting his favorite subject. His lifelong obsession with the Sierras would lead him to produce a documentary film, “Sierra Journey” . In 1941 he wrote "Composition of Outdoor Painting", a comprehensive book on composition and composition forms. The book also explains landscape painting techniques, color, repetition, rhythm, and value. The seventh edition printing of

258-519: A keynote lecture, a panel discussion with artists and environmentalists, and a free Family Festival. The event serves a number of purposes: to provide a festival of art and ideas for the community; to inspire artists; to find and develop connections between art and science; to raise awareness of environmental issues; and to celebrate Laguna Beach as a center for the appreciation of art and nature. Annual events also included Art Auction: California Cool and Palette to Palate. Laguna Art Museum's Art Auction

301-538: A social and cultural institution. Since 1983, the Laguna Art Museum's annual California Cool Art Auction has acted as a fundraiser to support education programs and exhibits at the institution. 33°32′37″N 117°47′18″W  /  33.54361°N 117.78833°W  / 33.54361; -117.78833 Edgar Payne Edgar Alwin Payne (1 March 1883 – 8 April 1947) was an American painter. He

344-711: Is most remembered for his work from the Four Corners area of the Navajo Nation Reservation , Yosemite , and the California coast. That year he and Elsie spent four months painting, exploring, and taking in Canyon de Chelly . This area, from Taos, New Mexico to the Grand Canyon , became one of Payne's two main inspirations for the next twenty years. The Santa Fe Railroad commissions were

387-413: Is one of the longest running art auctions in California and one of Orange County's most exciting art and social experiences. The art auction launched in 1983, and gradually became an important source of fundraising for education programs and exhibitions. Palette to Palate , which started in 2006, is an annual fundraising event that combines art and dining. Once a year, guests gather for a gourmet dinner in

430-506: The Ferus Gallery , recalls: "If the gallery was closest in spirit to a single person, that person was John Altoon—dearly loved, defiant, romantic, highly ambitious—and slightly mad." Altoon's struggle with mental illness, his big, dark, robust personality and his early death from a heart attack at 44 have, even more than his art itself, come to define his legacy." John Altoon was married to the actress Fay Spain from 1959 to 1962. He

473-733: The 19th and early 20th centuries include artists such as William A. Coulter , Frank Cuprien , Edwin Deakin , Ferdinand Deppe , Thomas Hill , Anna Althea Hills , Thomas Lorraine Hunt , George Hurrell , Joseph Kleitsch , Edgar Payne , Julian Rix , and William Wendt . Contemporary artists include: John Altoon , Robert Arneson , Judy Chicago , Francis De Erdely , Tony DeLap , Manny Farber , Oskar Fischinger , Llyn Foulkes , Sam Francis , George Herms , Craig Kauffman , Peter Krasnow , Roger Kuntz , Helen Lundeberg , John McCracken , Wayne Thiebaud , and DeWain Valentine . Exhibitions at

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516-661: The Alps, landscapes of Laguna, but Edgar Alwin Payne is most remembered for his work of American Indians of the Four Corners area, and, of course, the paintings of his beloved Sierras. In the Sierras, high up in Humphrey's Basin, you will find the lake named for him, Payne Lake. His work was an influence on Bill Wray , John Deckert and other painters. Public museum collections with Payne's works include: John Altoon John Altoon (November 5, 1925 – February 8, 1969)

559-627: The California Art Club (1918-1921), California State Fair (gold medal 1918; silver medal in 1919), Cannell & Chaffin Galleries (1920), and Stendahl Galleries (1921-1922). The Paynes spent part of the summer of 1921 at the California art colony of Carmel-by-the-Sea where Edgar exhibited his work at the Fifteenth Annual Exhibition of the local Arts and Crafts Club. After finding success during this period,

602-433: The L.A. art scene of the '50s and '60s. Altoon was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his late 30s and had bouts of depression and paranoia. In the early 1960s he became a patient of Dr. Milton Wexler a prominent psychoanalyst who restored his ability to work and from then until his death became the most productive and stable years in his life. He was "possessed by real demons," Larry Bell remembers. Irving Blum, partner in

645-465: The Laguna Art Museum change every three to four months. Notable exhibitions from the past include: The museum offers diverse programs to serve audiences of all ages, from the local school district to the most underserved communities without access to art education. The museum provides free- of-charge School Tours which attracts more than 2,000 kindergarten-grade 12 students and teachers annually from Orange County, including cities such as Santa Ana, where

688-694: The Laguna Beach Art Association and became its first president. They spent the next four years painting their way through the southwest, in places like Canadian Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, and then exhibiting in the Los Angeles area. Sometimes their trips would involve hiking into the backcountry, looking for undisturbed places of raw and rare beauty to paint, sometimes for weeks. Edgar exhibited extensively in California, including such important venues as

731-752: The Santa Fe commission expired the couple returned to San Francisco. Edgar received a commission from the Congress Hotel in Chicago for a mural on 11,000 square yards of muslin . The mural was to cover several floors of the hallways of the hotel. Payne rented a warehouse in Glendale, California and hired other artists, including Elsie, to help complete the work. In 1918, Edgar and Elsie made their home and studio in Laguna Beach. He helped to organize

774-648: The U.S. in the fall of 1924, the Paynes first stayed in Chicago, then went back to Laguna Beach, and then to New York City in 1926. Always on the go, they painted in Arizona, California, the California Sierras, Connecticut, New Mexico, New York, and Utah. They spent summers crossing the country, painting as they went. They returned to Europe to paint the harbors of Brittany, and Chioggia , in 1928. The following summer they painted Lake Louise , Alberta. After

817-462: The area annually. Events include First Thursday Art Walks, music concerts presented in partnership with Laguna Beach Live!, film screenings relating to the exhibitions on view and reflecting the museum's focus on California, lectures in conjunction with exhibitions, and other mission related programs. Art & Nature is another noteworthy annual event. Laguna Beach has a long and rich history of artists drawing their inspiration from nature, particularly

860-700: The arrival of their daughter, Evelyn. Between 1915 and 1918-19 Edgar maintained a professional address in Chicago at the Tree Studio Building on East Ohio Street. The following spring they took Evelyn to see her maternal grandparents in San Francisco. They also attended the Panama–Pacific International Exposition . The following year Edgar made his first trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This trip

903-414: The beach. This tradition is culminated in the annual Art & Nature program which was first introduced in 2013. Inspirited by the gorgeous landscape, the museum hosts an annual weekend conference and festival to explore the relationship between art and nature. The multidisciplinary exploration combines art and the natural world by providing an outdoor art installation and nature-themed exhibitions along with

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946-609: The city of Laguna Beach immediately became among the town's most generous arts supporter. Such an investment testifies to the museum's immense importance to the city as a source of cultural enrichment and economic impact. To commemorate the establishment of the Laguna Beach Art Association in 1918, LAM celebrated their centennial in 2018 with a year-long slew of birthday events as well as an exclusive documentary film, “Laguna Art Museum at 100" by Dale Schierholt, specially screened on April 19, and an exhibition on

989-418: The company of several participating artists, whose artwork is displayed on the walls and tables. Later in the evening, their artwork is placed on sale and there is also a live-auction. Money raised from this event is used to support educational outreach programs and exhibitions. Events such as Palette to Palate demonstrate the museum's rich connection to Laguna Beach's artistic community, and its greater role as

1032-469: The contemporary. LAM seeks to develop and circulate a permanent collection of California art while presenting it to a wider audience, and to serve the local community as a cultural and social institution. Founded in 1918 by a small group of artists who settled in Laguna Beach, the Laguna Beach Art Association eventually developed into an exhibition space where the best current works were showcased. Using funds raised by artists, Edgar Payne - who later became

1075-422: The financial collapse of 1929, and the subsequent Great Depression , commissions didn't come as easily, so the Paynes returned to Southern California on a more permanent basis, purchasing a new Los Angeles, studio-home, in 1932. During this time, Evelyn would marry, and Edgar and Elsie would become separated that same year. Edgar moved to Hollywood , to a small studio-home on Seward Street. However, he would spend

1118-419: The first time. He spent several months painting at Laguna Beach , then headed to San Francisco . In San Francisco he met other artists, including commercial artist Elsie Palmer (1884–1971). He returned to California for a second time in 1911. When he returned to Illinois that fall, he found that Elsie had taken a job as commercial artist in Chicago. This cemented their already growing interest in each other. On

1161-470: The institute, finding it too structured. He preferred instead to be self-taught, relying on practice and his own sense of direction. Struggling at first, he soon exhibited a group of landscape works, painted on a small easel, at the Palette and Chisel Club. During this period he also obtained the occasional mural work to supplement his income. In 1909, at the age of 26, he made his way to California for

1204-456: The morning of their wedding day about a year later, 9 November 1912, Edgar noticed that the light was "perfect", and had Elsie postpone the ceremony until the afternoon. Luckily the artist in her offered some understanding. As a couple they became well known in Chicago's art circle. Elsie helped Edgar with his mural work, and soon he had an exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. Arguably their greatest collaborative effort happened in 1914 with

1247-459: The museum provides educational outreach programs. In addition, other youth-oriented activities include the monthly Family Art Studio and Elements of Art Summer Camps . The number of children attending these diverse programs increase every year as schools recognize the unique educational value. Laguna Art Museum also provides Docent-guided Tours . What's more, there are various art education programs for adults which serves 10,000 people from around

1290-464: The museum's first president in 1920 - converted an old town pavilion into an art gallery to exhibit members’ artwork for sale. With fundraising largely attributed to the efforts of the artist Anna Hills , members opened a fireproof, custom-built gallery designed by the noted Los Angeles architect Myron Hunt in 1929. Meanwhile, the LBAA had begun offering art classes for both children and adults. In 1948,

1333-480: The museum's founders, on view from June 24 to Jan. 13. The kick-off event on Jan. 27, the Centennial Bash, included site-specific, immersive an art installations from artists Megan Geckler, Elizabeth Turk, and FriendsWithYou, live music and craft beer. On August 25, the official 100th birthday of the LBAA, the museum offered a family-friendly event with art activities, tours, prizes, cake, and free admission to

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1376-530: The other artists included in this group are Edward Kienholz, Larry Bell, Robert Irwin, Billy Al Bengston. Cool School documentary film about Altoon and other Ferus Gallery artists, many Ferus artists say John was the most fun and friendliest of all, every where everyone liked him. He could charm anyone. Altoon, during his Ferus Gallery years, did the Ocean Park series which depicted an area around Venice and Santa Monica beach towns in California. The series

1419-602: The public. On the Festival of Arts grounds, the Centennial Ball, an exclusive black-tie affair, rounded out the centennial festivities and the summer activities with dinner, dancing and entertainment on Sept. 29. The museum's permanent collection, which consist of more than 3,500 artworks in various forms from the early 19th century to the present day, focuses only on California art. Significant examples from all periods of California art are represented. Collections from

1462-593: The size of the permanent collections and increasing the quality of exhibitions, LBAA gradually began to operate as an established museum. Following these developments, it became known as the Laguna Beach Museum of Art in 1972. In April 1985, the museum was temporarily closed for reconstruction, reopening in September 1986 after an extensive $ 1.6 million expansion. The museum doubled in size from 9,000 square feet to 19,000 square feet, and it also increased

1505-559: The size storage and office areas. Along with the introduction of an entirely new building, the museum also changed its name to Laguna Art Museum. This substantial rebranding was a continuation of the museum's effort to set itself apart from other museums in the area as the premier institution of California art. In 2016, the Laguna Beach City Council approved a matching grant program to issue $ 1 million to Laguna Art Museum over next four years. After this unanimous vote,

1548-742: The trio took a two-year "painting tour" of Europe, 1922–1924. Painting in Brittany, Paris, Provence, Switzerland, and Venice. His favorite place in Europe was the Alps, where he painted the Great White Peak of Mont Blanc, which the Paris Salon gave "an honorable mention" in spring 1923. "The Great White Peak" is reputed to be in the collection of Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California. This painting, and others, formed

1591-448: The turn of the century brainchild of William H. Simpson, chief of the railway's advertising department. Starting in 1892, with Thomas Moran , Simpson exchanged travel on the train, along with lodging at railroad hotels and meals at railroad restaurants, and sometimes even cash, for paintings, photographs, pottery, and jewelry. This endeavor lasted for decades and made the Santa Fe one of the largest collectors of southwestern fine art. When

1634-688: The work was completed in 2005. After a 14-year separation, Elsie returned to help Edgar in 1946, upon learning that he had cancer. She stayed with him until he died, 8 April 1947. There is a bronze relief sculpture of Edgar at the Laguna Beach Art Museum, done by Elsie in 1952. She championed his work until her own health, and degradation of eyesight, caused her to stop in 1959. She moved in with Evelyn and her husband, in 1969, in Minneapolis . Elsie died peacefully 17 June 1971. You can find works of Payne's that are of Italian harbors,

1677-580: Was 18 paintings as well some works he did on paper. It had the direct from brain to hand & brush approach he was known for: the abstracting of nature on his canvas by pushing through a spontaneous approach, freehand biomorphic in design giving us his interpretation as a direct rendering of the coastal surroundings. Leah Ollman describes his life a 1999 article in Art in America , "With his outsized personality and reckless intensity, John Altoon loomed large in

1720-631: Was a big moment in his life, and Payne would return again and again to paint the unspoiled Sierra; these paintings remain one of the hallmarks of his work. He earned his first major commission in 1917. In a bid to attract tourism, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad asked him to paint the Southwest , along the railroads' trek from Albuquerque to California. This commission not only solidified his reputation as an artist, it also forever linked him to Western America. Although he painted in Europe, he

1763-951: Was an American artist. Born in Los Angeles to immigrant Armenian parents, from 1947 to 1949 he attended the Otis Art Institute , from 1947 to 1950 he also attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, and in 1950 the Chouinard Art Institute . Altoon was a prominent figure in the LA art scene in the 1950s and 1960s. Exhibitions of his work have been held at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego , Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Corcoran Gallery, Washington D.C, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, The Baxter Museum, Pasadena, and The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (opened June 2014). Altoon's work

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1806-494: Was influenced by the Abstract Expressionism Movement although he is best known for his figurative drawings of the 1960s, with as Leah Ollman describes "a vocabulary of vaguely figurative, botanical and biological forms that he pursued until his death." He was part of the "Ferus group" of artists so called for their association to the Ferus Gallery that operated in Los Angeles in 1957–1966. Some of

1849-573: Was known as a Western landscape painter and muralist . Payne was born near Cassville, Barry County, Missouri , in the heart of the Ozarks . Cassville is in southwest Missouri, near the Arkansas border. According to the U.S. Census of 1900, he resided with his parents, two sisters and five brothers in Prairie Grove, Washington County, Arkansas ; his Alabama-born father was employed as

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