Live music danced to my ears as I entered the Sawdust Art Festival grounds under a cascading curtain of eucalyptus trees and strung lights. I had not enough sight to catch all the bright colors and intricate shapes that suddenly jumped for my attention. I eventually determined my path and set out on an exploration that would enrich my love for the arts, culture and personal expression.
Patrons flocked from around Southern California to attend the 43rd annual Sawdust Festival at Laguna Beach this summer. I was only one of hundreds of eager vagabonds that made their way through more than 200 art exhibits gracing the sawdust-covered grounds for this final weekend of the event. Unique representations of paintings, photography, sculptures, pottery, glass, furniture and clothing were around every corner. Each individual station had a spirited story to tell, and I was lucky enough to listen to many of them that the the artists shared with me.
Bette McIntire is one motivating woman that has returned for her third year at the festival. She creates matchless print collages, made of old photographs, newspaper clippings, stamps and paints that she unites to create poetry. She calls them her “daily news” collages. McIntire only uses headlines and titles from one day’s newspaper because she believes, “stirring within the black and white of the day’s news, there is an underground poem.” She then develops a theme for the piece and works to expand its message.
McIntire’s work is truly unique and fascinating, but she is not the only one using exclusive skills and inventive techniques at the festival. Ashley Pigden-Hemsley, uses fragments of classic American symbols to make a statement about our nation’s culture. One piece was a stunning mosaic of the American Flag with bits and pieces of actual Campbell’s thermos cups incorporated in its ceramic base.
In order to make the art village new and exciting for attendees every year, each artist is responsible to create and build his or her own booth. Star Shields, an airbrush artist working in his field since 1979, built his station into a psychedelic tie-dye inspired temple. Every wooden plank was assembled by him and airbrushed with a different colorful pattern in hopes of attracting a few eccentrics willing to try out his temporary body tattoos.
Fortunately, all artists present did not have to travel far from home to display their work. The Laguna Sawdust Festival has a vision to educate and celebrate art in the immediate area. Therefore, each artist must be a resident of Laguna Beach. For over two months, artists sit at their booths from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. day in and day out so that they may share their heart and work with the public. It may sound strenuous but it is a competitive market to be in., A lottery must be held to determine who is able to participate in the festival each year.
Also included on the grounds are delightful food, dessert and beverage venders. Attendees can nibble on salads and sandwiches or sip coffee while enjoying live entertainment on one of three stages or browse around for a particularly captivating work of art.
Entrance to the village is $7.50 for adults, but for only $20 an annual pass permits entrance not only to the Summer Sawdust, but also to the Winter Fantasy Festival.
The festival will return in June of next year at the same charming location, 935 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach. It’s an experience you wouldn’t want to go without and one you could not possibly find somewhere else.
