Colorful hats and fabric art, intricate jewelry, blown and stained glass works, paintings, drawings, photographs, ceramics and all art forms in between are once again on display in unique, hand-built wooden booths at the Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy in Laguna Beach.
The 35th annual Winter Fantasy has arrived just in time for holiday shopping. It is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Dec. 21.
More than 180 artists have their crafts on display, plus there are artist demos, free art classes, live music, and food and drink booths. For the full list of amenities and entertainment, go to sawdustartfestival.org.
Santa Claus also has made his holiday headquarters on Laguna Canyon Road, sitting among decorated trees waiting to hear children’s Christmas wishes.
Artist Diane Valentino creates colorful hats, crafted from recycled materials ranging from quilt-like cottons to crochet or any fabric that catches her eye.
“When I work, I listen to rock music, and the words turn into abstract paintings in my mind that then turn into the patterns of my hats,” Valentino said. “Each hat takes me about four to five hours, and I make them in several sizes.” (Booth 216)
Among ceramicists, Timothy Hahne stands out for his multi-use and decorative vessels, many of which were created by the Laguna Woods resident in the Clubhouse 4 ceramics lab.
“I’ve exhibited at the Sawdust from 1979 to 1996, and after my journey as a missionary in Romania, returned here in 2020,” Hahne said. (Booth 518)
Anyone nostalgic for some favorite music stars – think David Bowie or Bob Marley – or perhaps supernovas like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol will find Jesse Bartels’ black and white portraits done on tiles intriguing. Even Peewee Herman is here, along with Amy Winehouse and Bob Dylan.
“I’m fully laden with tiles for winter – summer not so much since it sells out faster,” he said. “I switch my work and style with the seasons and also make custom installations for clients.” (Booth 916)
Martin Roberts transposes photographs – taken on his travels through lyrical locales in Mediterranean regions – into images on tiles and canvas.
“My tiles are particularly suited for home/kitchen decor,” he said. (Booth 606)
Among painters, David Milton’s watercolor depictions of historic California architecture, landmarks and signage attract browsers and buyers keen on nostalgia rendered in flawless technique and composition. (Booth 613)
Ron Shearer’s glass mosaics combine the compositional aesthetic of painting and glass through use of line and color.
“My mosaics are made with smalti glass, which has been made in Venice for at least 11 generations,” he said, referring to opaque, colored glass. “It’s timeless.” (Booth 418)
Anyone up for caricatures, not often seen hereabouts, will enjoy the work of David Fleischmann.
“I’ve been a professional caricaturist for 25 years and have shown here for four,” he said. “I’ve drawn Lucille Ball and also Frank Zappa, Dali and Picasso and countless others.” Last Sunday, he drew a charming rendition of a French bulldog. (Booth 706)
To support local arts, the festival is starting something new this year in the form of an end-of-year campaign to raise $50,000 to its giving fund. The fund supports local artists in need and art education, among other art-related causes.