A world of art

More than 125 juried artists and master craftsmen from around the globe will share their traveling experiences through art at the 43rd annual Art-A-Fair festival, which opens in Laguna Canyon today and will run through Aug. 30.

Leslie Cunningham, marketing representative for the festival, said the theme this year, “See the World Through an Artist’s Eyes,” represents the way various artists interpret and illustrate subjects through mixed media, paintings, drawings, acrylics, photography, sculpture, jewelry, glass and wood work, and pottery.

“The [theme] speaks to the fact that the art is influenced by international themes and scenes, but also that the artists are from a wider geographic circle than the other [Laguna] festivals,” she said.

Among some of the works on display will be the colorful landscapes of Laguna painter Iris Adam, black-and-white scenic photography of Michael and Patricia Cahill, unique and eclectic creations of jeweler Debi Burton and Sharon Jackman’s crystalline-glazed, organic crystal formations.

Festival-goers are offered the opportunity to view and acquire art directly from the artist exhibitors, who will also give weekly live demonstrations at their booths.

“Several of the artists will work from the same live model to create works of art in their own medium,” Cunningham said. “So, you might see a pastel artist, sculptor and watercolorist, all viewing the same subject, with completely different results.”

Music performances will be given by an array of artists, who will play a variety of genres including Dixieland, country, rhythm and blues, bluegrass and jazz.

Artist lectures and supervised children’s art workshops will also be available.

Lorraine E’drie, a 30-year AAF exhibitor from Orange County who has traveled to 23 countries for inspiration and is best known for her NorCal seascapes, said she looks forward to sharing her oil on canvas and watercolor paintings of recent travels to Europe.

“Most of my work [illustrates] restaurant and cafés, cityscapes and scenes from Paris,” she said. “I’ve even painted one from a photograph taken in 1895.”

Burton, a jeweler of 30 years who has exhibited at Winter Sawdust and will showcase her work at Art-A-Fair for the second consecutive year, said the inspiration behind her unique collection derives from “everything she sees.”

“I use whatever [materials] tickle my fancy at the moment,” she said. “It may be a seashell in nature or the neon lights on an exotic billboard ““ I like to make things people haven’t seen before.”