Laguna art is traditionally colorful beach scenes and landscapes, but what many people don't know is that there's history within those brushstrokes. Coined after the French term for “open air,” plein air painting is specific to the south county region, setting it apart from most other American and European impressionist styles in the early 1920s when artists began migrating to the city and painted its luscious fields and wondrous water views. Now in the 21st century, plein air painting lives on, and you can see its latest manifestations in the Irvine Museum's 'Sunlight and Shadow' show where nearly twenty artists from past and present exhibit worlds of light, color and grandeur; an awe-inspiring look at an oft-forgotten corner of our county.
Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m. Starts: June 2. Continues through Sept. 24, 2015
Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.