Getting festive with art

Eyeballing exhibits ranging from the moody black and white works of fine art photographer Dianne Reardon to the boldly colorful paintings of Corinne Hartley, hundreds of guests celebrated the kickoff of the 71st Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach.

A summer tradition, the opening drew art aficionados and wannabe collectors alike to the tree-studded grounds of Irvine Bowl Park. Clutching plastic cups filled with fine wine, partygoers wended their way through the casually dressed crush, sampling appetizers provided by artists as they viewed displays of oils, watercolors, acrylics, jewelry, sculpture, woodcarvings, prints and ceramics.

A white ceramic platter piled -- artistically, of course -- with Hostess Twinkies and cupcakes helped lure guests to the slender bronze nudes exhibited by sculptor Christopher Schulz of Laguna Beach. “I’ve been coming to this festival since I was a kid. It’s a real privilege to be in the show,” he said as his muse, Sandra Jordan, hovered nearby. A small bas-relief featured a winged female torso emerging from a cloud. “I call that ‘Archangel,’ ” said Schulz, who apprenticed under sculptor Richard MacDonald. Added Jordan: “Posing for a sculptor is a lovely experience.”

The festival marked the first time that Hartley, who lives in Newport Beach, entered works in the show juried by artists and art activists. “I thought, why not try? and I got in, first thing,” she said, standing next to a portable gallery hung with brilliantly colored impressionistic scenes of children playing at the seaside. “I’m thrilled!” Capturing children at play “is the best subject there is,” Hartley said. “First, there is their joy. And then there are all the delightful positions they get into, with their activities. There’s nothing quite like it.”

Also on view at the July 6 opening: “dysfunctional” and quirky-looking teapots by ceramicist Walter Reiss and hand-dyed velvet coats by fiber artist Edith Otto.”Why ‘dysfunctional’?” a guest asked Reiss. “Because they have an attitude and they don’t work,” he replied.

Employing the ancient Japanese hand-dyeing technique of shibori, Otto turned swaths of white velvet into the black-tinged burgundy coats and hats she is showcasing at the two-month exhibition. “This is my first time here,” she said. “I never dreamed I would get in, but I was encouraged to submit my work, so, I thought I might as well try.”