Carpenter is artist in his own right

By day, Dave Talbot works behind the scenes for Laguna Beach’s annual Pageant of the Masters’ “living pictures.” But in his off hours, he becomes the artist, ready to have his own work take the stage.

For the last eight years, Talbot, 43, has been a master carpenter for the pageant, a nightly production during the summer that features actors holding poses that mimic classical and contemporary paintings and sculptures. In this role, Talbot creates custom devices such as steel rods to position the cast members in the correct position while ensuring their safety.

The San Clemente resident said he enjoys the job, but he found his muse at the end of last year when he took his camera to the tidepools below Heisler Park and began snapping still images. Not only does this pastime feed his creativity, but it satisfies a need to call attention to the ocean’s beauty and the importance of protecting nature.

“I’ve always wanted to raise awareness of the fragile oceans, especially here in the coves with such a touristy place,” Talbot said. “So many people smoking throw their cigarettes in the tidepools.”

Family and friends took notice. A friend of Talbot’s suggested he contact Starbucks and ask if he could display his artwork there.

Talbot said the company gets a lot of requests, but ultimately he got the OK to hang his mounted photos, with titles such as “Call of the Sea,” “Spring” and “Rise Up,” in the coffeehouse, on Pacific Coast Highway across from the lifeguard headquarters.

“His work is amazing,” said Talbot’s friend Frank Garrison. “I’ve known David for 20 years, and we have seven pieces of art in our house,” including photos and paintings.

Starbucks officials did not respond to a request for comment.

The photos depict water foaming over rocks or the sand. Talbot, who has laid on his stomach to take photos, keeps an extra change of clothes in his car in case he gets wet.

“I try to get a perspective most people don’t see,” said Talbot, who grew up in Irvine but frequented Laguna as a boy.

“I learned respect real quick, that [the ocean] is way more powerful than me,” said Talbot, who recalled that when he was 8, a wave pulled him under.

“I couldn’t get up ... I felt like I was in a washing machine,” Talbot said. “That was the first time I felt such an overwhelming power. I couldn’t go in the ocean for a long time after that. That always stuck in my head.”

Eventually, Talbot, who surfs, said he learned to “flow with the ocean.”

Talbot said the photos will be on display for a few more weeks. He has sold 15 prints by networking, including some that were hung on a wall at a San Clemente coffee shop.

For his next photo series, Talbot wants to spotlight protected species of marine life, such as the garibaldi, California’s state fish.

“[The tidepools] are such a whole other world,” Talbot said. “So many people walk by and have no idea what is going on down there.”

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Bryce Alderton, bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce