Festival of Arts to Present LIGHT AND SHADOW: Value in Laguna at Laguna Beach City Hall

This winter, the Festival of Arts will present Light and Shadow: Value in Laguna, an exhibition at Laguna Beach City Hall from November 14, 2025 – January 8, 2026. Featuring paintings and photographs spanning more than a century of Laguna Beach artistry, the show examines how local artists — from early California Impressionists to contemporary creators — have used light and shadow to reveal what they value most. Drawing from the Festival’s Permanent Art Collection, the exhibition highlights both new acquisitions and historic works that capture the enduring influence of Laguna’s distinctive coastal glow.

“Since its origins as an art colony, Laguna Beach has drawn artists for its unique quality of light,” said Morgan Matthews, Art Collections Specialist at the Festival of Arts. “Light and Shadow explores value not only as an artistic principle but also as a measure of what artists hold important. From tender portraits to sweeping landscapes, each work reflects the artist’s perspective and care, offering viewers a meditative experience that celebrates both technical mastery and personal expression.”

Light and Shadow: Value in Laguna features recent acquisitions alongside standout works from the Festival’s collection, including “Reclining Figure” by Pil Ho Lee (2025), “Sunny Marina Afternoon” by Mark Jacobucci (2025), “Emerald Sparkle” by Michael Obermeyer (2025), “Flower Stalls” by Virginia Woolley (c.1932), “Storm over Mammoth Mountain” by Stillman Sawyer (1971), and a triptych of photographs by Rob Gage, originally commissioned for the Pageant of the Masters entrance during the 2013 production The Big Picture. Together, these pieces trace a century of artistic engagement with light, reflection, and meaning in Laguna Beach.

The exhibit is free and open to the public at Laguna Beach City Hall, 505 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, 92651. Visitors are welcome Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and every other Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Closed alternate Fridays and holidays.)