| What's Inside:
-Save the Dates for these April Paint Outs
- This week's Paint Out: Saturday@ 9am -Newport Aquatic Center
- New Impressions of Orange County - NEW SOCALPAPA & Kennedy Gallery exhibition
-Earth Day face painters wanted!
- Register NOW for the Back Bay Festival!
-Paint the Gardens at “Open Garden Day” Garden Tour
- Spring Happy Hour!
-And other news you won't want to miss!
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New Impressions of Orange County
SOCALPAPA and Kennedy Contemporary Gallery in Newport Beach
have partnered to present our members with a unique and exciting opportunity this May -
a Juried Art Exhibition at Kennedy Contemporary Gallery from May 20 to June 6, 2025.
This is a great chance to have your work viewed by an established gallery for possible exhibition plus exposure to collectors and prominent members of the Orange County art community.
See the information below and visit the SOCALPAPA website to learn more and register.
Registration is $30.00 and is open NOW through May 2.
|  | Paint the Gardens at “Open Garden Day” Garden Tour
Share the joy of painting en plein air during the annual “Open Garden Day” in Santa Ana
SOCALPAPA artists are invited to join the fun at the annual Open Garden Day garden tour and festival in the picturesque neighborhoods of West Floral and Fisher Parks (Santa Ana) on May 10, 2025. Participating artists will be assigned a garden to paint en plein air during the tour and given the opportunity to meet the nearly 1,000 visitors who attend this event.
Registration is $15 and is open until April 10th (no refunds). Additional information (including the address of your assigned garden) will be emailed after registration is complete.
| | Earth Day at Muth Interpretive Center
Saturday, April 26 from 10am to 4pm
SOCALPAPA is hosting a Face Painting Booth!
Volunteers are need for 1-2 hour shifts throughout the day.
Have fun painting little designs on kids' faces.
Contact Randi Moran
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LBMA Field Trip
Friday, April 25th @11am
Long Beach Museum of Art
2300 E Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90803
Join your fellow club members at this unguided tour of this landscape exhibition at the LBMA!
The Long Beach Museum of Art is thrilled to showcase an exploration of artistic resilience and community enrichment through a selection of works from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project. Established in 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, this landmark initiative provided vital support to artists during the Great Depression, fostering the creation of hundreds of thousands of artworks nationwide. These pieces not only sustained artists but also captured the spirit of the era, preserving a visual record of American life. Mention SOCALPAPA and receive a deeply discounted group admission of $3/visitor, this day only.
*If you are planning to attend the paint out at Heartwell Park, then perhaps stay in the area and check out this wonderful jewel of an exhibit!
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Become a Paint Out Greeter - Help Build Our SOCALPAPA Community!
We're looking for friendly faces to welcome painters at our upcoming Paint Outs! As a greeter, you'll help create a warm, welcoming atmosphere and be the first point of contact for both new and returning members.
Your Role:
- Welcome artists as they arrive
- Answer basic questions about the location and event
- Help foster our supportive painting community
- Commit to a 30-minute greeting window
How to Sign Up (Using SignUp Genius):
1. Click the Green SignUp Genius button below
2. Select your preferred Paint Out date and time slot
3. Click the "Submit and Sign Up" button
4. Enter your name and email
5. Click "Sign Up Now" to confirm
Never used SignUp Genius? It's simple! After clicking the link, you'll see available time slots displayed in a calendar format. Just choose your preferred slot and follow the prompts to complete your registration.
Your welcoming presence makes a difference in creating the supportive, friendly atmosphere that SOCALPAPA is known for. Consider signing up for one or more greeting slots this season!
Questions about being a Greeter? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator Sandra Morrison smorrisonbiz@gmail.com 949-705-8617
SIGNUP GENIUS
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Happy Hour!
Come celebrate Spring with your fellow artists and bring a friend who may want to join us at our Spring Mixer Happy Hour!
Fun drinks, light bites, music and a prize drawing!
Get to know the people you paint with!!
Thursday, April 17
4:30 PM to 7 PM
Framing Artistry
10005 Muirlands Blvd #C, Irvine
Please rsvp to:
Hope to see you there!
|  | | Back Bay Plein Air Festival Update
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!
Exciting news! Besides awards for 1st. 2nd and 3rd prize in the Juried Show.
We will have an Honorable Mention award, as well as an award for Best Nocturne, Best Figure in a Landscape (animal, bird or human,) Best Sunrise/Sunset, and Winners' Circle.
It feels like summer is just around the corner, and with summer comes the Back Bay Show and Festival.
KEY FESTIVAL DATES:
April 1st through May 31st enter the Back Bay Show and the Juried Show.
Quick Draw at Muth Interpretive Center July 12.
Juried Show begins Saturday, July 12 and closes with the
Reception at Muth on July 18.
Display Show on the deck of Muth Interpretive Center July 19 and 20.
|  | | Hortense Miller Garden
New Spring Dates now available for SOCALPAPA members
to view and paint the garden in yet another season.
The following dates have been added to the calendar.
Times are 9am until 12pm each day.
April 19
May 1 & 17
June 5 & 21
Contact Diane Lannon at diane.lannon@gmail.com
to reserve a spot and get dates and parking information.
Link here for more information on the beautiful gardens:
https://www.hortensemillergarden.org | | Saturday, April 12
9am
Newport Aquatic Center
Kayak Launching Beach
Going South of the OC Airport on Irvine Ave, go past the Muth at University about a mile, go Left on Santiago and wind around about another mile, go Left on Galaxy and an immediate Right on Polaris, go down the hill, continue Left on
Whitecliffs Drive into the Center by the kayaks.
Restrooms inside the building. Paint the cliffs or boat activity. | | | | Friday, April 18
9:30am
Upper Back Bay Acrylic/Oil demo by Francis DiFronzo
Newport Beach
We will meet at the Muth Center back gate and walk the bike path about 1/4 mile to our location for the demo.
Feel free to bring your paint gear and lunch if you want to stay and paint after the demo.
Restrooms in the Muth Center.
Francis will be demonstrating his technique of an acrylic underpainting and oil layering on top of that.
| | | | CHANGE OF DATE to Friday, April 25
9am
Heartwell Park at Bellflower and Carson
Long Beach
Take the 405 Fwy into Long Beach and go North on Bellflower about a mile or so, and just before Carson,
go Left into the Library parking lot on the SW corner of the intersection.
Paint the duck pond, and trees. Restrooms in the Library or across Bellflower in the park restroom. | | |  | Did you know there are several ways to find out about the paint outs?
• Weekly Bulletin
• MeetUp group online
• Website events calendar
• Facebook & Instagram
ALSO
Occasionally our group gets approached for plein air painter referrals.
If you would like to be included on a roster, please email info@Socalpapa with your name and phone number.
Make sure to put "Referrals List" in the email subject line.
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 | SOCALPAPA ZOOM
Zoom Group invites you to join us
every Thursday, from 10am -11am
This is a time for members to share their art, get feedback and connect with other artists over the web. All levels are welcome.
If you are not ready to share, join us anyway and get inspired!
Follow link below to join.
The passcode is 229461
Zoom |
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 | Discover the SOCALPAPA Meetup Group and join our thriving community of plein-air painters in Southern California.
Get the latest updates, find out who is joining (we have 279 members now!) and connect with other artists on events such as our weekly paint outs, paint aways, Zoom meetings, special events and showcases!
If you haven't already joined, head over to the MeetUp website and join the group - it's free!
Your artistic community awaits you.
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| GET SOCIAL!
Tag us in your paint out posts
#socal_papa & @socal_papa
on Instagram!
Post your photos on our FaceBook page!
Connect with and be inspired by our
fantastic group of artists!
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GET INVOLVED!
The club is still looking for members to volunteer for
different committees and events this year.
There are a variety of different ways you can get involved, both large and small.
Contact Randi Moran if you want to help.
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OUR SPONSORS
We continually wish to thank
our sponsors. Visit their links below and please continue to support their businesses.
Art Supply Warehouse
Blick Art Materials
Da Vinci Paint Co
Dakota Pastel Supples
Eat Paint Live
Fast Frame Irvine
Irvine Ranch Water District
KingofFrame.com
Paint Like a Pro - Debra Huse
Randy Higbee Gallery
Newport Bay Conservancy
OC Parks
Rosemary & Co Brushes
San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
Tim Smith Real Estate Group / Caldwell Banker Newport Beach
Watercolor West |
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SOCALPAPA is a 501c3 organization
(Southern California Plein Air Painters Association)
~Our Mailing Address~
4790 Irvine Blvd, Ste 105-371
Irvine, CA 92620
Contact Us | |