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Date: 5/6/2026
Subject: SOCALPAPA MAY 2026 Bulletin-WEEK 2
From: Melissa Annis


MAY BULLETIN
Michael Obermeyer Demo with group
What's Inside:
- This week's Paint Out: Saturday, May 9th  9:00 am, Newport Back Bay from Shellmaker Road
 
- RSVP -Membership Happy Hour @Randy Higbee's Gallery on May 14
 
- New Event- Register/RSVP! ONLINE Demo with Mike Hernandez June 6
 
- The Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival- Register now -Committee Chairs listed, some Opportunites/Help still needed! 
 
- Paint the Gardens - “Open Garden Day" May 9 - Registration Closed

- Hortense Miller Garden Paint Dates 
 
 - Save the Dates for May 2026 Paint Outs
******
- SOCALPAPA Referral List
- Order Your SOCALPAPA Name Badge & Name Plate
- Muth Display Gallery & Art Bin Reminders
- Download the SOCALPAPA APP
- SOCALPAPA Referral List
- Online Critique Group every Thursday on Zoom 10-11am

Shown: Club Members at Crystal Cove Cottages attending Michael Obermeyer's Painting Demo May 1
Membership Happy Hour May 14
Santa Ana Open Garden Day

Paint the Gardens - “OPEN GARDEN DAY"
May 9, 2026

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Thank you for your interest!  Registration to be an artist at the Open Garden Day tour is now closed.

If you are registered, watch your email for more information regarding what to expect the day of the garden tour event and also a prospectus regarding the follow-up display show at Catalyst. If you are not registered but would like to tour the gardens, please check out the Open Garden Day website for more details: https://opengardenday.com/

 
There will be a follow-up show hosted by Art Supply Warehouse in Westminster, CA at their Catalyst Studio Gallery.
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 23 from 4-7pm.
Show Dates: May 23-June 14
  
 
 EVENT CONTACT:
Denise Busony

denisebusony@gmail.com
Mike Hernandez Digital Artist
Mike Hernandez Digital Artwork
ONLINE Demo
~with~
Mike Hernandez
"Using Digital Tools to Make Your Paintings Sing"
Saturday, June 6th, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Join us for this unique opportunity to learn from award-winning artist Mike Hernandez. An LA native, Mike works in gouache, acrylic, and oil when painting en plein air, and also uses digital tools such as Photoshop to enhance and inform his painting process.
Mike will demonstrate how digital painting can be used to quickly explore composition and color studies before beginning a studio painting. He will share practical tips for simplifying complex scenes, experimenting with compositional ideas, and balancing color and saturation to strengthen the final painting.
While Mike will be working in Photoshop, the concepts and techniques demonstrated can be applied in many digital painting platforms and are valuable for artists working in any medium and at any skill level. 
This live event is available to SOCALPAPA members only and is limited to the first 45 registrants.
A link to the online demo will be sent to attendees a few days prior to the event.
Please register only if you are able to attend during the scheduled time.


REGISTER / RSVP
 
Contact for this event:
Denise Busony
The Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival Is Back!
July 11-19, 2026
Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center in Newport Beach, CA
Summer is just around the corner, and so is our most anticipated event of the year, The Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival, a week-long event with multiple events celebrating the natural beauty of Orange County. Hosted by SOCALPAPA and Newport Bay Conservancy, it is held at the beautiful Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center in Newport Beach, CA. This wonderful outdoor venue, surrounded with the lush environment of the Back Bay, will provide an immersive opportunity to make new contacts and personally connect with new collectors to sell your original artwork. Plein Air style artworks featuring the scenery of Back Bay, Orange County Parks, Beaches, and Wilderness are welcome.

The Festival begins on Saturday, July 11 with the Quick Draw (open to all artists) and 
the Juried Show (open to all artists who register for the Weekend Show and Sale).
 Honors will be awarded at the Artists Reception on Friday July 17,  and 
the Festival will culminate with the Weekend Show & Sale on July 18 and 19

Registration for the Back Bay Show is $75 - Register now until May 31
Opportunities are limited to 50 participants so please register early.

More information to follow!
___________________________________________________

We are excited to announce the Volunteer Coordinators
who will be handling the 2026 Committees for our Back Bay Plein Air Art Festival:

Art Classes: Sandra Morrison <smorrissonbiz@gmail.com>
(instructor positions are filled)
Hospitality/ Membership Table: Kim Gordon <kimgordonstudio@gmail.com> 
Quick Draw: Lorraine Dawson <lorrainedawsonart@gmail.com>
and Pam Steinmetz <psteinmetz@ymail.com>
Juried Show: Randi Moran <randi.moran1@gmail.com> 
Ribbons : Dorothy Scott <dotscott1958@gmail.com>
Grid Set Up: Jeff Preston <Jeff.preston@verizon.net> 
 
Volunteer(s) and Help Needed:
We are still seeking help for Dorothy with Assembling the Awards bags,
And could use additional help reaching out to Sponsors for this year’s festival.
  
Please contact our Co-Chairs to volunteer and for more information or questions: 
Kathy Carr
kvcarr@sbcglobal.net
 
Marisha Miller
marishamiller11@gmail.com

Hortense Miller Garden - Paint Dates

There are a limited number of spaces available to SOCALPAPA Members to paint the beautiful gardens in Laguna Beach.

The Hortense Miller Garden has invited SOCALPAPA Members to paint at the historic Mid-Century Modern home built by the Millers in the 1950s.

Dates Below for SOCALPAPA Members to view and paint the garden in yet another season 

  All sessions are 9am-12pm
Thursday, May 7
Saturday, May 16
*Please note:  There will be No dates in June/July/Aug due to Laguna Art Festivals 

Register: Email Diane Lannon at diane.lannon@gmail.com to reserve a spot and get parking information. 

Link here for more information on the beautiful gardens: 

 PAINT OUTS
Generic Save the date Paint Outs
  MAY 2026 PAINT OUT DATES
Saturday, May 9
9:00 am
Newport Back Bay, from Shellmaker Road
 
Friday, May 15
9:00 am
Crescent Bay Overlook, Laguna Beach
 
Saturday, May 23
8:00am (for parking)
Little Corona Del Mar beach
 
Saturday May 30
9:00 am
*Mentor Day with Toni Danchik*
at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park
Saturday, May 9
9:00 am
Newport Back Bay from Shellmaker Road
Newport Beach
 
Going to Newport Beach, take Jamboree South from the 405 Freeway or 73 Freeway almost all the way before you get to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)—go Right on Back Bay Drive 1/4 mile and go left at Shellmaker Road. There are about 4 spaces here, so you may have to use turnouts farther along Back Bay Drive. Views of the cliffs and marsh and occasional birdlife.
 
Restrooms North on the Drive past San Joaquin Road at the Big Canyon Parking lot.
Crescent bay overlook
Friday, May 15
9:00 am
Crescent Bay Overlook, Laguna Beach
 
Take Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) into Laguna Beach, Go South towards the beach at Crescent Bay Drive down to the corner to the Crescent Bay Park, overlooking the bay from above.
 
Restrooms down on the sand at the end of the ramp below—to reach, go back and go Right, around to Cliff Drive to its end —park at the ramp and walk down to the beach.
Saturday, May 23
8:00am (for parking)
Little Corona Del Mar beach
 
Little Corona Del Mar beach, at the Poppy Street corner and Ocean Boulevard. Take Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) into Corona Del Mar and turn South at Poppy Street and go down to the Corner.
Park in Available spaces along Ocean Blvd. or Poppy St. Paint from above or go down the ramp to the beach.
 
Restrooms halfway down the ramp on the left.
little corona del mar
Laguna Niguel Regional Park View
Laguna Niguel Regional Park Map
Saturday May 30
9:00 am
Mentor Day with Toni Danchik
Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Laguna Niguel
 
Toni Danchik will be our mentor. Off the 5 Freeway, take Crown Valley Parkway South a couple miles to La Paz Road, go Right and wind around to Laguna Niguel Park. After paying the $5 entrance fee at the gate, go Right and wind around left down along the lake to the last parking lot (I). Paint the footbridge or lake views.
Restooms nearby.
 
See Regional Park map:
 
Namebadge
Order Your Name Badge and Name Plate!
SOCALPAPA encourages members to wear name badges at all of our events and Paint Outs.  
If you are entering the summer Back Bay Event, a name badge and name plate are required. Get ahead and order yours now!
 
Log in to the SOCALPAPA website, click Artists in the blue banner and look for Member Resources. Go to that page and you will find a button for ordering the badge and name plate. 
 
Muth Bin Reminders
Since so many wonderful artists are now contributing to the bin at Muth, we want to remind you of a few guidelines.
 
1. All work displayed at Muth must be original plein air-style depicting outdoor locations in Orange County. 
Animals, plants or people must be shown in a landscape setting.
2. Flat panels only, no foam-core backing or gallery wrap.
3. Mat board backing is suggested to make your work look more professional. 
4. Obtain and attach a sales slip for each painting from the green SOCALPAPA notebook at the front desk, and fill out a form to list your work in the green book.
5. Paintings must be in a cellophane envelope.
6. Suggested minimum price: $50 for smaller paintings $75 for larger work.
7. Due to space considerations, we are no longer going to accept prints.
 
Thanks to you all,
Randi Moran
Club Express app icon
Get the Club App on your phone! 

NEW! Want to stay updated on what's happening, while you're on the go?  
Access all the same SOCALPAPA information on your phone, using the Club Express app. 
Register for events, check the calendar, renew your membership, and more -- all in an easy-to-use format on your phone.
 
The Club Express app is available for iPhone and Android users.
iPhone users -> head to the App Store
Android users -> head to the Google Play Store
 
Click here for instructions -- 3 easy steps -- how to download it and register!
 
 

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 Kim Gordon with your name and phone number. 

Make sure to put "Referrals List" in the email subject line. 

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
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.
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!
 
  Fb_Logo
 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.
 

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
Frame Xpress Long Beach 
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
Teri Ludwig Pastels
Tim Smith Real Estate Group / Caldwell Banker Newport Beach
Viviva Colors
Watercolor West
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
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4790 Irvine Blvd Suite 105-371
Irvine, CA 92620
United States of America