Art News

Highlights and Winners from the 25th Annual LPAPA Invitational

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Enjoy the following highlights from the 25th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, where 28 awards were presented with cash and prizes valued at over $55,000.

Best in Show went to Michael Obermeyer for “Laguna Light.” Michael is the only artist to have been invited to participate for 25 consecutive years.

LPAPA - Michael Obermeyer, "Laguna Light," oil, 9 x 12 in.; photo by Tom Lamb — Michael Obermeyer, “Laguna Light,” oil, 9 x 12 in.; photo by Tom Lamb

LPAPA's Vice President Celeste Gilles (left) and President Toni Kellenberg (right) presented the Best in Show Award; Photo by Nancy Villere — LPAPA’s Vice President Celeste Gilles (left) and President Toni Kellenberg (right) presented the Best in Show Award; Photo by Nancy Villere

Zufar Bikbov received the Artists’ Choice Award and LPAPA’s Award of Excellence for “Precious Time.”

Zufar Bikbov, "Precious Time," oil, 18 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb — Zufar Bikbov, “Precious Time,” oil, 18 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb

Mark Fehlman received the Jean Stern Distinctive Merit Legacy Award for “Lunar Laguna.”

Mark Fehlman, "Lunar Laguna," oil, 18 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb — Mark Fehlman, “Lunar Laguna,” oil, 18 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb

Ryan Jensen received the PleinAir® Magazine Award for “Perfect Day.”

Ryan Jensen, "Perfect Day," oil, 20 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb — Ryan Jensen, “Perfect Day,” oil, 20 x 24 in.; photo by Tom Lamb

During the event, LPAPA received a proclamation presented by California Assembly member Diane Dixon, acknowledging the 25th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational.

Left to Right: Diane Dixon, Celeste Gilles, Toni Kellenberg; Photo by Nancy Villere

LPAPA also acknowledged its five founding members: John Cosby, Cynthia Britain, Paulette Auster (for Ken Auster, who passed in 2016), Saim Caglayan, and Jacobus Baas.

LPAPA Founding Members and representatives

To include youth at the event as well, LPAPA treated 32 Laguna Beach Unified School District Students to a plein air painting experience in the Future Generation Paint Out.