Enjoy this recap of this year’s Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, written by Toni Kellenberg:
The 27th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, presented last week by the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), concluded with record-breaking art sales and ideal weather for the 30 invited artists. Southern California artist Jason Li was awarded the highly coveted $10,000 “Best in Show” prize for his watercolor, “Catching Sunset.” The event, which revealed over $50,000 in cash and prizes, benefits the participating artists and sustains nonprofit LPAPA’s year-round art and education programs.
Li’s win marks the first time in Invitational history that a watercolor painting has received the top Best in Show Award, and the first year the judges selected a landscape not depicting Laguna Beach. Li’s winning painting, “Catching Sunset,” was selected by a distinguished panel of judges including Jean Stern (Emeritus Director of The Irvine Museum), Rosemary Swimm (LPAPA’s Director Emeritus), and Ned Mueller (LPAPA Signature Artist and this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient). Li also swept the Invitational’s public-voted Quick Draw competition award for his piece, “Breakthrough.”
Other Major Awards and Accolades at the 2025 Laguna Plein Air Painters Association Invitational:
The $5,000 Award of Excellence was presented to Colorado-based artist Kathleen B. Hudson for “Nightfall, Laguna Beach.” Hudson also received the 32 Winds Winery “Artist in Residence” Award.
Last year’s Best in Show Winner, Minnesota artist Carl Bretzke, received the $2,500 Jean Stern Distinctive Merit Legacy Award for “By The Shower at Dusk.”
Debra Huse was awarded The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, “Artist in Residence” Award.
For the second consecutive year, Ryan Jensen received the Kinsman Family “Best Laguna” Award for “Light on the Boardwalk.”
Ryan Jensen received the PleinAir Magazine Award for “Sunlight Through a Tree” and Terry Miura received the Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine Award for “Solitude at Sunset.”
Honoring Lifetime Achievements and Contributions:
- Signature Artist Ned Mueller was recognized with the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to teaching and extraordinary body of work.
- Tracie and Brian Sullivan were recognized with LPAPA’s 2025 Lifetime Member Award for their passionate collection and long-term support of the organization.
- Zufar Bikbov received the 2025 Artists’ Choice Award for his exceptional body of work, as voted by the Invitational Artists.
- Aimee Erickson’s “Dreaming of PCH” received the inaugural “Sunday Best” Award for the newly added Sunday Small Works Show.
LPAPA’s Mission: Preserving the Legacy and Inspiring the Future
In keeping with its mission, LPAPA hosted several key educational events, including the annual Future Generation Paint Out (for LBUSD students) and the Next Generation Paint Out (for Laguna College of Art + Design students). Student artwork will be on exhibit at the LPAPA Gallery through December 1st, with proceeds supporting the students’ schools and emerging LCAD artists.
Four LCAD students received scholarship awards:
1st Place: Anne Lin (“Overcast”)
2nd Place: Gyongy Sza’szva’rosi (“High Tide”)
3rd Place: Maya Buchwald (“Morning Tide”)
Honorable Mention: Arthur Zhang (“Cerulean Waves”)
LPAPA also collaborated with the Laguna Art Museum on its annual “Plein Talks,” featuring Invitational Artists and a separate panel of Art Experts who shared their insights on the past, present, and future of plein air painting.
For more details about the 27th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, please visit lpapa.org.
Editor’s Note: Join us for the 6th Annual Plein Air Live online art conference, featuring Kathleen Hudson, Kevin Macpherson, Kami Mendlik, and many more! The event takes place November 6-8, 2025, with an Essential Techniques Day on November 5. Learn more at PleinAirLive.com.
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