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A True Full-Circle Moment: Artist Brothers Use ChatGPT to Help Create Bonita Canyon’s 50th Anniversary Mural

By Greer Wylder

July 08, 2026

Shelby and Sandy, two brothers and professional artists, are returning to Bonita Canyon Elementary in Irvine with a meaningful mission: creating a mural to celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary.For the artists, the project is deeply personal. Bonita Canyon is the elementary school they attended as children, and returning to the campus as working artists has made the mural feel especially significant.“Coming back to our elementary school to create this mural was incredibly meaningful because it’s where so much of our creativity first began,” Shelby said. “Being able to contribute something lasting for the school’s 50th anniversary feels like a true…

Pageant of the Masters Returns to Laguna Beach With ‘The Greatest of All Time’

By Greer Wylder

July 05, 2026

Laguna Beach's Festival of Arts is bringing back one of the most unique theatrical experiences in the world this summer with the 2026 Pageant of the Masters production, "The Greatest of All Time."The show runs nightly from July 9 through Sept. 4, transforming famous works of art into living pictures, real people posed on stage to recreate masterpieces with remarkable precision. This year's theme digs into some of the most influential artists, artworks and creative achievements in history, and gives audiences a chance to think about the stories and innovation behind some of the world's greatest artistic accomplishments.The lineup includes…

Via Lido Plaza Unveils New Mural by Ellen Gladis

By Greer Wylder

June 15, 2026

A beautiful new work of public art is taking shape at Via Lido Plaza in Newport Beach. Newport Beach muralist Ellen Gladis is putting the finishing touches on "The Sabot Regatta," an 8-foot-by-17-foot coastal-inspired mural located near the back of Via Lido Drugs at Balboa Boulevard and Finley Avenue.The artwork is based on Gladis' original mural, "The Sabot Regatta," which she was commissioned to paint for the interior of Pavilions, formerly located at Via Lido Plaza. When the grocery store was remodeled in 1995, property owner Fritz Duda, who also served on the Vons Cos. board of directors, persuaded the…

Casa Romantica Showcases Festival of Arts Legacy in New Summer Exhibition

By Greer Wylder

June 04, 2026

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is partnering with the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach for a new summer exhibition celebrating the artists who helped shape Laguna Beach’s creative legacy.“Through the Decades: Artists That Shaped the Festival of Arts” will be on view at Casa Romantica from June 12 through Sept. 6, 2026. The exhibition features select works from the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection and traces more than a century of Southern California art history through paintings, ceramics and sculptures from some of the region’s most influential artists.Drawn from an archive of more than 1,000 works, the…

Lido Theater Receives 2026 Preservation Award

By Greer Wylder

May 11, 2026

The historic Lido Theater in Newport Beach has been honored with a 2026 Preservation Award from the Art Deco Society of California following its extensive multi-million-dollar restoration. The theater was one of only two restored buildings in California to receive the prestigious recognition this year.The annual Art Deco Preservation Awards celebrate efforts to preserve California’s Art Deco architecture, art and culture. The award was presented to project designer Margee Drews and project manager John Loper on behalf of owner Fritz Duda Company during the 41st Annual Art Deco Preservation Ball at The Hibernia in San Francisco.Originally opened in 1939, the…