CREATIVE PROJECTS

Summer of Color

The Summer of Color is an artistic project in the Laguna Arts District, and brings world-renowned muralists to the artistic epicenter of Orange County, Laguna Beach, invigorating the creative spirit and providing additional brilliant temporary pieces of art for visitors and residents to see and appreciate during the summer months in 2018. Curated by Torrey Cook of Artists Republic and Ben Rubin of Elephants and Castles, the Summer of Color takes place between 891 and 777 Laguna Canyon Road. The bright and beautiful murals will be temporary yet memorable additions to the Laguna Arts District and will support the rich and colorful legacy of Laguna Beach as a destination for art and vitality. Artists featured will include Brett Crawford, Chad Hasegawa, Beau Stanton, James Thistlewaite, Okuda, Faith47, Kelly Castillo, Sara Haase, and more.

FAQs

Why did you title it the Summer of Color?

The initial season for the mural project is the summertime, and the murals are centered around bringing bright and vibrant color murals to the Laguna Arts District. We hope to bring more public art to the city of Laguna Beach in the future, with different themes for each iteration. This summer’s theme was color, so we titled it Summer of Color.

How will the plans for these murals affect the parking in the area?

This area already had a number of parking spaces within the lots, as well as street parking. We will make sure that the parking stalls are clearly marked and easily accessible. Any updates should not affect the parking availability.

How will this project affect the traffic in this area?

The traffic in this area has been difficult at regular rush hour times for years, but we do not anticipate that our improvements will affect traffic in any measurable way.

How will you aid the community in conserving water?

We have native California plant life, and are committed to aiding the public conservation of water in Laguna Beach.

Is the paint safe for the environment?

Although paints do contain chemicals that are not great for the environment, the emissions from cars are far worse for the environment. The one-time use by each artist is far less severe and less frequent than the constant traffic on Laguna Canyon Road. We do however do our best to protect the neighboring wildlife from overspray (if spray paint is used), and we do coat the murals protective coatings to make sure the paint does not smell or pollute your day.

Won’t the murals distract the wildlife?

Many mammals are colorblind or have very poor color vision; they see limited colors and different colors than humans. Most animals rely on multiple senses to hunt or forage; they are also not that fond of humans or cars. Most animals in this area will stay hidden in the nature of the canyon, but it is unlikely that if they came to The Hive they would be distracted by the colors.

Did you have permits to put up these murals?

Yes, the Arts Commission approved every mural before we began the program.

Why did you put a couple murals in the way back of the property, where they are hard to see?

We thoughtfully designed each placement of the murals to allow people to enjoy the artwork from every area of the Laguna Arts District. We want people to engage with the businesses, the artworks, and all the spaces, not just walk by or drive past them. We hope they will come into the spaces and stay a while.

What happened to those blue tile mosaics?

Currently, the blue tile mosaics are safely being kept underneath the murals that were installed as a part of Summer of Color 2018.

What is LCV, exactly?

Laguna Creative Ventures (LCV) is a creative development company that specifically works with The Laguna Beach Company properties and assets.

What is the Laguna Arts District?