RE  has been painting in Laguna for over forty years. He paints Plein Air art as well as the unique panel paintings he has personally developed. RE loves to paint and is at the point in his life where he is ready to take on an apprentice or two. He has much to offer to the younger generation. His early years were spent as an art director, he has weathered owning a gallery and he has participated in many art festivals. RE has an abundance of experience and knowledge in the business of art as well as on the creative side of art. He is a seasoned artist with a unique style all his own.

TW:  When did you begin to paint?
RE:  I started as a kid; 8 or 9 years old, later I began to teach quite a bit.

TW:  Where are you from and when did you come to Laguna?
RE:  I am from Milhaven, MA, no one has ever really heard of it. They had a school of art and design similar to the one we have here in Laguna. I went there for a year and then set my sights on California. I thought I would go to school but by the time I got out here, I went to work in Glendale for an art department and became the art director. One thing led to another until about 6 or 7 years later when I decided I had enough of that and headed to go across country again. I got a 35-foot trailer and got as far as Laguna Beach. That was in 1963 or 64 and that was it, I stayed. One thing led to another again and I opened up a gallery.

TW:  What do you think the differences are between Laguna back in the 60's and now?
RE:  For me it was the fact that it felt free. The market was good too, no matter what you did. Then you got in the festivals which were built-in showcases for the artist. That of course has become my life - that's all I need. I don't do much else. For me, Laguna was a wide-open town where you could rent a gallery for $100.00 a month. Now you're lucky if you can get by with $3,000,00. I've been in galleries all over the country and they sort of make demands of me that I don't like. You sell one thing and they want to sell something else very similar. They are happy that when it sells and won't try something new.

TW:  You have two basic styles - Plein Air art and Oriental?
RE:  My Oriental is romantic impressionism in my opinion. The landscape painting which everyone does similarly or close to, I have done for years. The Oriental is uniquely mine. Not only that, I enjoy working with oils in a watercolor technique. It's fun and relaxing and the results are very peaceful which is what I enjoy. You look at a painting that is full of excitement and you're bored with it in two minutes. You look at something that you can get involved in slowly and it lasts longer… it lasts a lifetime. Of course, anything you really like will last a lifetime whether it's good or bad.

TW:  Lets talk about the Oriental art which is uniquely yours.
RE:  I do panels, a lot of panels. I'm devoted to the style where they are done in a complete circle. As far as I know, I am the only one doing it. Instead of having (one painting) you have three panels and you can change them around, divide them up into singles or pairs. That is probably one of the reasons it has been so successful. One customer hung them in the stairwell so that when you went up the stairs, you walked around the painting. You can use your imagination as to how you hang them.

TW:  Where are you doing right now?
RE:  I feel, that at this time in my life, I am happy and content with doing the festivals and I don't need much more than that. I can do what I want when I want. However, the aspect of teaching has become a goal of mine because I have so much to pass on to the young to enhance their knowledge.

RE's Advice to young painters:
They should paint anything and everything they can; it builds up their vocabulary so when they do paint something from their imagination, they can draw from memory. That, of course, is important because you can't do it unless you have done it.

Conclusion:
These days RE spends as much time working in his beautiful garden as he does on his paintings. He lives in Top of the World in Laguna. On the way up to his home, you will be inspired by the breathtaking views that have inspired RE for so many years. If you would are interested in painting with RE and would like to contact him, call him at (949) 494-8334.