The Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach is pleased to announce the acquisition of three new paintings by exhibiting artists in its 2025 Fine Art Show. The newly purchased works — Reclining Figure by Pil Ho Lee, Sunny Marina Afternoon by Mark Jacobucci, and Emerald Sparkle by Michael Obermeyer — will join the institution’s Permanent Art Collection.
“These new acquisitions showcase the talent and range of artists in our Festival,” said Christine Georgantas, Exhibits Director for the Festival of Arts. Each addition strengthens the Permanent Collection and reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting artists and preserving the artistic legacy of Southern California.”
For Pil Ho Lee, having his work chosen for the Festival’s Permanent Art Collection is an honor that is both personal and professional. “Having my work acquired by the Festival of Arts is one of the biggest highlights in my nine years as an exhibiting artist. I am very honored to be selected for the permanent collection, it really made my summer,” Lee shared. “I’m so grateful.”
Lee’s impressionistic oil on panel titled Reclining Figure captures the quiet stillness of a woman resting in late afternoon light. Created from a combination of photographic references to achieve the posture and mood he envisioned, Lee sought to highlight the interplay of light and shadow across the figure’s dress and the surrounding couch. An initial sketch laid the foundation before he moved into oils, blending impressionism with elements of abstraction to achieve a compositionally unique and emotionally resonant piece.
Mark Jacobucci’s painting, Sunny Marina Afternoon, portrays Dana Point Harbor, capturing the massive fishing and sheriff boats with bold palette knife strokes and quick brushwork. Painted en plein air, the piece reflects Jacobucci’s self-described “impasto alla prima impressionist realism,” a style that combines real-life scenes with the texture and immediacy of thickly applied oils. A Festival exhibitor for 24 years, Jacobucci called the acquisition a career milestone: “Knowing that my work will live on for future generations is incredibly inspiring.” He continued, “I am beyond grateful and truly honored.”
The third acquisition, Michael Obermeyer’s Emerald Sparkle, is a 24”x30” oil on canvas inspired by a plein air visit to Emerald Bay. Hiking to a steep hillside vantage point one March weekend, he created a small paint study of the anchored boats in the cove, later transforming the scene’s energy and light into a larger studio work. Known for painting quickly to chase the fleeting effects of light—what he considers the true subject of his art—his work carries a distinctly impressionistic style.
A Festival exhibitor for 28 years, Obermeyer said the Festival’s acquisition of his painting feels especially meaningful, “I’ve always felt privileged to be selected each year to exhibit in the Festival, and it is such an honor to be included in the Permanent Collection.”
The Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection features more than 1,000 two- and three-dimensional works, representing a century of creativity and innovation. As a living archive, the Collection not only preserves the region’s cultural history but also underscores the Festival’s lasting influence as one of the nation’s most celebrated showcases of fine art.
To learn more about the Festival of Arts and the Permanent Art Collection visit foapom.com/collection or download the free Bloomberg Connects app at foapom.com/bloomberg-connects. The Festival’s Collection are presented in themed exhibits at foaSOUTH and loaned out to museums and institutions for specific exhibitions.
To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Fine Arts Show, visit www.foapom.com or follow @FestivalPageant on social media.
For more information, visit www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org or call (949) 494-1145.
Festival of Arts Expands Permanent Collection with Three New Acquisitions
