Mayor Chris Hamm presented painting at Living Art Show 2015

Centerpiece art by Monte Livingston. (Kseniya Taranyuk/Lariat)

Living Art Gallery in San Clemente hosted their 2015 Art Show this past weekend including oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings along with free food and admission. The collection of art displayed included works from local artists Monte Livingston, Jason Weaver, Britta Christiansen, Hayley Schwied, David Teregis and many more all of which blended together seamlessly.

“I typically do an event where people gather at least once a year,” said Monte Livingston. “Local people in the area that inspire me in art are usually at these events and most of the artists here are close friends.”

The main piece of work was a scuba diving helmet pictured above and the centerpiece of the night. Livingston was presenting the stunning painting to San Clemente’s very own mayor Chris Hamm.

“It’s the first time I’ve painted in five years,” said Livingston when talking to Mayor Hamm. “I’m 300 hours into that piece [the scuba diving helmet] and gifting this to you is a big part of the event.”

Walking through the show it was set up with art displayed in a multitude of small rooms, all of which individually had their own presence among each other but also connected as a whole. One of the first rooms you would enter included a variety of piece painted by artist Britta Christiansen whose art captured a release of emotions including subjects of death and sexuality.

“All of my paintings are related to feelings,” said Christiansen on what stimulates her art. “For myself it’s me channeling my feelings and after I’m done with them I actually don’t want to look at them anymore because it’s my way to release and for me to get my feelings out.”

Walking through the exhibit the art begins to vary and the next room you may stumble upon includes the work of artist Hayley Schwied. Attending art school, she’ began painting when she was little, always finding it came as “naturally as drinking water.”

“For my paintings, my inspiration, there’s just like a darker more emotional side to my pieces,”  said Christiansen. “From when I was a little girl to now it’s always been emotional and the colors that I choose are more muted with mixes of browns and darker colors.”

The Living Art Gallery Lounge (Kseniya Taranyuk/Lariat)

Living Art Gallery Tattoo Lounge is the first dual art gallery and tattoo shop in San Clemente with tattoo artists who specialize in photo realism and custom design. Established in 2011 this place is definitely no ordinary tattoo shop though. Along with a fireplace, lounge, and huge art gallery you can play some Xbox and take it easy as you wait for your artist to take you to a room separated by a floor-to-ceiling glass partition covered in hand painted designs.

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