⚓Enjoy our events page with upcoming and past activities. ⛵Let’s sail into California culture! 70 Degrees facilitates these events with our partners. Our team has chaired in-person, multi-day events and conferences. We can help you host your next event virtually or in-person. Let us know how we can collaborate!
Field Notes is a series of posts dedicated to highlighting current exhibitions and cultural events in your community. We primarily list community functions in California. Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter. View our the Historic & Research Sites page. Visit our Resources page for more details.
Events
Redo Market will return on April 27th, 2025. Stroll and explore our curated collection of Vintage and an authentic assortment of Makers in Dana Point at Del Prado.
Experience the Newport Beach International Boat Show from Friday, May 2nd – Sunday, May 4th to immerse yourself in the best of luxury yachting, marine innovation, and waterfront lifestyle experiences. Join us at Lido Marina Village for this annual tradition!
The Wooden Boat Festival theme of Stories of the Sea: Wooden Boats in Film & Fiction will be held June 13-14, 2025 at the Balboa Yacht Club.
This week’s host, Ryan Foland, is joined by Jennifer Keil to chat preserving your family sailing memories so they can be passed down from generation to generation – and also enjoyed by sailing friends. Jennifer is an Archivist and the Co-Founder of 70 Degrees, who archives, preserves, and exhibits your narrative. Hear the history of sailing in California, how their archiving process works, tales from documenting West Coast sailing history, how to document your own family sailing history, and the value of your boat’s history when it’s time to change hands. Learn more about Jennifer at 70Degrees.org and Ryan at Ryan.Online
Exhibitions
We build museums in California. We are celebrating over 10 years of business in O.C. Here is our most recent museum development with the Dana Point Historical, Newport Beach Historical, and Taiwanese American History Museum in Irvine. Explore museums via Matterport!
Visit the Newport Beach Historical Society on Thursday – Sunday: 2pm–6pm. They are located at the Balboa Fun Zone at 600 E. Bay Ave. Newport Beach, CA 92661.
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of UC Irvine (1965-2025), Anteater Experience traces more than six decades of campus development, illustrating key features and milestones that have helped shape the campus culture and environment.
On display February through September 2025 in Langson Library
“Gems of California Impressionism,” is curated by James Irvine Swinden at Casa Romantica from March 21 through June 15. The exhibit will showcase landscape paintings from California’s coastal scenes to picturesque mountainscapes and everything in between.
Soka University Spring 2025 Exhibitions in Founders Gallery run from February 13 – August 28, 2025. They are Cynthia Ona Innis: Fixing on a Horizon and Don Ryan: Lipstick/Waterline.
“Echoes of Conflict: Remembering Vietnam” is now open for you to explore through Dec. 21, 2025. Discover powerful stories from the Vietnam War through personal artifacts. View the virtual exhibit and schedule your visit ocfair.com/heroeshall.
Infinite: the solo exhibition of Anthony James is at Gallery Sonder in Corona del Mar from 13 February- April 13. James’ Portals – prismatic structures of steel and glass LEDs pull viewers into mesmerizing dimensions where light seems to stretch forever.
Aka Chen (Taiwanese, 1965-) “is one of the premiere artists around the world today working in titanium. His debut solo exhibition in the United States, The Eternal Garden: Titanium Art by Aka Chen, showcases an exquisite assembly of twenty sculptures that ingeniously combine the intricacies of contemporary jewelry with fluid compositions of brush paintings.” Watch the artist interview here. This exhibition is open at Bowers Museum until April 13, 2025.
Harvest Beauty: The Artistic Labels of California Growers
From the 1880s to the mid-1950s, California citrus growers used colorful paper labels on wooden boxes to identify and advertise their fruit, reflecting a rich social and commercial art history. With the advent of railroads, these labels became essential for shipping and marketing, evolving from stenciled images to eye-catching designs that promoted the California dream. Over 250 packinghouses used multiple labels to denote fruit quality, and skilled artists, often European immigrants, created these vibrant artworks. Label styles transitioned from naturalistic scenes to commercial art techniques, peaking between 1900-1930. The practice declined in the 1940s and ended by 1956 with the shift to cardboard boxes.
More Than You Can Chew
January 26 – April 20, 2025
Opening Reception Sunday, January 26, 2025 1-3 p.m.
Extending beyond aesthetics and taste, More Than You Can Chew surveys contemporary artworks that examine the cultural, economic, and political foundations which shape our culinary experiences.
The Hilbert Museum offers current exhibitions in the 22,000 square feet location. Reserve your tickets in advance.
The Orange County Docents League will be hosting the spring conference on Monday, April 28, 2025 at The Holocaust Education Center of Orange County. The training will be from 9:30am-1:30pm. Registration details with lunch options to follow. The center is located at 2240 University Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660. The theme is: Once Upon a Time: Docents Enriching Tours Through Storytelling. Thank you for the ongoing partnership with Arts Orange County!
Oceans Institute
The Ocean Institute unveiled an incredible mural created by renowned ocean advocate and artist NöcHe, in collaboration with the Mares Foundation. This 17 feet tall and 56 feet wide mural highlights native marine species and ecosystems. It is a triptych as it captures morning, day, and night on this wrap-around mural. Jennifer Keil attended the unveiling ceremony as a Dana Point Arts Ambassador.
The Dana Point & Sorrento Sister Cities exhibit is featured at the Dana Point Historical Society. Schedule your visit in advance or stop by on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays from 1-3pm.
Mission San Juan Capistrano presents Mission Treasures featuring art, objects, and special guest books from the Mission’s Museum Collection from 1776 through the 21st century. The fine art has been conserved for the long-term care of the collection. We joined the OC Parks and Historical Commissioners for a private tour of Serra Chapel with Mechelle Lawrence-Adams.
“En Plein Air” featuring Plein Air art from the early 1900s to 2016 from the Mission San Juan Capistrano’s collection. The term “en plein air” literally means “open air”.
Past Events
Surf Travel: From Twain to Tavarua at the SHACC
From Mark Twain’s first attempt at surfing in 1866 to the modern surf travel industry, the history of surf exploration is as captivating as the waves themselves. Trailblazers like Jack London, Tom Blake, and Duke Kahanamoku paved the way, inspiring generations of surfers to chase waves around the globe.
Discover the evolution of surf travel—from rough, unpaved roads to luxurious surf resorts—and celebrate the adventurous spirit that defines surfing culture.
Laguna Art Museum exhibit titled Latest and Greatest: New Work has fifty newly acquired pieces in their permanent collection. It runs until March 30, 2025.
Examine Getty Museum‘s much-loved painting, Irises by Van Gogh, from the perspective of modern conservation science. This exhibition is on view until January 19, 2025. Van Gogh’s understanding of light and color directed his painting techniques. This exhibit allows visitors to explore how conservators and scientists work together can harness the power of light with analytical tools and discover the artist’s materials and working methods. Explore other PST ART exhibits through February 16, 2025.
Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean in Historic District Cottage #46. Experience Crystal Cove’s Transformative Currents in person to view the reef in VR and in real-time.
Crystal Cove Conservancy is hosting the Tree Lighting & Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10:00AM – 6:00PM. Shop for gifts from local artisans during the Holiday Bazaar, meet Santa, and hear a local choir with Christmas music.
The Power of Reconciliation by Lourdes Villagómez runs from September 26 – December 15, 2024 at Casa Romantica. Lourdes explores the pre-Hispanic deities of Mexico and fuses them with contemporary Mexican culture in her art.
Heroes Hall is housed in a renovated 1942 Santa Ana Army Air Base barracks building. There is a Medal of Honor Courtyard and Walk of Honor. Heroes Hall is currently exhibiting The Vietnam War through the Art and Photography of Ed Bowen. The OC Docent League held a conference there in 2024. The Veterans’ Day Celebration will be held on Nov. 9, from noon – 3 p.m.
Tanaka Farms is a thirty-acre farm which has been owned and operated by the Tanaka Family for generations. Experience the heritage of the Irvine Ranch at this incredible site.
Regime’s Museum is an nonprofit educational institution dedicated to the study and prevention of tyranny with over 3,000 artifacts from dictatorships across the globe. Regime’s Museum has an opening reception: “Youth Under Dictators” on Saturday, October 12, 2024, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM at CSU Fullerton Pollak Library – Room PLN-130, 800 State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92834. Please RSVP to attend.
The Holocaust Museum OC is home to over 700 artifacts from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp by renowned trailblazer and survivor Mel Mermelstein. It was established in Newport Beach near the Back Bay at 2240 University Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660. There is an upcoming Public Tour on Tuesday, Oct. 22nd at 5:30pm with no sign up necessary. Tours by appointment are also available.
Join the City’s Arts & Culture Ambassadors for a Trolley Art & History Tour to celebrate October as National Arts & Humanities Month!
Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 12pm
A limited number of tickets for the Trolley Art & History Tour are $20 each and can be purchased here. Click the online registration button and search Activity #8769, #8770 or “trolley.”
Each trolley will have an Art Ambassador and a docent from the Dana Point Historical Society to provide information and insight at all the stops. The wide-ranging city tour will include locations such as the Lantern Bay Park Stairs, Doheny Village Mural, Hide Drogher Sculpture, Watermen’s Plaza, and Woodruff Homes, among a total of 10 stops. The tour lasts for approximately an hour and 30 minutes. Join the fun and explore art and culture on the Dana Point trolley!
This year’s trolley tour coincides with the Dana Point ArtFest. After the tour, stop by the ArtFest to be a part of a community celebration of fine art, live music, food, wine tasting, beer gardens and more in the heart of the City’s Lantern District. For more information, visit http://www.dpartfest.com.
John Wayne Paddle Up on October 6, 2024
One of John Wayne’s most famous sayings was, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” Now his fans can Paddle Up, to raise funds for the cancer foundation that bears his name. The John Wayne Cancer Foundation will present the Paddle Up pickleball tournament in Newport Beach, California, this fall. “Pickleball is a fun and engaging way for us to raise funds for the all-important fight against cancer,” said Ethan Wayne, Director of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.
The Orange County Historical Commission (OCHC) would like to invite you to attend a special networking event at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano which is located at 26801 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. The event will take place on October 9, 2024 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Purchase tickets for September 27-29, 2024 for over 35+ performances across three stages featuring a variety of acts across different genres in the beautiful Doheny State Beach.
Don’t miss the Storytelling in the Cove. This event is filled with a collection of exhibits & panels with leading conservationists, environmentalists, researchers, and professional surfers.
Join Redo Vintage & Maker’s Market on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 from 9am to 5pm on Del Prado Ave. Dana Point. Explore a curated collection of artifacts and handmade goods. There will be live music and a selection of food trucks.
Jennifer Keil at Sherman Libraries on Tuesday, May 21 at 7 pm
Join us for an evening with Jennifer Keil who will share about genealogy, digital history trends, and historic preservation techniques.
Preservation Month Activities in California
May1-31: Petaluma Historical Library and Museum has a series of Preservation Month events taking place throughout May.
May 4-6: Pasadena Heritage events for May include a Retirement Dinner to recognize Sue Mossman’s thirty years of service as the organization’s executive director.
May 13-28: Preservation Sacramento is offering a series of Jane Jacob Walks through the historic neighborhoods and districts of California’s captial city.
May 16: Coronado Historical Association is hosting the next session in their Wine & Lecture series, “History of North Island with Dave Landon.”
May 16: Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board is hosting a new speaker series, “A Shared History: Diverse Voices Across Ventura County” in recognition of Preservation Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (both in May).
Jennifer and Cindy Keil were the Moulton Museum Directors. They curated the museum and gallery exhibits along with the traveling installations that include John Wayne Airport, Muckenthaler Cultural Center, and Laguna College of Art + Design Gallery.
Moulton Museum is exhibiting From Ranchland to Leisure World Laguna Hills at the Laguna Woods History Center until April 2024.
The Orange County Destination Arts and Culture program at John Wayne Airport highlights local cultural landmarks in Orange County for travelers to learn about and add to their travel itinerary. This spring, the Airport partnered with the Moulton Museum in Laguna Hills to share the Pioneer Spirit!
Through the Eyes of a Pioneer Woman: Nellie Gail Moulton
- May 18 – September 8, 2023
- Artist’s Reception: Thursday, May 18, 2023; 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
At their meeting on May 24, the Planning Commission in San Juan Capistrano approved TASJA’s application for a permit to install a mural in downtown San Juan. The mural will be placed on the back side of the Capistrano Trading Post. It will be printed on vinyl from an image of a painting by Nellie Gail Moulton, a prominent artist of the 1920s. The Trading Post is owned by Bill Ortega who is partnering with TASJA and the Moulton Museum to create this mural. The Moulton Museum is providing a complimentary license to use the image called “Mission Gardens”
The Mural will be about 12′ x 15′ and placed towards the top of the building so it can be seen across the parking lot and by the restaurants beyond. The mural is expected to be installed by the end of the summer when an unveiling will be scheduled.
California Events:
California Museum in Sacramento has ongoing events. “In the permanent exhibits, visitors can hop aboard a bus to hear immigrants tell their stories of coming to California, meet a ghost who recounts his family’s experience in California from the Gold Rush to the present, or step inside a theater to see how Hollywood has portrayed California.”
Orange County Docent League meets at various historic locations in Orange County two times a year for Zoom based and in-person training. Contact OC Commissioner, Pamela Harrell pamela.harrell@earthlink.net, or ocdocents@gmail.com for more details.
Orange County Historical Society hosts Zoom and in person events.
OC Parks offers the community ongoing events.
Preserve Orange County has virtual and in person events.
Bowers Museum in Santa Ana has a calendar of events. First opened in 1936 as the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum, they have grown to a premiere 21st century facility with outstanding rotating exhibitions.
Casa Romantica has a season of events at their historic house once lived in by Ole Hanson in San Clemente.
Laguna Art Museum has rotating exhibitions. Search their permanent art collection to learn more about the fine art history in our area.
Nellie Gail Moulton
Plein Air Group painting exhibition in conjunction with Laguna Plein Air Painters Assoc. (LPAPA) will feature contemporary work by masters and a collection of historical paintings by Nellie Gail Moulton on loan from the Moulton Museum in Laguna Hills.
Introduction to Digital Storytelling Workshop
2021 Learning Revolution daily online education conference, “This is an historic and unique event. Sessions are being held daily all free to attend live. Our Learning Revolution weekly shows continue today and tomorrow with four great episodes. Times are US-Eastern Daylight Time – to see the schedule in your own time zone, and to get the links to attend live in Zoom, please use the SCHEDULE page on the Learning Revolution site.” Visit Library 2.0 at: https://library20.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Past Events:
THE ART OF NELLIE GAIL MOULTON
OCTOBER 7–NOVEMBER 21, 2021
RECEPTION: OCTOBER 7, 2021 6–9PMLaguna College of Art + Design’s BFA program in Drawing + Painting
is proud to present THE ART OF NELLIE GAIL MOULTON, a retrospective exhibition of paintings and drawings created by Nellie Gail Moulton (1878-1972).An avid en plein air painter, Nellie belongs to a larger movement of female artists who have recently gained significant recognition for their contributions to the arts. Nellie created art throughout her entire life and studied with renowned artists such as William Wendt, Anna Hills, Frank Cuprien, and Edgar Payne (also showcased within this exhibition). Her work captures the rich beauty of nature, expressing her keen eye for detail and impressive use of color.
Who Was Nellie Gail Moulton? at Casa Romantica from March 13, 2020 until November 15, 2020. The gallery was featured in Orange Coast Magazine. The closing reception was on Friday, November 13th, 2020 from 6-8pm.
Thursday, October 8th, 5:00-7:30 Pacific Time – a virtual screening and conversation with documentary filmmaker Joseph Juhn‘s Jeronimo: the Untold Story of Koreans in Cuba hosted by Jennifer Keil, President of SOHA
Oral History Happy Hour: Let’s Talk about Tech
We hope you will join us again for this month’s Oral History Happy Hour.
Grab your favorite festive treat and join us on the first Thursday of every month for a virtual conversation about Oral History in the COVID-19 Era. This month’s topic: Let’s Talk about Tech. We’ll be hearing from special guest Jennifer Keil, M.A., Founder of 70 Degrees.
Click here to register, or visit the website: southphoenixoralhistory.com
Event details: Thursday, October 1st at 4pm (Pacific). Zoom link will be sent the day before.
National Council for Public History (NCPH) 2020 online conference
Library 2.018 mini-conference: Design Thinking: How Librarians Are Incorporating It Into Their Practice
Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) Preservation Training Update
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