Featured Article

Paul Gavin, Premiere Coastal Painter
As printed in South Coast Magazine

Paul Gavin has been painting Southern California beaches and beach events since 1976. From 1976 through 1989, he had two studios in downtown Huntington Beach and one in downtown Santa Ana from 1978 through 1982. During this time Paul created numerous images and released limited editions of the Huntington Beach Pier, Main Beach Laguna, the Tustin Blimp Hangars, and Old Town Irvine.

Although he painted the popular and very saleable Laguna and Newport Beach scenes, Paul has always believed that new, different and original styles and images are as important as a good painting to be a truly successful artist and to give value to the collectors of his art. He is always looking for new images in new areas.

Back in 1988, after painting a portrait of the Dana Point Harbor, he carried it to Dana Point businesses and residents door to door in an effort to sell prints. The response to his work was so positive that he believed South County residents would be interested in more images of their area and decided to focus on South County beach and landscapes.

With very few retail galleries in the South County beach communities at that time, Paul took considerable artistic and business risks by pioneering the South County art market with his recognizable images and unique display style.

Looking for new and original ways and places to show his work, Paul began displaying his art at the Dana Harbor Wharf in 1988. Then, in 1989, he moved the Paul Gavin Fine Art studio and gallery to San Clemente. Adding to his already-published prints, Paul developed the "Premier Coastal Series," which, by 1992 included Dana Dreams: An Endless Summer (1988), Vista Romantica: The San Clemente Pier (1989), San Onofre: Surfers' Paradise (1990), Land's End: Cabo San Lucas (1991), and Avalon Spring: 26 Miles Across the Sea, (begun in 1992).

He was actually so far ahead of his time that in 1989, when his studio business permit requested a second location in the lobby and patio of the San Clemente Hotel on Del Mar (that he had leased for two years), it was denied. At that time it was illegal to display art outdoors in San Clemente except by special permit two times a year!

Another way Paul had found a way of being different was to paint live at events and beach events which were very colorful. In 1982, he started by painting the Huntington Beach OP Pro Surfing Championship from the Huntington Beach Pier. He went on to paint the 1983 and 1988 Huntington Beach OP Pros, the 1983 Laguna Beach Main Beach and 1984 Manhattan Beach Volleyball tournaments.

In 1984, Paul began doing artwork for military air shows, starting with the MCAS Tustin Open House. In 1989 he created a painting for the 1989 El Toro Air Show, and since then, along with his wife Kimberleigh, has created images for over 13 events a year. Together they now do artwork each year for the United States Department of Defense Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, the Fair Saint Louis, the Chicago Air and Water Show, San Francisco Fleet Week, and the MCAS Miramar Air Show in San Diego.

Paul continues to paint outdoor scenes in the Plein Air style as he has since 1976. For the last five years, the Gavin's have travelled extensively for their event artwork commitments and decided to close their San Clemente studio in 1999 after 10 years. The Gavin's work is now on display and available for purchase through: Fast Frame of Dana Point 34255 Pacific Coast Hwy Suite #111 949-240-0800

Article contributed by:
South Coast Magazine
The Magazine of Art, Architecture & Leisure