12th Annual Patron Party & Miniature Art Auction

Small Works, Big Impact

The 12th Annual Patron Party & Miniature Auction
Presented by LPAPA & The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

September 16, 2026, 6PM | Hosted at the LPAPA Gallery

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS!

The culinary elegance of The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel meets the vibrant artistic soul of the LPAPA Gallery for an unforgettable evening of fine art, high energy, and community.

Welcome to our 12th Annual Patron Party & Miniature Auction—our exclusive kick-off to the pre-Invitational autumn art season. This signature soirée is your chance to mingle with fellow collectors, enjoy world-class wines and custom-passed hors d’oeuvres, and preview an exquisite collection of miniature masterworks before they go on the auction block.

Special Guest: Mr. Jean Stern

Jean Stern, Emeritus Director of The Irvine Museum, will talk about the Laguna Plein Air painting legacy and share a special historical miniature from his private collection.

The Main Event: The Live Miniature Auction

The crown jewel of the evening is our high-octane live auction with special guest-auctioneer and LPAPA Signature Artist Chuck Kovacic. This is your exclusive chance to take home your own “little gem”—an original, small-scale framed masterpiece created specifically for this event by today’s most celebrated, award-winning plein air artists. Artwork will be available to view online or at the gallery starting September 3rd!

A Century-Old Tradition

We paint the future by honoring our past. In 1918, Laguna Beach’s pioneering artists—including Edgar Payne, William Wendt, and Anna Hills—hosted lively art parties, offering specially painted miniatures to patrons to sustain their fledgling Art Association and Gallery. Today, LPAPA proudly carries this historic torch forward.

Gratitude for the support of the artists who have donated miniatures to support this year’s fundraiser: Geoff Allen, Zufar Bikbov, Carl Bretzke, Jennifer Diehl, Aimee Erickson, Mark Fehlman, Mary Garrish, Chuck Kovacic, Jason Li, Judd Mercer, Lisa Mozzini-McDill, Michael Obermeyer, Jason Sacran, Anthony Salvo, Michael Situ, Haidee-Jo Summers, Mason Williams, and others!

Your Impact

As our premier pre-Invitational fundraiser, proceeds from this beautiful evening directly support the upcoming 28th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, sustain the year-round operations of our nonprofit gallery, and fund our vital youth art education programs. Through the generosity of the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, and the Artists who have donated the artwork, 100% of your ticket price and auction purchase will support non-profit LPAPA!

If the event is showing full,
please be sure to add your name to the waitlist in case of cancellations,
or purchase a ticket and have a Proxy Bidder assigned to you!