Laguna Plein Air Painters Association

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Danny Folkman

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LPAPA Artist Member Danny Folkman

LPAPA Artist Member Danny Folkman
Los Angeles, California
DannyFolkman.com

While I enjoy painting all kinds of scenery, LA is my lady.

We first met on a family vacation when I was 14. Growing up in New Jersey, I can’t say I had been particularly inspired by the overcast skies and flat suburbs of the east coast. The year-round sunshine, diverse scenery and laid-back lifestyle of Southern California seemed like paradise. I was smitten.

A friend of mine said that my paintings capture “the idea of California”. I like that. As anyone who has lived in LA knows, it isn’t quite what you see in the movies. She’s anything but an easy lover, but if you play your cards right, she might just flash you a smile.

Received LPAPA Signature Artist designation in 2025

Philippe Gandiol

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LPAPA Artist Member Philippe Gandiol

LPAPA Signature Artist Philippe Gandiol
Davis, California

Philippe Gandiol, an award winning Northern California painter, was born and raised in France and moved to California in his early 20’s. He has painted with oils for over 25 years.  He pursued an independent program of study taking classes in France, San Francisco and Sacramento and with several renowned West Coast painters. Philippe likes to paint a variety of subjects like landscapes, cityscapes, still life and figures “en plein air” or in the studio.  He works as much as possible from life, believing that only in life can he find the full range of light and color he wants in his paintings and the spirit and mood of his subject matter. He is actively involved with the California artist community, art events and fundraisers. He also participated in juried art festivals in Easton, Sonoma, Carmel, Napa and San Luis Obispo to name a few. He teaches privately out of his studio or in the outdoor and also offers painting workshops. As an instructor, Philippe is appreciated as a thorough, supportive and inspiring mentor.

Learn more at PhilippeGandiol.com

Linda Glover Gooch

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LPAPA Artist Member Linda Glover Gooch

LPAPA Signature Artist Linda Glover Gooch
Mesa, Arizona

A Westerner her whole life, Linda Glover Gooch grew up in the warmth of the Southwest.  Spending time as a child playing in the orchard groves, washes and arroyos of Southern California, Linda developed a love of the desert and canyons.  While she is the first professional painter in her family, both of her parents and her grandmother were amateur artists.  Painting since her early teens, Linda embraces the vast canyons that stretch across the West.

Multiple trips and many hours on location bring new inspiration as each day reveals different light and weather conditions. Working on location rejuvenates Linda as she admires the beauty of the land and acknowledges God as the divine creator of all.  The grandeur and ever-changing moods of the Southwest are a constant source of study and an important part of her continued growth as an artist.

Learn more at GoochStudio.com

Albert Handell

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Laguna Plein Air Signature Artist Albert HandellLPAPA Signature Artist Albert Handell
Santa Fe, New Mexico
AlbertHandellStudio.com

Albert Handell was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1937. At an early age, a favorite activity of his was drawing with chalks on the city streets. He Began formal studies of drawing and anatomy at the age of sixteen. In 1954, he enrolled at the Art Students League of New York City to study drawing and anatomy with the late Louis Priscilla and the late Robert Ward Johnson, and later studied painting for two years with Frank Mason. From 1961 to 1965, Albert lived and traveled in Europe. In Paris, he painted independently in his own studio, working from the model at L’Ecole de la Grande Chaumiere and at theLouvre, copying the old masters.

Danny Griego

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LPAPA Artist Member Danny GriegoLPAPA Signature Artist Danny Griego
San Diego, California
DannyGriegoArt.com

Most of Danny’s inspiration stems from how landscapes integrate with urban settings.  He finds great interest in how sturdy man-made structures coexist with organic forms of nature.  Alleys, freeway bridges, on-and-off ramps, shabby buildings, construction sites and subjects that don’t get a lot attention are of particular interest to him.