Arts & Culture Newsletter
New spring offerings at the Potocki Center
Check out what is new at the Potocki Center for the Arts this spring: photography, music production, plein air pastels, and oil painting – just to name a few exciting offerings. Finish your spring cleaning and head to the Potocki Center for all the amazing new courses. No matter what your skill level, the Potocki Center for the Arts has something for everyone.
Register for any of our spring courses by clicking here.
Potocki Center for the Arts is located at 27301 La Paz Road.
For more information, contact 949-470-8470 or arts@cityofmissionviejo.org.
March is National Youth Art Month
The Potocki Center for the Arts this March is celebrating National Youth Art Month with a variety of new programs for kids.
We will offer full courses like Pastels for Kids, Drawing for Kids, Guitar & Ukulele and Artist Academy. We will also offer a variety of single-day workshops like Crochet for Kids, Crochet for Teens, and Cartooning.
Join the fun by clicking here to register.
Potocki Center for the Arts is located at 27301 La Paz Road.
For more information, contact 949-470-8470 or arts@cityofmissionviejo.org.
Spring events at the Potocki Center
When spring rolls around at the Potocki Center for the Arts, jazz is in the air. Join us Saturday, April 4 from 5-7 pm on the picturesque Potocki patio for a free jazz concert. Beverages will be available for purchase.
Be sure to also mark your calendars for Community Arts Day on Saturday, April 18 from 10 am-1 pm. All ages are invited to explore their creativity in this fun-filled day of hands-on art experiences at the Potocki Center for the Arts. Enjoy live art demonstrations presented by local artists as well as various art workshops and crafts for all ages.
Special discounts on Potocki Center classes will be offered to attendees of both events. These programs are free and open to all ages.
Potocki Center for the Arts is located at 27301 La Paz Road, Mission Viejo.
For more information, contact 949-470-8470 or arts@cityofmissionviejo.org.
Art Instructor Spotlight on John McMahon
The Potocki Center for the Arts is proud to shine our spring Instructor Spotlight on new instructor John McMahon. John comes to the center with more than 35 years of photography experience. We asked John a few questions about his journey as an artist. Register for photography by clicking here.
Q: How did you get started in photography and become an instructor?
A: I began drawing almost as soon as I could hold a crayon, and I started taking photographs at an early age as well. Due to my education and background as a fine artist, I developed a deep interest in visual composition across various forms — including drawing, painting, photography, and eventually motion pictures.
As a high school student, I began making films including a short documentary about tarantulas that I created for a science class instead of writing a paper. That experience opened the door to thinking visually and telling stories through images. I went on to study lighting and visual composition at the USC School of Cinema-Television Production, where my focus on photography and cinematography really took shape.
I began teaching shortly after finishing my formal education and discovered how much I genuinely enjoy it. Teaching is a very symbiotic relationship — I learn just as much from my students as they learn from me. I’ve taught photography privately and in summer programs since 1989, and I continue to find great fulfillment in helping others learn how to truly see.
For me, photography is an ongoing practice of training the eye — learning to recognize contrast, light, and compositional lines in the most common, everyday settings. Like drawing or painting still life and portraits, photography teaches you to slow down, observe more carefully, and develop discernment. All of it helps you see the world more clearly and thoughtfully.
Q: How do you choose the subjects you plan to shoot?
A: In my commercial, work-for-hire photography, the subject is often given to you along with a clear idea of the look and feel that’s required. That process is very practical and goal oriented.
As an art photographer, where I have the freedom to choose my own subjects, I’m drawn to candid moments and everyday life rather than staged or posed scenes. I’m especially interested in changing perspective. For example, I might kneel to photograph a subject I want to emphasize or elevate my viewpoint when I want a subject to feel more subordinate.
I enjoy working from angles that differ from how we normally see the world. Most of us experience life from roughly four to six feet off the ground with a field of view similar to a 50mm lens. By shifting that perspective — higher, lower, closer, or farther away — photography allows us to see familiar things in a fresh and often more meaningful way.
Q: Tell us about a favorite photograph you’ve taken.
A: Most recently, many of my favorite photographs have been of my dog, Joie. She’s incredibly photogenic and, on most days, genuinely enjoys having her picture taken.
Some of my favorite images of her were taken on a hillside in the late afternoon with the sun behind her creating a soft rim light around her silhouette. Those moments — when light, subject, and timing align naturally — are very special to me. They’re a reminder that some of the most meaningful photographs come from patience, observation, and simply being present.
Q: How do you spend your time when not teaching photography?
A: I spend a considerable amount of time examining the work of other artists including journalistic photography and the cinematography employed in film production. I genuinely enjoy learning — it’s one of the few pleasures you can indulge in that never comes back to bite you.
I also love reading literature, writing stories, drawing, painting, composing music, and playing the piano. Practicing multiple art forms on a regular basis helps you grow across all disciplines. Each creative practice informs the others, deepening your understanding of composition, rhythm, storytelling, and emotional expression.
Q: What advice would you give someone who thinks they can’t take good photos or become a photographer?
A: Learning to take good photographs — or learning any creative skill — is an ongoing process. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The most important thing is to start and keep going.
Technology has made it easier than ever to always have a camera with you. Take advantage of that. Take pictures regularly. Make mental notes — and written notes in a journal — about photographs, paintings, or other artwork that resonate with you. Ask yourself why they appeal to you.
Allow yourself to experience art without immediately judging it. Instead of deciding whether something is “good” or “bad,” simply let it wash over you. The more you observe, reflect, and practice the more your eye will develop — and over time, you’ll begin to see the world in a deeper, more meaningful way.