LagunaART.com
From an Idea in 2004 to a New Era in 2026
More Than 20 Years Connecting Artists, Galleries, Collectors & the Art World
LagunaART.com began in 2004 with a simple idea: bring artists and collectors together through inspiration, creativity, relationships, and access.
Long before social media became the center of the art world, LagunaART.com envisioned a platform where artists could be discovered, collectors could find work they connected with, galleries could expand their reach, and the many different people who make the art world function could come together under one name.
What started as an idea in Laguna Beach grew into something much larger.
Over the past two decades, LagunaART.com has evolved through technology, galleries, exhibitions, events, artist representation, marketing, art sales, installation, design, publishing, and countless relationships built throughout Laguna Beach, Orange County, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, New York and beyond.
And on September 1, 2026, LagunaART.com begins its next chapter.
THE BEGINNING — 2004
LagunaART.com was founded in 2004 by artist, curator and entrepreneur Shane Townley, he was 30 years old at the time.
The original concept was based on something Shane had already experienced firsthand as an artist: creating great artwork was only one part of building a career.
Artists needed exposure.
They needed collectors.
They needed galleries.
They needed marketing.
They needed someone who understood how to present their work professionally, tell their story and put the artwork in front of the right people.
At the same time, collectors often needed guidance navigating an art world that could feel intimidating and inaccessible.
LagunaART.com was conceived as the bridge between those worlds.
Not simply a gallery.
Not simply a website.
An art group built around relationships.
FROM AN IDEA TO A DIGITAL ART PLATFORM
By 2009, the original concept became a reality through the launch of the LagunaART.com website and iPhone app.
This was a period when the relationship between art and technology was changing rapidly.
LagunaART.com embraced that change early.
The platform helped introduce artists and their work to a larger audience while creating a digital connection between artists, galleries and collectors.
But technology was never intended to replace the personal side of the art business.
It was meant to strengthen it.
Behind the website were real artists, real exhibitions, real collectors, real conversations and real relationships.
Those relationships became one of LagunaART.com's greatest assets.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS THAT TAKE YEARS TO CREATE
The art business is built on trust.
A collector may purchase from the same gallery for decades. A gallery may follow an artist's development for years before offering representation. Designers and consultants build trusted networks of installers, framers, appraisers, fabricators and galleries over an entire career.
There is no shortcut to those relationships.
LagunaART.com has spent more than 20 years building them.
We have worked with artists at different stages of their careers, collectors building private collections, galleries seeking new artists, designers sourcing artwork for clients, and professionals throughout the art industry.
Today, those relationships form the foundation of what LagunaART.com is becoming.
THE PHYSICAL GALLERY YEARS — 2017–2026
From 2017 through 2026, LagunaART.com expanded from a digital platform into a significant physical gallery presence in Orange County.
In 2017, LagunaART.com opened its first physical gallery in Laguna Beach at 305 North Coast Highway, adjacent to the Laguna Art Museum. The gallery operated there from 2017 through 2020, exhibiting and promoting contemporary artists in the heart of Laguna Beach’s historic art community.
In 2020, the physical Laguna Beach location closed as tourism and gallery traffic declined. Throughout that period, however, LagunaART.com continued its mission online through virtual exhibitions, artist promotion, digital marketing, and its growing network of artists and collectors.
At the beginning of 2021, LagunaART.com entered an entirely new phase with the opening of LagunaART.com Gallery at The Shops at Mission Viejo. The gallery occupied approximately 8,500 square feet, near Nordstrom and the Apple Store, making it one of the largest contemporary art gallery spaces in Orange County at the time.
The expansive location allowed LagunaART.com to produce large-scale exhibitions, monthly group and solo shows, live music, special events, and cultural programming while representing and introducing the work of numerous artists to collectors throughout Southern California.
Rather than functioning as a traditional gallery representing only a small roster of artists, LagunaART.com continued exploring the larger idea behind the organization: creating opportunities for artists while introducing the public to a constantly changing range of artwork and creative experiences.
Group exhibitions and solo exhibitions brought new work into the gallery throughout the years.
The physical gallery also provided invaluable experience in every side of operating a large contemporary art space—from curation and installation to marketing, storage, events, sales, logistics and collector relations.
That chapter ultimately reinforced something LagunaART.com had understood from the beginning:
The future of the art world is not defined by four walls.
It is defined by connections.
FROM A GALLERY TO AN ART NETWORK
Today, LagunaART.com is evolving again.
Instead of operating simply as one traditional gallery, LagunaART.com is becoming a full-service art network connecting the people who create art, sell art, collect art and design spaces around art.
We work with four primary communities:
Artists. Galleries. Collectors. Interior Designers.
Each needs something different.
LagunaART.com is being built to connect them.
FOR ARTISTS
Artists are where everything begins.
LagunaART.com works to give selected artists access to opportunities, presentation, marketing and professional services that can be difficult to build independently.
Artist Features
We feature selected artists and their work through LagunaART.com and our social media platforms, introducing their work and stories to new audiences.
Artist Representation
For selected artists, LagunaART.com can provide ongoing representation and help develop relationships with galleries, collectors, designers and other potential buyers.
Gallery Placement
Finding the right gallery is about much more than sending an email with a portfolio.
We help connect appropriate artists with galleries and art spaces within our established network.
Collector Placement
Certain artworks may be presented directly to collectors whose interests align with the artist's work.
Social Media Marketing
We help artists present themselves professionally through social media campaigns, artist features, exhibition announcements and promotional content.
Artist Websites & Web Development
An artist's website should function as their digital gallery.
We can assist with artist websites, portfolios, presentation and online positioning.
Graphic Design & Printing
LagunaART.com offers design and production services including:
- Artist brochures
- Exhibition catalogs
- Business cards
- Flyers
- Posters
- Invitations
- Promotional materials
- Digital advertising graphics
- Social media campaigns
Custom Artist Canvases & Wood Panels
Artists often need sizes and proportions unavailable through standard art-supply stores.
We can coordinate custom-size canvases and custom wood painting panels, allowing artists to create work around their vision rather than around commercially available dimensions.
Custom Framing
Through our art-industry network, we can assist artists with custom framing and presentation solutions appropriate for exhibitions, galleries and collectors.
Art Delivery & Installation
When artwork sells, getting it safely to the collector is part of the experience.
LagunaART.com provides professional art transportation and installation services using our high-roof Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, allowing us to accommodate larger artworks while providing careful handling throughout Southern California.
Art Scanning, Documentation & Reproduction
We can help artists coordinate professional artwork documentation, scanning, photography and reproduction services, including specialized fabrication and 3D-printing-related projects when appropriate.
FOR GALLERIES
LagunaART.com understands galleries because we have operated galleries ourselves.
We understand the challenges of finding artists, reaching collectors, promoting exhibitions, transporting artwork and constantly creating new reasons for people to visit.
Our goal is not to compete with galleries.
Our goal is to support them.
Gallery Features & Editorial Write-Ups
LagunaART.com can feature galleries, exhibitions and artists through editorial stories and social media.
Exhibition Promotion
We can help promote openings, exhibitions, artist talks, special events and gallery programming.
Artist Discovery
Through our network, galleries can discover artists who may be appropriate for future exhibitions or representation.
Email Marketing
Gallery exhibitions and events can be introduced to our network, including an email audience of more than 20,000 art collectors and art enthusiasts.
Social Media Marketing
We create promotional campaigns designed to bring attention to galleries, exhibitions and artists.
Graphic Design & Printing
We can design and coordinate printing for:
- Exhibition invitations
- Artist cards
- Brochures
- Catalogs
- Posters
- Window graphics
- Promotional materials
- Digital campaigns
Art Transportation & Installation
Our art delivery service allows galleries to coordinate artwork pickups, collector deliveries and installations throughout Southern California.
Art Trials & Home Shows
Sometimes a collector needs to see a painting in their own environment before making the final decision.
LagunaART.com can help coordinate in-home art trials and private home shows, providing galleries with an additional tool for closing important sales.
FOR ART COLLECTORS
Buying art should be exciting.
Owning it should be enjoyable.
Managing a collection should not become overwhelming.
LagunaART.com assists collectors before, during and long after an artwork is purchased.
Art Consulting
We help collectors discover artwork based on their interests, space, collection and budget.
Because we work across galleries and artists rather than being limited to one inventory, we can approach collecting from a broader perspective.
Private Art Trials
Seeing an artwork in a gallery is different from seeing it in your own home.
We can coordinate art trials, allowing selected artwork to be temporarily placed in a collector's residence before a purchase decision is made.
Private Home Shows
For collectors who prefer privacy, we can coordinate personalized art presentations and private home shows.
Fine Art Delivery
Artwork can be professionally transported using our high-roof Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.
Professional Art Installation
We can assist with positioning, hanging and installing artwork so the presentation works with the architecture, furniture, lighting and scale of the room.
Certified Fine Art Appraisals
Collectors sometimes need professional valuations for:
- Insurance
- Estate planning
- Donations
- Divorce
- Resale
- Collection management
- General documentation
LagunaART.com can connect collectors with a Certified Fine Art Appraiser in Orange County when a formal independent appraisal is required.
Collection Organization
As collections grow, documentation becomes increasingly important.
We can help collectors organize artwork information including artists, titles, dimensions, purchase information, photographs and related records.
Storage Recommendations
For works that are not currently displayed, we can help recommend appropriate storage and handling solutions.
Resales & the Secondary Art Market
Eventually, a collector may decide to sell something they once purchased.
That can be one of the most difficult parts of collecting.
The secondary art market depends heavily on relationships with galleries, dealers, collectors, auction houses and consignment specialists.
Those relationships can take years to build. We have already done that work for you.
LagunaART.com helps collectors identify potential resale opportunities and can align appropriate artwork with galleries and consignment channels specializing in the secondary market.
We charge a small service fee and, in some situations, a commission when the artwork sells. The gallery or dealer ultimately selling the artwork may also charge its own commission.
Our role is to help collectors navigate that process intelligently and professionally.
FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Interior designers frequently need something that cannot simply be ordered from a catalog:
the right artwork.
LagunaART.com gives designers access to artists, galleries, fabrication services and art-industry resources through one network.
Art Sourcing
Tell us the scale, style, environment and budget.
We can help identify artwork appropriate for residential, hospitality or commercial projects.
Commissioned Artwork
For projects requiring something specific, we can help connect designers with artists capable of creating commissioned work.
Custom-Sized Artwork
Architectural spaces do not always accommodate standard artwork dimensions.
Through our artist and fabrication network, custom canvases and wood panels can be produced for site-specific commissions.
Framing
We can coordinate custom framing appropriate for the artwork and interior.
Delivery & Installation
Once the artwork is selected, LagunaART.com can coordinate transportation and installation—eliminating another vendor from the designer's project-management list.
Art Trials
Designers can arrange to have selected works viewed within a client's residence before making a final commitment.
Collector & Gallery Access
Our relationships with galleries, artists and collectors allow designers to source beyond what is available through conventional retail channels.
ONE ART NETWORK. MANY SERVICES.
Today LagunaART.com brings together services that are normally scattered across many different businesses.
Our growing network includes:
Artist Representation • Art Consulting • Gallery Placement • Collector Placement • Art Sales • Secondary Market & Resales • Certified Fine Art Appraiser Referrals • Art Delivery • White Glove Installation • Art Trials • Private Home Shows • Custom Framing • Custom Canvases • Custom Wood Panels • Art Scanning • Artwork Documentation • 3D Printing & Fabrication Resources • Graphic Design • Brochures • Business Cards • Flyers • Posters • Exhibition Promotion • Social Media Marketing • Email Marketing • Artist Websites • Web Development • Collection Organization • Art Storage Recommendations • Interior Designer Art Sourcing • Commissioned Artwork
And we continue to expand.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
THE NEW LAGUNAART.COM
After more than two decades of evolution, LagunaART.com officially enters its next era on September 1, 2026.
The launch introduces a new LagunaART.com, a new design, an expanded team and an expanded vision for what an art organization can be.
The new platform brings together the lessons learned from more than twenty years of working in art, technology, galleries, exhibitions, marketing and collector services.
It reflects where the art world is going rather than where it has been.
Instead of asking people to come to one gallery, LagunaART.com brings the art world to them.
Artists gain access to collectors, galleries, marketing and professional services.
Galleries gain exposure, artists, collectors and logistical support.
Collectors gain access, guidance and services throughout the entire life of their collection.
Interior designers gain a trusted art resource capable of helping source, commission, deliver and install artwork.
Behind all of it is a new team working together to combine experience in art, curation, design, marketing, technology, logistics and collector relations.
THE ART WORLD IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS
Technology has changed dramatically since LagunaART.com was conceived in 2004.
Websites changed.
Apps changed.
Social media changed.
The way people discover and purchase art changed.
But one thing never did.
The art world is still built on relationships.
Relationships between an artist and a gallery.
Between a gallery and a collector.
Between a designer and a client.
Between an artwork and the person who decides they cannot live without it.
For more than 20 years, LagunaART.com has been building those relationships.
Now we are putting them all to work in one place.
A New Chapter Begins September 1, 2026.
LAGUNAART.com
ARTISTS • GALLERIES • COLLECTORS • DESIGNERS
Art. Connections. Experience.
