The Life and Art of Edgar A. Payne is a slide-illustrated lecture on one of the most important California artists. Born in Missouri, Payne was essentially a self-taught artist. He came to Southern California in 1911 and fell in love with the beauty of the landscape. He was one of the first artists to paint in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and became one of the founders and first president of the Laguna Beach Art Association.

The lecture features archival photographs and shows numerous examples of his works. It lasts approximately 45 minutes, with time afterwards for questions and answers.