Jonathon Higgins'' discovery of a new medium for his creative expression is a perfect example of pure serendipity. Two years ago, during the El Ni¤o floods, Higgins was renting a house behind a plumbing shop in East Salinas when he realized he had run out of canvases. Desperate, Higgins, who had started painting only a month earlier, began searching for something to paint on and noticed two windows outside that had been discarded from the neighboring plumbing shop after the business was damaged by flood water. He then took the windows inside and spread a colorful mixture of car lacquers and acrylics over his new "canvas."

Higgins brought his glass paintings to his friend Cheryl Watts'' Lilac Fields Gallery after a couple of friends told him they were impressed with the new works. "I sold both of them right away from the gallery," says Higgins, whose first piece sold for $35.

Higgins, who has never taken any art classes, soon learned that his new hobby could be more lucrative than pursuing his other passion, playing music. He simply feels that painting is another medium of expression and that there can be incredible moments in both art forms. "A brush stroke can be like a supreme note," says Higgins who has played with reggae performers Sugar Minot and David Isaacs.

The glass paintings displayed in Lilac Fields Gallery (711 Cannery Row, Monterey) are like abstract stained glass where light helps to accentuate the vivid colors. The paintings are all created from recycled products. "I get the lacquer from automotive shops and the shower doors and windows from glass shops and window shops," says Higgins. "You don''t need the best of the best, you just need to be creative."

Once Higgins gets the materials, then he begins to spread the lacquers on one side of the glass with his hands and a toothpick. "I pour, mix and run; all the ''don''ts'' of painting, I do," says Higgins. When he has completed the painting, he flips the piece around so that the part on display has a glossy, finished look.

The artist also delivers and mounts his work for local purchasers. "They give me a spot and I do all of the mounting myself and then I sign it cause my canvas can go in any way (horizontal or vertical)," says Higgins.

Higgins also shows his works at the City Art Gallery in San Francisco and he has sold pieces to people all over the country. "I''ve sold them to people from New York, San Diego, Sacramento and a lady from Singapore," he says.

The painter credits Watts and the other artists of Lilac Fields Gallery as being supportive influences. "Without being around them, I don''t know how far I would have taken it," says Higgins.

Higgins plans to have a show next month at Lilac Fields and he also wants to create a work for his neighbors in Salinas. "My goal is to get into murals in East Salinas because that''s where the people are," he says. cw

Art Events

Arts Habitat Conference Creating Places for Creating Art. Special Event. Conference designed to help artists "create the space they need for their career in the arts." Speakers include city and county officials discussing zoning, health and other issues; and financial advisors. Keynote speaker is Gyongy Laky, a professor in the Department of Environmental Design at UC Davis. Reservations advised. Community Room at the Crossroads Shopping Center, Highway 1 and Rio Road, Carmel. 626-6959, 375-6165. Saturday, 5/22, 8:30am-3pm. Through: 5/22.

Carpenter Hall My Life and Times in Carmel. Lecture. Talk by photographer/theater director Cole Weston. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street and 8th Avenue, Carmel. 624-2811. Lecture: 5/24, 7pm.

Center for Photographic Art Two Views. Opening Reception. Father and son exhibit featuring photographs by black-and-white photographer Paul Caponigro and his son John Paul Caponigro, who works digitally. In the Sunset Cultural Center, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. 625-5181. Reception: 5/24, 6:30pm. Through: 6/25.

Hartnell Seminar Gallery Aerial Views: Interpretations in Stoneware. Opening Reception. "Geometric and organic shapes in clay interconnected to give the impression of cityscapes and landscapes" by Alexandra Thompson. Visual Arts Building, 156 Homestead Ave., Salinas. 755-6791. Reception: 5/24, 6-8pm. Through: 5/28.

Martin LaBorde Gallery Sac (asa-ki-waki). Opening Reception. Wood sculpture by James Wolfenden. Also a sound installation preview of the Big Sur Experimental Music Festival (scheduled for Memorial Day weekend). 6th Avenue, between Lincoln and Dolores streets, Carmel. 620-1150. Reception: 5/21, 2-9pm. Through: 5/30.

Monterey Museum of Art--La Mirada Art in the Garden: Celebrating the Spirit of Early Monterey. Special Event. Artists from the advanced painting class at Monterey Peninsula College spend the day painting in the La Mirada garden. Paintings will be sold as a fundraiser for the museum. At 2:30pm, historian J.S. Holliday speaks on "Monterey and California: The Impact of the Gold Rush." Admission: $10; with lunch, $35. 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. 372-5477. Sunday, 11am-5pm.

Pacific Grove Art Center Intact and Upright. Opening Reception. Paintings by Kent Alexander; A View of Life, paintings by Barbara Reding; BioMorphs 3D, photographs by Steve Aubrey; woodcuts by Andrea Rich. 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-2208. Reception: 5/21, 7pm. Through: 6/18.

Peninsula Potters Back to Basics. Opening Reception. Original handmade, functional pottery by local collective. 2078 Sunset Dr., Pacific Grove. 372-8867. Reception: 5/22, 3pm. Through: 6/30.

Sunset Center Demonstration. Elizabeth Williams demonstrates her acrylic technique; special showcase by watercolorist Howard Sitton. San Carlos Street and 8th Avenue, Carmel. 372-2841. Monday, 7:30pm.

Art Listings

Alvarado Gallery Seldom Seen. Exhibit. Paintings by Evelyn M. McCormick of unique Monterey County buildings. In the Monterey Conference Center, #1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. 646-3858. Through: 6/21.

Ansel Adams Gallery From Dye Transfer to Digital--An Evolution in Color Printing. Exhibit. Photographs and prints by Charles Cramer using high tech digital-imaging techniques. The Inn at Spanish Bay, 2700 17 Mile Dr., Pebble Beach. 375-7215. Through: 6/15.

Back Porch Fabrics

Straight from the Right. Exhibit. Quilts created by Regina Liske. 157 Grand Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-4453. Through: 6/24.

Carl Cherry Center Traveling. Opening Reception. Twenty-five paintings by Lisa Esherick that explore "real and imagined scenes from journeys." 4th Avenue and Guadalupe Street, Carmel. 624-7491. Through: 6/18.

Carmel Art Association Rip Matteson''s Joy of Life. Exhibit. Oil paintings celebrating the female form by Rip Matteson. Also "Our Four Cartoonists," works by CAA members Eldon Dedini, Bill Bates, Gus Arriola and Rip Matteson, and sculptures by Ken Wiese. Dolores Street, between 5th and 6th avenues, Carmel. 624-6176. Through: 6/2.

Fireside Lobby Henry Gilpin. Exhibit. Silver gelatin prints by noted photographer Henry Gilpin. At the Highlands Inn, Highway 1, Carmel. 624-3801. Through: 6/15.

Galeria Tonantzin Las Latinas. Works by prominent Latina artists. Also, solo exhibition of paintings by Lucinda Taylor. 115 3rd St., San Juan Bautista. (408) 623-ARTE. Through: 5/30.

Gray''s Art Gallery Just Us. Exhibit. New works by regular exhibitors Sandra Gray, Colleen Lingenfelter, Angelo Buffone, Jimi Claybrooks, Rick Smith and Mona Burk. 1104 Broadway Ave., Suite J, Seaside. 899-1069. Through: 5/29.

Grove Homescapes Spring Flower Art Show. Exhibit. Grove Homescapes presents a two-month tribute to spring with floral arrangements and cut flowers, as well as paintings and photographs that depict flowers. 472 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 656-0864. Through: 5/31.

Hartnell Seminar Gallery Pleasures Realized. Opening Reception. Works in ceramic by Jack Rhodes. Also, "Organic Forms," ceramics by Marlo Johansen. In the Visual Arts Building, 156 Homestead Ave., Salinas. 755-6791. Through: 5/21.

Monterey Museum of Art--Civic Center Art Ambassador Youth Program. 559 Pacific St., Monterey. 372-5477. Through: 5/31.

Monterey Museum of Art--La Mirada Colorful Expressions. Exhibit. Landscape paintings by Andr‚s Morillo, including scenes of the Monterey area. Also "An Intimate View: Photographs by David J. Gubernick," nature photographs. 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. 372-3689. Through: 6/27.

Monterey Peninsula Airport Main Streets of Monterey County and Footprints of History. Exhibit. Antique photographs, personal recollections and memorabilia chronicling the history and transformation of local main streets. 200 Fred Kane Dr., Monterey. 624-7910. Through: 9/30.

MPC Art Dept. Gallery Breaking Ground. Exhibit. Ceramic, sculpture and stone carving by Monterey Peninsula College students. At Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. 646-4000. Through: 5/28.

National Steinbeck Center Ruckus Rodeo. Exhibit. A walk-through, "sculpto-pictorama which brings to life the excitement of a modern rodeo." Created by Red Grooms, the exhibit will fill the entire gallery space with sculptures and paintings. 1 Main St., Salinas. 796-3833. Through: 7/18.

Pajaro Valley Gallery Surf''s Up! Exhibit. Works by local surfers/artists. 37 Sudden St., Watsonville. 722-3062. Through: 6/12.

PG Museum of Natural History Out of the Tidepools. Exhibit. Works, including never-before-published photographs and letters, that chronicle the real life Ed "Doc" Ricketts. 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 648-3116. Through: 6/30.

PG Museum of Natural History Landforms. Exhibit. Photographs by Joe Hertzbach that "define his vision of the world: intricate textures, shapes, and shades." 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 648-3116. Through: 7/4.

Searle''s Art Supplies Exhibit. Alternative processing and mixed-media photography by Jenny Ruley. 639 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 373-0126. Through: 5/29.

Seaside City Hall

Opening Reception. Works in many media by Elizabeth Palmer''s Class of Contemporary Senior Artists and The Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild. 440 Harcourt St., Seaside. 899-6270. Through: 5/28.

Valley Art Gallery Images of Steinbeck Country. Exhibit. Photographs by John Skinnner. 218 Main St., Salinas. 422-4162. Through: 5/23.

Vest Pocket Gallery One of a Kind. Exhibit. Floral collages made by Carmen DiPietro from freeze-dried flowers and foliage. In the Forest Hill Manor, 551 Gibson St., Pacific Grove. 657-5200. Through: 5/31.

Weston Gallery Exhibit. Works by contemporary photographers including Paul Kozal, Rod Dresser, Tom Hawkins, Tom Baril and others. 6th Avenue, between Dolores and Lincoln streets, Carmel. 624-4453. Through: 5/30.

Zantman Galleries Opening Reception. Recent works in oil by Ted Goerschner. 6th Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel. 624-8314. Through: 6/11.

Theater

Theater Briefs

Broadway Bound Thursday, 7pm; Friday & Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 2pm. Comedy. The third and last play of Neil Simon''s autobiographical trilogy, Broadway Bound continues where Biloxi Blues left off, with Eugene (James Affinito) and his brother Stanley (Henry Guevara) tackling their family''s break-up and their first forays into the world of professional comedy writing. Peter deBono directs several returning cast members from an earlier MPC production in a play that typifies Simon''s warm, gently humorous style. $3/general, free to students with ID. Monterey Peninsula College Main Stage, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. $11/General; $5/Children; $8/Seniors. 646-4213. Through: 5/30.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Melodrama. The Troupers of the Gold Coast tackle this favorite 19th-century figure of pride and madness, immortalized in the Robert Louis Stevenson novel and put into theatrical form by Luella Forpaugh and George Fish. Kevin Hanstick plays the title role, the doctor with dual personalities whose scientific experiments lead him to the dark side of his own soul. Bring the kids--all First Theater shows are geared for the entire family. An olio revue follows, as usual. California''s First Theater, Scott and Pacific streets, Monterey. $10/General; $5/Children; $8/Seniors. 375-4916. Through: 5/31.

A Life In The Theater Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm. Drama. Unicorn Theatre tackles David Mamet''s penetrating look at the psychology of back-stage theater life, explored through the evolving relationship between an aging leading man and the young proteg‚ who first follows in his footsteps, and then begins to overtake him. Robert Colter and Michael Baker star. Adult content, as is usual from Mamet. The Hoffman Playhouse, 320 Hoffman Ave., Monterey. $15/General; $/Children; $12/Seniors. 649-0259. Through: 5/23.

Puff the Magic Dragon Saturday at 2 and 4pm, Sunday at 1 and 3pm. Children. The Unicorn Theatre''s Family Fantasy troupe reprises its fall production of Puff, the dragon who lives in a land called Hanalei, and the little boy who first loves and then outgrows him. Plenty of songs in this afternoon show designed to delight the kiddies. The Hoffman Playhouse, 320 Hoffman Ave., Monterey. $5/General; $5/Children; $5/Seniors. 649-0259. Through: 5/23.

Auditions

Submissions Wanted. Deadline: Friday, 5/21. Today''s the deadline for local playwrights to submit samples to be considered for the Carmel Performing Arts Festival brunch reading series. Submissions can be 10-minute one-act or full-length plays. Limit is three submissions per author. Send two copies along with a one-paragraph synopsis. Carmel Performing Arts Festival Reading Series, P.O. Box 221473, Carmel, CA 93921. 655-9548.