Half of the 58 artists selected to display their artwork in the juried Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition in September are local residents. A panel of five jurors met Saturday and selected the art to be displayed from 310 images submitted by 121 artists. Artwork includes oil, acrylic, and
watercolor paintings, pastels, mixed media, photography, and three-dimensional pieces. Twentynine Palms artists selected are for the show Chuck Caplinger, Elisabeth Pollnow, Mark Spangenberg, Lisa Manifold and Thien Weslie. Yucca Valley artists are Hannah Campbell, John Henson, Deane Locke, Dallas Rayburn, Travis Usher, David Clements, Daniel Lee, Terrence Mayes, and Marjorie Trandem. Joshua Tree artists include Raini Armstrong, Douglas Blanc, Marcia Geiger, Alane Levinsohn, Doug Dolde, Marilyn McFarlin, Kathy Miller, Mitch Miller, Kevin Powell, and Jim Smart. Morongo Valley artists are Kristin Czech and Tami Wood. Artists from the low desert are Robert Miramontes of Desert Hot Springs and Larry Hemmerich of Palm Springs.
Other California artists are: Robert Arnett of Glendora (and Twentynine Palms); Jane Culp of Anza; Lee Edwards of Duarte; Eric Fei Guan of Walnut; Michael E. Gordon of Lakewood; Kai Gradert of Emeryville; Paul Gronner of Los Angeles; James Hammons of Sugarloaf; Terry Houseworth of Tustin; Elise Hunt of Laguna Niguel; Caroline PM Jones of Culver City; Kathy Kleinsteiber of San Jose; Lezlie Kussin of Granada Hills; Angel LaCanfora of Torrance; Joan Lamensdorf of Pasadena; Julia Lippincott of San Diego; Chip Morton of Menifee; Brandon O’Neil of No. Hollywood; Miroslav Peric of Sherman Oaks; Karchi Perlmann of Los Angeles; Alana Rios of Oakland; Mark Robben of Rancho Palos Verdes; W Jason Situ of El Monte; Jeff Skelly of Sunland; Kathleen Strukoff of San Juan Capistrano; Donna Todd of Valley Glen; and Brice Weaver of Lakeside.
Out-of-state artists selected were: Chin J. Banham of Las Vegas, Nevada; Lester Blum of New York City; and Naomi Brown of Queen Creek, Arizona.
One piece of art from each of the 58 artists will be displayed in the juried exhibition at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery from September 1 to 30. The public is invited to a gala awards reception at the gallery on Saturday, September 15, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Art Exposition weekend celebration is set for Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16, and will include an art market with artist booths, music, food and beverages on the lawn at 29 Palms Inn; art demonstrations and the exhibition at 29 Palms Art Gallery; an art project at 29 Palms Creative Center; ranger talks at the park’s Oasis Visitor Center; nature walks at the Oasis of Mara; and other activities throughout the weekend. All events are free.
Jurors for the juried exhibition, working with facilitator John Cole and artist liaison Vickie Waite, were: artist and art instructor Penelope Benson-Wright of Twentynine Palms; artist Bobby Furst of Joshua Tree; artist Daniel Hogan of Yucca Valley; photographer and cinematographer Casey Kiernan of Joshua Tree Workshops and Timelapse Film Festival; and Michael McCall of Yucca Valley Visual and Performing Arts Center.
