From joyful clown dances to drumbeats made of salvaged scrap, students across the Morongo Basin show off their creative chops in “Brushes, Beats and Beyond,” a new exhibition by Groundwork Arts.
The show, currently on view at the 29 Palms Visitor Center and Joshua Tree National Park’s Black Rock Art Gallery, features artwork by students from 11 local elementary schools who participated in Groundwork’s After School Artist Workshops.
Each Wednesday, classrooms became playgrounds of experimentation, led by 15 professional artists in music, movement, design, and the visual arts. Kids explore everything from puppet-making and indigo dyeing to game-board creation and abstract painting.
Rhonda Lane Coleman, Director of Groundwork Arts, says, “This exhibition is more than a showcase—it’s a testament to what happens when students are trusted as creators. Their work is raw, joyful, and full of heart. It’s everything art should be.”
The two-site exhibition runs through the spring and summer. The opening reception is on April 17 at the Black Rock Art Gallery in Yucca Valley.
For Groundwork Arts, it’s not just about teaching skills—it’s about giving kids the space to be bold, messy, and fully themselves.
Exhibition dates:
- City of 29 Palms Visitor Center: April 10, 2025 – June (TBD) / 73484 Twentynine Palms Hwy, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. The building is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hours are subject to change.
- JTNP Black Rock Art Gallery: April 17, 2025 – September (TBD) / 9800 Black Rock Canyon Rd, Yucca Valley, CA 92284. The building is open 7 days/week, 8 to 11 a.m. and 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
- Summer hours start on June 1, and they Run from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday. However, Hours are subject to change.
