The Joshua Tree Residential Education Experience – or JTREE – is displaying a collaborative solar printing project led by the national park partner and Mojave Light Studio. The walls of the City of 29 Palms Visitor Center and Freedom Plaza Community Center will have the artwork on display through late March.
It’s created by Oasis Elementary students working with Mojave Light Studio owner Diana Shay Diehl who used cyanotype chemistry to guide the students through making solar prints – aka cameraless photography – using found objects and the chemical technique developed in the early 1800’s. The art project is part of an outdoor education experience for the students called “Adventure is Calling Oasis Elementary” that has been going since October of last year.
4th through 6th graders have a series of lessons and explorations both in the classroom and the national park. The program is funded through a State of California Parks & Recreations grant as well as a Public Arts Advisory Committee grant award.
The public is invited to stop by the 29 Palms locations to view the student artworks. The 29 Palms Visitors Center is open Mon-Fri 10 am to 4 pm and Sat-Sun 10 am to 3 pm. The 29 Palms Community Center is in Freedom Plaza behind the Joshua Tree National Park Visitors Center. They’re open Mon-Fri 11 am to 4:30 pm. For questions and more information about JTREE and “Adventure is Calling Oasis Elementary”, visit www.JTreeOutdoorEd.org.
