Tonight’s JT Art Walk features new “Walker’s Wipeout” store and gallery
The Joshua Tree Art Walk will be taking place this Saturday at participating galleries in downtown Joshua Tree, including a new space from local artist Walker Mettling. Reporter Gabriel Hart takes a closer look at the openings at participating galleries, along with a chat with Mettling about his new store.
Comic, woodcut, and risograph artist and creative drawing instructor Walker Mettling will host the grand opening of his store and gallery Walker’s Wipeout this Saturday in Joshua Tree. Hailing from Providence, RI, Walker says the name of his store was taken from an 18+ comic newspaper he published back east called The Providence Sunday Wipeout. At the opening of his new store, Walker’s Wipeout, he’ll be exhibiting his own multimedia work of absurdist neon comic dread, and he’ll eventually host other artists in months to come.
“I was already plugged into The Sun Spot art co-op that was there, so I was already kind of embedded in the Art Queen, and a space opened up and I was like, ‘Oh it would be great to grab it!’ I’m just going to set up for this first show and that’s going to be just me. I’m going to fill the cavernous causeway there with fluorescent flowers and bubble skulls and stuff for this first second Saturday, but I will have other artists in the future have little art shows on the outside of the space. On the inside of the space, I’m going to have prints, my annual calendar, lots of comics, and lots of drawing game books. I host drawing night every Tuesday at 29 Palms Beer Co. from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every week.”
Hey There Projects presents “Sous les etoiles,” featuring Sofia Badaoui and Laura Cooper. Opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. celebrating the return of these two artists utilizing applied-art traditions to explore their respective response to the natural world.
La Matadora presents “Fairytales & Fanciful Creatures” group show, featuring Joe Alvarez, Steffi Sutton, and Carmen Abelleira. Opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Coyote Little presents the group show “Don’t Get It Twisted,” with threads, fibers, knots, and tangles coming to life, featuring fifteen desert-based textile and fiber artists. With live music on the Art Queen stage by Lee Scott and Joe Garcia.The Beatnik Lounge presents the “Like A Dog: A Look at Selective Compassion” group show curated by Janice Taitel, exploring the ways empathy is often unevenly distributed across humans, animals, and causes. Opening reception from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
