The 2019 Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is just around the corner! September 14 & 15 mark the days of the celebration. This local festival is an exciting affair that provides entertainment, gallery art, live art demonstrations, and better yet, the chance to purchase art directly from the artists.
Chaparral members are demonstrating in the afternoon at the 29 Palms Art Gallery during both days, and Tami Roleff was accepted into the gallery itself! Congratulation go out to you, Tami!
Chaparral Artists have participated in the celebration and weekend festival in previous years, holding several booths to represent the artists of the organization. Through the management of 'Kids Paint!' tables, live painting demos, and art sales and information sharing at the festival grounds, Chaparral had fun mixing with the fantastic artists and patrons, both local and visiting from afar. One of the most inspiring stories comes from the 2018 festival when a visitor fresh off his adventures at the Burning Man event, visited the booth. He had stories abound from the exciting experiences he collected and was on the lookout for a unique journal to record his stories in. After sharing some beautiful moments with our members, the young man found a Joshua tree wood bound book that fit his needs perfectly.
Chaparral Artists donate their time and experience to create art-items that the organization can sell to raise funds for upcoming art shows and youth painting events. One of these gift items are the journals/books bound by Joshua tree wood pulp blocks that had been donated to the Chaparral Artists in the 60s. Joshua Trees are a protected plant, so the wood that was given is very precious. These woodblocks went unused until Chaparral decided to make something creatively useful of them. Members painted desert scenes on the woodblocks, and blank paper pages were bound with them to create books.
This year, Chaparral Artists will not hold a booth and sell gift item, due to other commitments. However, Chaparral members are representing their organization through demonstration and gallery presentation.
Of the 347 art submissions, from 137 artists around the world, a photograph by Chaparral member Tami Roleff was juried into the gallery exhibition. Such news was terrific because of the prestigious nature of the exhibit - only 57 artists were selected to show their Joshua Tree National Park inspired art.
Demonstrations of painting styles by Jeni Bate, Jennifer Grandi, and Raini Armstrong will be shared during the festival on both days at the 29 Palms Gallery - just a short walk from the festival grounds at the 29 Palms Inn.
Jennifer Grandi will demonstrate her pastel art form on Saturday, September 14.
Raini Armstrong will demonstrate watercolor painting by the creation of night sky scenes on Sunday, September 15, in the morning (10am-1pm).
Jeni Bate will demonstrate her grand mixed media style of painting on Saturday, September 15, in the afternoon (1pm-4pm).
Join our Chaparral members over the weekend to celebrate this year's Joshua Tree Art Expo!