La Quinta Civic Center Campus, La Quinta, CA
November 11-14
Tom Boatright, Wild Power, oil, 5 x 6 feet.
Picture yourself, champagne in hand, strolling leisurely through an alluring desert park dotted with palm trees. A glistening lake sparkles under the vivid skies of California’s Coachella Valley. Circling the lake are white-canopied art booths—curated miniature outdoor galleries—at which you’re greeted warmly by the artists themselves. Live music wafts through the air as you linger over a work and chat one-on-one about the creative process behind it.
La Quinta Art Celebration isn’t your standard outdoor art show. It brings together a winning trifecta of upscale visual, performing, and culinary arts in one premier event on November 11-14. “What makes this event so unique is that it catches people unawares,” says event director Kathleen Hughes. “People come for the day, and then, before they leave, they say they need to come back the next to fully experience everything.” A VIP atmosphere permeates the juried event, which features 200 fine artists, from 32 states and five countries, with styles ranging from classical to whimsical. “It’s called a Celebration for a reason,” Hughes says.
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- Erin Hanson, Palm Sky, oil, 40 x 40.
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- Douglas and Renée Sigwarth, Watercolor Hot Palette Vase, glass, 18 x 9 x 9.
- Melissa Gates, Cheetah, acrylic, 36 x 24.
Originally slated for March 2021, the show was at risk of cancellation because of the pandemic; it was postponed until the fall in the hopes that public-health concerns would be lower. This year’s dates take advantage of the long Veterans Day holiday weekend, with adjusted hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In 2022, the Celebration returns to its early spring time frame of March 3-6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
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- Catherine Haller, California Dreaming, oil, 40 x 40.
- Sean Lim, Ringed Amphora, recycled corrugated cardboard, 30 x 18 x 18.
- George Jones, Where’s My Apple?, oil, 5 x 4 feet.
The rigorous jury selection ensures a high caliber of exhibited art, Hughes notes. “We’re proud of our jury process, which features three award-winning jury artists per category,” she says. The 12 categories, including painting, sculpture, and drawing and pastel, offer enticing works to captivate the taste of every patron. Painters Erin Hanson, Brian Murphy, Tom Boatright, Catherine Haller, George Jones, Melissa Gates, and Robert Ferguson, among others, are on hand, as are artists Sean Lim, Crystal Lockwood, Douglas and Renée Sigwarth, and Eri Sugimoto. Popular bronze sculptor Jim Budish returns after a five-year hiatus during which he focused on gallery work. –Beth Williams
contact information
760.628.7770
www.laquintaartcelebration.org
This story appeared in the October/November 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.