Show Preview | La Quinta Arts Festival

La Quinta, CA
Civic Center Park, March 3-6

Fred Petermann, Motherly Love, photograph, 36 x 48.

This story was featured in the March 2016 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art March 2016 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

Many people think of the resort town of La Quinta as a leading golf destination, but the picturesque desert locale is also fast gaining a reputation as home to one of the best art festivals in the country. For three consecutive years, the Art Fair Sourcebook has ranked the La Quinta Arts Festival as its number-one event. This year’s festival takes place March 3-6 in Civic Center Park. “Art lovers and collectors are certain to uncover remarkable treasures—a stunning glass piece, a one-of-a-kind necklace, or an impressive painting or sculpture,” says Kathleen Hughes, events manager. “All of the artwork is a true showcase of superior artistry.”

Every year the juried event presents a featured artist, and the 2016 spotlight falls on Trés Taylor, a mixed-media artist who hails from Alabama. Taylor is known for his whimsical works created on the unconventional medium of tar paper. For him the beauty of tar paper is that the surface is durable enough to carve images into without carving all the way through the paper. This quality allows Taylor to create lines with “a certain kind of flow. It’s a little bit like ballet,” he says. “The lines that I like to create are always a result of a fast, flowing kind of motion.”

Trés Taylor, The Answer, mixed media, 58 x 58.

Although his works convey a sense of wit and whimsy, the paintings are also about spiritual seeking, love, and peace. And they often bear intriguing titles that suggest those themes, such as REVOLUTION OF JOY, MUSIC OF SILENCE, and SACRED CHORD

Jason Napier, a bronze sculptor and 12-year veteran of the show, says there are many things that make the festival special, in his opinion. Among them is the location. La Quinta is surrounded on three sides by the dramatic Coachella Mountains, which, Napier says, “kick-starts a wonderful atmosphere” for visitors. “And as patrons make their way through the gate, you can see their excitement level climb as they also witness the quality of the art, which is absolutely superior in all media,” Napier says. “It’s a direct reflection of the jurors’ skills and consideration.” —Bonnie Gangelhoff

contact information
760.564.1244
www.lqaf.com

Featured in the March 2016 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art March 2016 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.