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Contact / Email: Vickie Waite, Project Coordinator & Artist Liaison
JTNP Council for the Arts
P.O. Box 1755, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Recent Media Releases
MEDIA RELEASE: NOVEMBER 7, 2021
AWARDS Announced for Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo 2021
Awards for the ninth annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo were announced on Saturday, Nov. 6, during a reception at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery.
Sixty artists from the desert region and across California and the United States are featured in the juried exhibition, which is on display at the gallery through November 28 and features artwork depicting or inspired by Joshua Tree National Park.
Eleven artists received awards for their artwork, with awards totaling $4,000.
In the 2-Dimensional category, first place went to “Oasis of Mara Evening Display” by Naomi Brown of Queen Creek, Arizona. Second place was “The Garden in Early Fall,” an oil painting by Christine White of Redlands. Third place went to Kristin Czech of Morongo Valley for her oil on canvas titled “Tourists.”
For 3-Dimensional art, first place was “Coyote Friend,” a sculpture by Robin Raznick of La Quinta. Second place went to “Agave Sunshine,” an assemblage by Julia Briest of Desert Hot Springs. Third place was “Snake Pit,” an acrylic and carved wood panel by Ehrick Wright of Rancho Mirage.
In the Photography category, first place went to “Ghostwater” by John Van Vliet of Kingman, Arizona. Second place went to “Untracked” by Mitch Miller of Joshua Tree. Third place went to “Catch the Wave” by Mark Robben of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Best of Show was presented to Lisa Loudin of Cathedral City for her pen and ink creation, “La Copine.”
And finally, the Superintendent’s Award, a non-monetary award personally selected by Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith, went to Rose Irelan of Poway, for her oil painting “Joshua Tree Glow.”
The artwork is on display and for sale at 29 Palms Art Gallery through Sunday, Nov. 28. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, at 74055 Cottonwood Drive on the corner of National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms. You can also view the artwork online at jtnparts,org.
Judges for this year’s awards were: Photographer Bill Leigh Brewer, desert artist Chuck Caplinger, and abstract expressionist Francesca Spoonhower.
The Art Expo is presented by Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Twentynine Palms. See the artwork images on our Featured Artists page.
MEDIA RELEASE: Oct. 13, 2021
ARTISTS ANNOUNCED for Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo 2021
Sixty artists have been selected for the Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo 2021 juried exhibition in November.
The 9th annual exhibition will be on display November 4-28, 2021, at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery, 74055 Cottonwood Drive at National Park Drive, 29 Palms. The exhibition features artwork inspired by Joshua Tree National Park in three categories: 2-Dimensional Art, 3-Dimensional Art, and Photography.
Artists in the 2-D category for 2021 are: Raini Armstrong, Robert Arnett, Stephanie Britt, Naomi Brown, Lorraine Bubar, Hannah Campbell, Chris Carraher, Janis Commentz, Miguel Criado, Jane Culp, Kristin Czech, Lee Edwards, Marcia Geiger, James Hammons, Larry Hemmerich, Christine Houser, Rose Irelan, Gwendolyn Awen Jones, Kay Kaplan, Sonja Krastman, Noreen Lawlor, Lisa Loudin, Charlotte McAdams, Michael McKay, Corey Peters, Susan Priest, Susan L. Rice, Jenny Robbins, Gregg Ross, Vanessa Rusczyk, Shiela Sasek, Esther Shaw, Jeff Skelly, Barbara Spiller, Emily Sunez, Tim Warren, Christine White, and Kim Zarney.
The 3-D category will feature artwork by: Ben Allanoff, Julia Briest, Steve Hilton, Philippe Jestin, Robin Raznick, Shiela Sasek, and Ehrick Wright.
Photography features work by: Peter Berggren, Delphine Bordas, Luciano Demasi, Michael E. Gordon, Monica Griffin, De Karlen, Casey Kiernan, Tatjana Kudla, Dean Mayo, Mitch Miller, Noemy O’Hara, Mark Robben, Sam Roberts, Tami Roleff, Rick Strobaugh, and John Van Vliet.
The 60 artists were selected from a total of 108 artists who submitted entries from the desert region, across California and the U.S., and England. The art will be eligible for awards totaling $4,000, including a Best of Show, plus an honorary Superintendent’s Award.
The Art Exposition weekend will be celebrated Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6-7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the 29 Palms Art Gallery, with an art market, artist booths, art activities, oasis walks, food and beverages. An Awards Reception will take place on the gallery patio Saturday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Jurors for the juried exhibition this year were artists Jeni Bate, Diana Shay Diehl, Anna Stump, Ted Wright, and Visual Information Specialist Ian Ferris from the park.
The annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is presented by Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts in partnership with 29 Palms Artists’ Guild, both 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.
MEDIA RELEASE: Nov. 15, 2020
AWARDS ANNOUNCED for Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo 2020!
Awards were announced on Saturday, Nov. 14 for the eighth annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition’s juried exhibition at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery.
Sixty pieces of art are featured in the juried exhibition, chosen out of 228 pieces of art submitted by 96 artists from the desert region and across California and the United States. The show is on display at the gallery through November 29 and features artwork depicting or inspired by Joshua Tree National Park.
Eleven artists received awards for their artwork, with awards totaling $5,000.
In the 2-Dimensional category, first place went to “Ozymandias,” pencil on paper, by Bart Baxter of Palm Desert. Second place went to “Light in the Storm,” a framed Inktense pencils piece by Hannah Campbell of Yucca Valley. Third place was given to “Desert Magic,” a large oil on canvas, by Kay Kaplan of San Diego.
For 3-Dimensional Art, first place went to “29 Palms Pioneers,” a clay sculpture by Ed Keesling of Yucca Valley. Second place went to “Sunset Explosion,” a stained glass mosaic by Angel La Canfora of Torrance, CA. Third place was given to “Dancing Cholla,” a sculpture of metallic acrylic on cholla husks by Ehrick Wright of Rancho Mirage.
In the Photography category, first place went to “Primrose and Dune” by Robert Miramontes of Desert Hot Springs. Second place went to “Color Fuel” by Mitch Miller of Joshua Tree. Third place went to “Snowstorm” by Margie Trandem of Yucca Valley.
A Best of Show award was given for “Peaceful,” a large oil on canvas by Marie VanDorp-Skelly of Sunland, CA.
And finally, the Superintendent’s Award, a non-monetary award personally selected by Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith, was presented to Robert Miramontes of Desert Hot Springs, for his black-and-white photograph “Primrose and Dune.”
Artwork is on display and for sale at 29 Palms Art Gallery through Sunday, Nov. 29. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, at 74055 Cottonwood Drive on the corner of National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms. This year, the artwork is also available for sale online at www.29palmsartgallery.com/featured-artists.
Judges for the awards were: Casey Kiernan, photographer, filmmaker, and owner of Joshua Tree Workshops. Brian Rennie, retired graphic designer, commercial photographer, and owner of Benchmark Studios, Joshua Tree. And Anna Stump, artist, arts educator, MFA and recipient of numerous international artist residencies.
The Art Exposition is presented by the Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Twentynine Palms. For more information about the art and artists, visit our Featured Artists.
PREMIER Sponsors
Many thanks to our loyal premier sponsors who have supported our arts organization and its flagship event, the JTNP Art Exposition! It is due to their generous donations and volunteerism that this event allows us to celebrate art each year.
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