It's Time for the Hi-Desert's Premier Cultural Event of the Year, the Hwy 62 Open Studio Art
Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, Morongo Valley, Wonder Valley, Pioneertown, Landers
Oct. 17&18 Oct. 24&25
The Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours sponsored by the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council has been a tradition for 14 years. This year the annual fall event will be held over the two weekends of October 17-18 & 25-26. The first weekend focus is on the west end of the basin. The second weekend focus is on the east end. Many studios are open both weekends.
The largest art event of the year in the hi-desert, the Art Tours attracts approximately 7,000 art enthusiasts and provides the public with a rare opportunity to explore the area’s art community from a behind-the-scenes perspective. Each year the Tours is uniquely different with artists preparing for months to create new works especially for this event. There are also artists who are returning after a year or two break as well as artists who are participating for the first time. With over 140 artists showing at 94 studio locations there is plenty of fresh new artwork to see.
What is special about the Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours is that it gives the visitor a very personal experience to not only purchase art directly from the artists, but also to meet and talk with the artists about their artwork in their studio settings. Some of the artists show work in process, some do demonstrations to show their techniques. There are all kinds of artists on the Tour. You’ll meet artists who are award-winning, who are well recognized nationally and internationally. You’ll also meet emerging artists who are just beginning to embark on showing their art. The artists in the Morongo Basin are quite varied in what they do.
For example, have you ever seen art made by hammering nails into wood to create an image? How about messages made from old license plates, baskets made from pine needles, colorfully painted mandalas, kinetic sculpture, or art made from rusty recycled materials? The artists on the Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours go beyond the traditional definition of art. Many artists work in multiple mediums and the possibilities of what you will see is endless. There is no doubt you are sure to find many hidden treasures as you go on your art adventure.
The first thing you will need is a catalog so you can plan your itinerary. You can view the catalog online at www.hwy62art.org. It is also available through www.sunrunnersw.com. Better yet, you can pick up a printed catalog at dedicated locations in the high and low desert (see list below). Look through the catalog and pick out the art that you want to see. Many of the artists have included links to their websites if you wish to learn more about their work. Once you have chosen the studios you want to visit, use the map in the catalog and plan your itinerary. Be aware that GPS is not always accurate in the desert. In addition to the maps there are written directions to each studio in the catalog as well as signage on the roads to help you find your way. Understand that it may take you longer than you anticipate at any given studio. So start early, pack some snacks, water and sunscreen, and off you go! The studios open at 9 a.m.
Whether this will be your first time or you are a veteran to the Tours, it is always good to plan ahead. Some visitors choose to organize their day by medium. For example you may be looking for a painting to go in your dining room or perhaps add a metal sculpture to your garden. Others organize their day by area. Ideally you have all four days dedicated to visiting studios, but if you are short on time, look for multiple artists at one studio, or look at the maps for studios grouped closely together.
If you start in Morongo Valley, the very west end of the Tours, you have the choice of eight artists to visit. Choose the art and artists you are drawn to and plan your time wisely as there is so much to see.
There are 57 artists showing in Yucca Valley including several new artists to the tours along with many returning artists. Take a side trip to Pioneertown where you will find eight more artists showing on the Tours. Pioneertown was originally a movie set built in the 1940’s so you may recognize some of the buildings from old westerns starring Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. How fun is that!
Landers offers three studios that are well worth the drive. You can reach Landers from Pioneertown by taking Pipes Canyon Rd. and crossing over Hwy 247.
In Joshua Tree where you will find 45 artists who work in a variety of mediums and artistic styles. In Joshua Tree there are hidden treasures galore! Many studio locations are close in to the downtown area and many are further out. The roads are frequently not paved once you get away from Hwy 62, but most of the roads have been well maintained and are easily traveled. The adventure continues…
Keep heading east and you will reach Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley where there are another 18 artists awaiting your arrival. You have reached the east end of the Tours…and what an adventure.
But wait, it’s not over yet! The options continue with three special events sponsored by the Hwy 62 Art Tours. Be sure to check out the Collective Art Show, held this year at the 29 Palms Art Gallery, on display for the entire month of October. You can also take in a chili dinner complete with candle light and live music at the gallery on the evening of Oct. 17—perfect after a long day visiting studios.
Make time to enjoy something new scheduled for this year; an avant-garde theatrical production on the evenings of October 17 and 18 held outdoors at a studio location in Yucca Valley. See the catalog “Special Events” page for details. Note: special event locations are marked with a star on the maps.
Pick up your free catalogs at the following locations: Palm Springs: Desert Art Center, Palm Springs Visitor Center Palm Desert: Venus Studios Art Supply Morongo Valley: Blue Agave Gallery / Cactus Mart Pioneertown: MazAmar Art Pottery Yucca Valley: ArtFx , California Welcome Center, Rainbow Stew Joshua Tree: Gallery 62, Joshua Tree Art Gallery (JTAG)Twentynine Palms: 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms Creative Center & Gallery, 29 Palms Visitor Center
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