Forgotten desert artists lost a champion when Fran Elliott, of Sedona, Arizona, died on April 22, 2014. Fran and her husband Ed unearthed the stories of dozens of neglected Arizona women artists. Their collection sparked the 2012 exhibit Arizona’s Pioneering…
Category: News
Joshua Trees in The OC, Agnes’ Spirit Guide, New Morongo Gallery and More
In the spirit of the early desert painters, Jim Trolinger and a band of talented friends are taking on the California deserts one by one. They’ve twice journeyed to Death Valley, and they descended on Joshua Tree in March. You…
Val Samuelson House, Ziemienski’s Sunset, Mystery Artist and More
The Cathedral City Cove continues to assert its place in desert art history. First there was the recognition of the Agnes Pelton home (thanks to Peter Palladino and Simeon Den) and now a restoration-minded couple has purchased the former Val…
Willard Pops Up in PS; Sonie’s Road; Helper, Utah Artists and More
This weekend (March 8 and 9th, 2014) brings a pop-up display of Stephen Willard’s desert paintings to Terry Masters’ Palm Springs gallery. Willard was best known for his work as a photographer in the Palm Springs area but he was…
Randall Tipton Returns to Tahquitz and More
With the desert strangely warm this season, the snakes have awakened early and artists from colder places are busy in the canyons. One such visitor, Randall David Tipton, is a spellbinding landscape painter well-known in Portland and the Northwest–but he…
Shari Elf Film, Toenjes in Quartzsite, Desertscapes Canceled and More
Shari Elf, a well known member of the Joshua Tree art community, presents a short film about Western artist Don Shreves (1918-1997). Shari is working with Shreve’s 97-year-old brother, Rollie, to document Shreves’ life and work. Paralyzed due to a…
Agnes Pelton Way, Death Valley 49ers, Morongo Art Tours, etc.
Branding experts make big bucks dreaming up campaigns to sell communities, yet one of the simplest ways to build an identity is to promote a beloved artist. It worked for Santa Fe, in the case of Georgia O’Keeffe, and it’s…
Toenjes on the Mojave, Eytel’s Canteen, Water Tank Art and More
Palm Springs artist and archaeologist James Toenjes is acting as caretaker and resident painter at the historic OX Ranch in Lanfair Valley, as he works on archaeology jobs in the Mojave National Preserve. His adventure has already yielded fine paintings…
Charles Lummis, Louisa McElwain, Banning Centennial and More
When you’re driving in from LA and hit Banning and the woolly San Gorgonio Pass, you’ve officially entered smoketree country. As Banning celebrates its 100th birthday this year, this atmospheric desert edge town is ramping up as a center for…
Elsie’s Army, Clonard Thomas, Pelton Mystery and More
For every desert painter found in books, hundreds more were faithful to the terrain–but are not so well-known as yet. Two such devoted desert painters passed away recently. Clonard Bunn Thomas of Palm Desert died February 10, 2013. With her…