City of Palm Desert
Today there is a renaissance of interest in desert plein-air paintings among collectors and scholars. Many of the top painters including Maynard Dixon, John Hilton, Jimmy Swinnerton, and stagecoach artist Marjorie Reed either lived or exhibited in Palm Desert.
The mission of Desertscapes is to promote and educate the public about the historical and contemporary relationship between California landscape and plein-air painters within the Coachella Valley and surrounding area.
Desertscapes will feature exhibits of contemporary and historical painters, along with talks by some of California’s leading art experts.
Highlights include: Painting demonstrations, paint-outs in the field with contemporary landscape artists, panel discussions and tours. This groundbreaking event is valleywide in scope, with events to be staged in various cities.
Desertscapes will appeal to anyone who loves the dunes, the palm oases and the Santa Rosa Mountains, painted by so many acclaimed artists over the decades.