By Rebecca Pikus
The Indian Wells Art Festival has been ranked as one of the 100 Best Fine Arts Shows in the country. It will be held again this year at the beautiful grounds of the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens from Fri. April 4 – Sun. April 6, 2014. IF you want to visit One Event — and see 200 Artists all in one place — this is the place to go! The Festival is produced by Dianne Funk Enterprises. Dianne Funk is the hard-working yearly Organizer, and no one works more diligently than her to make this a fabulous event!
The Art Festival will host more than 200 contemporary artists from 11 states, predominantly the Western & Pacific Northwest Regions. Visitors will find original art, including Paintings, Sculptures, Pottery, Glass, & Photography. Two of our Award-winning Desert Area Artists participating in the Festival are Mario Pikus (Sculpture), & Snake Jagger (Painter).
New at the Festival this year will be the Palm Springs area’s first-ever Objet Trouve Found Art Festival — creating a Festival of Festivals! Objet Trouve is the idea of using everyday objects & found materials to create stimulating works of art.
There will be many interactive Demonstrations, including: A replica of Paris’s Eiffel Tower by Indio artist Mary Foote, which will be completed on-site. “The Art of Hand-weaving with Natural Dyes” will be demonstrated by Zapotec native, Antonio Mendoza. Glassblower Bruce Freund will fire up his furnace for his amazing glass blowing demonstrations; Sea Sand Sculptor Jeff Sherman, who will create a life-sized mermaid. The Old Town Artisan Studio’s booth will be offering throwings of clay pots.
The Ophelia Project will once again have an exhibition by teen girls who are creating one of a kind fused glass pendants, under the direction of Gideon Cohen of Images Gallery. In addition, Artwork has been contributed to a silent auction during the weekend to benefit The Ophelia Projects. Children’s activities will also be provided throughout the 3 days of the Festival.
The Festival will feature live music – jazz, blues, rock, classical – by such groups as Incendio, Lao Tizer, & Rumproller — with a special dance exhibition by the Aztec Dancers. Daily food concessions — with a French theme this year — wine tasting, plus an Egg & Champagne in the Garden Sunday brunch.
Indian Wells Art Festival — Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 6, 2014; 10am-5pm (Gates close at 4pm); Adults $12; Children free; Parking free, Valet is available. For Info: Indianwellsartfestival.com, or call (760) 346-0042
